Top 10 Sheriffs in Movies and TV

In Hollywood, sheriffs can be heroes or villains – and sometimes both. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Sheriffs from Movies and TV.

For this list, we are looking at memorable and popular sheriffs in films or TV that are not part of the western or horror genres, as those are worthy of their very own lists! Also, characters have to be actual sheriffs, not just dressed like one. Sorry, Woody!

When one thinks of the world of suave superspy James Bond, one doesn’t typically picture a small-town Louisiana sheriff fitting in very comfortably. And that was certainly the case with Sheriff J.W. Pepper. Popping up rather incongruously in the first two Roger Moore Bond flicks, Pepper was there to provide contrast to Bond. With his casual prejudices, high-decibel conversations and unfortunate fondness for spitting, he did indeed provide contrast – and made a memorable – if not always well-received - comic impression.

Hazzard County was ruled by the corrupt politician Boss Hogg. To keep his hands relatively clean, Hogg often left matters to the inept sheriff – who was also his inept brother-in-law. Originally presented as bitter and dangerous, Coltrane quickly became a slow-witted buffoon, forever chasing after the Dukes. Inevitably, those chases end up badly for Coltrane, who never seemed to learn his lesson. Coltrane was the perfect adversary for this TV show: too stubborn to give up but too dumb to be a serious threat.

The honest cop standing up against a corrupt system is a favorite trope in film and TV. It finds one of its finest examples in Freddy Heflin. A New Jersey sheriff, Heflin is not a shining white knight. When asked to help in an investigation of police corruption, he refuses to cooperate. But when he sees just how extensive the corruption is, Heflin mans up. Viewers see just how much Heflin’s eventual cooperation could cost him; it’s the bravery of a beaten down man coming back to life that makes viewers root for him.

There’s not a lot of crime in the small Arizona town that Sheriff Ray Owens has come to call home. That seems to suit him fine, but viewers know better. Underneath, there’s a fierce lawman waiting to break free. Owens gets to unleash that inner lawman with a vengeance when a fugitive drug lord comes to town. Putting together a rag-tag team of locals, Owens uses his innate ability to capture the dangerous murderer. He beats the federal agents at their own game; not bad for a guy used to writing parking tickets.

Agent Dale Cooper may lead the meandering investigation into the death of Laura Palmer, but Sheriff Harry S. Truman helps keep things on track. Truman is amiable and straightforward, a friendly and easy-going guy. But if he’s crossed or someone gets in his way: watch out! Truman’s practical approach compliments Cooper’s more esoteric methods; the Sheriff is an everyman with which the viewers can identify as things get stranger and stranger in Twin Peaks.

County Sheriff McComb didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Sparta police chief Gillespie or detective Tibbs. He often disagreed with their methods or had conflicts about who was in charge. But that didn’t stop him from being a well-intentioned and honorable officer of the law. His conflicts with Gillespie and Tibbs provided an opportunity for an exchange of views, adding a little complexity to the police procedural aspects of the program.

Thanks to Alan Rickman’s enormously entertaining performance, the Sheriff of Nottingham managed to steal this film away from the title character. In any re-telling of Robin Hood, the Sheriff is always a power-hungry villain. Rickman, though, makes him both pure evil and entirely irresistible. Whether angry, bored, lustful or condescending, this Sheriff enlivens every scene in which he appears. This is a man who is used to getting things his own way; his reaction when he finally meets genuine opposition is what makes the film fly.

Control freak Will Teasle is the sheriff of Hope, Washington and there’s no doubt that he considers it HIS town. Paranoid, self-glorifying, egocentric, and stubborn, Teasle is the fire that lights Rambo’s fuse. He’s a bully who finally pushes someone too far when he takes on Rambo, as he doesn’t like drifters passing through his town. The conflict between them escalates to insane heights, but Teasle is unable to see where his actions lead. Brian Dennehy doesn’t downplay Teasle’s unlikable aspects, but he does manage to make audiences understand his drive and determination.

Southern sheriffs are a bit of a cliché in Hollywood productions, and that’s certainly true of Buford T. Justice. Loud-mouthed, conceited, mule-headed, ignorant, blustering and self-righteous, he’s easy to dislike. Fortunately, Jackie Gleason also brings a bit of personal charm and charisma to the part. Even better, Gleason knows how to play up all the comedy inherent in the role – even when called upon to play the straight man. Justice may be based on a cliché, but he comes across as a fully developed character in the “Smokey and the Bandit” films.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Sheriff Jack Carter

“Eureka” (2006-12)

- Sheriff Ed Tom Bell

“No Country for Old Men” (2007)

- Sheriff Heck Tate

“To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962)

- Sheriff Graham Humbert

“Once Upon a Time” (2011-)

- Sheriff Mike Collig

“Hard Rain” (1998)

Widower and single father Andy Taylor was the sheriff of everybody’s dreams. Sleepy little Mayberry may have been his home turf, but the laid-back lawman had a home in the hearts of millions of television viewers. With his homespun wisdom, genial charm, and quaint way with a phrase, Andy Taylor was the go-to guy for any problem. If he didn’t know the answer, he still offered a compassionate ear. When dealing with criminals, Andy could be stern as needed and he took protection of his citizens seriously. But even lawbreakers got a fair shake from Andy.

Do you agree with our choices? What other great sheriffs from the movies and TV deserve to be on this list? For more enthralling top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.