Leta Powell Drake Interview with Byron Cherry and Chris Mayer

Junket interview with Byron Cherry and Chris Mayer regarding the TV series Dukes of Hazzard. Conducted circa August 1982. Interview broadcast on KOLN/KGIN-TV (Lincoln, NE).
Support History Nebraska and help us digitize more of our video collection for everyone to see!
Become a member at history.nebraska.gov/membership
or
Give a one-time donation at www.historynebraskafoundation...

[@pos-venom965]

I wish had a full season with all 4 Duke Boys

[@BrakerLane]

I grew to like Coy and Vance just as much as Bo and Luke. They should have kept Coy and Vance as recurring characters...

[@davidmiller5061]

The dukes of harzzard was my all time favorite show

[@ryanhartman8789]

Always liked Coy and Vance. They kept the show moving. Bo and Luke's return... Priceless.

[@commonman317]

With this pandemic, I went back over the months and watched all of the seasons. The Coy and Vance episodes are not as bad as I remembered them as a kid. Sure, they are not Bo and Luke, but Christopher and Byron were really put in an impossible situation. They did their best to at least keep the show going. Honestly, I might even prefer the Coy and Vance episodes to Season 7, with the miniature models being used. Most of Season 7's episodes were almost unwatchable.

[@zt1053]

They should have let them boy in the whole episode when bo and luke came back.

[@mi2ube]

Rest in Peace Chris. Such a handsome man!!! Byron's a real down to earth guy. It's a shame how they booted them off the show. If you ever want the whole story, look it up on KZbin. They kept the show going while Tom & John demanded more money.

[@one4allall4one91]

Bo said. He was asking just 3% off the merchandising royalties out of hundreds of millions of dollars meanwhile their image was being plaster all over the world. You deserve to demand more from a greedy hollywood.

[@stevenmcdowell4108]

These two guys picked up the ball for the dukes of hazzard and in my opinion they did a fantastic job holding the show on their shoulders. It saddens me the company executives decided not to keep them on the show as regulars to help bo Luke and daisy. They helped keep the show a float just not cool how they got dropped like that.

[@folden2008]

yes I agree even for the rest of the season at least

[@freddaniali]

No they didn't, they sucked.

[@bfsgman]

Even having them appear in a recurring capacity would have been nice. They were in some great episodes, particularly the ones with the mean green machine.

[@funkywolf2403]

This is my uncle. Unfortunately he passed away young and I never got to meet him

[@rumarspencer7302]

@@funkywolf2403 Christopher Mayer?

[@toucansam3]

"Do either of you drive cars?" Wow, this is some hard hitting journalism here.

[@dustinfonnesbeck9667]

A lot of fans didn't like Coy and Vance as Duke Boys. I liked them.

[@RTS4018]

They should have at least let Coy and Vance finish out the episode when Bo and Luke came back.

[@T-DAWGB]

They are sooo handsome❤

[@nathanbugg3221]

Do either of you drive? Hahaha what a question.... fingernail coming off. Wow hard hitting interview.

[@ruminator3570]

What did the cast members really feel about these two. As far as I'm concerned they're just as much a part of the legend is the rest of the cast. I think they deserve to be held in higher regard irrespective of the ratings drop. Notwithstanding that these guys are seen technically as placeholders. Rest in peace Christopher Mayer.

[@jdtractorman7445]

I'm glad Byron Cherry and Christopher Mayer came on to the show and kept it going. Ultimately I think Tom Wopat and John Schneider regretted leaving. One of them had said in an interview that they had received some not so great advice on how to handle the situation. They went on to say that they themselves and the network could have handled the situation differently. Someone in the comments below stated it's a shame because the Dukes was Byron and Christopher's big break and at the same time a curse in a way. John and Tom even told Byron and Christopher, don't get too comfortable because we will be back. Ultimately, Tom and John leaving actually contributed to the demise of the show, I think Tom may have mentioned that as well in an interview. After Tom and John came back it was great but the show had a different feel. Many stunt jumps were recycled footage from previous years and at one point they started using miniature cars which cheapened the show horribly. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had John and Tom never left to begin with.

[@LakeHowellDigitalVideo]

I think the show would have gone 10 seasons like Magnum PI if Tom and John hadn't have left. But the ratings dip from Coy and Vance lead to cost cutting (recycled footage of car jumps). While the ratings did improve when Tom and John returned -- they never hit 1980 and 1981 season ratings. The cost cutting caught up with the toy model cars and cheap scripts in season 7. They cancelled the show in the middle of Season 7 because it became a cartoon version of itself (with toy cars jumping over grain silos and other stupid ideas).

[@jorgedangelo3331]

❤❤❤

[@ThunderPants13]

These guys were put in a no-win situation. If they sucked, everybody would say they ruined the show, and if they were good, they'd never be Bo and Luke so some people would still resent them.

