"Charlie's Angels" (1976) TV series 1976-1981

Creators:

Ivan Goff
Ben Roberts
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | unknown

Release Date:

22 September 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Action

Plot:

The adventures of three sexy female private eyes.

Plot Keywords:

Female | Hidden Character | Beauty | Anonymous Backer | Secret Agent

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Jaclyn Smith	...	Kelly Garrett / ... (113 episodes, 1976-1981)
David Doyle	...	John Bosley (113 episodes, 1976-1981)
John Forsythe	...	Charles Townsend (109 episodes, 1976-1981)
Cheryl Ladd	...	Kris Munroe (90 episodes, 1977-1981)
Kate Jackson	...	Sabrina Duncan (69 episodes, 1976-1979)

Series Directed by
Dennis Donnelly		(13 episodes, 1977-1981)
Don Chaffey		(12 episodes, 1978-1981)
Allen Baron		(11 episodes, 1976-1980)
George McCowan		(9 episodes, 1976-1980)
Georg Stanford Brown		(8 episodes, 1977-1979)
Kim Manners		(8 episodes, 1979-1981)
Cliff Bole		(7 episodes, 1977-1981)
Bob Kelljan		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)
Paul Stanley		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)
Ronald Austin		(4 episodes, 1977-1979)
George W. Brooks		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Richard Lang		(3 episodes, 1976)
Lawrence Doheny		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Richard Benedict		(2 episodes, 1976)
Phil Bondelli		(2 episodes, 1976)
Leon Carrere		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Curtis Harrington		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lawrence Dobkin		(2 episodes, 1979)
Les Carter		(unknown episodes)
Harry Falk		(unknown episodes)
Bernard McEveety		(unknown episodes)
Sutton Roley		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Ivan Goff		(108 episodes, 1976-1981)
Ben Roberts		(108 episodes, 1976-1981)
Edward J. Lakso		(25 episodes, 1976-1981)
B.W. Sandefur		(8 episodes, 1979-1981)
Lee Sheldon		(6 episodes, 1977-1980)
Laurie Lakso		(5 episodes, 1977-1979)
William Froug		(4 episodes, 1977-1980)
Ronald Austin		(4 episodes, 1977-1978)
James D. Buchanan		(4 episodes, 1977-1978)
John D.F. Black		(4 episodes, 1977)
Robert George		(4 episodes, 1980-1981)
Rick Husky		(3 episodes, 1976)
Brian McKay		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Richard Carr		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Katharyn Powers		(3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Robert C. Dennis		(2 episodes, 1976-1978)
Les Carter		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jack V. Fogarty		(2 episodes, 1976)
Robert Janes		(2 episodes, 1977-1980)
Jock MacKelvie		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Skip Webster		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Bob Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Esther Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ray Brenner		(2 episodes, 1978)
Michael Michaelian		(2 episodes, 1979)

Series Produced by
Leonard Goldberg	....	executive producer (110 episodes, 1976-1981)
Aaron Spelling	....	executive producer (110 episodes, 1976-1981)
Shelley Hull	....	associate producer (73 episodes, 1976-1981)
Elaine Rich	....	assistant producer / co-producer / ... (36 episodes, 1977-1981)
Edward J. Lakso	....	producer (28 episodes, 1977-1981)
Robert Janes	....	producer (9 episodes, 1979-1981)
Rick Husky	....	producer (6 episodes, 1976)
Ronald Austin	....	producer (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
James D. Buchanan	....	producer (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Barney Rosenzweig	....	producer (4 episodes, 1976-1977)
David Levinson	....	producer (3 episodes, 1976)

Series Original Music by
Jack Elliott		(110 episodes, 1976-1981)
Allyn Ferguson		(53 episodes, 1976-1981)

Series Cinematography by
Richard M. Rawlings Jr.		(26 episodes, 1978-1981)
Richard L. Rawlings		(12 episodes, 1977-1979)
Dennis Dalzell		(8 episodes, 1976)
Donald H. Birnkrant		(5 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Film Editing by
Joseph Dervin		(16 episodes, 1977-1981)
Leonard Malek		(8 episodes, 1978-1980)
Jack Harnish		(5 episodes, 1976-1978)
Arnold Baker		(5 episodes, 1981)
Leon Carrere		(4 episodes, 1976-1977)
Dick Wormell		(4 episodes, 1976-1977)
Stanley Frazen		(4 episodes, 1979-1980)
John F. Schreyer		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
James Baiotto		(2 episodes, 1976)
John McSweeney Jr.		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Benjamin A. Weissman		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Casting by
Robin Lippin		(12 episodes, 1980-1981)
Cathy Henderson		(11 episodes, 1979-1981)
Melinda Gartzman		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rachelle Farberman		(3 episodes, 1978)

