“The Panthers (Charlie’s Angel)” premiered on the American channel ABC on March 21, 1976. It gained a good audience. Overnight, the three detectives conquered America, and subsequently, the rest of the world.
Soon, the image of the actresses was on gum stickers, posters, lunch boxes, dolls and in magazines (including Time – the most important American publication at the time). The program reached fourth place among the most watched in the United States.
“Charlie’s Angels” is an original idea by the duo Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, but it was executive producers Aaron Speling and Leonard Goldberg who turned the series into a success. They changed the original title (‘Alley’s Cat) and the format, giving it more humor, charm and agility.
The pilot for the series was presented on March 21, 1976, lasting 90 minutes. Approved, the series premiered on September 22, producing five seasons with 116 episodes of approximately 50 minutes. There were three changes of actresses and was canceled on June 24, 1981.
Behind the Scenes
After several tests with dozens of actresses, those chosen by ABC executives were Kate Jackson (Sabrina Duncan) and Jaclyn Smith (Kelly Garrent). For the role of Jill Munroe, the producers wanted a sensual blonde who mixed the concept of a healthy “Malibu Girl” with gentle doses of mischief and a lot of glamour.
Studio 54 Farrah Fawcett @ Reproduction
Best known as the wife of actor Lee Majors (who was successful with the series “The Six Million Dollar Man”), actress and model Farah Fawcett Majors was the last to be cast. She was undecided, as she believed that, after a successful participation in her husband’s series, she would receive her own program. However, she accepted the invitation.
Initially, Kate Jackson would be the protagonist. With a more well-known career on TV, she earned a salary of $10,000 per week, while the rest received $5,000. However, Hurricane Farrah, with her layered hairstyle (called the Pygmalion that marked the 70s), stole the show and became the first panther to win the media, covers of magazines and newspapers, starring in all merchandising actions.
Farrah Fawcett Majors 1976 @ Disclosure
Farrah Fawcett’s career was instantly boosted, thanks also to the release of her famous “swimsuit poster”, which sold millions of copies. The photo was everywhere, including in the film “Saturday Night Fever” – the big hit of 1977.
Dissatisfied with the direction the character was taking (increasingly highlighting her physical attributes), with numerous new job offers and under a lot of pressure from her husband, Farrah left the series at the end of the first season.
Studio 54 Farrah Fawcett and Steven Rubell @ Reproduction
Her departure shocked the public and producers, Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg sued her for breaking a five-year contract.
Fawcett was replaced by Cheryl Ladd, who played Jill’s younger sister, the character Kris Munroe. The pressure was enormous on the young singer and actress, who, afraid of not repeating her predecessor’s success, chose to create a fun and humorous character, who got into the biggest thievery. So, despite the regrets, Cheryl earned her space and stayed until the end of the program. As a result of the lawsuit, Farrah was forced to return as a guest star in six episodes until 1980.
To justify her return, the writers created the story that Jill left Charlie’s agency to live in Europe with the intention of becoming a competitor in car races. Her ‘returns’ were to visit her sister and her former co-workers. Her first appearance was at the end of the 1978-79 season, which represented a moment in which fans were ecstatic to present the four ‘panthers’ together!
1979 Jill (Farrah Fawcett) e Kris (Cheryl Ladd) @ Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images
In June 1979, it was Kate Jackson’s turn to leave the series, being replaced by model Shelley Hack, playing the character Tiffany Welles. It was another big shock, because her character was the Tactician, that is, the one who determined the movements of the other two. With Kate leaving, Kelly takes over the role. Kate aspired to become a film actress. Fact that didn’t happen. She returned to star in other series in the coming decades, however, none of great prominence.
1980 Charlie’s Angels Jaclyn Smith, Shelley Hack and Cheryl Ladd @ Disclosure
Despite being very sophisticated, Shelley had little dramatic experience. Audiences complained that it lacked ‘sensuality’. She was fired. In the following season, they bet on the sensual Tanya Roberts (playing Julie Rogers). Charles’ agency moved to Hawaii. Unfortunately, the formula seemed worn out and the series was cancelled.
1981 Charlie’s Angels Tanya Roberts, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd @ Disclosure
In 1977, “Charlie’s Angels” won the People’s Choice Award (award given by fans) as ‘New Program’. It also earned three best actress nominations for Kate Jackson at the Golden Globes and two at the Emmys. Farrah was nominated for a Golden Globe for the only season she starred in. David Doyle, the funny Bosley, also had nominations for both awards.
Charlie’s Angels – 1976 @ Disclosure
Plot
Fresh out of the Los Angeles Police Academy, three beautiful women were hired by the mysterious Charlie Townsend’s Detective Agency. The girls’ job was to investigate crimes – always with copious doses of glamor and exoticism. The three drew attention to their efficiency in handling weapons and their cunning in solving cases.
The agency was managed by Charlie’s trusted man, John Bosley, who served as an intermediary between the boss and his “Panthers”. From the second season onwards, he began to participate more actively in street operations.
Sabrina Duncan had greater ability to disguise herself and change her voice. Kelly Garrett was the calmest and most calculating and Jill Munroe used her sensuality to help her in the investigations.
They received missions via a speakerphone – which became the most famous ‘gagdet’ of the time. On several occasions, they tried to meet their boss, but it was impossible. Only in the last episode of the series, both the public and the detectives were finally able to meet him.
The Panthers’ missions were to combat and solve crimes in different places, but the highlight was the beauty of the young women, their beautiful hair and their special way of solving mysteries.