[@tanerbuck7526]

I actually didn't want coy and vance Duke if it wasn't for them they're probably would have never been a season 5 and I thank them both for keeping it going and they should have kept them and it's sad that Christopher Mayer has been gone for 10 years I want to say thank you to the late Christopher Mayer and still kicking Byron cherry for their hard work then guys actually did pretty good I just don't understand why the fans and critics the ratings drop because of them them guys could fight like Bill and Luke I miss you Christopher mayor rest in peace

[@fjimenezbotello]

They made a great job. They were faster than Bo & Luke to get in The General Lee. It was very sad to watch the episode when they got out of the show.

[@freddaniali]

Are you kidding me??? You really think that these two bozos were a good replacement for Schneider and Wopat all because they could get into a car faster?

[@the_only_gen-z_duke_fan]

they COULDN'T get in the car faster. Coy nor Vance never did one hood or roof slide, and they never jumped into the windows. After a few episodes they got used to climbing into the windows, but they were never faster than John and Tom.

[@fjimenezbotello]

@@freddaniali The worst season is 7th, Tom Wopat, & John Schneider are on it .

[@fjimenezbotello]

@@the_only_gen-z_duke_fan The worst season is 7th, Tom Wopat, & John Schneider are on it .

[@freddaniali]

@@fjimenezbotello So was the last season of Married with Children. Don't blame the actors, blame the writers and the folks in charge.

[@lovebeloved4life838]

As much a Bo an Luke will always be my favorite I have grown to love these two too!

[@classic1971]

Chris Mayer not Meyer.

[@victorhugoyaguallara3690]

Fueron los Primeros Dukes del Peligro en las Primeras series fueron muy geniales

[@shawnhumphreys9261]

I think they both did a great job on the show. I liked both of them, It took a min to get used to them. But the more of season 5 I watched, the more i liked them. It's just too bad they couldn't stay on. It sure would've brought a new twist to giving boss Hogg and Roscoe a run for there money.

[@jamesodell4249]

Coy and Vance and the green mean meachine was the 1st episode with them in it

[@rumarspencer7302]

Loved both Mean Green Machine episodes.

[@houdini1972]

The new Coke of tv land.

[@jasongibson3496]

Coy and Vance were really cute and beautiful young men, back then. I am sorry of what I have read on You Tube both have passed on. I watched Dukes of Hazzard as a kid for entertainment purposes only. I never watched the Dukes of Hazzard when it went in to syndication. I guess as an adult I lost interest in the program.

[@pjgathergood6987]

Christopher Mayer (Vance) sadly passed away in 2011, but Byron Cherry (Coy) is still very much alive. :)

[@wisheduknew294]

Byron Cherry is still alive. Only CHRISTOPHER mayor has passed in 2011 of a brain aneurysm

[@tanerbuck7526]

I misspelled the top part wrong when I shed I actually didn't want I meant to put I actually didn't mind that's what I meant to put and I spell Bill instead of Bo don't hold that against me I do apologize

[@camillamartz8179]

They had the pressure on to hold up the show. It would had been cool seeing them in the script after John and Tom came back but the general Lee was only so big.

[@youtubecreater237]

They did a great job until John and Tom came back they were only replacements

[@theRussianJiu]

So he was the son of the president of CBS. That explains everything.

[@JoeDebono]

I am pretty sure that was a joke.

[@jaym5118]

I've recently been watch my Dukes of Hazzard DVD seasons for the first time, and when I got to season 5, I was DUMBFOUNDED! I couldn't figure out why it was showing two different guys on the opening. At first, I thought they replaced Bo & Luke Duke with different actors. Well, they did, but not in the way I thought. I was relieved when I found out they were cousins of the Dukes. I grew to like them on the show, and felt disappointed when they left. They really should have written them into the main cast and just kept them until the end.

[@TheShospitali]

I wonder how Daisy really felt about working with these two characters as opposed to Bow & Luke?

[@Marz5004]

Are you going to be watching yourselves?

[@CharlieBrn]

Loved the show but nthis was a huge mistake

[@eri-chan6846]

YESSSSSS

[@Thecobrakaifamily]

Coy and Vance are cute

[@goldenera4ever]

They need to take the episodes these two were in and destroy all traces of them.

[@tomxconn]

Did their best in an awkward situation

[@tj.espygil4544]

Yes. They appear a little skittish and uncomfortable, like they're strapped on to an amusement ride. Poor guys. They look really young here.. Chris is super handsome.

[@freddaniali]

Cheap imitations of Schneider and Wopat. It failed miserably!

[@fjimenezbotello]

live and left live, go to make love to your woman (or man cause your yellow pussy car) and be happy. Because you act and write like a yerk.

[@waynewilliams5802]

@@fjimenezbotello I'm glad you told that Joe Biden lovin gun banning clown off

[@rumarspencer7302]

John and Tom walking out, and them not getting their merchandise royalties, is what hurt the show, ratings wise. Byron and Chris to me, did a good job helping the show go.

[@annamaj2943]

Chris era un grande c'era in Santa Barbara