1981 Cover

a closeup of Shelley

from a pic featured on the cover

of Ultima Moda magazine,

February 1981

Shelley was one of the most successful models at the Ford Modeling Agency (now known as Ford Models Inc.), one of the leading modeling agencies in the entire world. She appeared on the covers of many magazines including Glamour, Seventeen, Vogue, Mademoiselle and Elle. In February of 1981, she appeared on the cover of the Spanish-language magazine Ultima Moda. It was a fashion and lifestyle magazine for women which featured sewing patterns, crafts, articles and stories. On the cover, she wore Simplicity Pattern number 7430, a misses' pullover top and pants set (which could also be used for a pullover dress). The top-stitched top had a sailor type collar, a front that softly gathered to the inset, a front slash opening (with an optional buttoned tab), forward shoulder seams, and short set-in sleeves at the dropped shoulders. It could be worn with or without a self-fabric tie belt. Transfers for the embroidery details were included but were optional. The pants had a back zipper and a waistband. And as always, Shelley looked fab on the mag cover. (For more, check out: Top and Pants Set)

a pic of Shelley with Kathy Loghry

on the cover of Ultima Moda magazine,

February 1981

Shelley and Mr. Meyer

a pic of Shelley and her then boyfriend

writer/director Nicholas Meyer, 1979

Shelley became a household name in 1979 when she joined the cast of Charlie's Angels. She went through all the things all the Angels before her went through, superstardom and constant media attention. She told People magazine in 1980, "I feel like I've been sunbathing on Three Mile Island." The very private star was under constant scrutiny by the press, viewers and critics alike. Her looks, her background, her lifestyle, and even her boyfriends were under scrutiny. After getting the part of Tiffany Welles in Charlie's Angels, the tabloids reported that her then boyfriend writer/director Nicholas Meyer dumped her. "I feel badly when I read things about myself that aren't true - like the fact that I just broke up with my long-time boyfriend writer-director Nicholas Meyer," Shelley told Screen Stories magazine in 1979, "That bothered me terribly. We're still very much together, and people print lies." The rumors started when Shelley wasn't cast as the lead in Meyer's thriller Time After Time. "That story upset me a great deal because the truth is I was the one who didn't want to do the movie," Shelley told People magazine in 1979. "After all, our relationship just started - what if we broke up in two months? He would have to be stuck directing me," Shelley explained.

a tabloid writeup about Shelley

and writer/director Nicholas Meyer, 1979

Well-Tailored

a closeup of Shelley

from an ad for Cone Mills, 1973

Shelley appeared in many ads during her tenure as a Supermodel in the 1970s. In 1973, she appeared in an ad for Cone Mills which featured an outfit by Garland. The Cone Mills Corporation was a textile manufacturing company that produced cotton fabrics like corduroy, flannel and denim. Garland was a popular garment brand in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, specializing in women's garments. In the ad, she wore well-tailored separates in shimmering Cone Sand Devil sateen (a blend of Dacron polyester and rayon). She wore a pair of navy-colored pants with a floral shirt; and topped them off with a navy-colored jacket. A red belt and red-soled footwear finished her look. A bucket hat with a red band accessorized her look. And Shelley looked well-tailored and fabulous.

Shelley in an ad for Cone Mills, 1973

Found Money TV Movie 11

screen captures from the TV movie

Found Money, 1983

Shelley appeared alongside comedy legends Dick Van Dyke and Sid Caesar in the 1983 TV movie Found Money. The movie was about computer expert Max Shepherd and security guard Sam Green, two former employees of First National Bank who have been let go with little to no benefits after decades of employment. Max uses his computer skills to create an account in the bank using the money from inactive accounts that are automatically transferred to the state when not claimed after five years. Using the name Seymour Good, head of The Invisible Friend Inc., he transfers the money to accounts of ordinary citizens who bring kindness to the world. After some convincing, Sam joins Max in his quest. As good Samaritans begin receiving the money, the story is picked up by the press and is covered by reporter Leslie Phillips (Shelley Hack) who becomes Max's love interest.

screen captures from the TV movie

Found Money, 1983

Shelley found both Dick Van Dyke and Sid Caesar "very generous to work with" but had to keep up with the their pace. "You had to work so fast, because everything was left loose," she told TV Guide. "I felt like I kind of jumped on a moving train," she added. As for Shelley's performance in Found Money, Television writer Fred Rothenberg said "Miss Hack's acting has improved since she played one of Charlie's Angels." Shelley said of the TV movie, "It's a whole type of distinctly American comedy, the closest to theater on film I'd ever gotten." Prior to Found Money, Shelley had starred in several stage plays in the early 1980s and had received excellent reviews for her performances. She was also cast in the Martin Scorsese film The King of Comedy where she held her own in scenes opposite acting giant Robert De Niro; she got excellent reviews for her performance in the film as well. Shelley had come a very long way indeed.

screen captures from the TV movie

Found Money, 1983

A Great Bonus

Shelley in a promo pic

for Charlie perfume, 1977

Shelley was THE quintessential Charlie Girl and appeared on many, many ads for the brand around the world. In 1980, she appeared in an ad with the tagline "Charlie by Revlon --- Has A Great Bonus Just For You," which promoted Charlie's Colorlights, three new groups of shimmering colors for the eyes, cheeks, lips and nails (called Soft Red Colorlights, Rosy Colorlights and Magenta Colorlights). Women all over the world could use these new colors from the Charlie collection to "steal the show" at any day. New to the brand's line as well were 16 Charlie Soft-Frost Nailcolors. All of them were released in time for the Fall 1980 season. Included in the ad was The Charlie Color-Go-Round promo - which was a promo pack containing an easy-to-carry compact that housed 8 great Charlie facemaker colors and a bottle of Charlie Concentrated Perfume. It was valued at $35 but was available for just $7.00 with any purchase from the Charlie collection. And, of course, Shelley was featured in the ad, Charlie Girl gorgeous as always.

