Playing Mary

Shelley in a newspaper ad

for the play Vanities, 1981

In November of 1980, Shelley starred in the Jack Heifner play Vanities which was staged at the Westwood Playhouse in Los Angeles. It was filmed for TV as part of HBO's Standing Room Only series and was aired in 1981. Set in 1963 then 1968 and finally in 1974, the play was about three girls from Texas (as high school cheerleaders, then as college roommates, and finally as young adults) - their friendship and its eventual demise. Shelley played Mary (the confident one) alongside Meredith Baxter Birney who played Joanne (the naïve one), and Annette O'Toole who played Kathy (the planner). Shelley immediately jumped at the opportunity to play Mary after leaving Charlie's Angels. "I didn't want to leave Los Angeles without doing something good," she explained. Although she had no prior stage experience, she was ready to take on the challenge. "I don't know how I got the guts to go right into a play immediately after leaving the series," Shelley said. "I started doing theater for the first time in my life although I'd never been on a stage before." And Shelley's gamble paid off. She received glowing reviews for her performance, surprising many of her critics and detractors... as well as Charlie's Angels producer Ed Lakso who thought she couldn't act and that casting her in Angels was a mistake. "One year after the show, I saw Shelley in the stage play Vanities, and she did a wonderful job," Lakso admitted.

Shelley with Meredith Baxter Birney

and Annette O'Toole in a promo pic

for the play Vanities, Nov 1980

Pacino Was Smitten

an imagined pic of what Shelley

dating Al Pacino would have looked like

(let's hope real paparazzi pics

of them together would surface)

In 1980, after a year in the hit TV series Charlie's Angels, Shelley was ready to move on. She first tackled stage in the plays Vanities and Close Ties and won critical praise for her efforts. Then in late 1981, she got the part of a lifetime... a supporting role in the Martin Scorsese film The King of Comedy opposite Robert De Niro. She began filming in New York with Scorsese and De Niro. It was widely reported that, by that time, De Niro had already introduced Shelley to his good friend Al Pacino - and the two had hit it off and started dating. Both stars have always been very private with regards to their personal lives, but reports of them being seen together around New York started cropping up. (For more, check out:  Pacino and the Angel and Shelley and Pacino)

an Italian-language writeup

about Shelley and Al Pacino's

budding romance in the early 1980s

In March of 1982, a writeup about Shelley and Al Pacino came out in the magazine Albo Bliz Cinema - an Italian magazine that featured comics, columns about cinema and showbiz, writeups about prominent personalities, as well as pinups. In the mag's section called "Ciak Si Sussarra" (which translates as "Clapperboard Whispers"), Shelley and Al's relationship was written about. The writeup translates as follows:

Shelley Hack Is Al Pacino's New "Angel"

Robert De Niro certainly never imagined that introducing the blonde and sophisticated Shelley Hack to his friend and colleague Al Pacino, 30, would transform Pacino's life. But instead it did. Shelley, 23, who was one of "Charlie's Angels" for a season, landed a small part in the movie that De Niro will be starring in, "The King of Comedy" with Jerry Lewis. And Shelley was around during the presentation of the film to the press. "When Al saw her and spoke to her, he was transformed. He had a dazed expression on his face, a silly smile on his lips, and he even stopped drinking the wine he had in his glass. He had such a big crush on her, poor Al," said Bobby De Niro. Let's hope it's big enough to make him stop drinking.

Going-Greats

a closeup of Shelley from a pic

used in a spread on the Sears 1970

Spring Through Summer catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalogs throughout her modeling career, from the late '60s to the late '70s. Mail-order catalogs were at the height of its popularity at the time. They were big-book size publications that contained a list and pictures of the general merchandise from, usually, a department store that were available for purchase and delivery straight to the homes of their customers. Everything from homeware to toys were featured in these catalogs... as well as garments and the latest fashion pieces. Shelley appeared in spreads throughout the Sears 1970 Spring Through Summer catalog.

