Retro : ‘Angels’ Night Out

TNT is ringing in the New Year with “All-Night Angelmania.”

Translated, that means 10 hours on Saturday of Charlie’s Angels, the kitschy 1970s series that was a feminist’s worst nightmare.

So why was “Charlie’s Angels” a hit when it debuted Sept. 22, 1976 on ABC?

That three-letter word: sex.

Audiences didn’t mind the inane plots, wan dialogue or stilted acting because when the network put three young women in bikinis and other revealing clothes, “Charlie’s Angels” fast became a cultural phenomenon.

Produced by Aaron Spelling, “Charlie’s Angels” starred Kate Jackson (“The Rookies”). Her detective character, Sabrina Duncan, was the bright one of the trio (she was multilingual).

Jaclyn Smith was Kelly Garrett, a former showgirl with a past. And Farrah Fawcett was Jill Munroe, the athlete and the blonde. The three worked for an unseen boss named Charlie (his voice supplied by John Forsythe). David Doyle was on hand as Charlie’s loyal assistant, Bosley.

Though Fawcett was the least known of the trio when the series began, she became the show’s superstar the first season. Women copied her long, curly shag hairstyle and men bought her cheesecake posters. She even inspired a line of dolls.

“Charlie’s Angels” was No. 5 in the ratings its first season. Fawcett left the series after a year for a film career. After several lawsuits, however, she was back on the show in a few guest-shots.

Cheryl Ladd joined the cast in 1977 as Jill’s spunky sister, Kris. When Jackson left the series in 1979, former model Shelley Hack came on board as Tiffany Welles, the daughter of a Connecticut police chief. Hack only lasted one season and was replaced by Tanya Roberts, who played the streetwise Julie Rogers.

The revolving door of cast members took a toll on the series. Also, audiences’ taste began to change as the ‘70s drew to a close. “Charlie’s Angels” remained in the Top 20 for its second and third seasons, but plummeted in the ratings in its fourth and final year.

Fawcett, Ladd, Smith and Jackson have all become top TV movie actresses and Hack frequently appears in TV guest-shots and movies. Roberts appeared in “Sheena, Queen of the Amazon,” and has made several films in Europe.

“All - Night Angelmania” airs begins Saturday at 5 p.m. on TNT . Repeats of “Charlie’s Angels” air weekdays at 8 a.m. on TNT.