Dukes of Hazzard actor protected co-star Catherine Bach on rise to sex symbol fame

The good ol’ boys were determined to protect Catherine Bach and her Daisy Dukes.“The Dukes of Hazzard” stars John Schneider and Tom Wopat, as well as Bach, recently reunited to celebrate the show’s iconic vehicle, the General Lee, which is being honored at the “Iconic Rides” exhibit at the Hollywood Museum.The series, which chronicled “the adventures of the fast-drivin’, rubber-burnin’ Duke boys of Hazzard County,” aired from 1979 to 1985.“It never occurred to us that we weren’t going to be friends for life,” Schneider, who played Bo Duke, told Fox News Digital.“I’ve met other people from other shows, and particularly other bands… there’s a lot of bands that can’t stand one another,” said the actor and musician.

“I couldn’t imagine a life without Tom Wopat being one of my best friends, without Catherine Bach being one of my best friends.It couldn’t possibly exist.”When the sitcom first premiered, then-CBS programming chief B.

Donald Grant found himself squaring off with a roomful of TV critics who hated it, The Hollywood Reporter shared.Still, the show won over millions of fans, drawing in as many as 20 million viewers per episode.

According to the outlet, it had become the second-biggest show on TV by its third season.“The Dukes of Hazzard” catapulted the trio to stardom, especially Bach, whose short shorts made her a sex symbol. Schneider said the cast became incredibly close, and while fans watched her million-dollar legs, he and Wopat watched her back.“Tom and I were very protective of Catherine,” said the 65-year-old.“Hollywood in those days, Hollywood in any days, is a little odd, but particularly for a young woman in her 20s who had her legs insured for a million dollars.“So, we would make sure whenever Catherine had a visitor on set, someone she might be dating, we’d come up to them like you would imagine Bo and Luke [Duke] would come up.

‘Hey, how are you? What are you doing? We work ear...