Shelley in a spread for the 1970 Sears

Spring Through Summer catalog

Shelley she appeared in section called Junior Bazaar. It featured the latest fashions for the fashionable young 1970s miss. In the spread called "The Going-Greats Go Great All Summer," she wore separates that could be mixed and matched. She wore The Tunic Jumper, a garment that could be worn as on its own or over something, and The Billowy-Sleeved Blouse, a long-sleeved blouse with a collar and an attached tie. She wore the aforementioned with and without The Straight-Legged Pants, a pair of printed pants with an elasticized waist. Matching footwear and a scarf tying back her hair finished her look. And Shelley looked fabulous in all of them.

closeups of Shelley from a pic

used in a spread on the Sears 1970

Spring Through Summer catalog

Cantiniere Angels 2

a closeup of Shelley from a promo pic

for Charlie's Angels, 1979

Look-In magazine was a kiddie/teen UK magazine that featured two-page comic/picture strips of the most popular television shows of the era. Subtitled as "The Junior TV Times," its first issue came out in 1971 and its final issue came out in 1994. Many popular American TV series were featured in the mag including Kung Fu, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, CHiPs, Battlestar Galactica, Mork and Mindy... and, of course Charlie's Angels.

Shelley as Tiffany Welles in Look-In mag's

Charlie's Angels comic/picture strip, 1980

From 1979 to 1980, during the airing of the 4th season of Charlie's Angels, Shelley's Tiffany Welles character was featured in the mag's Charlie's Angels comic/picture strip. Along with her co-Angels Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith) and Kris Munroe (Cheryl Ladd), Tiffany solved cases for Charlie for several issues, two pages a week. Her first case debuted on November of 1979 and her final case ended on October of 1980. The mag also featured occasional writeups about Shelley as well as posters of her and the Angel team of that season.

Shelley Hack with Jaclyn Smith

and Cheryl Ladd in a promo pic

for Charlie's Angels, 1979

Express Sweepstakes

pics of Shelley featured

in several Charlie perfume ads, 1982

Shelley was THE quintessential Charlie Girl and appeared in many, many ads for the brand. In 1982, she appeared in a newspaper ad for Charlie which promoted the "Charlie Express Sweepstakes," a promotional tie-up with American Express. All anyone had to do was fill out an entry form at any Charlie counter to get a chance to win a fabulous 15-day trip for two to a faraway place of their choice along with "Mad Money" for their whims and fantasies. Twenty-two additional prizes including a getaway weekend for 2 to any US continental city, transportation and much more were also part of the sweepstakes. The promo also offered customers a chance to purchase the "Charlie Steamer Trunk," which included six shadows, two blushes, two lipsticks, two lipglosses, one double-tip eye-shadow applicator and one split of Charlie cologne in a 6 oz. champagne bottle... for only $10.00 with any $5.00 Charlie purchase. And (artwork) Shelley was gorgeous in the fabulous ad.

an artwork of Shelley in a newspaper ad

for Charlie perfume and cosmetics, 1982

Merv Griffin Show Guest

Shelley being escorted

to The Merv Griffin Show,

October 1979

Shelley appeared twice on the The Merv Griffin Show in 1979. The Merv Griffin Show was an American talk show that starred and was hosted by Merv Griffin - a singer, talk-show host and producer (who owned the production companies Merv Griffin Enterprises and Merv Griffin Entertainment). Shelley first appeared on the show's January 11 episode along with Wayne Rogers, Pia Zadora, comedian Denny Johnston, and singer Eric Carmen. When Shelley became Charlie's newest Angel later that same year, she again appeared on the show's October 30th episode with researcher Durk Pearson, Dr. Richard Selzer, and acupuncturist Dr. Zion Yu.

