Jaclyn Smith

 ( Jaclynsmith.com Official Website ) 

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 (1976–1981), and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run. She reprised the role with in the films (2003) and Charlie's Angels (2019). Her other films include Nightkill (1980) and Déjà Vu (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 and Farrah Fawcett. 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 (1983), George Washington (1984), The Bourne Identity (1988), Kaleidoscope (1990) and Nightmare in the Daylight (1992). She had a recurring role from 2002 to 2004 in the drama series The District and appeared as Olivia Hodges in two episodes of in 2012.

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Early life Smith was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Margaret Ellen (née Hartsfield) and Jack Smith (born Jacob Kupferschmidt), a dentist. She graduated from Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in 1964. She majored in psychology and drama at Trinity University (Texas) in San Antonio but completed only a year. Instead, she moved to New York and joined the Balanchine School of American Ballet.

Gladys Knight (2026). 9780313376122, ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313376122

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Career

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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 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 (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, McCloud, Switch and The Rookies. She landed a job as a "Breck girl" for Breck Shampoo in 1971, and a few years later joined Farrah Fawcett as a spokesmodel for Wella shampoo. She was in the made-for-television movies Probe (1972) and Bootleggers (1974).

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Charlie's Angels On March 21, 1976, Smith first played Kelly Garrett in Charlie's Angels; the show was aired as a movie of the week, starring Smith, Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett 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, 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. The program earned a huge Nielsen rating, 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 trading cards, two sets of , 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 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 and then Tanya Roberts 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 and later in the 2019 film Charlie's Angels.

In 1977 on the first episode of the Aaron Spelling produced comedy, The San Pedro Beach Bums, the Bums try to recruit the women of Charlie's Angels to judge the Miss Harbor Beauty contest. The "Angels" – Smith, Jackson and Ladd – guest-star as themselves.

Christina Chambers portrayed Smith in the 2004 television film .

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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 and John Forsythe in 1978. In 1980, Smith starred with Robert Mitchum 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, based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon. 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.

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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'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 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.

From 2002 to 2004, Smith had a recurring role as Vanessa Cavanaugh in the TV series The District. She reprised her role as Kelly Garrett for a cameo in the 2003 feature film , 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 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 . In March 2012, Smith guest-starred on as Olivia Hodges, the mother of David Hodges (played by Wallace Langham).

In January 2019, Smith was seen promoting the Charlie's Angels television series on the MeTV network. She reprised her role as Kelly for a cameo appearance in the 2019 feature film Charlie's Angels, Smith's second cameo in the film franchise.

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Designing In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for Kmart. She pioneered the concept of celebrities developing their own brands rather than merely endorsing others. A season 15 episode of The Simpsons ("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. Kmart website 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).

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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 Dennis Cole's son Joe, 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 in 2003. Parade, 6/22/08, p. 4 In 2010, Smith was featured in 1 a Minute, a documentary about breast cancer.

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Filmography

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Films

1969	Goodbye, Columbus	Wedding Guest	Uncredited role
1970	The Adventurers	Girl journalist Belinda
1972	Probe	Stewardess	Television film
1974	Bootleggers	Sally Fannie Tatum
	Sin, American Style	Susan Cole	TV movie
1976	The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper	Cathy Martin
1977	Escape from Bogen County	Maggie Bowman
1978	The Users	Elena Scheider
1980	Nightkill	Katherine Atwell
1981	Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy	Jacqueline Kennedy	TV movie Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
1983	Rage of Angels	Jennifer Parker	Miniseries
1984	Sentimental Journey	Julie Ross-Gardner	TV movie
	George Washington	Sally Fairfax	Miniseries
	The Night They Saved Christmas	Claudia Baldwin	TV movie
1985	Florence Nightingale	Florence Nightingale
	Déjà Vu	Brooke/Maggie
1986	Rage of Angels: The Story Continues	Jennifer Parker	Miniseries
1988	Windmills of the Gods	Mary Ashley
	The Bourne Identity	Marie St. Jacques
1989	Settle the Score	Katherine Whately	TV movie
1990	Kaleidoscope	Hilary Walker
1991	Lies Before Kisses	Elaine Sanders
	The Rape of Doctor Willis	Kate Willis
1992	In the Arms of a Killer	Maria Quinn
	Nightmare in the Daylight	Megan Lambert
	Love Can Be Murder	Elizabeth Bentley
1994		Donna Yaklich
	Family Album	Faye Price Thayer
1996	My Very Best Friend	Dana Griffin
1997	Married to a Stranger	Megan Potter
1998	Before He Wakes	Bridget Smith Michaels
1999	Free Fall	Renee Brennan
	Three Secrets	Diane
2000	Navigating the Heart	Edith Iglauer
2003		Kelly Garrett	Cameo
2005	Ordinary Miracles	Judge Kay Woodbury	TV movie
2015	Bridal Wave	Felice Hamilton	TV movie
2019	Charlie's Angels	Kelly Garrett	Cameo
	Random Acts of Christmas	Lauren Larkin	TV movie

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Television series

1976–1981	Charlie's Angels	Kelly Garrett	1–5	115 episodes
1989–1990	Christine Cromwell	Christine Cromwell	1	4 episodes
2002–2004	The District	Vanessa Cavanaugh	3 & 4	13 episodes
2007–2009	Shear Genius	Host	1 & 2	19 episodes
2025	Doctor Odyssey	Delia	1	Episode: "Sophisticated Ladies Week"

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Television appearances

1970	The Partridge Family	Tina	"When Mother Gets Married"	Season 1, episode 5
1973	McCloud	Jackie Rogers	"Showdown at the End of the World"	Season 3, episode 4
1975		Margaret 'Ellie' Hart	"The Man with the Golden Hat"	Season 5, episode 6
	Get Christie Love!	Sari Lancaster	"A Fashion Heist"	Season 1, episode 20
	Switch	Allie McGuiness	"Pilot Episode" AKA "Las Vegas Roundabout"	Pilot
			"The Late Show Murders"	Season 1, episode 2
			"Death Heist"	Season 1, episode 7
	The Rookies	Judy March	"The Code Five Affair"	Season 4, episode 15
1976	The Captain and Tennille Show	Herself		Season 1, episode 8
1977	The San Pedro Beach Bums	Herself	"The Angels and the Bums"	Season 1, episode 1
	The Love Boat	Janette Bradford	"A Tasteful Affair/Oh, Dale!/The Main Event"	Season 1, episode 2
2000	Becker	Megan	"The Wrong Man"	Season 3, episode 6
2001			"Pretty Poison"	Season 3, episode 14
2004	Hope & Faith	Dr. Anne Osvath	"Natal Attraction"	Season 2, episode 6
			"Stand by Your Mandi"	Season 2, episode 7
2006	Mornings with Kerri-Anne	Herself - Guest	TV series Australia, 1 episode
2010		Susan Delzio	"Bedtime"	Season 11, episode 18
2012		Olivia Hodges	"Malice in Wonderland"	Season 12, episode 18
			"Homecoming"	Season 12, episode 22
2021	All American	Wendy Fine	"Ready or Not"	Season 3, episode 14
2023			"Sabotage"	Season 5, episode 19
2024			"Connection"	Season 6, episode 6
			"I Do (Part II)"	Season 6, episode 15
2025	Doctor Odyssey	Cruise guest with terminal cancer	Episode “Sophisticated Ladies Week”

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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 coming in second.
• In 1991, TV Guide readers voted Smith as the "Most Beautiful Woman Not on Television".
• The French band Air 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.

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External links

• Jaclyn Smith Feature in Energy Times Issue July/August 2009

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