Following in the successful wake of The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres, The Dukes of Hazzard debuted in January 1979 and quickly became a staple of CBS-TV's Friday night lineup. With its wild mix of wacky car chases and spectacular vehicle wrecks, bumbling sheriffs, greedy politicians, and its rambunctious lead players (the Duke boys and curvaceous Daisy Duke), it's little wonder the program developed such a strong and loyal viewership.

This is the first book devoted to the genesis and production of the hit program, tracing its 1970s origin through to its...