pics of Shelley being escorted

to The Merv Griffin Show,

October 1979

Pants to Sew

a closeup of Shelley from a pic

for Simplicity Fashion News,

August 1972

Simplicity Fashion News was a monthly pamphlet Simplicity came out with to showcase their latest patterns. The Simplicity Pattern Company had been manufacturing sewing patterns since 1927 and had allowed fashionistas on a budget and sewing aficionados to create clothes in a reliable manner. In August of 1972, Shelley appeared on the pages of Simplicity Fashion News. She was featured in a spread called "Pants to Sew Right Now with New Partners", which featured pants and partners to contrast tops in the newly-popular plaids and color-cued solids. Shelley wore pattern number pattern number 5139 which included a pair of pants, a blouse and a pullover style top sized for knits. The set also included a pattern for a bias-skirt. Matching shoes an a cute heart-buckled belt finished her look. Shelley looked vibrant and ready for those summer outings and shindigs. (For more, check out: Pants to Sew Right Now)

a pic of Shelley

from Simplicity Fashion News,

August 1972

More Than A Pretty Face

Shelley in a 1980s promo pic

Shelley was a busy working actress in the 1980s. After her career-boosting appearance on Charlie's Angels, she was determined to prove that she was more than just a pretty face. She immediately tackled stage a via the Jack Heifner play Vanities and gained critical praise for her work. Other stage roles soon followed. She was praised for her work in Elizabeth Diggs's play Close Ties and Garson Kanin’s Born Yesterday. At the same time, she was getting more serious feature film work. She appeared in Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy and much later in Joseph Ruben's horror classic The Stepfather. She also got to work in TV movies with seasoned actors such as George Segal, Dick Van Dyke, Sid Caesar and Paul Michael Glaser.

Shelley in a 1980s promo pic

L.A. Premiere

a pic of Shelley

at the L.A. movie premiere

of Tempest, 1982

In the 1980s, Shelley was often spotted and captured by the paparazzi at events around Hollywood. In August of 1982, she was photographed at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California, at the Los Angeles premiere of the movie Tempest starring John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Susan Sarandon, Vittorio Gassman, Raul Julia and Molly Ringwald. She was seen at the event hanging around with Canadian producer Pierre David. Aside from the cast, other attendees included Dudley Moore, Kristy McNichol, Erin Gray, Debra Winger, Elliott Gould, Lynn Redgrave, Jon Voight and Shelley's fellow Charlie's Angel Cheryl Ladd. It was a star-studded premiere.

pics of Shelley

at the L.A. movie premiere

of Tempest, 1982

1970s Dresses

closeups of Shelley from pics

used in a spread on the Sears 1970

Spring Through Summer catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalogs throughout her modeling career, from the late '60s to the late '70s. Mail-order catalogs were at the height of its popularity at the time. They were big-book size publications that contained a list and pictures of the general merchandise from, usually, a department store that were available for purchase and delivery straight to the homes of their customers. Everything from homeware to toys were featured in these catalogs... as well as garments and the latest fashion pieces. Shelley appeared in spreads throughout the Sears 1970 Spring Through Summer catalog.

Shelley in a spread for the 1970 Sears

Spring Through Summer catalog

Shelley she appeared in section called Junior Bazaar. It featured the latest fashions for the fashionable young 1970s miss. In the spread called "The Costume Rage," she wore a dress that had its own matching trench coat (which was modeled by Colleen Corby in the spread). Shelley's two-color short-sleeved dress had a white bodice that skimmed low to a navy blue skirt. A bob-style wig finished her look. In the spread called the "Jacket-Dress Caper," she wore a dress that had its own matching jacket (which was also modeled by Colleen Corby in the spread). The dress had a white subtly-textured cotton bodice and a plaid skirt with front box pleats and a back zipper. She finished her dress with a polka-dot printed sash and white medium-heeled buckled pumps with cutouts. In the spread called the "Coatdress Craze," she wore an A-shaped coatdress in a linen-like fabric that had an off-beat widened collar and a lapel that crossed to an off-center closing. It had contracting buttons and pockets with faux flaps. She finished her look with white medium-heeled buckled pumps with cutouts. And Shelley looked fabulous in all of them.