Series Production Design by
Alfeo Bocchicchio		(3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Paul Sylos		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Art Direction by
Paul Sylos		(38 episodes, 1976-1981)
Alfeo Bocchicchio		(20 episodes, 1978-1980)
Serge Krizman		(13 episodes, 1980-1981)
Lester Green		(11 episodes, 1976-1978)
Tracy Bousman		(6 episodes, 1976)

Series Set Decoration by
Bob Signorelli		(26 episodes, 1976-1979)
Bonnie Dermer		(8 episodes, 1979-1980)
Joseph A. Armetta		(8 episodes, 1981)
Richard Wineholt		(4 episodes, 1980-1981)
Dave L. Love		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Costume Design by
Nolan Miller		(41 episodes, 1976-1981)
Joanne Haas		(unknown episodes)
Lee Peters		(unknown episodes)
Ray Phelps		(unknown episodes)
Eilish Zebrasky		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Mel Berns Jr.	....	makeup supervisor / makeup artist / ... (65 episodes, 1976-1981)
Norma Lee	....	hair stylist / hair stylist: Miss Ladd (56 episodes, 1977-1981)
Fred C. Blau Jr.	....	makeup artist: Miss Hack / makeup artist / ... (53 episodes, 1977-1981)
Emma M. diVittorio	....	hair stylist / hair stylist: Miss Smith / ... (53 episodes, 1978-1981)
Dorothy D. Fox	....	hair stylist: Miss Hack / hair stylist / ... (41 episodes, 1979-1981)
Don L. Cash	....	makeup artist: Miss Ladd / makeup artist / ... (38 episodes, 1977-1980)
Mark Bussan	....	makeup artist (16 episodes, 1980-1981)
Naomi Cavin	....	hair stylist (12 episodes, 1976-1977)
Lester Burns	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1976-1977)
Charlene Johnson	....	hair stylist (8 episodes, 1976-1977)
Dione Taylor	....	hair stylist (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Carol Mercatoris	....	hair stylist (4 episodes, 1978)
Hazel Catmull	....	hair stylist (3 episodes, 1979)
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1981)
Les Berns	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1976)
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Production Management
Norman Henry	....	executive production manager (80 episodes, 1976-1981)
Al Kraus	....	supervising production manager / production manager (56 episodes, 1976-1981)
Kim Manners	....	production manager (42 episodes, 1978-1981)
Dick Reilly	....	post-production supervisor (36 episodes, 1976-1980)
Barry Stern	....	production manager (9 episodes, 1976-1977)
Lynn M. Morgan	....	production manager (9 episodes, 1980-1981)
Mel A. Bishop	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1977-1978)
James A. Westman	....	production manager (4 episodes, 1980-1981)
William A. Calihan Jr.	....	production manager (3 episodes, 1976)
Don Hall	....	post-production supervisor (3 episodes, 1981)
Bert Gold	....	production manager (1 episode, 1980)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Leslie Moulton	....	second assistant director (14 episodes, 1978-1980)
Jack Breschard	....	second assistant director (13 episodes, 1980-1981)
Nathan Haggard	....	assistant director / first assistant director (12 episodes, 1977-1979)
Robert Della Santina	....	assistant director / first assistant director (9 episodes, 1976-1981)
Jefferson Kibbee	....	second assistant director (8 episodes, 1979-1980)
Lorin Bennett Salob	....	assistant director / first assistant director (7 episodes, 1976-1977)
John Hockridge	....	first assistant director / assistant director (5 episodes, 1981)
Kim Manners	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Miles Tilton	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1978)
Lynn M. Morgan	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	second unit director (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Marty Gold	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1980)
Robert Webb	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1981)
Blair Gilbert	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1979)
Paula Marcus	....	assistant director (1 episode, 1979)
Lou Watt	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Gordon Kirschbaum	....	construction manager / construction coordinator / ... (69 episodes, 1976-1981)
Bob Henderson	....	property master / prop master (41 episodes, 1979-1981)
John Hollis	....	construction coordinator (41 episodes, 1979-1981)
Marco A. Campos	....	propmaker (16 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jerry McFarland	....	property master (13 episodes, 1976-1977)
Frank McCully	....	property master (12 episodes, 1977-1979)
Sam Capello	....	construction coordinator (5 episodes, 1977-1978)
John Sutton	....	construction coordinator (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Sound Department
Tommy Thompson	....	sound mixer / sound engineer / ... (65 episodes, 1976-1981)
Jerry Rosenthal	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Greg P. Russell	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
William L. Stevenson	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Bill Ferrier	....	special effects (67 episodes, 1976-1981)

