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Jaclyn Smith (born October 26, 1945) is an American actress. She is most notable for her role as Kelly Garrett in the television series ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
'' (1976–1981), and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run. She reprised the role with
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
s in the films '' Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'' (2003) and ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
'' (2019). Her other films include '' Nightkill'' (1980) and ''
Déjà Vu ''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is the phenomenon of feeling like one has lived through the present situation in the past.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford University Press. pp. 167–1 ...
'' (1985). Beginning in the 1980s, she began developing and marketing her own brands of clothing and perfume. Smith began her career in 1968 in minor roles. In 1976, she was cast in ''Charlie's Angels'', alongside
Kate Jackson Lucy Kate Jackson (born October 29, 1948), known professionally as Kate Jackson, is an American actress and television producer, known for her television roles as Sabrina Duncan in the series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1979) and Amanda King i ...
and
Farrah Fawcett Farrah Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a ...
. The show propelled all three to stardom, including an appearance on the front cover of ''Time'' magazine. She was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film for the title role in the TV film '' Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy'' (1981), and went on to star in numerous TV films and miniseries over the next 20 years, including ''
Rage of Angels ''Rage of Angels'' is a novel by Sidney Sheldon published in 1980. The novel revolves around young attorney Jennifer Parker; as she rises as a successful lawyer, she gets into a series of ongoings that lead to intrigue with the mob and a rival ...
'' (1983), ''
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
'' (1984), '' The Bourne Identity'' (1988), ''
Kaleidoscope A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a symmetrical pattern when viewed fro ...
'' (1990) and '' Nightmare in the Daylight'' (1992). She had a recurring role from 2002 to 2004 in the drama series ''
The District ''The District'' is an American crime drama and police procedural television series that aired on CBS from October 7, 2000, to May 1, 2004. The show followed the work and personal life of the chief of Washington, D.C.'s police department. P ...
'' and appeared as Olivia Hodges in two episodes of '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' in 2012.


Early life

Smith was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Margaret Ellen (née Hartsfield) and Jack Smith (born Jacob Kupferschmidt), a dentist. Her father was of Russian-Jewish descent, whereas her mother had English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh heritage. She graduated from Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in 1964. She majored in psychology and drama at
Trinity University (Texas) Trinity University is a private liberal arts college in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 1869, its student body consists of about 2,600 undergraduate and 200 graduate students. Trinity offers 49 majors and 61 minors among six degree programs, ...
in San Antonio but completed only a year. Instead, she moved to New York and joined the Balanchine School of American Ballet.


Career


Early career

Smith's career aspirations shifted to modeling and acting as she found work in television commercials and print ads, including one for
Listerine Listerine (, ) is an American brand of antiseptic mouthwash that is promoted with the slogan "Kills germs that cause bad breath". Named after Joseph Lister, who pioneered antiseptic surgery at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in United Kingdom, L ...
mouthwash. In 1966, she auditioned for the role of Victoria Winters on the ABC daytime series ''Dark Shadows'', but was not hired. The role went instead to Alexandra Moltke. First appearing uncredited in ''
Goodbye, Columbus ''Goodbye, Columbus'' is a 1959 collection of fiction by the American novelist Philip Roth. The compilation includes the title novella, "Goodbye, Columbus," originally published in ''The Paris Review'', along with five short stories. It was Ro ...
'' (1969), Smith had a noticeable role in '' The Adventurers'' (1970), in which she played a journalist. Both movies were filmed in 1968. Smith followed these up with guest spots on shows like ''
The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...
'', '' McCloud'', ''
Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type o ...
'' and ''
The Rookies ''The Rookies'' is an American police procedural series created by Rita Lakin that originally aired on ABC from September 11, 1972, to March 30, 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for ...
''. She landed a job as a "Breck girl" for Breck Shampoo in 1971, and a few years later joined
Farrah Fawcett Farrah Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a ...
as a spokesmodel for Wella Balsam shampoo. She was in the made-for-television movies '' Probe'' (1972) and '' Bootleggers'' (1974).