Charlie’s Angels 1976 – 1977 @ Reproduction
For this reason, Kate Jackson began to get angry. She was a ‘serious’ actress, who thought of a more feminist composition for her Sabrina Duncan. With this, the character gained the attention of lesbians, who copied her looks, including her clothes and haircut.
In addition to Kate, the lack of depth in the scripts became a source of jokes and ridicule in Hollywood.
In the same year, CBS launched the series “The Bionic Woman”, starring Lindsay Wagner, which was built on a ‘more real’ image of the woman of the decade. The result pleased the public, turning the series into an international success for three seasons.
Jaclyn Smith was the only actress to remain for all five seasons. After its breakup, she starred in a few made-for-TV movies, including a biography of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. However, her destiny would take on other colors.
Jaclyn Smith – the businesswoman
Jaclyn Smith @ John M. Heller – Getty Images
Thanks to her participation in the series, she became the face of Max Factor, signing a powerful contract. At the end of the series, she entered into a collaboration with the company Kmart, which was the second most successful department store in the USA. She signed a line of sportswear for women.
The result was the cancellation of the Max Factor contract, which did not want its ambassador linked to a popular brand. Undeterred, she negotiated new terms with Kmart, demanding that she have full participation in the design and construction of the launches. In August 1985, the ‘Jaclyn Smith Collection’ arrived in 1,400 Kmart stores. It was an absurd success.
Jaclyn Smith @ Ron Galella – Getty Images
With this, she encouraged the company to invest in better quality fabrics, opting for shades of beige, cream and black as opposed to pastel ones. Her idea was to go for minimalist elegance. Another success.
In addition to sportswear, Jaclyn expanded her brand, focusing on accessories, footwear, sunglasses and jewelry. In 2007, she launched her own fabric factory. The following year, she invested in bed, table and bath linens, as well as furniture.
In 2010, with the help of her husband, doctor Brad Allen, she launched a skin care line. With her friendship with hairdresser José Eber, she launched a line of wigs. And in 2014, she launched a children’s clothing line with her daughter, Spencer Margaret.
Today, she is considered one of the richest actresses in Hollywood.
Other Versions of ‘Charlie’s Angels’
Producer Aaron Spelling tried to revive ‘Charlie’s Angels’ in the late 1980s with a new cast, however, the pilot for Angels’ 88 was never shown. Times were different.
The ‘nighttime soap operas’ “Dallas” and “Dinastia” were the face of the decade governed by Nancy and Ronald Reagan. The public was fascinated by the power game between millionaire families in the oil industry. It was the height of cheesiness on American TV.
In 2000, Drew Barrymore was one of the producers of the film version of “Charlie’s Angels”, acting alongside Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu playing Dylan Sanders, Natalie Cook and Lucy Kiu. It grossed US$264.105 million at the domestic box office and in the international market. With its success, Columbia Pictures produced a sequel in 2003, “Charlie’s Angels”, which grossed US$259.175 million. Rodrigo Santoro made a special appearance.
Although fun, both had problems with the script and character development, which sounded dated and caricatured for the new millennium.
In 2011, a new version of the series was created on ABC, starring Rachael Taylor, Annie Ilonzeh and Minka Kelly. Although it wasn’t bad, the network only aired four episodes, canceling it due to lack of audience.
No brazil
Rede Globo aired ‘As Panteras’ in the Quarta Nobre track, and then, in reruns, in Sessão Aventura, in the afternoon. Still, in the early 1990s it was shown on TV Gazeta.
In the same period, the Fox channel re-presented the series with another dubbing (only the voice actress Sumára Louise of the character Sabrina continued).
Rede 21 returned to showing the series in 2004.
Curiosities
Farrah Fawcett’s hairstyle, with her long, flowing blonde hair, became a reference in the late 70s. At its peak, she launched a line of shampoos and conditioners with her name for hair of all types. Men’s suits, pantaloons, sleep dresses, turtleneck blouses – worn with gold chains, platform sandals and a plaid shirt worn with a vest, became the main references of Western fashion in the second half of the 1970s. Kate Jackson had the most oscillating temperament of the three. According to tabloids, her departure from the series was not due to her desire to become a ‘serious’ actress. She was facing problems with her husband, actor Andrew Stevens, and continually argued with producer Aaron Spelling to improve her character’s writing. Before participating in the series, actress and singer Cheryl Ladd had worked with Kate in the film “Satan’s School for Girls”, in 1973. She also lent her voice to the cartoon “Josie and the Pussycats”. The cars used by the trio were classics from the 70s: Kelly drove a Mustang, Jill had a White Cobra II and Sabrina, an Orange Pinto. In 1979, when auditioning to replace actress Shelley Hack, Michelle Pfeiffer almost got the role. The classic opening theme was composed by Allyn Ferguson in partnership with Jack Elliot. Farrah Fawcett, appeared for the first time in Playboy magazine in 1978. She didn’t show ‘everything’. It was only in 1995, at the age of 48, that she showed everything she owed in the magazine’s anniversary edition. It sold four million copies.
At the 2006 Emmys, the original trio participated in the tribute to producer Aaron Spelling, who had passed away that year. It was the last time they got together. Farrah would face a long battle against cancer, which would kill her on the same day as Michael Jackson, June 25, 2009. In 2019, actress Elizabeth Banks directed a new version of ‘Charlie’s Angels’, starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska. Despite being the best homage to the 70s series, the film was a box office failure. Profiting US$71.9 million from a cost of US$50 million.
(Sources: InfanTV and IMDb)