Friday, June 28, 2013

Fashion Flash

Shelley was a fresh, young ingenue in this fashion pic that appeared on the 1966 spring summer issue of Simpicity School Catalog. The Spring Fashion Flash? Un-inhibited MOD styling, un-usual color combinations, un-expected fabric ideas and un-beatable fashion trims. With Shelley in the pic is '60s teen fashion sensation Colleen Corby.

Film Capture

Shelley in a film capture from the 1986 children's movie Troll

El mundo es de Charlie

Shelley appeared in a 1978 Spanish language ad for a contest organized by Charlie Perfume. The contest, held in Mexico from June 15 to July 31 of that year, was open to all young, cheerful, adventurous, stylish and open-minded girls who wanted to be a Chica Charlie, a Charlie Girl. The winner got $50,000 in cash, a wardrobe worth $40,000 and $10,000 worth of Revlon products - all adding up to $100,000. By then, the Charlie brand was so successful, it was a household name, and Shelley's image had become synonymous to the Charlie brand. And as you can see, by the mid-70s, "El mundo es de Charlie" - the world truly belonged to Charlie.

Promo Still

Shelley in a promo still for her 1978 film If Ever I See You Again

Comeback Kid


Shelley was sort of praised in this write-up about her 1983 TV series Cutter to Houston. Although the writer gave the series a thumbs down, he said Shelley was "the best thing" in the show and "gets the comeback-of-the-year award." And why not? By then, Shelley had honed her acting chops. On stage, she shined via Vanities, Close Ties and, most especially, Born Yesterday where she was critically acclaimed for her performance. On TV,  she delivered via her work opposite acting veterans George Segal (Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer), Dick Van Dyke and Sid Caesar (Found Money). But most notably, Shelley's performance in the Martin Scorsese film The King of Comedy opposite acting legend Robert De Niro was a revelation. Go Girl!

Shelley with Cutter To Houston co-stars Alec Baldwin and Jim Metzler

Pretty and Pink

Shelley was pretty and pink in this mid-'70s ad for Wilroy

Angels Promo Card

Shelley and the other original TV Angels in an 80s promo card for Charlie's Angels

Saturday, June 22, 2013

1978 Soundtrack

Shelley was on the cover of the soundtrack of the 1978 film If Ever I See You Again which was released in Japan. In her first leading lady role as Jennifer Corly, she played opposite Joe Brooks in the film. Brooks composed the theme song for the film, and  Jamie Carr sang it on the film's soundtrack. Debbie Boone, who sang Brooks's monster hit "You Light Up My Life," recorded a version as well. But it was Roberta Flack's version that became a hit around the world. Flack's version came out a a month before the film was released.

Dressing Up

Shelley was in a 1978 Sears Spring Summer Catalog spread entitled "Dressing Up." She modeled dresses in Qiana nylon, a Shirred Dress with a square neckline and a sleeveless Blouson Dress.

Freefall Ad

Shelley appeared in a TV Guide ad for her 1995 telefilm Falling from the Sky: Flight 174 aka Freefall Flight 174. Based on a true story, the film recounted the events that led to the 1983 crash landing of the Gimli Glider or Air Canada Flight 143. The film remains compelling and still keeps viewers at the edge of their seats.

Smile That Smile

Shelley smiled her smile for the camera back in 1979.

Win A Trip

Shelley appeared in the 1980 French contest promo ad for Charlie Perfume where a lucky contestant got to "win a trip to Hollywood." As the ad said,"Charlie has come up with the contest of your dreams. The winner gets to live the life of a Hollywood star!" Because "Charlie makes you a star."

Denim Fashions

Shelley donned denim fashions for Seventeen magazine in 1971.

