Born 75 Years Ago in Wisconsin, the TV Star Who Found Success on Broadway and the Country Charts

On this day (September 9) in 1951, Tom Wopat was born in Lodi, Wisconsin. He rose to fame in his late 20s when he landed the role of Luke Duke in the massively popular series The Dukes of Hazzard. He also had a career on Broadway, appearing several popular musicals and earning Tony Award nominations. Wopat has recorded a wide variety of music in his career and scored multiple hits on the country charts in the 1980s.

While most fans remember Wopat for his time on The Dukes of Hazzard, he started his career on the stage. While attending the University of Wisconsin, he landed a role in the school’s production of West Side Story. Afterward, he knew he wanted to be a performer. He made his Broadway debut in 1977 as Wally in I Love My Wife.

Wopat looked back on his stage career in an interview with Broadway World. “Oklahoma is still the most fun to do. But, Annie Get Your Gun with Bernadette [Peters] was probably the acme of my Broadway career. She’s just indescribable,” he said.

When not on the stage, Wopat had a long line of TV and film appearances. He was on The Dukes of Hazzard between from 1979 to 1985. He also appeared in Fantasy Island, Blue Skies, A Peaceable Kingdom, and Cybill. More recently, he appeared in Blue Bloods, Longmire, and The Blacklist. He also had roles in Django Unchained, Main Street, and The Understudy, among others.

Tom Wopat’s Recording Career

Tom Wopat’s recording career began in 1981, when he contributed to the soundtrack for The Dukes of Hazzard. Two years later, he released his self-titled debut album on Columbia Records.

Wopat landed his first top 40 country hit with “True Love (Never Did Run Smooth),” the lead single from this 1986 album A Little Bit Closer. It peaked at No. 39. His biggest hit on the country chart came in 1988, when the album’s title track peaked No. 18.

So far, he has released 12 studio albums, including Home for Christmas, featuring his former co-star John Schneider (Bo Duke).

[RELATED: 8 Country Acts with Ties to New York and New Jersey]

Tom Wopat continues to perform and record, with several concerts currently on his schedule.

Featured Image by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images

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