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"A perfect dinner for me is being with people I really want to be with. It starts and stops with  my company and my family." The career of Catherine Bach can be generously described as similar to a one-hit-wonder band. With that being said, Bach's one 'hit' was a knockout punch. Bach rose to fame for her work in the hit TV series, The Dukes of Hazard as Daisy Duke, herself. Thanks to her performance, Daisy Duke would become one of the most famous television characters of all time, spawning untold numbers of Halloween costumes, songs, merchandise, and more.

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Bach is more than just the person that brought Daisy to life. Bach has also had a celebrated career as a model and an entrepreneur. She would create her own line of jewelry for release in 2002 at Debenhams. Bach would also catch the eye of Nancy Reagan when the First Lady took a liking to Bach's famous Daisy Duke poster, which would go on to sell more than 5 million copies around the world.

Before There Was Daisy

Catherine Bach was born in Warren, Ohio, on March 1, 1954. Bach's mother was Norma Jean Kucera and her father was Bernard Bachman. Bernard worked as a rancher in order to support the family while her mother worked as an acupuncturist. Bach has ancestry that dates back to Mexico on her mother's side and Germany on her father's side. She comes from the famous Verdugo family line, known for being one of the first families to settle in California.

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As a child, Bach enjoyed a rural lifestyle. Bach would grow up on a ranch in South Dakota where she lived down the road from her grandparents. Bach would graduate from Stevens High School in 1970 before going on to major in drama at UCLA. While attending UCLA, Bach made ends meet by making clothing for friends as well as designing wardrobe for local theater groups. 

Making Her Way In Hollywood

While Bach is most well-known for her portrayal of Daisy Duke, she actually got started as an actor in a children's version of The Sound of Music. Still, her first major production would be as a 19-year-old in the film, The Midnight Man (1973). The film was shot in South Carolina in 1973, and Bach would play Natalie Claiburn, a coed who gets murdered rather early on in the film. Bach would follow that performance with a role in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot as Melody in 1974.

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After a pair of relatively forgettable films, Bach was all ears for any better opportunities. She heard through her then-husband, David Shaw, that there was a casting call for the upcoming Dukes of Hazzard series. When Bach arrived for her audition, she found out that the producers were looking for someone like Dolly Parton. Despite the fact that Bach didn't look a thing like Parton, she still won the role on the spot.  In discussions for the character, producers were insisting that Daisy wear a tight turtleneck, a poodle skirt, and go-go boots. Bach loathed that idea and asked if she could bring in her own outfit. Bach later showed up with her famous cut-off shorts and high-heels. The producers loved the outfit, fans loved the outfit, and Daisy Duke will forever be remembered for the outfit. The show also starred John Schneider, James Best, and Tom Wopat.

During the height of The Dukes of Hazzard, Bach agreed to pose for a poster as Daisy Duke. The poster ended up becoming one of the most popular posters of all time as it sold over 5 million copies. The poster would score a political fan in Nancy Reagan after Bach brought a poster to the White House as a gift of one of the former teachers that were working under the Reagans.  While the poster sounds crazy, what was even crazier was the fact that Bach had her legs insured for one million dollars during her time as Daisy Duke.

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Once The Dukes of Hazzard went off of the air, Bach tried to parlay her success into work in the film industry. She would land roles in Criminal Act (1989), Rage and Honor (1992) and the show African Skies (1992) as Margo Dutton. African Skies would be Bach's low high-profile role in her career post-Daisy Duke. Bach has since appeared in a couple of Duke properties including The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997), Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000), and Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee (2004). She also scored a recurring role in the soap opera, The Young and the Restless (2012).

Catherine Bach would marry David Shaw in 1976, though the couple would divorce in 1981. Bach would then marry an entertainment lawyer named Peter Lopez in 1990. The couple would have two daughters together before Lopez would tragically pass away in 2010. Bach is currently semi-retired from the entertainment industry.