Thank You

THANK YOU TO THE BRAVE FRONTLINERS 

AROUND THE WORLD
YOU ARE ALL APPRECIATED

Alec Baldwin, Shelley Hack and Jim Metzler
played doctors in the 1983 TV series
Cutter to Houston

1980s Hollywood Star

a closeup Shelley from a promo pic from 1988

Shelley became an overnight Hollywood Superstar in 1979 when she joined the cast of the hit series Charlie's Angels. She was thrust into the spotlight immediately after she was named Charlie's newest Angel and was hounded by reporters. "I had press people crawling in my window," she said of the experience. The  star said, "I was totally unprepared for the press 'bonanza' that followed." Shelley stayed with the series for a year and later said, "I did my year and I moved on." She added, "That was just fine. That was plenty for me." By the 1980s, Shelley was one of stars active in the Hollywood scene. She had earned the praise of very surprised critics via the stage plays Vanities, Close Ties and Born Yesterday. She had starred in the Martin Scorsese film King of Comedy opposite Robert de Niro and the soon-to-be cult classic The Stepfather opposite Terry O'Quinn, and received critical praise as well. She had starred in two TV series Cutter to Houston and Jack and Mike, which didn't last long but received praise from critics as well. She was one of Hollywood's most glamorous but underrated stars.

Shelley dons the latest gym gear in a promo pic from 1988

Brigitte Mit Constanze N

Shelley in a fashion spread
for the German mag

Brigitte Mit Constanze, 1972

Shelley was one of the most visible Supermodels in the 1970s. She appeared on many covers of many major magazines. In 1972, Shelley appeared on the cover of the March 17 issue of Brigitte Mit Constanze, a German women's magazine which featured fashions, home styles and health. She also appeared inside the magazine, modeling the latest looks of the era.

a closeup of Shelley

from the March 1972 issue

of the German mag

Brigitte Mit Constanze

Shelley modeled a large variety of fashions and looks in the issue. She appeared in several spreads throughout the mag. She wore the latest looks for young misses at the time - shirts, blouses, pants, shorts, dresses, etc. along with the accessories needed to look up-to-date. She also modeled fashions the readers could make for themselves so they too could look fab, just like Shelley.

another closeup of Shelley

from the March 1972 issue
of the German mag

Brigitte Mit Constanze

Ready or Not 21

screen captures from the Jack and Mike episode

"Ready or Not," 1986

Shelley's third foray into series TV was Jack and Mike. It was about a married yuppie couple living in Chicago, trying to find time for each other in their busy schedules. Shelley played Jackie Shea, a star columnist at The Mirror, a widely-circulated Chicago paper. Her column was awaited by everyone every week. Her husband was Mike Brennan (played by Tom Mason), a successful restaurateur. The other cast members were: Nora Adler (Jacqueline Brookes), Jackie’s editor;  Anthony Kubecek (Kevin Dunn), Jackie's assistant; Carol (Holly Fulger), the head waitress at Mike's restaurant, Brennan's Grill; and Rick Scotti (Vincent Baggetta), an attorney who appears occasionally. The series, created by Sara Davidson, was filmed on location in Chicago, Illinois.

more screen captures from the Jack and Mike episode

"Ready or Not," 1986

After speaking to one of the FBI agents stationed outside her house, Jackie becomes suspicious of fugitive Matthew Pearson whom she's supposed to turn over to the authorities via a press conference scheduled that afternoon. She wakes up at 5:30 am and quickly proceeds to Harrison Hotel to check up on Pearson. She finds him about to ride his car and flee. But she brought the authorities with her, along with other reporters. Pearson is apprehended and Jackie is very disappointed. Later, Jackie asks Mike to meet her at their house. He arrives and find her crying. She had been to the doctor, she lost their baby. She confesses to Mike that she was ready and realized she wanted the baby all along. Mike confesses he was not ready and was experiencing second thoughts. He asks her if she's all right to which she says yes. They decide that maybe it wasn't meant to be; and they can try another time. The couple embrace.

Perma-Prest 1967

closeups of Shelley from a spread

on Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalog spreads throughout out modeling career. She appeared in many catalogs for Sears. In the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog, she appeared in the spread called "Perma-Prest Pants and Shorts," which featured wash and wear items that were wrinkle resistant. She wore the "Tapered-Leg Pants" with knit pullover top that had a "Boucle Texture." She also wore the "Hip-Rider Pants" with another knit pullover top that had "Runaround Stripes." And lastly, she wore the "Denim Kneecapper Jeans" with the "Checkered Shell" top. In all of them, Shelley looked no less that fabulous.

Shelley in a fashion spread
for Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

The Scapegoat

a glamour pic of Shelley from 1979

Shelley left Charlie's Angels in 1980 and the press had a field day. She was unfairly blamed for the drop in the ratings and everyone joined that bandwagon. Everything from her acting to her charisma to her looks to her hair were cited as the reason for the decline in the ratings. But if you look closer, Shelley really got the short end of the stick. It seems she was the scapegoat for further decline in the ratings the show experienced that year.

NO, she wasn't dull!

a writeup about Shelley from 1980

Her debut episode "Love Boat Angels" topped the Nielsen ratings and it was predicted that the Angels was going to be back on top (ratings for season 3 had dropped dramatically - from #4 in season 2 to # 12 in season 3). Shelley's Supermodel/Charlie Girl status brought a lot of publicity and renewed interest to the show. In episode 2, "Angels Go Truckin'," her rapport with the incumbent Angels was evident and landed the episode in the top 10 for the week. But by episode 3, she was suddenly relegated to the background. The same thing happened with the succeeding episodes. It was by this time that the ratings started spiraling downward. But was that really her fault? Her lines were deliberately cut down in her debut episode. The same thing happened from episode 3 on. So how was she supposed to "save" the series then? By her MERE PRESENCE alone? How could she make her character interesting when she was given little to say and do? Wouldn't that have been the reason viewers lost interest in the show or found her dull? Besides, Jackie Smith, Cheryl Ladd and even Farrah Fawcett appeared in the same season. They couldn't "save" the series either, could they? Was Shelley actually just the scapegoat for the ratings decline that season?

Multi Mixes

Shelley in a spread for Seventeen magazine, 1970

Shelley appeared in many issues of Seventeen magazine during her modeling career. In 1970, she appeared on the October issue of the magazine in the spread "Multi Mixes The Together Knits." It featured knitted fashions that "almost need a computer to figure out the combos for these kicky knits in multiple parts." In other words, the knitting done on the these pieces were the latest at the time.

a closeup of Shelley from a spread

from Seventeen magazine, 1970

Shelley wore a pair of "space-dye" knitted separates in plum. She wore the cropped sleeved sweater that was lean and narrow with the edges ticked off in the ribbing and a mini skirt similarly knitted. A crochet hat, a snaky choker, a matching hose and suede shoes finished her look. She also wore the skinny cranberry jumper over a pink turtleneck. Corded tie-arounds on her neck, matching hose and low-heeled footwear finished her look. Shelley looked divine in both outfits.

another closeup of Shelley from a spread
from Seventeen magazine, 1970