Adam Venable, or originally Josiah Benson, is a minor character from the Dukes of Hazzard.
History[]
Josiah worked in a private security service and after a man named Zender kidnapped Dixie Davis, Benson was the one to deliver a $2 million ransom in diamonds. He was blindfolded but saw the man in charge anyway. After they were arrested, he testified against him. The diamonds from the ransom were never recovered. He initially went into witness protection due to testifying. However he continues to be in the protection due to people chasing him and his daughter, assuming they still have the diamonds. After moving multiple times, he and his daughter are moved to Hazzard and he is renamed Adam Venable.
Appearances[]
Good Neighbors Duke[]
While working on a fence, he is approached by Dixon and Clayton complimenting his garden. Clayton says maybe this time it’s for keeps and he agrees to which his daughter insists it is. Dixon gives him his number, which he takes, and he watches them leave. His daughter says they are pretty nice for federal agents. He reluctantly agrees.
When Bo and Luke crash through his gate and are talking to Ester, he run over with a pitchfork, asking what is going on. Ester tells him it’s alright. Luke introduces himself and Bo and he offers his hand. He tells Luke he doesn’t cotton much to strangers. Bo says he was always taught a stranger is just a friend you ain’t met yet and moves to shake his hand but he points the fork at Bo's chest. Luke says they’ll clean up the mess they made and repair what they broke. Bo says they must have just moved in. He introduces himself as Venable and says they have been there for close to a month. Bo remarks he hasn’t seen them in town. He tells the boys that they’re car is broke. Luke offers to give them a ride into town and show them around and says they’ll pick up what they need to fix the mess they made adding that when they get back, they’ll look at the car too. He lowers the pitch fork and thanks them but says they have things to do there. He walks away and Ester chases after him saying if they are going to settle down in Hazzard, then they should go to Town sooner or later. He agrees and goes to get changed.
They go to the Boar’s Nest and he has a toast with Bo, Luke, and Ester. Bo and Luke say most people are nice but there are a few exceptions. When Rosco announces he’s got them, Luke says there is one of them. He is confused when Rosco tries to frame Bo and Luke for a crime before Daisy asks Rosco what is Mr. Venable going to think of their police department. Hearing his name, Boss Hogg comes over and shakes his hand, asking ‘how do you do Sir?’ and he greets Boss. They introduce each other and Boss asks if he’s related to the family in Gerald City but he says he’s from Harperville. Boss remarks that they just bought the Gaylord Farm, which he confirms. Boss tells him that someone did him a great disservice and he’s going to be miserable there as it is a hard scrap of land and there isn’t even any water on the land, shocking him. Boss tells him he wants to make him a generous offer and buy the land from him. He thanks Boss but says they are fixing to stay and excuses himself and the others.
In town, he helps Luke start to load lumber before walking over to where Bo and Ester are standing together. When Jesse pulls up, he walks over to meet him. They talk to Jesse for a few minutes. Jesse agrees to take them around town while Bo and Luke go back to the farm to work on the fence and then take the Venable's back when they finish shopping. He agrees, saying ‘good’. They walk away with Jesse and Jesse asks what is it that he needs the most.
They return to the farm to see the fence fixed and Bo and Luke gone. They see Bo and Luke pull in. When the boys get out he says he sees they fixed his fence. Bo and Luke explain that a van passed by and dropped a license plate and when they tried to return it, the van bolted. Alarmed he asks where was the van at and Bo tells him it was behind the house. Shocked he rushes into the house to check. After making sure everything is fine, he goes outside to get his supplies and Bo comes to help him along with Ester.
When he sees Ester feeding the chickens, he tells her they got to talk. Ester says if this is about moving again, she isn’t going this time. He says she’s cottoned to Hazzard and some of the local folks. He says she’s practically grown up and she has a right to do what she thinks she has to do. He kisses her before going inside.
Inside he tells Ester that if she wants to stay they will stay, come what may but she says she can’t let anything happen to him. Ester suggests he call Mr. Dixon. He tells her this is one move he thinks they’d best make on their own.
Outside he calls for Bo and Luke over the C.B. Jesse answers and says the boys aren’t there but he can help. He explains he and Ester are going away for a bit. Jesse asks that he isn’t leaving and he says they are just going to visit some kin. He says he has a package that is real valuable and was hoping they could keep it for them. Jesse says he’ll have Daisy stop by and pick it up. He thanks Jesse.
Daisy arrives at the farm and he gives her the package. He thanks Daisy and asks her to take care of the package. Daisy says she will guard it with her life and she will see them when they get back. When Daisy leaves he tells Ester that once they are settled they’ll call Daisy and tell her where to send the bag.
They are packing when Bo, Luke, and Daisy pull in. Ester says she thinks they should tell the Dukes the truth and he says she is right. Luke hands him the briefcase saying ‘I guess this is yours Mr. Benson’ and that it nearly cost Daisy her life. He apologizes to Daisy. Bo asks if he’ll tell him the truth now and he says he was about to anyway. He asks what else they know besides his name and Bo says just what they read in the papers. He says they know it all except the part about being in witness protection. He says Hazzard was their third port of call. Adam explains that the people who know about the diamonds keep popping up. Luke says if he hands back the diamonds people will stop bothering him. He tells them that he never had the diamonds and he figures Zender’s got them stashed. Daisy asks what is in the bag and he agrees to show them, as it was family pictures and birth certificates saying it might not look like much. He tells them he thinks they should be going and for good this time but Daisy tells him to wait. Luke suggests there is a bug in the house and they all go inside, looking around and finding it.
They go back outside and Bo asks what would happen if they told the bounty hunters what really was in there. He says they won’t believe it and even if they did there would be others. Luke asks what he thinks would happen if the bounty hunters thought they were dead. He says they’d report it to their company he expects. Luke says for their gonna have to kill them for their own good. He’s confused and Luke explains the plan.
In the house he plays along with Luke’s plan, pretending he was trying to have Bo and Luke take the stolen diamonds to the fence in Colonial City. They go outside and get ready to leave but he changes his mind saying it’s too risky and he can’t let them do this. Bo says the heck with him as if it wasn’t for the Dukes, he wouldn’t have been spotted. He says whatever happens, they are good neighbors for sure. He shakes Luke’s hand and hugs Daisy before shaking Bo’s. They get in the car and set off.
Following Luke’s plan, they drive by the bounty hunters to lead them down Widow’s Peak. When they are out of sight they change places with Bo and Luke, Bo taking his hat. He runs over to Daisy saying ‘them cousins of yours are plain crazy, God bless them.’ When they get the signal they talk into Daisy’s C.B., pretending their breaks have gone out. They celebrate their success when the plan succeeds and the company assumes they are dead.
Later he and Ester learn Boss and Rosco found water on their property.