Charlie's Angels (1976–81) was a smash-hit television (see entry under 1940s—TV and Radio in volume 3) series with a surefire formula. In a nod to the feminism of the era, it featured three tough, no-nonsense women who were anything but submissive in their roles as crime-fighting detectives. Detective roles were then usually played by men on both the big and small screens. At the same time, these Angels were no women's liberation icons. They were glamorous, beautiful sex objects who frequently found themselves garbed in short shorts or bikinis as they headed off to sunny climates to complete their assignments.

Charlie's Angels, broadcast on ABC, won major stardom for its three original leads. Kate Jackson (1948–), the most experienced actress of the trio, was cast as the calm, cool, and intellectual Sabrina Duncan. Farrah Fawcett-Majors (1946–) played athletic Jill Munroe. Jaclyn Smith (1947–) was cast as...