Series Visual Effects by
Dick Reilly	....	post production supervisor (25 episodes, 1979-1981)
Don Hall	....	post production supervisor (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Stunts
Julie Ann Johnson	....	stunts / stunt coordinator (109 episodes, 1976-1981)
Hilary Thompson	....	stunt double: Kate Jackson (67 episodes, 1976-1979)
Jean Coulter	....	stunt double: Farrah Fawcett / stunt double (29 episodes, 1976-1980)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunt double: Tanya Roberts / stunt double: Kate Jackson (18 episodes, 1976-1981)
Gary Epper	....	stunt coordinator (12 episodes, 1980-1981)
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator (11 episodes, 1976-1978)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (10 episodes, 1976-1981)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Ron Stein	....	stunt coordinator (6 episodes, 1976)
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard Epper	....	stunt performer / stunts (2 episodes, 1978-1980)
May Boss	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Donna Garrett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Daniel P. Murphy	....	stunt motorcycle preparation (unknown episodes)
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Darlene Tompkins	....	stunt double: Cheryl Ladd (unknown episodes)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Ernie Reed	....	camera operator: second camera (93 episodes, 1976-1980)
Allan Gornick Jr.	....	underwater cinematographer (2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera (2 episodes, 1979)
Jack Gittings	....	underwater cinematographer (2 episodes, 1980)
Richard L. Carden	....	key grip (unknown episodes)
Howard Ford	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Paul Jacobsen	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Rolf Mendez	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Richard M. Rawlings Jr.	....	camera operator / first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Jim Shelton	....	best boy grip (unknown episodes)
Patricia Van Over	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Susan Newell	....	casting supervisor (12 episodes, 1976-1977)
Melinda Gartzman	....	casting supervisor (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Richard Kindelon	....	location casting (3 episodes, 1980-1981)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe McCloskey	....	wardrobe: men / costumes (43 episodes, 1979-1981)
Charlotte Iwata	....	wardrobe: women (28 episodes, 1979-1981)
Ray Phelps	....	costumer / costumes (22 episodes, 1976-1978)
Carolina Ewart	....	costumer / costumes (12 episodes, 1977-1979)
Lily Yamada	....	wardrobe: women (12 episodes, 1980-1981)
Lee Peters	....	costumer (8 episodes, 1976-1977)
Joanne Haas	....	costumer / costumes (4 episodes, 1976)
Orpha Barry	....	costumer (3 episodes, 1977)
Eilish Zebrasky	....	costumes: women (3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Ann Gray Lambert	....	costumer (2 episodes, 1976)

Series Editorial Department
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	post-production (6 episodes, 1977)

Series Music Department
Rocky Moriana	....	music supervisor (68 episodes, 1976-1981)
Greg Patterson	....	assistant music editor (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Transportation Department
Stanley Storc	....	driver (34 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Other crew
Melody Greene	....	script supervisor (25 episodes, 1979-1980)
Doris Chisholm	....	script supervisor (13 episodes, 1977-1981)
Helen Parker	....	script supervisor (12 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bret Garwood	....	executive coordinator (8 episodes, 1981)
Elaine Rich	....	assistant to producer / assistant: producer (7 episodes, 1977-1978)
Edward J. Lakso	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1976-1977)
Donna Kemp	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jack V. Fogarty	....	story editor (5 episodes, 1976)
Nancy Hansen	....	script supervisor (4 episodes, 1980-1981)
Carline Davis-Dyer	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1978)
Tad Tadlock	....	choreographer (2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Kenneth S. Eiland	....	assistant choreographer / choreographer (2 episodes, 1981)
Nancy E. Barr	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes, 1979-1980)
Lynn A. Aber	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Robin Ruse-Rinehart	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Spelling-Goldberg Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976-1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003-2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (seasons 1 and 2)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Independent Television (ITV)
• Radio Télévision Luxembourgeoise (1979) (Luxembourg) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (season 4)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)
• Televisie Radio Omroep Stichting (TROS) (1977-19??) (Netherlands) (TV)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  studio
• Ford Motor Company  automobiles furnished by
• Motion Picture Marine  yachts
• Organically Grown  fashion courtesy of
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars

Also Known As:

The Alley Cats (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

45 min (106 episodes) | USA:60 min (116 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Canada:PG (DVD rating) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

189 N. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Spelling-Goldberg Productions

Trivia:

One actress who was considered for the role of Tiffany was Michelle Pfeiffer.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Reagan: Let's Finish the Job: (#1.4)" (1986)

A lot of fun! I adore the first four Angels!

