After she left high school, Catherine went to California to pursue her acting ambitions, but needed part-time jobs to support herself. She auditioned for various things, winning a small part in her first film The Midnight Man (1974) with Burt Lancaster. This was quickly followed by the role of Melody in the Clint Eastwood film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1973).
In 1978, Catherine Bach landed the part of Daisy Duke, alongside John Schneider (Bo Duke) and Tom Wopart (Luke Duke) in CBS TV's The Dukes of Hazzard - the adventures of two fast-driving hillbilly brothers of Hazzard County, with their souped-up car 'The General Lee'. The Duke boys, with their cousin Daisy, were continually taunting the corrupt sheriff, Boss Hogg.
The Dukes of Hazzard ran for 145 episodes between 1979 & 1985, with Catherine Bach appearing in all of them. Daisy Duke dressed in T-shirt and cut-off jeans which allowed Catherine to show off her legs which, at the time, were insured for $1 million! Even today, cut-off denim shorts are known as 'Daisy Dukes'. Catherine hand-made many of her costumes herself, including the famous red bikini seen in the first episode, and also the opening credits. Catherine's 'Dukes of Hazzard' poster became world famous, with over five million copies of it being sold.
Catherine Bach has been married to Peter Lopez since 1990, and they have two daughters.
When the series eventually ended, further roles eluded Catherine, apart from several small parts in films like Street Justice (1989) and Rage and Honor (1992) as well as several episodes of the TV drama African Skies (1991-94)
I met Catherine Bach at Collectormania held at Milton Keynes in October 2005. She signed my model of the 'General Lee'.
Boss Hogg
Catherine Bach in her famous red bikini
Dukes of Hazzard poster
Tom Wopart (Luke), John Schneider (Bo) & Catherine Bach (Daisy)
Cartherine Bachman (later shortened to 'Bach') was born in Warren, Ohio, in 1954. Her father was of German descent and her mother was Mexican. Her school years were mostly spent in South Dakota where, as a child, she saw her uncle, Tony Verdugo, perform on stage. From then on she always wanted to be an actress.
Catherine Bach in her 'Daisy Dukes'
Catherine Bach
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