The original series ran from September 8, 1966 to June 3,
1969 on NBC. 

Richard Lee Petty was born in North Carolina.

NASCAR driver Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 seven times over the course
of his legendary career. His racing team Richard Petty Motorsports became one
of the most successful teams on the circuit. He grew up with racing, as his father
was a champion racer himself. Richard is called The King who became a 5-time
Winston Cup Series Champion.

Robert Cabot "Bobby" Sherman, Jr. was born in Santa Monica, Cal.

Sherman became a teen singing idol during the 1960s, releasing such hits 
as "Little Woman," "The Drum," and "La, La, La." He learned to play sixteen
musical instruments, starting with the trumpet at age 11. In 2005, Sherman
was ranked #8 in TV Guide‍ ‘​s list of "TV’s 25 Greatest Teen Idols."

Waylon Arnold Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002)  
was born in Littlefield, Texas. 

 
Without even knowing how to read music, Jennings vowed to have a
career in as a musician, and never have to pick cotton again. He was
the narrator of the original The Dukes of Hazzard.on CBS-TV from
January 26, 1979 – February 8, 1985.

     David McClure Brinkley (July 10, 1920 – June 11, 2003)

David Brinkley was a TV newscaster for 50 years and the partner of
Chet Huntley. He won ten Emmy Awards three George Foster Peabody
Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his career. He
served in the United States Army for two years and was a journalist for
a local newspaper.

From left: Chet Huntley and David Brinkley on the NBC news set in 1956