Back in 1979 when Shelley Hack played Tiffany on 'Charlie's Angels', she told the press, "I've been into films, television and modeling long enough to know that the demand on your mind and body is considerable . . . All I have for breakfast is a protein drink which I make myself. I use a raw egg, orange juice, a banana and wheat germ and mix them in the blender. It's a delicious drink.
"I like to eat a yoghurt around mid-morning. At lunchtime I settle for a salad. Usually a tuna fish or chicken salad. It needn't be a boring lunch. Salad can be really exciting if you make up your own dressings, eat cottage cheese with it and add a little fresh fruit . . . For dinner I usually have fish, or chicken, or occasionally a steak. I think it's important to have lots of fresh vegetables followed by lots of fresh fruit. I'm sure they help give me the energy I need in my work . . . I’m not the type to eat big meals. I would rather eat a bunch of little meals during the day than one heavy one."
When 'Charlie's Angels' went on air in 1976, "it was the right thing at the right time" and it "just exploded on the scene." Nolan Miller recalled, "All of a sudden, almost overnight, it became hysteria. I mean it's just like an explosion." David Doyle believed, "It was a milestone. There won't be another one like it — which opens the way for a lot of people to say, 'Thank God.'" Farrah Fawcett "just happened to be at the right place, at the right time to get on a good product like 'Charlie's Angels' and take it from there."
On May 22 1979, Shelley was selected to play Charlie's 5th Angel. According to one producer, "Our option expired at 5:00pm on Shelley and we chose her a little after noon – after looking at her final test. She was then photographed with the other 'Angels', Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd, and the 3 looked great together." Shelley remembered, "When my agents submitted my name I thought to myself, 'Wow, me and hundreds of other girls', and when I was told I was still very much in the running I tried to put it out of my mind. I didn’t want to build my hopes up too much and then be disappointed."
On May 22 1979, Shelley was selected to play Charlie's 5th Angel. According to one producer, "Our option expired at 5:00pm on Shelley and we chose her a little after noon – after looking at her final test. She was then photographed with the other 'Angels', Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd, and the 3 looked great together." Shelley remembered, "When my agents submitted my name I thought to myself, 'Wow, me and hundreds of other girls', and when I was told I was still very much in the running I tried to put it out of my mind. I didn’t want to build my hopes up too much and then be disappointed."
Kate Jackson recounted, "That show seemed to throw us not only into every TV set every week but into every magazine on people's coffee tables. People took everything we did as so important. There was too much hype . . . That was an extraordinary circumstance. Being in the middle of it was like a whirlwind. People were constantly milling around my house. I'd be sitting in my living room and flashbulbs would start to go off outside."
Of the criticism, Jaclyn Smith stressed, "Our show, first of all, is about 3 women who go about their jobs . . . If anyone is judging 'Charlie's Angels' that harshly, then they haven’t really watched it. Basically, we're a straight detective show and nothing else." Shelley added, "The series is meant to be light entertainment. It's not Dostoevsky or Chekov." Aaron Spelling pointed out, "It’s not Tolstoy we're doing, but a lot of things aren't Tolstoy." Cheryl Ladd remarked, "We're not doing Shakespeare here and nobody pretends we are."
Inspired by 'Charlie's Angels', Ken Ruby and Joe Spears created the TV animation 'Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels' for Hanna-Barbera which could be seen on Saturday mornings between 1977 and 1980. Mel Blanc was the voice of Captain Caveman. The 'Teen Angels' comprised Dee Dee, Taffy and Brenda. In an interview Joe made known, "We were working on a theme about the 'World's First' and a prehistoric superhero seemed to leap out - Captain Caveman."
Donna Callea observed, "Basically children's programing comes in 3 categories: there are cartoons, reruns of old comedy shows and educational programs." However Donna recognized, "If given a choice, most kids would choose first the cartoon, then the comedy show and finally the educational program (but only if it’s raining). It's not that educational programs are not entertaining, it's just that they're broadcast without commercials. And it's a well known fact that commercials are as vital to children's TV as peanut butter is to jelly. Contrary to popular opinion commercials are not intended solely to sell products. They perform a much needed public service.
"If there were no commercials how would anyone know what to have for breakfast or what to ask for Christmas? Cartoons themselves are very educational. How many budding young chemists are getting their first inspiration from 'The Plastic Man' adventure hour? And what about history and anthropology? What better way is there to expose children to prehistoric man than with 'The Flinstones' or 'Captain Caveman and The Teen Angels?'"
Donna Callea observed, "Basically children's programing comes in 3 categories: there are cartoons, reruns of old comedy shows and educational programs." However Donna recognized, "If given a choice, most kids would choose first the cartoon, then the comedy show and finally the educational program (but only if it’s raining). It's not that educational programs are not entertaining, it's just that they're broadcast without commercials. And it's a well known fact that commercials are as vital to children's TV as peanut butter is to jelly. Contrary to popular opinion commercials are not intended solely to sell products. They perform a much needed public service.
"If there were no commercials how would anyone know what to have for breakfast or what to ask for Christmas? Cartoons themselves are very educational. How many budding young chemists are getting their first inspiration from 'The Plastic Man' adventure hour? And what about history and anthropology? What better way is there to expose children to prehistoric man than with 'The Flinstones' or 'Captain Caveman and The Teen Angels?'"
Shelley started modeling when she was in college, "It was great. I was able to model in the daytime and make enough money to study acting at night. Even though I made so much money modeling, acting was what I wanted to do. That has always been very important to me. You might say I set out to be an actress and modeling came first. I enjoy hard work. I get very involved in whatever I do, and ever since I can remember, I wanted to do things best."
In April 1980, Bob Seagren guest starred on 'Charlie's Angels' in the episode 'Toni's Boys'. Bob won the gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1972 Olympic Games. Of the controversy surrounding the 1980 Olympic Games, Bob reasoned, "If I were in training for the Games, I’d probably be marching on Washington in a crusade to keep the Games out of politics. I’m against the boycott because it won’t do any good . . . Does anyone think for one minute the Russians will pull out of Afghanistan just because our athletes won't compete in Moscow?" Of 'Toni's Boys' which comprised Cotton Harper, Matt Parrish and Bob Sorensen, "I thought we'd hit pay dirt. With all the celebrity of the girls' show, we thought it was a can't-miss. For some reason it never got picked up (as a regular series in the 1980-81 season)."
In April 1980, Bob Seagren guest starred on 'Charlie's Angels' in the episode 'Toni's Boys'. Bob won the gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1972 Olympic Games. Of the controversy surrounding the 1980 Olympic Games, Bob reasoned, "If I were in training for the Games, I’d probably be marching on Washington in a crusade to keep the Games out of politics. I’m against the boycott because it won’t do any good . . . Does anyone think for one minute the Russians will pull out of Afghanistan just because our athletes won't compete in Moscow?" Of 'Toni's Boys' which comprised Cotton Harper, Matt Parrish and Bob Sorensen, "I thought we'd hit pay dirt. With all the celebrity of the girls' show, we thought it was a can't-miss. For some reason it never got picked up (as a regular series in the 1980-81 season)."