Excited Angel

Shelley was excited over her new role as Charlie's newest Angel in 1979. The preparations made before she even filmed a single scene exhausted her but she she was thrilled with opportunity --- and the perks that came with the being the newest addition to TV's most heavenly bevy of beauties.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Cover '77

Shelley was on the cover of the premiere issue of Women Today back in August of 1977. With the success of her 1976 Charlie perfume commercial, she had become the embodiment the new independent young woman - sexy, gorgeous, free, confident and successful all on her own - because the Charlie Girl that Shelley portrayed/projected was a women who had it all. And her 30-second spot did a lot more than promote perfume. It affected many women into thinking that they too could be a Charlie Girl, they too could have it all. Even the young Oprah Winfrey wanted to be a Charlie Girl. As Oprah confessed in 2008 when Shelley appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, "I wanted to stride like her with confidence. I wanted to be this fabulous." So it's only appropriate that Shelley graced the cover of this magazine.

Theater Stint

Shelley starred as Billie Dawn in the Pennsylvania Stage Co.'s production of Born Yesterday back in 1982. From the clipping, we can see that the play ran from September 29 to October 24 of that year and was presented at the J.I. Rodale Theater in Allentown. After her Charlie's Angels stint, Shelley went on to tackle stage and received critical acclaim in the process, especially in Born Yesterday.

A quote from The Morning Call's Sylvia Lawler's article about Shelley in 1986:
That she acquitted herself endearingly enough in "Born Yesterday" came as something of a surprise to a lot of people. She projected "a touching and engaging innocence," The Call reviewer had written. Clearly, if Hack had come to these regional hustings to learn her craft and shake that model-turned-actress image, she had done some good for herself.

Breathtaking in Pink

A Charlie perfume ad that never was...
An imagined Charlie ad with a very pink and gorgeous Shelley

As THE Charlie Girl, Shelley appeared in many Charlie Perfume ads and commercials from 1976 to 1982. The embodiment of the gorgeous, sexy young women of the day, Shelley was particularly fresh and breathtaking in this very pink 1979 promo pic for the fragrance. In fact, she's so breathtaking in it that I decided to build some art around her pic, adding some background elements and a pic of the fragrance from around that era.

 Another imagined Charlie ad...
A pic from the same pink set was used
in the September 1979 People magazine article about Shelley

Cutter To Houston Ad

Shelley with Jim Metzler and newcomer Alec Baldwin in a TV Guide ad 
for the premiere of their series Cutter To Houston in 1983

Great New Looks From Top Designers

Shelley opened the spread entitled "Great New Looks From Top Designers" which appeared on the October issue of Harper's Bazaar in 1977. She modeled the "beauty look" that Bill Blass designed for Ultima II Charles Revson (by Revlon) to go with his current collection. And along with it, she donned pieces from the Blass's 1977 fall fashion collection.

A Little Bit of Lycra

Shelley appeared in a 1975 ad for Jantzen swimwear
that "likes a little bit of Lycra in swimsuits."

Shelley Article

Shelley was the subject of this 1986 article from TV Guide where she talked about her new series Jack and Mike and expressed how she had been trying to move past her Charlie Girl/Charlie's Angels image. With her during the interview was her 80-pound German shepherd, Bear.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Sweet, Sexy & Lacy Sleepwear


Shelley was sweet, sexy and lacy in this early 70s pic for Sears catalog. She modeled a two-piece sleepwear set (a micro-mini, V-necked, lace-breasted, teddy-like top with a tie-sashed, ruffled-edged, empire-waisted hem - whew - and matching bikini lace panties) and was so alluring. So who says Shelley wasn't sexy? How's that for alliteration?

