Catherine Bach was born in 1954, in Warren, Ohio, to a German
father and a Mexican mother.
In the 1970s, she had small roles in the Matt Helm television series, and
appeared in the movie Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
In 1979, bombshell Catherine shot to notoriety as Daisy Duke, the female of the
Duke cousins on the original series The Dukes of Hazzard. The series was a huge
success and spawned a cult following and, in 2005, a re-imagining on the
big-screen.
The style of short, cut-off denim shorts was named after her character Daisy
Duke, as she was often seen wearing those in the show.
After the "Dukes," she appeared in films such as Cannonball Run 2 and Nutt House
as well as the Family Channel series African Skies.
The Duke Family -- cousins Bo ( John Schneider) and
Luke (Tom Wopat), assisted by their cousin Daisy ( Catherine Bach)
and their uncle, Jesse (Denver Pyle)-- fight the system and root out the
corrupt practices of Hazzard County Commissioner Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke)
and his bumbling brother-in-law-Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (James Best).
The show became an instant hit, never failing to win its time slot during its
original run on CBS for seven seasons from 1979-1985.
The Duke boys, a pair of 'Robin Hood' types complete with flaming bows and
arrows, are assisted in their adventures by their car, an orange 1969 Dodge
Charger named 'The General Lee'. The Dukes of Hazzard is set in Georgia,
and the show's southern influence is felt throughout. Country singing superstar
Waylon Jennings performed the famous theme song to the show (Good Ol'
Boys), and acts as The Balladeer, narrating the adventures of each episode.
Furthermore, many of the plots revolved around the Dukes' history as an
ex-moon-shining family.
The story followed Bo and Luke until season five, because during episodes 87
through 104, their cousins Coy (Byron Cherry)and Vance (Christopher
Mayer) replaced the boys while the went on to join NASCAR Circuit. Bo and
Luke won, but returned to Hazzard after great season at the NASCAR Circuit.
Innocently naive Deputy Enos Strate, though technically a member of the law
under Boss Hogg, strives for justice and fairness, while also having a major
crush on Daisy. Ace mechanic Cooter Davenport helps the Dukes along the way, and
Deputy Cletus Hogg, though not as honest as Enos, subtlety assists the Dukes
escape from 'Hogg justice'.
The series had an extremely successful run in syndication beginning in 1996 on
TNN, the Nashville Network. This led to a resurgence in the popularity of the
"Dukes". Two reunion movies, featuring the surviving members of the cast, aired
in 1997 and 2000. The show currently airs on CMT (Country Music Television) and
in the summer of 2005 experienced another huge revival with the film version,
starring Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Willie Nelson
and Jessica Simpson.