Background and career
Otis Burt "Sonny" Shroyer Jr. (born August 28, 1935) is an American retired actor who has appeared in various television and film roles. He is best known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Enos Strate in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard. He also starred in the short-lived spin-off series Enos based around his Dukes of Hazzard character.
Shroyer was born in the town of Valdosta, Georgia. In high school, he was a football star. He attended Florida State University on a football scholarship, but his athletic career was cut short by an injury. He finished his degree at the University of Georgia.
Shroyer began his career as a professional model in 1961.
His first screen role came in the 1972 film Payday. Shroyer almost became typecast as a villain before landing the role of the naive Deputy Enos Strate in the hit pop culture series The Dukes of Hazzard in 1978 (first broadcast early 1979). The Dukes of Hazzard role was Shroyer's most visible. His character was written out of that series at the beginning of its third season to star in a spinoff series, Enos, in 1980. The new show was not a success and was canceled after eighteen episodes, so Shroyer returned to The Dukes of Hazzard at the start of the fifth season in 1982 and remained with the series until it ended in 1985. Shroyer portrayed University of Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant in Forrest Gump, Delbert Birdsong in The Rainmaker, and Governor Jimmie Davis in Ray. Shroyer remained active until he retired in 2023 due to flu related issues. In 2026, Shroyer made a rare public appearance at a Dukes of Hazzard fan event in Anderson, Alabama.
Shroyer also had a career as a country and gospel singer. He released a children's album in 1982, Back in Hazzard. It features a cover version of Roger Miller's classic, "You Can't Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd". He also recorded a song "Children in Need" with fellow actor Randall Franks for Franks's 2001 CD God's Children. He and Franks have made personal appearances together.
Shroyer is married and has two sons. He is a Born Again Christian and sings Gospel Music.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
