Jerry Elijah Rushing (September 1, 1937 – July 23, 2017) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

best known for his years as a bootlegger or "moonrunner" (

moonshine Moonshine is alcohol proof, high-proof liquor, traditionally made or distributed alcohol law, illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of distilling the alcohol (drug), alcohol at night to avoid detection. In the first decades of the ...

runner, "running" being a form of

smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. More broadly, soc ...

). Rushing was born into a family business making illegal

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...

. As a young man he became a delivery driver, a job requiring late-night high-speed driving, often without headlights; for this he used a modified 1958 Chrysler 300D capable of 140 mph (225 km/h) speeds, easily more than most

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

vehicles, which he nicknamed Traveller, after

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

's favorite horse Traveller. The car was eventually abandoned when it ran out of fuel during a chase, was sold from a police impound into the private collector's market, and has since been restored by Lawrence Wolfel. Rushing eventually turned to a career in early

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

. Among the drivers he raced were

Junior Johnson Robert Glenn Johnson Jr. (June 28, 1931 – December 20, 2019), better known as Junior Johnson, was an American professional stock car racing driver, engineer, and team owner as well as an entrepreneur. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career befor ...

, himself a former moonrunner, and

Wendell Scott Wendell Oliver Scott Sr. (August 29, 1921 – December 23, 1990) was an American stock car racing driver. He was the first African-American driver and team owner to compete and win in all divisions of NASCAR at its highest level. Scott began his ...

. In the early 1970s, while doing research for an upcoming movie, producer Gy Waldron obtained an

oral history Oral history is the collection and study of historical information from people, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people who pa ...

from Rushing. Waldron would later use these interviews, along with his own experiences growing up in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

, as material for the 1975

B-movie A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second ...

Moonrunners ''Moonrunners'' is a 1975 action comedy film starring James Mitchum, about a Southern family that runs bootleg liquor. It was reworked four years later into the popular long-running television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', and the two prod ...

'', which would go on to be reworked as the basis for the TV series ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy television series created by Gy Waldron that aired on CBS from January 26, 1979, to February 8, 1985, with a total of seven seasons consisting of List of The Dukes of Hazzard episodes, 147 ...

'' (1979–1985). Rushing was not credited for the biographical details he claims were recreated in both works, and sued for royalties, receiving an undisclosed settlement. Rushing claims thirteen characters from the film or series were modeled on himself or people he knew, including: * He was the inspiration for

Bo Duke Beauregard "Bo" Duke (born circa 1958) is a fictional character in the American television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', he is the second main protagonist in the series, which ran from 1979 to 1985. He was played by John Schneider. Fictional ...

* His Uncle Worley was the inspiration for Uncle Jesse * His car ''Traveler'' was the inspiration for the '' General Lee'' (indeed, a car named ''Traveler'' is seen in ''Moonrunners'', and the name for the ''General Lee'' in pre-production was also ''Traveler'') Rushing performed

stunt work A stunt is an unusual, difficult, dramatic physical feat that may require a special skill, performed for artistic purposes usually for a public audience, as on television or in theaters or cinema. Stunts are a feature of many action films. Befo ...

and appeared uncredited as Jake Rainey's bodyguard in ''

.'' He also had a guest role in a very early episode of the ''Dukes'' series, as crooked used car salesman Ace Parker in the episode "Repo Men". Rushing had understood the performance to be the start of a recurring role, return in part for his supplying creative material from his experiences, but it was the only time the character was ever seen or mentioned. This appearance led to a career as a minor

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

, mainly playing

rednecks ''Redneck'' is a derogatory term mainly applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the southern United States.Harold Wentworth, and Stuart Berg Flexner, ''Dictionary of American ...

, sheriffs, and truckers. With the release of the ''Dukes of Hazzard'' movie, Rushing had stepped up marketing for a self-produced documentary called ''Traveler''. Rushing owned and operated a wild boar hunting preserve near

Taylorsville, North Carolina Taylorsville is a town in Alexander County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,098 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Taylorsville is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical ...

named Chestnut Hunting Lodge. He retired during the summer of 2013 and the lodge closed.Rushing, Update
A Note of Thanks to Our Friends and Hunters
''Chestnut Hunting Lodge'' He died at his home on July 23, 2017.

References

External links

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

, August 7, 2005
Traveler Movie

Dukes of Hazzard history & Hazzard County Car Club

The Real Duke of Hazzard: The Jerry Rushing Story

Jerry Rushing's Chestnut Hunting Lodge
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rushing, Jerry 1937 births 2017 deaths American bootleggers The Dukes of Hazzard People from Union County, North Carolina People from Taylorsville, North Carolina

References

Further reading

External links