The Only Major Actors Still Alive From 1976’s Charlie’s Angels

During the mid-1970s, television producer Aaron Spelling and the writing duo of Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts hit upon the most spectacularly novel idea: Viewers loved watching women solve crimes. The eureka moment occurred in 1974 when the great and ludicrously beautiful Angie Dickinson scored a primetime hit with “Police Woman.” While I’d argue Dickinson could’ve burned up the Nielsen ratings via weekly readings of Russian literature shot at the Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, she was a must-watch sensation as a glamorously attired detective. Though the scripts were rigorously formulaic for a ’70s hour-long cop show, Dickinson’s showbiz rep attracted a host of top tier guest stars (e.g. Sandra Dee, Smokey Robinson, and Joan Collins); “Police Woman” didn’t have much of a hook, but thanks to its star, it had plenty of sizzle.

It took some prodding (ABC execs Barry Diller and Michael Eisner abhorred Spelling’s pitch), but “Charlie’s Angels” became the breakout hit of the 1976 season. Critics derisively referred to it as “jiggle television” on the basis of its overt sexuality and stock mystery plots. This was both horribly sexist and grossly unfair to what remains a surprisingly entertaining series. “Charlie’s Angels” wasn’t trying to be “The Rockford Files” or “Columbo”; it was a bubbly confection buoyed by a series of enjoyable obligatory scenes and a talented cast. We loved tuning in every week to see the gals drop by the office of John Bosley (David Doyle) and receive their weekly assignment over the speakerphone from the unseen Charlie Townsend (voice of John Forsythe). Did their missions often require them to throw on some super stylish (and occasionally skimpy) get-ups? Of course. But the cast was in on the fun, and, compared to the sexually daring works coming out of the New Hollywood and the international film community, it all felt terribly wholesome.

For four of its five seasons, “Charlie’s Angeles” was a top-20 Nielsen ratings hit. Some of its cast became major stars, and several of them are still with us (sadly, we’ve lost Farrah Fawcett and Tanya Roberts). Let’s celebrate the quartet of former Angels who have yet to ascend to the heavens.

When Kate Jackson departed the series at the end of the third season, Spelling and ABC went on a highly publicized hunt for a new Angel. Up-and-comers like Michelle Pfeiffer, Shari Belafonte, Connie Selleca, and “The Price Is Right” model Dian Parkinson were allegedly in the running. The network ultimately settled on Hack, a Revlon model who, if all else failed, possessed an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology to bolster her resume. Her character, Tiffany Wells, was a Boston-bred cop who was supposed to fill the sophistication gap left by Jackson. When ratings began to slip, ABC underhandedly removed her from the show, making it appear that she had a say in her exit. Hack later refuted this, and though she appeared in some excellent films (“The King of Comedy,” “Time After Time,” and “The Stepfather”), her career never fully recovered.

“Charlie’s Angels” was an instant ratings smash, and while this success was due to a number of factors (an irresistible hook, a vibrant ensemble, the animalistic sex appeal of David Doyle), Hollywood concluded that Farrah Fawcett, whose red swimsuit poster adorned the wall of teenagers fortunate enough to have lax or timid parents, was the x-factor. The stunning Texas blonde devoured the camera, and seemed destined for movie stardom. Why she left the show is still up for debate, but ABC inarguably hit a pin-up home run with her replacement, Cheryl Ladd. An absolute knockout and a reasonably appealing performer, Ladd’s Kris Munroe became the series’ go-to sex symbol, and she played the obligatory role as gamely as could be expected. No one seemed to be having more fun on the show than Ladd, which was probably the saddest part about the show’s cancellation in 1981. It was difficult to figure out where the typecast Ladd fit in the film and television landscape. She turned up in some interesting movies (most notably “Poison Ivy” and “Permanent Midnight”), recorded a number of LPs, and continues to work steadily in television. She’ll always be an Angel first, but there’s absolutely no shame in this.

If Farrah Fawcett was the breakout star of “Charlie’s Angels,” Kate Jackson was its hyper-talented center. Despite the show’s low standing with television critics, Jackson still managed to earn two Primetime Emmy awards for her portrayal of Sabrina Duncan. Though Jaclyn Smith was essentially the star of the show, Jackson’s Duncan was the non-Fawcett reason to watch. Some claimed she was far too gifted a performer to be stuck in formulaic pap like this, but Jackson never betrayed a hint of boredom, much less contempt — not even after Spelling cost her what could’ve been a career-altering role as the female lead in Robert Benton’s “Kramer vs. Kramer.” Jackson had the offer in hand; all Spelling had to do was rearranging the shooting of season 3 to accommodate the shooting of Benton’s film. He didn’t, so the part went to Meryl Streep, who won her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Jackson did not return for the fourth season, and only went on to make a handful of movies. She stuck with television, and did quite well ratings-wise with four seasons of “Scarecrow and Mrs. King.” She’s been dogged by financial issues throughout much of her career, and hasn’t acted in a movie or television show since 2007.

If there was a top Angel, it was Jaclyn Smith’s Kelly Garrett, who was not only the star of the pilot but the only character to appear in every single episode. Smith was proud to be a part of the frequently ridiculed series, and she made a fortune off the celebrity it brought her. As an actor outside of “Charlie’s Angels,” there’s not a whole lot to say about Smith. Her most notable role outside of the series was probably her portrayal of the former first lady in “Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.” She largely eschewed the big screen for TV movies, one of which, “The Night They Saved Santa,” revolves around an oil company’s efforts to blow up Santa Claus (this was back in 1984, when doing weird, violent stuff with Santa was the height of Hollywood hackdom — an idea that could be coming back en vogue). One of Smith’s most admirable post-“Charlie’s Angels” achievements was her creation of an affordable female fashion line for Kmart. This was also treated as a joke by some, but her name lent a touch of glamor to clothes for women on a tight budget.