Bridesmaids 1989

the cast of the telefilm Bridesmaids (1989)

Shelley co-starred with Brooke Adams, Stephanie Faracy and Sela Ward in the 1989 telefilm Bridesmaids about four high school best friends who reunited at the wedding of a fifth friend and re-established their closeness. The film is a delight to watch over and over.

a solo still of Shelley Hack for the telefilm Bridesmaids (1989)

Men's Cologne

Shelley appeared in this rare and cutting-edge mid-'70s ad for Braggi, a men's cologne introduced by Charles Revson in 1966 for the more mature man. Male nudity in ads were becoming the rage and this is one example from the era. Thank you to Robert Cervantez's Super 70's at Pinterest for posting the ad or should I say pinning the ad.

a "butt-lifted" Braggi ad
see the original ad at:
http://pinterest.com/rcervantez/super-70-s/
(scroll all the way down, it was one of the early pins)

I know the ad wanted to appeal to the mature, over-40 male demographic (it's target market), but I felt I had to give the male model (my apologies to the male model) a bit of a "butt lift" to take away unwanted attention from it and to give more attention to the beautiful, somewhat candid nature of the picture and to Shelley, who was just drop-dead gorgeous, up-to-the-moment and glamorous in it.

Benfit Gala

Shelley attended the American Oceans Campaign Benefit Gala
at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on March of 1994.

Sunday In the Park

Shelley in a 1972 navy and white ad for Vicky Vaughn
called "Sunday in the Park"

A Fan Defends Shelley


A clipping from 1980 featured a fan asking a columnist why Shelley was let go from Charlie's Angels. They "didn't give her a chance" according to him. "How dare they fire Shelley. They gave her maybe one paragraph."

I don't know why she was let go either. Many said she couldn't act or didn't blend in when, if you watch her second episode "Angel's Go Truckin'", she was able to achieve both. In fact, it can be considered one of the best episodes of the season if not the entire series - the rapport between the three Angels in the episode was reminiscent of the first season. But early on, except on that second episode, she was a very underused character. She made the most of her limited screen time though, making every line given to her count. But when she was given more to say and do in the latter half of the season, she actually shined as a character. In fact, she came across as a full-fledged, believable detective in "One Love, Two Angels."

top, Shelley making a face at Cheryl in "Cruising Angels"
bottom, Jaclyn and Shelley share a laugh in "Nips And Tucks"

But repetitive scripts and predictable outcomes plagued the final years of the series, as well as unkind cuts. Moments of rapport between the Angels were left on the cutting room floor, because scenes were cut a little too soon. Check out Shelley making a face at Cheryl Ladd when Bos calls the office in "Cruising Angels." You'd hardly see it if you don't press pause. The thing is Cheryl reacted to Shelley's face-making, which would have established the characters' closeness. And what about the little laugh Shelley and Jaclyn Smith shared after Jackie said "hitperson" in "Nips and Tucks." It was cut so soon that you wouldn't even notice it. And there were many more throughout the season.

top, Shelley and Cheryl in "Avenging Angel"
bottom, Shelley with David and Jaclyn in "Love Boat Angels"

Also, there are many incidents where the dialogue seems to have been removed, like in "Avenging Angel" when Shelley and Cheryl leave the ladies room. There seems to be funny dialogue going on between the two, but there's no audio of it. In fact, Shelley's very first line in the series is missing. When she says "hi" to Jaclyn and Cheryl in "Love Boat Angels" as she walks into the Townsend office for the first time with Bosley,  there is no audio of her voice.

So you see, I sort of agree with the the columnist. I believe it wasn't her acting or her rapport with the other Angels that sparked Shelley's dismissal. It was just that someone had to take the blame for the falling ratings that year. As Shelley told People magazine in 1980, "What happened was a network war. A business decision was made. Change the time slot or bring on some new publicity. How to get publicity? A new Angel hunt. Who is the obvious person to replace? I am—the new kid on the block."

Skiwear You Can Sew


Shelley in a spread called "Or Come Snow... Skiwear You Can Sew" 
from Woman's Day Sewing & Fashion 1973

 
Beautiful Baby, Beautiful part 2 at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYN_bc2PJHg

As a Supermodel, Shelley was one of the biggest earners at Ford Models, Inc. She was so big, her name was mentioned in the 1981 HBO modeling special Beautiful Baby, Beautiful. To quote, "Last year, Ford billed 12 million dollars and took cuts from clients like Lauren Hutton, Cheryl Tiegs and Shelley Hack."