''Charlie's Angels''

On March 21, 1976, Smith first played Kelly Garrett in ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
''; the show was aired as a movie of the week, starring Smith,
Kate Jackson Lucy Kate Jackson (born October 29, 1948), known professionally as Kate Jackson, is an American actress and television producer, known for her television roles as Sabrina Duncan in the series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1979) and Amanda King i ...
and
Farrah Fawcett Farrah Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a ...
as private investigators for Townsend Associates, a detective agency run by a reclusive multi-millionaire whom the women had never met. Voiced by
John Forsythe John Lincoln Forsythe ( Freund; January 29, 1918 – April 1, 2010) was an American stage, film/television actor, producer, narrator, drama teacher and philanthropist whose career spanned six decades. He also appeared as a guest on several t ...
, the Charles Townsend character presented cases and dispensed advice via a speakerphone to his core team of three female employees, to whom he referred as "Angels". They were aided in the office and occasionally in the field by two male associates, played by character actors David Doyle and
David Ogden Stiers David Allen Ogden Stiers ( ; October 31, 1942 – March 3, 2018) was an American actor and conductor. He appeared in numerous productions on Broadway, and originated the role of Feldman in '' The Magic Show'', in 1974. In 1977, Stiers was cast ...
. The program earned a huge
Nielsen rating Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the #Nielsen TV ...
, causing the network to air it a second time and confirm production for a series, with all of the principal characters with the exception of Stiers. The series formally debuted on September 22, 1976, and ran for five seasons. The show would become a big success not only in the U.S. but, in successive years, in syndication around the world, spawning a cottage industry of peripheral products, particularly in the show's first three seasons, including several series of bubble gum cards, two sets of
fashion doll Fashion dolls are dolls primarily designed to be dressed to reflect fashion trends. They are manufactured both as toys for children to play with and as collectibles for adults. The dolls are usually modeled after teen girls or adult women, though ...
s, numerous posters, puzzles, and school supplies, novelizations of episodes, toy vans, and a board game, all featuring Smith's likeness. The "Angels" also appeared on the covers of magazines around the world, from countless fan magazines to ''TV Guide'' (four times) to ''Time'' magazine. Fawcett departed at the end of the first season, and
Cheryl Ladd Cheryl Ladd (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor; July 12, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series '' Charlie's Angels'', whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 ...
was a successful addition to the cast, remaining until the end of the series. Jackson departed at the end of the third season, and proved harder to replace, as first
Shelley Hack Shelley Marie Hack (born July 6, 1947) is an American actress, model, producer, and political activist. She is best known as the face of Revlon's Charlie perfume from the mid-1970s until the early 1980s, and for her role as Tiffany Welles in ...
and then
Tanya Roberts Tanya Roberts (born Victoria Leigh Blum; October 15, 1949 – January 4, 2021) was an American actress. Some of her credits include playing Julie Rogers in the final season of the television series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1980–1981), Stacey S ...
were brought in to try re-igniting the chemistry, media attention and ratings success enjoyed by the earlier teams. Smith played her role for all five seasons of ''Charlie's Angels'' until 1981, also portraying the Garrett character in a cameo in the 2003 feature film '' Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'' and later in the 2019 film ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
''. In 1977 on the first episode of the
Aaron Spelling Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the television series ''Family'' (1976–1980), ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981), ''The Love Boat'' (1977� ...
produced comedy, ''
The San Pedro Beach Bums ''The San Pedro Beach Bums'' is a 1977 American sitcom that aired on ABC. It is about five carefree, young men living together on a houseboat in San Pedro, California. The pilot, titled ''The San Pedro Bums'', originally aired on May 13, 1977.M ...
'', the Bums try to recruit the women of ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
'' to judge the Miss Harbor
Beauty Contest A beauty pageant is a competition in which the contestants are judged and ranked based on various physical and mental attributes. Per its name, beauty pageants traditionally focus on judging the contestants' physical attractiveness, sometimes so ...
. The "Angels" – Smith, Jackson and Ladd – guest-star as themselves. Christina Chambers portrayed Smith in the 2004 television film '' Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels''.


