‘Charlie’s Angels’ star recalls working with Farrah Fawcett
Cheryl Ladd on working with ‘terrific’ Farrah Fawcett: ‘That was rewarding'
Jaclyn Smith is shedding light on what it was really like bringing "Charlie’s Angels" to life.
The actress starred opposite Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson in the hit ‘70s series about the adventures of a glamorous detective agency.
Smith insisted the claws never came out after cameras stopped rolling, even with Fawcett as the group’s solo blonde.
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The "Charlie's Angels" cast from left: Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
"She was a true girlfriend," Smith told People magazine.
"Not a competitive girlfriend, she wished everybody well," the 78-year-old clarified. "She was the first to visit me after I had my first child. I could see her joy because she knew that was my dream — to have children — and the dream had come true."
"But she was funny, too," Smith continued. "She would say, ‘Look — your fingers aren’t fat anymore. Now you don’t have to wear napkin rings around them!’"
Jaclyn Smith recently spoke about her friendship with "Charlie's Angels" co-star Farrah Fawcett. (Unique Nicole/Getty Images)
Fawcett died in 2009 at age 62 from anal cancer. She was diagnosed with the disease in 2006. Before her death, the star launched the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, which raises money for cancer research and education.
Smith will serve as co-chair of the foundation’s annual gala on Oct. 24 in Dallas. Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi, Texas.
"Charlie’s Angels" came to an end in 1981. But the memories live on, Smith told the outlet.
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Farrah Fawcett, left, in 2009 at age 62. (Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
"It was so innocent," said Smith. "Families watched our show, young people. The people who watched that show grew up with us. … There are shows that come along and leave a mark. It was the first of its kind."
Fawcett left "Charlie’s Angels" at the conclusion of the first season in 1976, returning as a guest star in six episodes during the third and fourth seasons (1978–1980). Fellow blonde Cheryl Ladd was chosen by Aaron Spelling to play Fawcett’s younger sister.
In 2021, Ladd told Fox News Digital she initially turned down the role. But with enough convincing, she took the plunge.
Cheryl Ladd, left, played Farrah Fawcett's sister on "Charlie's Angels." (Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
"It was nerve-wracking," Ladd admitted.
"Because the year and season was all about Farrah," she said. "When Farrah decided to leave the show [in 1980], I think it was very shocking for her fans and everyone that loved the show."
Ladd said she was determined to break the ice.
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Cheryl Ladd was chosen by Aaron Spelling to star in "Charlie's Angels." (Gregg DeGuire/WireImage/Getty Images)
"My first day on the job, I wore a T-shirt that said, ‘Farrah Fawcett Minor’ since she was ‘Farrah Fawcett Majors,’" said Ladd. "Everyone laughed. I made a lot of friends right away. I got to work and hoped that the character of Kris Munroe would be funny and quirky. I wanted her to be somebody that people could root for. I was very relieved when the ratings went up that season."
When Ladd, 73, joined the cast of "Charlie’s Angels," she got her wings and a decades-long friendship. She and Smith are best pals to this day.
"We see each other all the time," said Ladd. "I see her in L.A. all the time when I’m there. We have lunch and we hang out. We talk all the time on the phone. We ended up being really good friends. Lifelong friends."
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"It’s really interesting because when you do something so specific, so iconic, and you are in it when it was huge, it is something you can explain to people, but until you’ve done it, it is different," she continued. "We think back often about how crazy that time was. We had to go into restaurants through the back door. We weren’t prepared for how much people would love the show. It was wonderful, but it was wild."
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