[Publius]

Sorel Booke agonized a great deal as to how he would portray Hogg. Panama hat or Stetson? The Panama hat represented the Old South, while the Stetson represented the New South. Booke chose the Stetson.

The accent? Booke studied Strom Thurmond at length and based his accent on him.

When he died in 1994, we lost a gifted actor and great linguist.

[onemiddleamerican]

FYI, Stetson hat factory was in Philadelphia, of all places. Had a few ancestors who worked there back in the day.

[tflabo]

Booke was soooo funny as Boss Hogg I just had to look at him to get a laugh. Add in the accent and the mannerisms, that white suit and hat, cigar-— just hilarious and brilliantly funny too.