Interim work

Smith's first two acting ventures outside the Angels mold (as an actress of note) was the CBS-TV movie of the week ''Escape from Bogen County'' in 1977, and Season 1 Episode 2 of "The Love Boat" (aired October 1, 1977) where she played Janette Bradford cruising solo while being watched by the private eye her husband hired. Then came a leading role in Joyce Haber's ''The Users'' with
Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor with a career that spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 films, in roles co ...
and
John Forsythe John Lincoln Forsythe ( Freund; January 29, 1918 – April 1, 2010) was an American stage, film/television actor, producer, narrator, drama teacher and philanthropist whose career spanned six decades. He also appeared as a guest on several t ...
in 1978. In 1980, Smith starred with
Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He is known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances. He received nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Holl ...
in the suspense thriller ''Nightkill''. Following the cancellation of ''Charlie's Angels'' in 1981, Smith starred in the title role of the critically acclaimed television movie '' Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy'', earning her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. In 1983, Smith starred as Jennifer Parker in the TV movie ''
Rage of Angels ''Rage of Angels'' is a novel by Sidney Sheldon published in 1980. The novel revolves around young attorney Jennifer Parker; as she rises as a successful lawyer, she gets into a series of ongoings that lead to intrigue with the mob and a rival ...
'', based on the novel by
Sidney Sheldon Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer. He was prominent in the 1930s, first working on Broadway plays, and then in motion pictures, notably writing the successful comedy '' The Bachelor and the Bobby-Sox ...
. The film was the highest rated in the Nielsen ratings the week it aired. Smith reprised the role in the 1986 sequel, ''Rage of Angels: The Story Continues''.


After ''Charlie's Angels''

Smith continued to appear in a number of television movies and miniseries during the 1980s and 1990s including ''George Washington'' (1984); '' The Night They Saved Christmas'' (1984); ''Florence Nightingale'' (1985); '' Windmills of the Gods'' (1988), another TV film based on a Sidney Sheldon novel; '' The Bourne Identity'' (1988), adapted from
Robert Ludlum Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 – March 12, 2001) was an American author of 27 Thriller (genre), thriller novels, best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original ''Bourne (novel series), The Bourne Trilogy'' series. The number of copi ...
's novel of the same name; ''Settle the Score'' (1989); ''Lies Before Kisses'' (1991); ''The Rape of Dr. Willis'' (1991); '' In the Arms of a Killer'' (1992); and several TV versions of
Danielle Steel Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born August 14, 1947) is an American writer, best known for her romance novels. She is the bestselling living author and one of the best-selling fiction authors of all time, with over 800 milli ...
novels, including ''Kaleidoscope'' (1990) and '' Family Album'' (1994). In 1985, Smith starred in the feature film ''Deja Vu'', directed by her then-husband Tony Richmond. In 1989, she played the title role in '' Christine Cromwell'', a mystery television series based in San Francisco that only lasted one season. That same year, she received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
. From 2002 to 2004, Smith had a recurring role as Vanessa Cavanaugh in the TV series ''
The District ''The District'' is an American crime drama and police procedural television series that aired on CBS from October 7, 2000, to May 1, 2004. The show followed the work and personal life of the chief of Washington, D.C.'s police department. P ...
''. She reprised her role as Kelly Garrett for a cameo in the 2003 feature film '' Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'', the only "angel" from the original series to appear in a film adaptation. In August 2006, Smith reunited with her angels co-stars Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson at the 58th Primetime Emmy awards in tribute to producer
Aaron Spelling Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the television series ''Family'' (1976–1980), ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981), ''The Love Boat'' (1977� ...
who had died earlier that year. Her appearance there subsequently led Bravo TV's producers to cast Smith as the celebrity host of Bravo's weekly competitive reality series '' Shear Genius'', which began airing in March 2007. Smith hosted the show for its first two seasons. In March 2010, Smith returned to acting after a five-year absence with a guest role on the NBC television drama '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. In March 2012, Smith guest-starred on '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' as Olivia Hodges, the mother of David Hodges (played by
Wallace Langham James Wallace Langham II (born March 11, 1965) is an American actor. He is known for playing the role of Phil the Head Writer on ''The Larry Sanders Show''. He has also played the roles of David Hodges on the crime drama television series '' CSI: ...
). In January 2019, Smith was seen promoting the ''Charlie's Angels'' television series on the
MeTV MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television progra ...
network. She reprised her role as Kelly for a cameo appearance in the 2019 feature film ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...
'', Smith's second cameo in the film franchise.


