It’s been 50 years since the iconic pilot of Charlie’s Angels first aired on 21 March 1976.
What initially faced scepticism transformed into a pioneering cultural phenomenon that topped the ratings on ABC-TV and captured viewers’ hearts everywhere.
The unforgettable trio of Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith didn’t just steal the spotlight, they redefined what it meant to be strong, empowered women on television, paving the way for future generations of female leads.
A television series about a wealthy mystery man who operates a detective agency through a speakerphone and his personal assistant, John Bosley.
His detectives are three women who find themselves in various challenging situations. The cast changed considerably throughout the show’s run as actresses left for different film, television, and modelling opportunities. In later seasons, Cheryl Ladd, Shelley Hack, and Tanya Roberts were introduced.
John Forsythe was called in at the last minute to voice Charlie when the original actor (Gig Young), who had been cast, turned out to have a drinking problem. Producer Aaron Spelling contacted Forsythe past midnight on a Friday and begged him to come to the studio immediately, as the pilot was to be broadcast after the weekend. Forsythe ended up recording his first voice-over in his pyjamas.
When the later films were released, Jaclyn Smith made cameos in both Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) and Charlie’s Angels (2019).
