Star of the groundbreaking 1970s TV series Charlie’s Angels, Jaclyn Smith rose to fame. The Houston native has matured into an influential corporate leader and role model for millions.
Although her 1970s incarnation, Kelly Garrett, captivated audiences throughout the globe, Jaclyn is still a fascinating and empowering role model today.
Jaclyn has been a performer for more than four decades. Over the course of her numerous decades in the spotlight, the award-winning actress and businesswoman has been known for one thing in particular.
Smith, unlike many Hollywood stars, has never strayed from her caring nature, instead dedicating her life to her family and several charitable causes throughout the globe.
Jaclyn had a successful professional life and a lovely family that included children and grandkids. At 76 years old, here she is now.
In the words of Jaclyn Smith On October 26, 1945, in Houston, Texas, Jacquelyn Ellen Smith was born. She was only three years old when she received her first pair of dance shoes and began training to become a prima ballerina.
Jaclyn’s parents emphasised in her early on the importance of family, and she has never wavered from that belief.
Home was a safe haven for me as a child in Houston, and the morals my parents instilled in me helped shape who I would become even if I didn’t realise it at the time.
She told the online medium that her family “was and is the foundation for all my happiness and success.” After finishing high school, Jaclyn enrolled at Trinity University to major in acting.
Not long after, she became a leading lady in numerous shows, including West Side Story and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Jaclyn had made it to the spotlight, but she was yet to realise her ambition of becoming a dancer. She got her first break in the television industry in 1973 when she was hired as a model for Breck shampoo. Her fame quickly spread throughout the nation.
She collaborated with Max Factor, which led to the release of her namesake fragrance in 1989 (Jaclyn Smith’s California).
Profession of Jaclyn Smith.But many things had to take place before Jaclyn could finally unveil her own scent. She graduated from university and promptly relocated to the Big Apple.
The decision would prove to be a good one. She said, “It was there, a thousand miles away from home, that I was fortunate to try a lot of different experiences.
Meet many wonderful people, learn my craft, hone my skills, and really be open to finding a path that was right for me.”
While I did begin my career in dancing, I found that acting in commercials and miniseries was where my true passion lay. I’ve had a tremendous career on the big and small screens, and I’m thankful for the opportunities it’s given me to play a wide variety of fascinating characters.
In the early 1970s, Jaclyn appeared in a number of TV shows and films, some of which were more supporting roles than others, such as Switch and McCloud.
It was her 1976 portrayal as Kelly Garrett in Charlie’s Angels that launched her career and earned her the title of “Queen of Mini-Series.”
To quote myself: “I wasn’t a driven, ambitious actor thinking, ‘I have to get this part.’ I went in there and had a good time.
The producer was reportedly seeking for a redhead to complement the blonde Farrah Fawcett-Majors and the brunette Kate Jackson before they settled on Jaclyn. The chemistry between the three major ladies was excellent, but when casting was complete, the producers realised that Smith would be ideal.
The pilot episode of Charlie’s Angels debuted on television in 1976. A rapid rise to the top ensured its success.
A huge audience enjoyed following the private investigators Kelly Garrett, Sabrina Duncan, and Jill Munroe as they solved cases in Los Angeles. Charlie’s Angels aired for five seasons and was nominated for several awards including the Golden Globe and the Emmy.
View this post on Instagram
Many viewers in the United States were shocked to see so many women in bikinis on national television. But it wasn’t anything Jaclyn was considering at the moment.
Known as the “Queen of Mini-Series” Feminists hated us because they said we acted like Barbies. We dressed attractively, but we never made our sexuality an issue.
There was nothing sexual about it, she said. But I didn’t feel like I was being used. If I had felt that way, I would have left. Deep down within, I had a firm grasp on my identity.
IMDB states that Jaclyn’s starting salary each episode was $5,000. With the Angels’ participation in lucrative merchandise spin-offs, her episode salary had risen to about $40,000 by the time she departed.
She went on to say that the company also produced lunch packages, hair accessories, and dolls that the children helped create. Jaclyn was a committed cast member throughout the run of the play, and her standout turn earned her many promotions.
Her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy in the 1981 biopic Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was a critical and commercial success, the same year that Charlie’s Angels went off the air. For her depiction of the iconic first lady, Jaclyn received a Golden Globe nomination.
This is also when Jaclyn’s reputation as “The Queen of Mini-Series” began to grow, thanks to her leading roles in a number of highly acclaimed shows including Rage of Angels, George Washington, The Bourne Identity, and Family Album.
Label Jaclyn Smith, Fashion Designer However, Jaclyn’s favourite part was the titular one in the 1985 TV movie Florence Nightingale.
The critics were not kind, but Jaclyn found time to devote herself to it despite her many other commitments.
She ventured into the fashion industry and launched her own line of Kmart-exclusive women’s clothes and accessories. They also produced a very successful outcome.
Over time, Jaclyn’s brand has grown as she became an inspiration to women in the entertainment world and beyond. Jaclyn Smith married cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond in 1981.
