Despite initially cast as a glorified extra on The Dukes of Hazzard, Catherine Bach is one of pop culture’s most recognizable TV actresses. Thanks to her portrayal of Southern belle Daisy Duke, she instantly became one of Tinsel Town’s most dazzling pin-ups. An internationally recognizable sex symbol, and one of TV’s most influential stars.
But why was Daisy such an appealing character? The answer lies in what made Bach so irresistible: her insanely long legs. And yes, as wild as it might sound, Bach really did have them insured for $1 million.
For decades, celebrities have insured their body parts for astronomical amounts of money. (Well… usually just their hands or feet) Though it seems outrageous at first glance, it actually makes a ton of sense.
What better way to insure yourself than by putting your most valuable asset up as collateral? That’s exactly what happened with actress Catherine Bach who insured her legs for a million dollars! In order to understand how Bach came about insuring her legs, and why they are most definitely worth every last penny, you must first understand how she became one of television’s biggest icons.
We’ve dug deep into our archives and unearthed quite the collections of tempting photos that show why Bach’s legs were worth a fortune. Keep watching to see these salacious images while hearing a little about her fascinating life story.
Bach’s Rise
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 1, 1954, Bach grew up in the nearby town of Warren, Ohio. Her mother, Norma Jean Kucera, was an acupuncturist, while her father, Bernard Bachman, was a rancher.
Bach spent some of her childhood on a ranch in South Dakota and graduated from Stevens High School in Rapid City, SD, in 1970.
She then briefly studied drama at UCLA while supplementing her income by making clothes for friends and various theater groups.
Bach made her acting debut in a production of The Sound of Music. Her first screen appearance in the Burt Lancaster-directed murder mystery The Midnight Man. Her next major role was in the 1974 film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
But it was in 1979 that Bach landed the most prominent role of her career. Join Facts Verse to learn more about the Tempting Photos of Catherine Bach Show Why Her Legs Were Worth $1M.
Daisy Duke And Those Stunning Legs
One of the most iconic television series of all time, The Dukes of Hazzard aired on CBS from 1979-1985. And featured sexy actress Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke, the cousin of Bo and Luke Duke (played by Tom Wopat and John Schneider, respectively). With the show featuring plenty of high-speed car chases and eye-catching outfits, including Daisy’s infamous cut-off jean shorts that showed off her mile-long legs. It’s no surprise that Daisy has continued to be popular in pop culture since the series ended.
When asked in a recent interview if she ever regretted being known more for her legs than anything else. She said that she didn’t know if she’d call it regret, but It certainly wasn’t her intention when she started out acting. But regardless of how things played out, she wasn’t complaining.
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How She Got Her Legs Insured
While Bo and Luke’s exploits were the main focus of the Dukes of Hazard, millions of viewers tuned in each week. Whether they would admit to it or not – just to catch a glimpse of Catherine Bach. The actress had such a uniquely ravishing look. The legs definitely completed the package, but much of Daisy Duke’s iconic image crafted by Bach herself.
One of the earliest costume ideas that the show’s producers had in mind consisted of a turtleneck, go-go boots, and poodle skirt. But Bach wasn’t feeling it and asked if she could bring in her own outfit instead.
The following day, she came in wearing a homemade T-shirt, cut-off denim shorts, and a pair of high heels. At first, she was concerned that the cut-offs might be a bit too short. But after seeing what the waitresses were wearing at the diner across the street from the studio lot, she felt reassured that her look would be just fine.
In no time, Daisy Duke shorts became a pop culture fashion sensation. Rumor has it, CBS so worried about the censors nixing Bach’s shorts that they required her to wear pantyhose underneath them.
In 1983, Bach opened up about her biggest asset during a promotional press junket interview on a Nebraska radio station. She confirmed that her legs had indeed insured. And also even joked about what kind of damage she could possibly inflict upon her body.
She went on to explain that the network insisted upon insuring her legs because she often did things that she probably shouldn’t. Bach said she enjoys somewhat risky activities like skiing, and when she first started Dukes, she owned a small plane. Sadly, she claims that the show’s producers made her get rid of it.
When asked if the policy amount was for millions of dollars, Bach explained that her legs had been insured by Lloyd’s of London for $1 Million.
She Never Felt Like A Pin-Up
With those breathtaking long legs, adorable freckles, and irresistible smile. It’s not difficult to see why was every teen boy and grown man’s dream girl in the 80s. For decades, fans have considered Bach to be a pin-up because of the photoshoots that she did for the show and several of her films. But, Bach herself never considered herself to be a pin-up..In her eyes, she was just a young woman seeking independence.
Originally, the Dukes of Hazzard’s producers wanted Daisy Duke to be more of a Dolly Parton lookalike. They wanted someone who had big blonde hair and strikingly bright blue eyes. Sometimes, however, what you want and what you get are two entirely different things.
After meeting with brown-eyed brunette Catherine Bach, the producer’s knew that they had the perfect individual to play Daisy standing in front of them. She was dripping in charisma, had that sort of girl-next-door charm, and had looks to kill. Even though she might not have been what they thought they were looking for, Bach checked all of the boxes.
Before landing that iconic role, however, Bach struggled to find success in the entertainment industry. Her previous role had been in a one-woman stage show. Before that, her agency informed her that she looked too exotic and ended up firing her. They told her that they would never be able to make money off of her since she didn’t have porcelain pale skin and blond hair.
Representing herself and starring in that one-act play impressed The Dukes Of Hazzard producers so much that they offered her the role on the spot.
Bach’s Always Done Things Her Own Way
Once Catherine had become an official cast member of The Dukes of Hazzard, the battle over her appearance didn’t simply stop. When Bach was tasked with posing for a poster to promote the show. She had some disagreements with Warne Brothers and their ideas for the shoot.
Warner wanted her to follow essentially the same formula as Farrah Fawcett. But Bach felt like her fans wanted something different. In her opinion, audiences wanted to see her as an all-American country girl.
Even though Warner kept pushing their ideas, Bach refused to back down. Eventually, they told her that if she wasn’t willing to do it their way. Then they weren’t going to pay for it.
Bach replied by saying in that case then she would do the shoot on her own . So, she took her famous shorts. A red and white top that she had made by hand, and did her own makeup. To bring it all together, she got some daisies and had a friend of hers take the shots.
Bach said that from start to finish, the shoot only took about an hour. But in the end she was spot-on about what her fans wanted to see. Because the poster that featured a shot from that photoshoot went on to sell five million copies. In fact, if it weren’t for that poster, she might not have ever gotten her legs insured.
Like we touched on earlier, even though Bach’s image was featured in one of the best-selling posters of all time, she still shies away from seeing herself as a pin-up. To her, that poster represents her independence and authority.
Looking back on it, Bach recalls how her husband at the time didn’t like her working. When you couple that with the way that Warner Brothers was trying to control her, it makes sense that Bach would have a much deeper take on what that iconic image represented. Even so, to all of those who grew up with Bach’s image hanging on their wall, she will always be seen as a sex symbol.
Did you know that Catherine Bach came up with her iconic wardrobe? And were you aware that her legs really were insured for $1 million? Let us know in the comments.
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