Shelley in pics that were featured

in a spread on the Sears 1970

Spring Through Summer catalog

Cantiniere Angels 1

a closeup of Shelley from a promo pic

for Charlie's Angels, 1979

Look-In magazine was a kiddie/teen UK magazine that featured two-page comic/picture strips of the most popular television shows of the era. Subtitled as "The Junior TV Times," its first issue came out in 1971 and its final issue came out in 1994. Many popular American TV series were featured in the mag including Kung Fu, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, CHiPs, Battlestar Galactica, Mork and Mindy... and, of course Charlie's Angels.

Shelley as Tiffany Welles in Look-In mag's

Charlie's Angels comic/picture strip, 1980

From 1979 to 1980, during the airing of the 4th season of Charlie's Angels, Shelley's Tiffany Welles character was featured in the mag's Charlie's Angels comic/picture strip. Along with her co-Angels Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith) and Kris Munroe (Cheryl Ladd), Tiffany solved cases for Charlie for several issues, two pages a week. Her first case debuted on November of 1979 and her final case ended on October of 1980. The mag also featured occasional writeups about Shelley as well as posters of her and the Angel team of that season.

Shelley Hack with Jaclyn Smith

and Cheryl Ladd in a promo pic

for Charlie's Angels, 1979

Gorgeous Spring Looks

Shelley in a promo pic

for Charlie perfume and cosmetics, 1981

Shelley was THE quintessential Charlie Girl and appeared in many, many ads for the brand around the world. She was THE Charlie Girl from 1976 to 1982; and she catapulted the brand (as well as herself) to iconic status. In 1981, Shelley appeared in an advertisement/writeup for Charlie's latest color and fragrance promotion called "Spring Blooms in Charlie Country." Energy, vitality, glowing good health, humor and intelligence were all the words that described THE Charlie Girl and the brand's latest colors embodied all those attributes. In fact, Charlie's latest collection could be called art because everything about it was based on a painting that LeRoy Neiman created especially for Charlie (Neiman was one of America's foremost artists who updated the Impressionist breakthrough with his depiction of TV/media celebrities and events in vibrant colors and spectacular imagery.) LeRoy Neiman's artwork became Charlie's new look for spring of 1981 - from color, to mood, to packaging, to bottle design and all. Of course, THE Charlie Girl Shelley was the inspiration for it.

Shelley in an advertisement/writeup

for Charlie perfume and cosmetics, 1981

Fresh New Series

Shelley in a promo pic

for Jack and Mike, 1986

Shelley starred in her third TV series Jack and Mike in 1986. The series (initially titled Jackie O'Shea and then Our Kind of Town) was a dramady produced by respected Hollywood bigwig David Gerber who believed in Shelley's talent and star power so much that he gave her her own TV series. The series was about a journalist wife (Jackie Shea) and her restaurateur husband (Mike Brennan) trying to balance their careers with their married life. It was about a generally happy couple... which was a departure from the bickering sexual-tension-filled couples popular on TV during the era in shows such as Moonlighting and Remington Steele. Also, to add freshness to the show, subjects like preferential treatment in organ transplant allocation and illiterate university basketball stars were tackled. The location was fresh as well with the couple living in Chicago instead of New York or L.A. "David Gerber liked Chicago as a newspaper town," Shelley disclosed. For the part of Mike, Tom Mason (who played Shelley's boyfriend Caleb in the 1985 TV movie Kicks) made the cut. Shelley found Tom comfortable to work with and reliable. "It's so nice to have a steady person playing opposite you," she said.

Shelley in a magazine ad

for Jack and Mike, 1986

Summer Dress Treats

a closeup of Shelley from a pic

for Simplicity Fashion News,

August 1972

Simplicity Fashion News was a monthly pamphlet Simplicity came out with to showcase their latest patterns. The Simplicity Pattern Company had been manufacturing sewing patterns since 1927 and had allowed fashionistas on a budget and sewing aficionados to create clothes in a reliable manner. In August of 1972, Shelley appeared on the pages of Simplicity Fashion News. She was featured in a spread called "Summer Treats in Jiffy Patterns So Simple To Sew", which featured dresses for both young girls and young misses that were perfect for that summer season. Shelley wore pattern number 5021, a misses' back-wrap dress that could be made in two lengths. Shelley wore the mini-length version which had a front patch pocket. The top stitched back-wrap dress had belts/long tabs from the back that crisscrossed in front and then tied at the back... as well as long neck straps that tied behind the neck. A vibrant-colored and boldly-printed fabric was used for her dress and matching sandals, shades and bangles finished her look. And Shelley looked vibrant and ready for those summer outings and shindigs. (For more, check out: Summer Treats in Jiffy Patterns)