The next year, they became parents to son Gaston Richmond, and in 1985, they welcomed daughter Spencer Margaret Richmond.
View this post on Instagram
Jaclyn and Anthony B. Richmond split up in 1989. A few years later, she packed up her two kids and headed to Holmby Hills in Los Angeles.
Jaclyn, a history buff, just purchased a Georgian Colonial estate with six bedrooms and six bathrooms. She was able to purchase a new house after the popularity of Charlie’s Angels, although it required some renovation.
Jaclyn told People in 2014, “I love the 18th century, but I also love comfort, so our upholstery pieces are modern—pieces that you can sink into.”
Jaclyn lives in the most affluent section of any American city; previous residents include Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, and Bing Cosby.
She describes it as a “great family home” with “a lot of sunlight coming through the windows” and “a lot of land” around it.
View this post on Instagram
There is a tennis court in the estate where Jaclyn’s son Gaston used to play, while Stephanie often hung out by the gorgeous pool.
In addition, Jaclyn and her new husband, Dr. Brad Allen, a heart surgeon, have their own office space. “The kitchen was really the only room that needed to be renovated,” Allen remarked. However, “she redecorated the entire house.”
Jaclyn put a playhouse and some new furnishings in her yard for her granddaughters today. She certainly has a green thumb since she is often posting photographs of her garden and roses on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Jaclyn Smith may be 76 years old now, but she is kept youthful at heart by her loving family. She attributes her good fortune in life to her wonderful parents and equally influential grandpa, and she often uses the phrase “rhyme and reason of everything” to describe her ties to her loved ones.
Spencer Richmond, daughter of actress Jaclyn Smith, and her son, actor Gaston Richmond (Photos by Getty)
Workload increases because of this. It broadens one’s perspective and increases gratitude. “Keeping my life in check has helped me stay young at heart,” Jaclyn Smith explains. “What I create is really mine.
And I believe that doing so completes me as a person. Having my daughter, the collection’s designer, work alongside me on it and bringing together three generations is something I’m really excited about.
Smith, who has been married to Brad Allen since 1997, is blessed with lovely children and a wonderful husband. She is also a proud grandma.
Her daughter Spencer gave birth to her first granddaughter, Bea, in 2016. Then, last year, Jaclyn’s second granddaughter, Olivia Rose, was born to her son Gaston.
View this post on Instagram
Jaclyn was featured as a “Glam-mas” (glamorous grandmas) in the August 2019 issue of People Magazine. She has plenty of adorable family photos she posts on Instagram.
Respect for her elders And it seems that Jaclyn Smith’s children and grandkids share her enthusiasm for intimate family ties; both Spencer and Gaston, as well as their own children, often visit their grandmother.
They come to see me all the time,” Smith added. This is a welcoming home. Bea knows that I keep sweets in a dresser drawer, and she always goes straight for the gummy bears. She is aware of my penchant for sweets.
Bea, I mean, she goes on expeditions. We host tea parties and go on adventures to her backyard playhouse. Bea, though, can successfully occupy her own time when necessary. We discuss the blossoms as we stroll the garden. Olivia is a tiny little thing.
View this post on Instagram
Even though Charlie’s Angels ended in the ’70s, it wasn’t the end of the original cast. In the film Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle from 2003, Smith did not get any kind of credit. In the most recent film, she reprised her role as Kelly Garrett from the previous year.
Preserving the Past It may not have been as popular as it was in the ’70s, but she hopes her grandkids will one day be able to enjoy her performance as the legendary Kelly Garrett.
Smith says she can’t wait to rewatch her classic portrayal with her loved ones someday. She isn’t even considered granny, but “Mimi” instead.
She explains, “My kids never really watched it that much.” “They wouldn’t say ‘There’s Mom,’ but ‘Oh, there’s Jaclyn Smith,’ if they saw me on film.
I know that Bea and Olivia and I will enjoy viewing it together. It may be amusing to introduce the past Mimi to the present you.
I believe it’s vital for children to realise their past, their roots, and the ways in which they’ve evolved through time.
View this post on Instagram
Breast cancer was discovered in Jaclyn Smith back in 2003. Thankfully, she discovered it at stage 1, and she responded well to treatment, which included surgery and many sessions of radiation therapy.
Cancer victim Jaclyn Smith She prevailed, and she looks fantastic for her 76 years! She has been actively involved with a number of charities throughout the years.
Jaclyn is particularly committed to the work of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
She also devotes most of her time to AbilityFirst, where she holds the position of AbilityFirst Honorary Chair and is a frequent spokesman and fundraiser.
Smith advised anyone undergoing cancer treatment to “surround yourself with loved ones, support, girlfriends.”
“And don’t get your education from the internet; do it the correct way. Let it go. Seek advice from your doctor and anybody who has been through the same situation.
View this post on Instagram
We are overjoyed to see Jaclyn Smith spending quality time with her children and grandkids after a successful career. If you, too, are a Jaclyn Smith fan, please spread the word about this article.