While some aspects of the show are more widely considered to be offensive today—just look at its "General Lee" car—in the late '70s and '80s, The Dukes of Hazzard was one of the most popular shows on television. And one of the main characters from the show has really had a lasting legacy. Catherine Bach played Daisy Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard, and not only was her character a big part of the show's success, Daisy Duke also lives on as the namesake of a popular item of clothing.
But, playing Daisy and popularizing skimpy denim shorts are not Bach's only claims to fame. Now 67 years old, she kept her acting career going after The Dukes of Hazzard, started a family, and tried out some new endeavors. Read on to learn more about Bach today.
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She's still acting and is currently a soap star.
Joe Seer / Shutterstock.comBach had appeared in a few other projects before The Dukes of Hazzard—including the films Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, which starred Clint Eastwood, and Hustle, which starred Burt Reynolds and Catherine Deneuve—but it was definitely her breakout role. Following The Dukes of Hazzard, Bach stayed in the business and played characters on the TV series African Skies, Monk, and Hawaii Five-0. Since 2012, she has had recurring role on The Young and the Restless as Anita Lawson.
"There is a certain amount of typecasting, sure," Bach told Fox News in 2019 of her career post-Dukes of Hazzard. "Everybody goes through that… But I know I’m an actress. And I have not played that part since I finished Dukes of Hazzard … I know who I am and I’m not worried about it. And everything can’t be the biggest hit. You can get the biggest part every single time. All I can do as an actress is deliver the work the best way I can. And I don’t mind if people still call me Daisy Duke or associate me with her. I think it’s cute and charming."
She founded a jewelry line and store.
Eugene Powers / Shutterstock.comBach started her own jewelry line and also has a store called Daisy Country that sells her jewelry, plus clothes and memorabilia. It's in Nashville and is partnered with a Dukes of Hazzard-themed store. "We’ve got everything from denim to t-shirts to dog collars and leashes. I have coffee cups, and a little smattering of everything. There’s purses, make up bags, and we’re just getting started," she told Sounds Like Nashville in 2016.
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She's been married twice and has two daughters.
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.comOverlapping with the run of The Dukes of Hazzard, she was married to David Shaw from 1976 to 1981. Then, she married Peter Lopez, an entertainment lawyer, in 1990. Lopez and Bach had two daughters, Laura and Sophia. Sadly, Lopez died by suicide in 2010.
Bach opened up about her husband's death to HuffPost in 2013. "We were so devastated," she said. "When you are part of a happy family unit, you lose part of that... I mean, we were completely insulated and happy with our family. Peter and I really knew what was important in life and I think we instilled that in our daughters. Their dad was everything to them, and that will always be a loss no matter what happens in our lives, no matter how great it is. It is always going to be bittersweet because our little circle of light and family was everything to us."
She loves being a part of The Dukes of Hazzard legacy.
Paul Archuleta/Getty ImagesBach looks back fondly on her time on The Dukes of Hazzard and has participated in fan events over the years.
"I’m just so proud of this legacy," she told Fox News in 2019. "We’ve managed to entertain people after all this time. And now it’s a hit on Amazon. It’s just wonderful. This is what the show was about—entertaining people. I’ve done a lot of different things since that show, but this part somehow continues to connect with people."
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