I have loved "Charlie's Angels" since I was a little boy. I started watching it during the third season, then Kate Jackson left. Her departure was such a loss to the show because Sabrina had so much personality and she actually had a great sense of humor and the only one who was believable as a detective. Still, this show was not about credibility - most of its fun qualities had to do with the chemistry between the three Angels. The first season was by far the best. The season's episodes had serviceable, sometimes even interesting and complex plot lines with only a modicum of filler. Some good scriptwriting, too -especially "Consenting Adults". Attention was paid to editing, the music and the action sequences. A few of the musical motifs could remain in one's head. In addition to everything else, it was certainly not sloppy. None of the episodes were less than entertaining. ("The Seance" and "Angel Trap" being the least interesting. Maybe because these were the only episodes that were focused on a single Angel, Kelly and Jill, respectively, rather than the others which were group efforts...) Kate was excellent and extremely compelling as Sabrina Duncan, Farrah was quite good (sometmes mesmerizing) as the fun-loving, athletic, charming flirt Jill Munroe (I have always thought her comedienne skills could have been tapped into more) and Jaclyn was beyond lovely and sweet as Kelly Garrett, the perfect third banana. (I actually think Kelly had better hair than Farrah.) When Farrah left the show, Cheryl Ladd stepped in and was great. She was cute, funny and did not take herself too seriously. She was not possessed with Farrah's hypnotic charisma, but she was also a bit more generous with the other actors than Farrah had been. I wonder why Kate Jackson was so unpleasant towards Cheryl??? Too bad. I always liked to think they were all buddies offscreen, too. And, if anybody cared to notice, Cheryl Ladd was probably the best all-around actor on the show, versatility-wise. So, it did not matter so much that the 2nd season's episodes were not as tightly constructed as the previous one's and were not always as interesting. These three girls were great together and the show was still a lot of fun. By the third season, the producers and everyone else involved (sans the actresses) figured that because the ratings had not slipped, then the success of the show had nothing to do with quality, because the third season's episodes were mostly not very good, sometimes pretty bad. Also, Kelly and Kris started looking a little bit dumpy and Sabrina started wearing too much makeup. And when Jill returned, she was no longer charming and bubbly, she became snotty and aloof. And her hair looked like she didn't comb it. What was up with that? Maybe it was the actress' resentment about having to come back for guest appearances? Or maybe it was 1979 chic to become disco Bo Derek with rude tan boots? Anyway, at least Kate Jackson's character actor skills were still around to carry the show. It was still watchable. When she got fired (big mistake on the producer's part!), the show went into steep decline, which nevertheless held attention because of the girls. Cheryl Ladd pretty much took over. Shelly Hack was laughably bad, perhaps because she took the show too seriously. Especially the episode where she was supposed to be a streetwalker!? She dressed and acted like a modern day Katherine Hepburn, or at least the producers' notion of it. She actually seemed to think she could make her lines sound intelligent. It could be painful to watch sometimes... Maybe if somebody had encouraged her to being more laid-back she would have been better. And Sabrina was no longer around. Sigh, weep... By the fifth season, it didn't matter. The show's plotlines and scripts were sub-juvenile. Yechhh! Tanya Roberts did a good job as Julie, though, and had a really nice sense of humor. Plus, she was a lot sexier and tougher than the imbecilic and grossly misplaced Tiffany ("peacocks aren't indigenous to this latitude") ---okay, whatever. I am enormously devoted to this show, which was inarguably a lot of fun for its first two seasons. Too bad Aaron Spelling was devoured by his own unabashed cynicism. The show could have stayed at a higher level of quality. Anyhoo... Favorite episodes: "Consenting Adults", "Dancing in the Dark", "Angels at Sea", "The Big Tap-Out", "The Blue Angels", "Angels in Paradise", "The Jade Trap", "Angel Flight" (with the most unsympathetic, annoying client the girls ever had to deal with. Sabrina, how could you? Still a whole lot of fun.), "Angels in Springtime" (with the gorgeous gorgon Nancy Parsons!) and "Angels on the Line" (with the best-worst psycho drag-queen I have ever seen.)