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'Jaclyn Smith' (born October 26, 1947) is a Golden Globe-nominated American actress. She is best known for the role of Kelly Garrett in the television series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981). Smith was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run. For two decades, Smith has held the unofficial title of "Queen of TV Movies and Mini-series." She has appeared in over two dozen television movies and miniseries.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Career

Acting

Designing

Personal life

Cultural references - Micellaneous facts

References

External links

Biography

Early life

She was born 'Jacquelyn Ellen Smith' in Houston, Texas to Jack Smith and Margaret Ellen Hartsfield.^[1] Her father was a Roman Catholic Irish dentist and her maternal grandfather was a Methodist minister.

Career

Acting

Her first acting venture outside the Angels mold was the CBS TV movie of the week ''Escape from Bogen County'' (1977). Then came the lead role in the highly anticipated version of Joyce Haber's ''The Users'' with Tony Curtis and John Forsythe in 1978.
In 1980, she starred with Robert Mitchum in the suspense thriller ''Nightkill'' while divorcing husband actor Dennis Cole. The movie was a big disappointment for Smith, as it was touted as her first big screen role. The movie was largely unreleased in the cinema and was released on tv right after. But Smith's performance in the movie was lauded by critics. She then starred in the blockbuster TV movie ''Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy'' and received a Best Actress nomination from the Golden Globe awards but lost to Jane Seymour for the TV remake of ''East of Eden''. In 1983, Sidney Sheldon's ''Rage of Angels'' arrived on her doorstep. Smith was so popular that fans all over the world begged Sheldon to re-write the storyline that required Smith's character's son to die; there was a sequel in 1986.
In 1988, Smith appeared again in another miniseries based from Sheldon's novel, ''Windmills of the Gods''. This time with veteran superstar Robert Wagner as her love interest. Another blockbuster in the Nielsen ratings chart during its showing.
But the one that really certified her reign as the ''Queen of TV/Miniseries'' is the offer to star opposite the ''King Of TV Miniseries'' ''Richard Chamberlain'' in the movie adaptation of ''Robert Ludlum's'' ''The Bourne Identity''. Smith was Chamberlain's first choice as his leading lady but Smith just wrapped up with the ''Windmills of the Gods'' shoot and declined the offer. The role was offered to Lesley Anne Down who wanted her husband to photograph the film. Producers refuses and waited and offer again the role to Smith. The result is probably one of the best ever on television history. The miniseries was a huge hit not only in America but also all over the world.
With ''Windmills of the Gods'' and ''The Bourne Identity'', Smith was back again on top. Then year after, she starred in another tv movie, Settle the Score. Originally titled, ''Blood Knot'', the film was Smith's first disturbing role. It's about incest, rape, killings, and other dirty family secrets. The film was widely acknowledged by the critics and again proved her Nielsen ratings prowess.
Other blockbuster hits were ''Florence Nightingale'',''George Washington'', ''Lies Before Kisses'',''The Rape of Dr. Willis'', ''In the Arms of A Killer'' and several TV versions of Danielle Steel novels. Her then-husband Tony Richmond also directed her in the feature film ''Deja Vu''.
In 1989, Smith had the title role in ''Christine Cromwell'', a mystery television series based in San Francisco which only lasted one season, but whose cast included such esteemed actors as Celeste Holm, as Christine Cromwell's oft-married mother, as well as Theodore Bikel. Christine Cromwell is part of ABC's Mystery Wheel series which rotates with other detective shows like ''Columbo'', ''Kojak'' and ''B.L. Stryker.'' Smith's show has the distinction of being the only female character among the other shows. Although, consider as series, the show is more of a monthly two-hour show.
Smith had a recurring role as Vanessa Cavanaugh on the series ''The District'' (2002 -2004), which starred Craig T. Nelson.
Smith reprised her Kelly Garrett role in a short cameo in the 2003 '' feature film. In 2007, Smith hosted ''Shear Genius'', an American reality series on the Bravo network.

Designing

Since 1985, Smith has designed and promoted a clothing line for Kmart. Her fashion collection alone sold more than 300 million units since its debut. Smith now sells shoes, watches, and accessories. A few years ago, Smith started another business venture – her up-scale home furnishing business and it's now being sold all around America.

Personal life

Smith has been married four times; to actors Roger Davis (1972–1975) and Dennis Cole (1978–1981), to filmmaker Tony Richmond (1981–1989), and to surgeon Brad Allen (since 1997). Smith has two children, Spencer Margaret and Gaston, from her marriage to Richmond. She battled breast cancer successfully.
In 1991, her stepson Joe Cole, the then-roommate to Henry Rollins, was shot to death in his home during a robbery attempt.

Cultural references - Micellaneous facts

★ Actress Jane Seymour may have starred in more TV movies or miniseries but Jaclyn Smith tops the list when it comes to the ''Nielsen Ratings Chart.'' Smith's got more No. 1 projects more than any other actress in Hollywood.

★ Comic strip artist Sy Barry drew the luscious Diana Palmer, wife of ''The Phantom'', after Jaclyn Smith.

★ ''People'' named her twice in their annual list of the ''Most Beautiful People in the World''.

★ The difficult-to-please Mr. Blackwell once named her ''The World's Best Dressed Woman''.

★ In 1979, ''McCall's'' ran a poll of ''Who's Face Most Women Would Like To Have''. Jaclyn Smith topped the list. In 1985, McCall's named her as one of ''America's 10 Best Bodies''.

★ TV Guide magazine readers voted Jaclyn Smith as the ''Most Beautiful Woman On Television'' in 1991.

★ In the April 1984 issue of ''People'', Jaclyn Smith was voted as one of the ''Ten Great Faces of Our Time''. Film producer Robert Evans said that Smith comes closest to perfection in her eyes, hair, and facial structure.

★ CBS rejected Smith's idea of playing ''Gone with the Wind'' author Margaret Mitchell in the movie version of the book ''Road to Tara''. Years after, Shannen Doherty starred in NBC's bio of Mitchell.

★ In a season 15 episode of The Simpsons (The Fat and the Furriest) she is portrayed as having her own line of Axe Heads

★ A nationwide poll in 1983 conducted by TV Picture Life magazine crowned Smith and Tom Selleck as the ''New King & Queen of Hollywood.''

★ In 1985, Ladies' Home Journal magazine sampled 2,000 men and women in 100 places in America to determine ''America's Favorite Women''. Jaclyn Smith came in the top of the list as the ''Most Beautiful Woman in America.'' Dynasty star Linda Evans came second.

★ Smith's California perfume was so successful that ''Max Factor'' released California for Men as well.

★ The French band Air (band) were inspired by Smith's Charlie's Angel's character Kelly Garrett and recorded and released the song "Kelly Watch the Stars" on their 1998 album Moon Safari.
Lists of magazine's who named Jaclyn Smith as the
1. People
2. TV Guide (U.S.)
3. Harper's Bazaar
4. Time
5. TV Picture Life
6. Rona Barrett's Hollywood
7. Ladies' Home Journal
8. McCalls
9. Celebrity Plus
10.TV Times
11.Preview
12.Modern Screen

References

1. Birth place and name also confirmed with State of Texas birth records, at Ancestry.com

External links

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