# Why was Kate Jackson "the smart angel?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081 "2010-05-11T18:50:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/21 "2010-05-11T21:43:52Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > If nobody liked Farrah, how’d all those posters get sold? 😉 > > I watched the show for the intricate plots. 😃 > > And for Jaclyn Smith & Cheryl Ladd. Oh, I am not saying that I didn’t like Farrah. I thought she was gorgeous! I just thought that the others were equally attractive (once again, Kate was my favorite), and I did not understand why some people acted like the show featured Farrah, and two ugly chicks! Actually, I doubt that any one thought that – but some people (quite a large number, perhaps?) did place Farrah above Kate and Jaclyn, at least to some degree… That is the part that I did not understand! ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/22 "2010-05-11T22:58:31Z")
It was my understanding that at least initially Kate was supposed to be the “Star” of the show following her role in The Rookies. She was not happy when Farrah stole the limelight. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/23 "2010-05-12T03:48:18Z")
I think she was the one most likely to argue with the boss. I can hear her saying “CHAAAR-lie” in that accent of hers, followed by some reasoned argument. I thought the series lost just a bit when Farrah left, though Ladd was not a bad replacement. It just lacked balance with a second smart one, compared to the Smartie/Beauty/Bimbo lineup of the first season. I don’t remember Scarecrow and Mrs. King much, but it’s a nice thought to know that it is out there. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/24 "2010-05-12T14:26:45Z")
> [@choie](#): > > I am just about 99.5% certain this isn’t true. She left after the 3rd season to get married and had a kid at some point, but it wasn’t to Charlie. Hmm… tried to research this, couldn’t find anything. DId _one_ of the Angels marry Charlie? If not, I’ll have to chalk this one up to the Struldbrug archives. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/25 "2010-05-12T14:48:18Z")
I seem to remember hearing that Kate Jackson actually came up with the original concept for the series. If so, that would suggest she was the smart one amongst the three actresses, at any rate. I never actually watched the show very many times, but when I did, I did tend to think that Kate was the most attractive and “real” seeming. The thing about Farrah, surely, _was_ the hair; it wasn’t that she was the most beautiful or attractive but she was both most the most striking and distinctive looking of them because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/26 "2010-05-12T14:50:30Z")
In high school we had a guy redo the Farrah poster in chalk on a blackboard. He did a fantastic job. It was a shame they eventually erased it. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/27 "2010-05-12T17:09:27Z")
Being the smartest one of Charlie’s Angels is rather like being heavyweight boxing champion of Vassar. But yes, she was “the smart one” because she wasn’t classically beautiful like Jaclyn Smith and didn’t have a poofy hairstyle and a poster where you could see her nipples like Farrah. It’s a consolation prize of sorts - like the blind date who has a great personality even if she has no teeth and hasn’t washed her hair since the Nixon administration. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Mariemarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Mariemarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariemarie)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/28 "2010-05-12T17:27:01Z")
I liked Kate Jackson in “Adam 12”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/29 "2010-05-12T17:35:40Z")
If I’d had a blind date that turned out to be Kate Jackson circa 1977, I’d consider that a smashing success. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/30 "2010-05-12T17:46:43Z")
> [@Mariemarie](#): > > I liked Kate Jackson in “Adam 12”. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000462/) shows no _Adam 12_ credit for Kate. Did you mean _The Rookies_? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/31 "2010-05-12T17:49:40Z")
Kate Jackson was my favorite. Imagine my enjoyment when in the early 80s she came up to my ice cream counter and asked to be served. I was one happy soda jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/32 "2010-05-12T17:50:56Z")
Little bit o’ trivia: As has already been mentioned, the original pilot was meant to be a starring vehicle for Jackson, but it was written with the intention that Jackson would play the Kelly Garrett role, and Jacklyn Smith would be Sabrina. Jackson decided late in the game that she’d rather play play Sabrina (who WAS originally written as the “cerebral leader” of the group.) But it was far too late in the game to re-write the script. So, Jackson’ “star vehicle” actually featured Smith much more than it did her. Kelly was supposed to be the ‘street smart’ angel, a girl who’d grown up in rough circumstances and was worldly-wise as opposed to book-smart. Of course, the series quickly downplayed this aspect as Jacklyn Smith, lovely as she is, simply couldn’t play a rough & tumble broad from the bad streets. (Don’t know if Jackson could have pulled it off either though.) Sabrina always seemed to be the ‘Velma’ of the group - she always solved the mystery, or came up with the scheme to outwit the bad guys. Jill was the sporty one, who went undercover in athletic situations (the roller derby for example) and Kelly was the glamour girl - posing as a rich heiress or what have you. ---
**Author:** ![Mariemarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Mariemarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariemarie)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/33 "2010-05-12T22:21:02Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000462/) shows no _Adam 12_ credit for Kate. Did you mean _The Rookies_? Yes, _The Rookies_. Thank you. She played a nurse who was married to one of the cops. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/34 "2010-05-12T22:38:18Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > If I’d had a blind date that turned out to be Kate Jackson circa 1977, I’d consider that a smashing success. Oh yes, I definitely agree! ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/35 "2010-05-12T22:39:51Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Kate Jackson was my favorite. Imagine my enjoyment when in the early 80s she came up to my ice cream counter and asked to be served. I was one happy soda jerk. Did she still have her “Sabrina Duncan” hairstyle? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/36 "2010-05-13T00:46:15Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > If I’d had a blind date that turned out to be Kate Jackson circa 1977, I’d consider that a smashing success. I always got the feeling that she was the more discerning one. I’d be concerned that I’d have to step up the bar for the date to go well. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081/37 "2010-05-13T05:32:03Z")
IIRC Kate Jackson used to discuss the case, what is was and what to do, more often than Smith or Fawcett-Majors. Fawcett-Majors tried to leave after the first season and eventually agreed to make a number of appearances. Anyways, one of the networks (CBS?) that fall had “Logan’s Run” which Farrah had a small role. Not according to the promotion by the movie, Michael York and Jenny Agutter (not exactly SCOTUS-ugly herself) got short shrift as it was “making a rare television appearance, Farrah Fawcett”. IMO Jacyln Smith was the most beautiful. She was especially alluring in playing Sally Fairfax in a miniseries about George Washington starring Barry Bostwick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-kate-jackson-the-smart-angel/539081.md?page=1)