Shelley in a newspaper ad

for Charlie perfume and cosmetics, 1980

Educational Video

an outtake of Shelley's promo pic

used on the VHS and LaserDisc covers

of Celebrity Guide to Wine, 1990

Shelley was among the celebrities who participated in the hour-long celebrity special released in 1990, Celebrity Guide to Wine. Spago restaurant maître d' Bernard Erpicum hosted the special and many celebrities/stars of the era participated in the educational video. Celebrity Guide to Wine was a fun and practical guide to everything about wine. It answered questions many people had regarding the drinking and serving of wine, as well as debunked some of the myths and the rules on the subject. Aside from Shelley, Dudley Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Herbie Hancock, Kelly Le Brock, Robert Loggia, Steven Seagal, and Peter Weller joined in on the fun as well. Norm Lenzer was the narrator. It was released in both VHS and LaserDisc formats. (For more, check out: Guide to Wine, 1990)

an outtake of Shelley's promo pic

used on the VHS and LaserDisc covers

of Celebrity Guide to Wine, 1990

A Worldwide Superstar

Shelley with Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd

on the cover of Télé-Junior, January 1981

Shelley became Charlie's newest Angel in 1979, and she jumped from being Revlon Charlie's Supermodel to becoming TV's latest Superstar Angel, joining incumbent Angels Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd. Cheryl joined the cast of the hit TV series two years earlier, as Farrah Fawcett's fill-in. This time, Shelley was joining the cast as a fill-in for Kate Jackson who left the series early that year. Charlie's Angels was Shelley's very first TV series and her casting made news all over the world. It was a huge deal. "I still have not really recovered from the surprise of landing the part," Shelley said at the time. "It has been quite a whirl," she added. She was instantly propelled to international superstardom; and her face appeared on magazines, tabloids and newspapers all around the world.

Shelley with Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd,

on the pages of Télé-Junior,

January 1981

Télé-Junior was a youth-oriented magazine that was produced from 1977 to 1983 in France. The French-language mag featured writeups and comic strips adapted from popular superhero characters (like Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four), cartoons (like Scooby-Doo and The Great Grape Ape Show) and Japanese super robot manga (like Mazinger Z and Grendizer). It also featured writeups and comic strips about the popular TV series of the era (like The Six Million Dollar Man, and, yes, Charlie's Angels). In January of 1981, the mag featured Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd and Shelley Hack on their cover. Inside, it featured a writeup about them and the series Charlie's Angels. It seems some of the info they got wasn't right (Shelley was born in 1947 not 1940. Shelley has a degree in history [she majored in European and military history] but not architecture. Shelley began modelling at 16 not 14.) Don't know how the series was aired outside the US, but it seems to have been divided into more than the standard five seasons in certain countries. Anyway, the writeup translates as:

FEATURED ON TV

CHARLIE'S ANGELS

AND THAT MAKES THREE!

Since the last Charlie's Angels season three years ago on Antenne 2, during Jacques Martin's show Bon Dimanche, a series of twists and turns have occurred! Farrah Fawcett left, handing the reins to blonde Cheryl Ladd. And now, in the thirteen-episode season you're currently watching, Cheryl and Jaclyn Smith are still on board, but Kate Jackson has passed the torch to the captivating Shelley Hack. But who's complaining...?

Shelley with Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd,

on the pages of Télé-Junior,

January 1981

THE MADNESS

Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, and Farrah Fawcett-Majors triumph in every episode over all the killers and obstacles they encounter. No one in show business history has become as famous and rich as quickly as Farrah has after Charlie's Angels begins airing.

T-shirts, bed sheets, and towels bearing the Angels' image flood stores.

FIRST DEPARTURE

Top model, television star, and businesswoman, Farrah gets a big head, breaks her contract with the Angels television producers, and decides to try her luck in film.

A replacement had to be found quickly because the second season was already being filmed. Applications poured in, and it was the blonde Cheryl Ladd who won the part.

Second twist: Kate Jackson announces that she too wants to leave television to pursue a film career. Her role is offered to Barbara Bach, the beautiful Russian spy who seduced James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me. But her screen tests in Hollywood are not successful, so while waiting to find someone else, Kate agrees to film the third season.

FORCED RETURN

Meanwhile, the court makes a ruling, and Farrah Fawcett is forced to appear in a new season. That would be the fifth season. And like the Three Musketeers, there would now be four Charlie's Angels.

Since then, Kate Jackson has left the series. She made a feature film and enjoyed a second honeymoon in Paris. Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd, and Shelley Hack, the newest Angel team, filmed a sixth season, which you can currently watch on Antenne 2, on Sunday afternoons. To prove her worth as an actress, it seems Shelley might have to make people forget her surname.

"CHARLIE" HACK

Indeed, ever since she began endorsing the Charlie by Revlon perfume brand in the US, to all Americans, Shelley has become synonymous to Charlie.

Born on July 6, 1940, Shelley was raised in Connecticut, along with her six siblings. At 14, she began to appear in magazines, but continued her studies and took them very seriously. A graduate in history and architecture, Shelley wanted to become a teacher... until the day the editor of a fashion magazine convinced her to become a professional model. Thanks to her modeling  career, she was able to travel extensively. Bangkok, Hong Kong, New Delhi — they no longer hold any secrets for her. It was while filming a commercial for the Revlon brand Charlie that the producers of Charlie's Angels noticed her and decided to hire her. When her television schedule gives her some free time, Shelley Hack loves to jog, swim, play tennis, and cook delicious meals for her boyfriend.