Daisy Duke

Background:

Catherine Bach, sometimes credited as Kathy Bach, is best recognized for her portrayal of Daisy Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979). Also noticed for playing Margo Dutton in the TV series African Skies (1991), Bach has added to her acting resume roles in the movies Street Justice, Driving Force, Criminal Act (a.k.a. Tunnels, all three in 1989), Masters of Menace (1990) and Rage and Honor (1992).

5' 8" tall Catherine Bach, who has 36-23-35 measurements, was a sex symbol 20 years ago. She recently offered help to pop star Jessica Simpson who is starring as Daisy Duke in the new Dukes Of Hazzard film. Bach said, "I know that this girl really had to spend a lot of time, and went through a lot of pressure to get this part and I respect anybody who goes through that situation and comes out a winner. Now she'll have to learn to fight better than a man."


German-Mexican Heritage

Childhood and Family:

Born in Warren, Ohio on March 1, 1954, Catherine Bachman spent most of her teenage years in South Dakota. She is the daughter of a German father and a Mexican mother, and has one brother named Philip. She also has an actor uncle named Tony Verdugo.

In 1976, Catherine married David Shaw (born in 1944, Angela Lansbury's stepson), but they divorced in 1981. Ten years later, she tied the knot with actor Peter Lopez and the couple now has two daughters, Sophie Isabelle (born in 1996) and Laura.


The Dukes of Hazzard

Career:

An acting career beckoned when Catherine Bach watched her uncle perform in a stage production. As soon as she graduated from high school, Bach packed for California to pursue her acting career and began taking drama lessons. Four years later, in 1974, she landed the role of Natalie in The Midnight Man and that of Melody in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.

In the following years, she appeared on several made-for-TV movies including Matt Helm and Strange New World (both in 1975) as well as Murder in Peyton Place (1977). During that time, she also acted on the big screen, playing Peggy Summers in Hustle (1975) and Sue in Nicole (1978, a.k.a. The Widow's Revenge). On the small screen, she was spotted twice as a guest in the series "Police Woman."

Daisy Duke, Luke Duke's raunchy cousin, in the hit CBS weekly action comedy series The Dukes of Hazzard, is probably Bach's most popular role to date. Alongside John Schneider and Tom Wopat, Bach starred in the show from 1979 to 1985 and received wide notice from TV viewers for her T-shirt and cutoff costumes.

While working on the series, Bach lent her voice to the animated series "The Dukes" (1983) and was seen in the TV movie White Water Rebels (1983). She also played Marcie in the 1984 film Cannonball Run II and received a lead role in the stage play "Extremities," in Jupiter, Florida, in 1986. In 1980 and 1983, she guest starred in the show "The Love Boat."

The rest of the 1980s saw Bach playing roles in such films as Street Justice, Driving Force and Criminal Act (a.k.a. Tunnels). After playing Kitty Wheeler in the 1990 movie Masters of Menace, Bach starred as Margo Dutton in the Family Channel series "African Skies" (1991).

In 1992, she was cast in films like Rage and Honor, and The Nutt House. Bach also reprised her role of Daisy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997, TV) and The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000, TV). In May 2005, she guest starred in the show "TV Land's Top Ten."


Awards:
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