a pic of Shelley

from Simplicity Fashion News,

August 1972

Established Hollywood Star

gorgeous Shelley in a 1986 promo pic

Shelley first became famous in the 1970s as one of the Supermodels of the era, as THE Charlie Girl. She was an Eileen Ford model, was highly sought after and one of the highest-paid in the modeling industry. At the tail end of her modeling career, Hollywood beckoned and she obliged (her parents taught her to, at least, take a take a peek into doors that have opened for her). In 1979, she became a Hollywood superstar via the TV series Charlie's Angels and she has never looked back since. By 1986, she was an established Hollywood star and was filming her third TV series Jack and Mike. As with all stars, fans were fascinated with Shelley's interests, likes and dislikes. In 1986, a short writeup about her said that she was born in White Plains, N.Y. and she had homes in both L.A. and New York. She was still single, enjoyed reading books, was mindful of her diet, and was close to her siblings. It said she was a Chicago Bears fan, had quit smoking, drank herbal tea, and talked to her dog. It also said she would rather wear sneakers when her feet wouldn't be shown on screen (she's tall and always preferred wearing flat shoes). It also said she occasionally made unconventional choices (like her decision to study archeology in Australia during her junior year in college) and had never tried riding roller coasters.

a short writeup about Shelley, 1986

Star on the Rise

Shelley in a promo pic from 1979

Shelley Hack was a rising star in the late-1970s. She was already a certified Supermodel, recognized as Revlon's fabulous Charlie Girl wherever she went. Her debut into film was a cameo appearance in the 1977 Academy Award winning Woody Allen film Annie Hall. Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, who produced the James Bond film series, talked to her about becoming a Bond Girl in 1978. Her first leading lady role came via the 1978 film If Ever I See You Again, where she was handpicked by director/producer/co-star Joseph Brooks. In 1979, she guest starred in the TV series Married: The First Year, played a minor (voice-over) role in the film feature Time After Time, and garnered the lead role in the TV movie Death Car on the Freeway. She was then cast as Kate Jackson's replacement in Charlie's Angels which catapulted her to Hollywood superstardom.

Shelley in a promo pic from 1979

All That Jazz

closeups of Shelley from pics

used in a spread on the Sears 1970

Spring Through Summer catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalogs throughout her modeling career, from the late '60s to the late '70s. Mail-order catalogs were at the height of its popularity at the time. They were big-book size publications that contained a list and pictures of the general merchandise from, usually, a department store that were available for purchase and delivery straight to the homes of their customers. Everything from homeware to toys were featured in these catalogs... as well as garments and the latest fashion pieces. Shelley appeared in spreads throughout the Sears 1970 Spring Through Summer catalog.

Shelley in a spread for the 1970 Sears

Spring Through Summer catalog

Shelley she appeared in a spread called "Pants And All That Jazz" which featured tops and pants for the fashionable young miss. She wore the White-on-White Tunic Top (a pullover-style top with a V-neckline, wide pointed collar, long full sleeves with elasticized wrists and a self-belt) over a pair of Twill-Textured Double-Knit Pants (a pair of flared pants with a contoured waistband, belt loops and fly-front). Matching heeled footwear and a fab necklace finished her look. Shelley also wore the Sheer Shirt in tobacco brown (which had a long pointed collar, button front and cuffs, mock pockets and shirttails) over the Paw-Print Pants (which was trim-fitting, had flared legs and was printed with story-book mushrooms and daffy dots). She topped it off with the Hand-Crocheted Vest (which was made from natural wool and had self-tie front closing tabs). Matching heeled footwear finished her look. She also wore the Far-Out Floral Blouse (which had a cascade of ruffles down the front, ruffled cuffs, back buttons and a square bottom) over the Front-Yoked Pants (which had a double row of bitsy buttons and straight, wide legs). Matching heeled footwear finished her look as well. Shelley looked fabulous in all her jazzy separates.

