James Leon “Jim” Crittenden III was born on November 23, 1951, in Statesboro, Georgia, to James Jr. and Charlotte Crittenden. He grew up in Bulloch County and graduated from Statesboro High School in 1970.
During his Blue Devil years, he was recognized for his exceptional athletic abilities in football, track and field, and particularly in pole vaulting. Classmates remembered his competitive spirit and presence on the field.
In 1974, NBC came to Bulloch County, filming in Register, just down the road from Statesboro. The film was “The Greatest Gift,” a Depression-era drama starring Hollywood legends Glenn Ford and Julie Harris, and it was being shot on location in rural Georgia.
Jim Crittenden, then 22 years old and fresh out of the Army, seized the opportunity to get involved. He landed a spot as an extra in the production – a small role but his first taste of life in front of the camera. Crittenden “got his start in a movie made in Register, Georgia, ‘The Greatest Gift’, in 1974”, as his obituary notes.
Work in Television and Film
He soon relocated to Los Angeles to pursue acting. While building a career, he took acting classes and worked a variety of jobs between auditions. Over time, he began booking small roles in television and film.
IMDb documents 38 acting credits for Jim Crittenden over multiple decades. Jim’s first credited appearance came in 1977 on CHiPs, where he played Little John in the episode “Dog Gone.” He returned to the series in 1978 in a different role.
In 1979, he played Leon White in an episode of The Incredible Hulk titled “Jake.” The following year, he guest-starred on The Waltons as G.I. Smitty in the Season 8 episode “The Medal,” appearing alongside Corbin Bernsen. In 1981, he appeared on The Dukes of Hazzard in Season 3 as Burt Roby, portraying one half of a jewel thief couple opposite Martha Smith’s Myrna Roby.
He went on to appear in a wide range of shows, including The Bionic Woman, Trapper John, M.D., and Charlie’s Angels, and continued working into the 1990s with parts in Bitter Harvest and Rio Diablo, and appeared occasionally in the 2000s. One of his final film credits was a role in Babylon (2022), a period piece set in 1920s Hollywood.
Hal “Cole” Waters Jr. said, “I remember the Mill Creek swimming hole when y’all lived on the other side of my Uncle Si’s property, high school, TPI dances... anything to do in the smaller days of the ’Boro. Jim was a legend to us... he had ‘made it’, and we were so proud that he was from our hometown.”
Final Years
In his seventies, Jim was diagnosed with cancer. He died on May 23, 2025, at Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 73 years old.
Jay Murray wrote: “He was my neighbor here in West Hollywood, and I was visiting him in the hospital frequently as we became close friends towards the end of his life. He was a great man and I know that he is at peace now in heaven.”
A memorial was held on June 7, 2025, at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro. Those who attended shared memories of his early years and his work on television. Many recalled seeing him in reruns and spreading the word anytime he was on screen.
Elder Randy Waters officiated the service and spoke about how Jim’s work brought pride to the community. He noted that Jim’s impact reached beyond entertainment and served as a reminder of what was possible for someone from a small town.
So in his honor, take a walk down Memory Lane and give The Dukes of Hazzard a rewatch, or check it out for the first time. Look for the familiar face of a Statesboro man turned Statesboro legend.