Designing

In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for
Kmart Kmart ( ), formerly legally registered as Kmart Corporation, now operated by Transformco, is a department-store chain and online retailer in the United States and Territories of the United States, its territories. It operates four remaining Kma ...
. She pioneered the concept of celebrities developing their own brands rather than merely endorsing others. A season 15 episode of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' (" The Fat and the Furriest") lampooned Smith's many business successes, portraying her as having her own line of axe heads. In May 2009, Smith allowed a documentary crew to profile her home life, design philosophy and relationship with Kmart in an online video series sponsored by Kmart. Her foray into home furnishings was extended to Kmart stores in the fall of 2008, with the chain's introduction of its Jaclyn Smith Today product line of bedding and bath accessories. In September 2008, Smith launched the STYLE by Jaclyn Smith wig collection for Paula Young Wigs. The wigs are designed by hair stylist José Eber. In 2024, she had a line of beautiful woman's clothing for sale on the Home Shopping channel (HSN).


Personal life

Smith has been married four times. Her first marriage was to actor Roger Davis (1968–1975). She was married to Dennis Cole from 1978-1981; he was an actor who appeared on several episodes of ''Charlie's Angels''. Smith remained close to
Joe Cole Joseph John Cole (born 8 November 1981) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger. He was long touted as a child prodigy and as the hottest prospect in English football, wi ...
's, son Dennis, from a previous marriage. Joe was murdered in 1991 at the age of 30, a crime which remains unsolved. In 1981, Smith married filmmaker Tony Richmond, with whom she had two children, Gaston (b. 1982) and Spencer Margaret (b. 1985), before divorcing Richmond in 1989. Smith has been married to Houston cardiothoracic surgeon Brad Allen since 1997. Smith was treated for
breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...
in 2003. In 2010, Smith was featured in ''1 a Minute'', a documentary about breast cancer.


Filmography


Films


Television series


Television appearances


Tributes

* A number of style editorialists and magazine polls have attested to Smith's popularity and declared her one of the most beautiful women in the world. The difficult-to-please Mr. Blackwell once named her "The World's Best Dressed Woman". In 1979, ''McCall's'' ran a poll of "Whose Face Most Women Would Like To Have"; Smith topped the list. * In the April 1984 issue of ''People'', Smith was voted as having one of the "Ten Great Faces of Our Time". * In 1985, ''McCall's'' named Smith as having one of "America's 10 Best Bodies". ''People'' named Smith twice in its annual list of the "Most Beautiful People in the World". Also in 1985, ''Ladies' Home Journal'' sampled 2,000 men and women in 100 different locations in the United States to determine "America's Favorite Women"; Smith came top of the list as the "Most Beautiful Woman in America", with actress
Linda Evans Linda Evans (born Linda Evenstad; November 18, 1942) is a retired American actress known primarily for her roles on television. In the 1960s, she played Audra Barkley, the daughter of Victoria Barkley (played by Barbara Stanwyck), in the Wes ...
coming in second. * In 1991, ''TV Guide'' readers voted Smith as the "Most Beautiful Woman Not on Television". * The French band
Air An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...
was inspired by Smith's ''Charlie's Angels'' character Kelly Garrett to record the song " Kelly Watch the Stars" for their critically acclaimed 1998 album '' Moon Safari'', and the track was released as a single.


References


External links

* * *
Jaclyn Smith Feature
in Energy Times Issue July/August 2009 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Jaclyn Living people American businesspeople American film actresses American people of English descent American people of Irish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent American people of Scottish descent American people of Welsh descent American television actresses American female models Actresses from Houston Lamar High School (Houston) alumni School of American Ballet alumni Trinity University (Texas) alumni 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Participants in American reality television series Year of birth missing (living people)