a closeup of Shelley from pic

used in a spread on the Sears 1970

Spring Through Summer catalog

Smart, Fast-Talking Blonde

paparazzi pics of Shelley from 1983

Shelley's second TV series was Cutter to Houston back in 1983. To promote the show, she made rounds and did interviews where she talked about her latest endeavor. One of the interviews she did was with Leta Powell Drake, a television journalist who interviewed entertainment and sports stars for the television station KOLN/KGIN in Nebraska (she interviewed many stars in the 1980s). Shelley discussed her role in the TV series and how much research she did to prepare for it. She also talked a little about her modeling career and her mother.

screen captures of Shelley being interviewed

by Leta Powell Drake, 1983

What one can notice immediately during the interview is how bright, smart, and articulate Shelley was. She was soft-spoken, personable, and she sure made a lot of sense... and, of course, she was stunning. She was absolutely gorgeous. Watching it, it is no surprise that she was chosen to replace Kate Jackson on Charlie's Angels five years prior. In the interview, she was a stunner and definitely came across as brainy, the perfect fill-in for Kate. Aside from that, one can notice how quickly and how confidently she spoke. She was a smart, fast-talking blonde and was very impressive. It's quite unfortunate that this trait of hers wasn't capitalized on throughout her entire Angels stint. In fact, it seems she was asked to slow down the delivery of her lines during the earlier episodes of her Angels season (just an observation); and it played against her and her character. Add to that, the diminishment of her dialogue/lines (screenwriter/producer Ed Lakso kept changing the script around so much so that Shelley was left with minimal dialogue) and the series ended up with a very underdeveloped character during the earlier episodes of the season... a crucial period because she was being introduced to the fans of the show. But when they finally played up her smart, fast-talking blonde characteristic (by around the 10th episode of the season), it was very effective. Unfortunately though, it was also too late. The initial spike in the ratings of her debut episode ("Love Boat Angels" finished at the no. 1 spot in the Nielsen ratings) didn't continue as the season progressed. Had they introduced her as the smart, fast-talking blonde from the get-go and followed it up with her very own solo episode (due to the request of the cast for more time off, solo episodes, episodes focusing on one Angel, were produced), things would turned out differently. Ahhh, what could have been...

promo pics of Shelley

for Charlie's Angels (1979)

and Cutter to Houston (1983)

Charlie's Looking Great

Shelley in a promo pic

for Charlie perfume and cosmetics, 1981

Shelley was THE Charlie perfume Girl from 1976 to 1982. She was dubbed as THE quintessential Charlie Girl because she was the embodiment of the brand's ideal - gorgeous, sexy, young... as well as independent, confident and loving every minute of it. In 1981, she appeared in an ad dubbed "It's Spring, and Charlie's looking great on you!" It was an ad promoting The Charlie Art Collection, which was available for only $10.00 with any purchase from the Charlie collection. The Charlie Art Collection was a glamorous cosmetic kit containing 12 colors for the eyes, cheeks, lips and nails... plus a bottle of Charlie perfume spray. The kit also contained a LeRoy Neiman Cityscape Artwork (which he named "Spring Blooms in Charlie Country"), an artwork of Shelley striding her famous Charlie Girl stride. And whether in pictures or in Mr. Neiman's artwork, Charlie Girl Shelley was absolutely Charlie-Girl gorgeous.

