Shelley in a promo pic from 1979
Shelley became Charlie's 5th Angel in 1979. She was handpicked by Aaron Spelling for the role of the classy Tiffany Welles due to her impeccable background. She was a bright young woman with a high I.Q. from upscale Greenwich, Connecticut. She had a history degree from Smith (a classy East Coast college). And, because of her Revlon Charlie endorsements, she was already one of the most recognizable faces in the world... one of the highest-paid Supermodels in the modeling industry. "We hired her 40 percent from the screen test and 60 percent from the personality test," Spelling told TV Guide, "We decided she was a nice person with sparkle and intelligence."
a writeup about Shelley's debut episode
on Charlie's Angels, 1979
Shelley's debut episode "Love Boat Angels" topped the Nielsen ratings when it first aired; and it looked like Charlie's Angels was in for an explosive season with the addition of the Supermodel Angel. The addition of Shelley had revived interest in the show (Charlie's Angels had slipped significantly from # 4 to # 12 in the ratings during its third season in 1978.) THE Charlie Girl was one of the most beloved and iconic images of the era; and "THE Charlie Girl becoming one of Charlie's Angels" was a such a big deal, it pulled in viewers the week it first aired. The September 18 issue of Us Weekly predicted that the series, with Shelley onboard, would be one of the biggest hits on the "tube" in the upcoming season. For more, check out: A Hit on the Tube and She's A Hit
Shelley in a promo pic from 1979
