Jaclyn Smith, the original “Charlie’s Angels” star, has written a new memoir called “I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie.” In it, she opens up about the darker side of fame, including a threatening phone call she received after her son was born.
The book covers her career from commercials to TV superstardom, her four marriages, and the iconic white string bikini that defined her time on the show. Smith spoke with reporters about the book, the meaning of that swimsuit, and the legacy of the show that launched her career.
The Threatening Call
Smith’s son was born during the height of her fame. While she was in the hospital, she got a threatening phone call.
“I had to leave the hospital with armed guards,” she said. “And I was frightened. I mean, yeah, the hospital wanted me out. So that’s when celebrity can get a little overwhelming. I think every angel had restraining orders. Every angel, you know, went through some of these things. That was the most serious.”
The experience left a lasting mark. Fame, she said, could be scary.
What the Bikini Means
The white string bikini is what people remember about her time on “Charlie’s Angels,” according to Smith.
“That is what people remember,” she said. “And I think I wore that bikini so much I didn’t want it. But I now would like it. I would like it for my, you know, my grandchildren to see. I wore this white bikini, kids!”
The swimsuit became a cultural touchstone, even though she grew tired of it at the time. Now, she wants her grandchildren to see it as part of her history.
The $5,000 to $100,000 Pay Raise
Smith was the only “angel” to appear in every episode of “Charlie’s Angels.” She started at $5,000 per episode in the first season.
By the final season, she was earning $100,000 per show. That jump shows how quickly her career took off.
Fawcett-Majors’ Last Dinner
Smith’s memoir includes a chapter about a time near the end of Farrah Fawcett-Majors’ life. She described Fawcett-Majors as “an 8×10 glassy come to life.”
Writing that chapter was difficult, she said. The last dinner she had at Fawcett-Majors’ house came with a request.
“She said, ‘I want those shoes you had on the other day,'” Smith recalled. “At that point, her legs were 10 times the size and we made a joke, you know, about Cinderella. But she said, ‘I want them.’ I said, ‘You can have them.'”
The moment captured a friendship that survived illness and hardship.
Commercials First, Then TV
Before “Charlie’s Angels,” Smith was a queen of commercials. She made more than 100 of them.
Her longest commercial partnership came with Kmart, where she had a 40-year relationship. She became the first celebrity “brand” of its kind.
That work set the stage for her later ventures. Her latest venture is a fragrance called Jackie.
The Legacy of Three Women Agents
For three women to step into television as agents and competent professionals was unusual at the time. Smith believes the show paved the way for women in television.
“For three women to step into that territory, not as ornaments but as agents and competent and strong and, you know, really central in a story was unusual,” she said. “So I think it really paved the way for women in television.”
The show’s success showed that audiences wanted strong female leads.
Signing Books This Weekend
Smith will sign copies of her book Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles.
A 30-minute special called “On The Red Carpet Icons: Jaclyn Smith” will air locally in the Los Angeles area on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 9 p.m. on ABC7. It will also be available in other cities and on the On The Red Carpet YouTube channel.
The signing gives fans a chance to meet the actress behind the iconic role.
A Career Built on Many Roles
Smith’s career spans decades of television. From commercials to TV superstardom, she built a reputation as a working professional.
Her memoir captures the full arc of that journey, from her childhood to her current work as a business entrepreneur.
| Event | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Book signing | Saturday | 11 a.m. |
| ABC7 special | Saturday, Sept. 19 | 9 p.m. |
The book offers a personal look at a public figure’s private life. Smith writes about her two children, her four marriages, and the fame that defined her early years.
For anyone who remembers her in the white string bikini, the memoir provides context for that image. It shows how a swimsuit became part of her history.
Source: abc7.com
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