an artwork of THE Charlie Girl Shelley

by LeRoy Neiman in a newspaper ad

for Charlie perfume and cosmetics, 1981

New Angel Looks Like A Winner

a closeup of Shelley from a promo pic

for Charlie's Angels, 1979

Shelley became Charlie's newest Angel in 1979. Kate Jackson left the hit TV series at the end of its 3rd season and producers Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg needed a replacement for the upcoming season. "I learned you can be hurt twice," Spelling said (most likely referring to Farrah Fawcett and now Kate). "Katie and I were dear, dear friends. Katie wanted to spread her wings. But you cannot allow actors to break contracts - so I had to fire her," he added. After sifting through around 300 applicants, Spelling and Goldberg ran "personality tests" on 20 of them, then screen tests on 12, and Shelley emerged as the winner, as their final choice. "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." And Shelley was so excited about her new Angel status, "I feel like Cinderella. My cheeks hurt from smiling too much."

a writeup about Shelley joining

the cast of Charlie's Angels, 1979

According to Spelling, they were looking for someone long and lean like Kate. They were looking for a girl with "the right bubble and intelligence." New Angel Tiffany Welles was written as a Smith College graduate, a girl from the East who was not a voluptuous sexpot. And Shelley fit the bill perfectly... she's a Smith College graduate (with a degree in history), she was born in New York and she grew up in Connecticut, and she had that classic model shape and beauty. And Shelley's casting was announced around the world. Everyone was excited to watch the new Angel team (Shelley, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd) solve mysteries and fight crime in the upcoming season. Shelley, who studied acting in New York, at the Herbert Berghof Studios under Jack Wolzer, was no acting novice as she had been delving into film and TV work since 1977. But after a bit of convincing from her agent, she decided to audition for the part of Tiffany Welles in Charlie's Angels, to leap at the opportunity to explore her range as an actress in the hit TV series. "I think it's a challenge for an actress," she said, "I hope to grow." But writer/producer Ed Lakso was skeptical. "My reaction was - you guys are out of your minds. I told Aaron that I want to go on record saying that this is a big mistake." (For more, check out: Smart, Fast-Talking Blonde)

Shelley in a promo pic

for Charlie's Angels, 1979

The Peasant Look

a closeup of Shelley from a pic

for Simplicity Fashion News,

December 1975

Simplicity Fashion News was a monthly pamphlet Simplicity came out with to showcase their latest patterns. The Simplicity Pattern Company had been manufacturing sewing patterns since 1927 and had allowed fashionistas on a budget and sewing aficionados to create clothes in a reliable manner. In December of 1975, Shelley appeared on the pages of Simplicity Fashion News. She was featured in a spread called "Past, Peasant, Future", which showcased the peasant look popularized by Yves Saint Laurent in the 1970s. Shelley wore pattern number 7213, a V-neck dress with peasant shawl as collar. It was more higher-waisted than usual and had a very European-style-printed challis fabric for the shawl collar and cuffs. A matching beret and boots finished her look. And Shelley looked chic and fabulous. (For more, check out: Past, Peasant, Future)

a pic of Shelley

from Simplicity Fashion News,

December 1975

Hollywood Superstardom

Shelley in a 1970s promo pic

Shelley's fame as a Supermodel, as THE Charlie Girl, opened Hollywood doors for her (While she was modeling, she was also studying acting in New York, at the Herbert Berghof Studios under Jack Wolzer.) Her acting debut was as a memorable bit role as a vacuous WASP in the 1977 Academy Award winning Woody Allen film Annie Hall. In 1978, she got her first leading lady role opposite Joe Brooks in the film If Ever I See You Again (which spawned the hit single with the same title - as interpreted by Roberta Flack). She was also under consideration for the role of Holly Goodhead in the James Bond film Moonraker. In 1979, she had a guest role in the TV series, Married: the First Year. In the same year, she declined to be cast as leading lady in the feature film, Time After Time, which was directed by her then boyfriend Nicholas Meyer. She settled for a voice over role in it instead. And then she auditioned for the role of Tiffany Welles in the TV series Charlie's Angels. She got the part and was thrust into international Hollywood superstardom.

Shelley in a 1970s promo pic