June 26, 2009
Former 'Angel' Farrah Fawcett Joins the Choir of Real Ones
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Los Angeles, CA (HNN) -- Television historians coin a sexist word for describing mid 70s series such as “Charlie’s Angels” and “Three’s Company:” The “jiggle” era. Both series sported beautiful women, more often than not braless, but while oozing sexuality, both series , ironically, carried a feminist banner.
For Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd, and the (now) late Farrah Fawcett, the female detectives may have often donned swimsuits, high heels, and tight fitting jeans, but all , no matter their hair color, shot shreds of shrapnel into the frail, “dumb” Barbie blonde image.
The women detectives used wits, conditioning, skills, and often used their beautiful appearances as diversions that caused villains to trip by starring too long at the eye candy or stumble when one or more feigned vulnerability.
However, in that era, women had been routinely paired as “sidekicks” or “secretaries” to the macho, testosterone dripping and bicep’s bulging extreme commando bouncing bad guys while ensuring that the lady did not break a nail or a heel.
Interestingly, “Three’s Company” placed Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) opt for Jack (John Ritter) as their roommate. After all, he could cook. But, who would believe the two women and a dude are platonic ‘just friends,’ thank you. At the time, producers inferred Jack was ‘gay’ to legitimize the arrangement.
But, it was Farrah’s iconic swimsuit poster and her feathery hair that became a symbol of the era.
Fawcett left “Charlie’s Angels” after one year desiring more serious roles, which she found in “The Burning Bed,” about a battered wife, and “Extremities,” in which a victim of rape seeks vengeance on her attacker.
“Angels” allowed young women to see themselves as successful achievers, where wardrobe and appearance were important (thank you) , but abilities ruled. The series took a leap from Bond girls and the campy 60s “Girl from U.N.C.L.E. by having the female investigator trio find clues, interview suspects, bash villains, and solve cases with only the disembodied telephone voice of John Forsythe to in “Mission Impossible” style tell them the job then congratulate them at the ending.
Brunette Kelly (Jaclyn) was a martial arts expert and Sabrina (Kate) was the smart , independent one. That left Jill (Farrah) as traditionally feminine. Still, the trio kicked dudes in the groin and bashed their necks in a symbolic demonstration of girl-power. For its era, “Charlie’s Angels” opened the doors to the exclusive male heroes with “powers” club, granting the three detectives keys to a male kingdom that would not be removed. Obviously, the so-called sexploitation masked the show’s themes which put the women in the driver’s seat and prepared the way for no-nonsense strong women like Jodie Foster in “Silence of the Lambs.”
The Charlie’s Angels website contained response from her former television angels.
“Farrah had courage, she had strength and she had faith. Now she has peace as she rests with the real angels,” wrote Jaclyn Smith.
Kate Jackson wrote, “She was a selfless person who loved her family and friends with all her heart and what a big heart it was. When you think of Farrah, remember her smiling… that is exactly how she wanted to be remembered.”
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations to support cancer research be made to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation c/o P.O. Box 6478, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
Former 'Angel' Farrah Fawcett Joins the Choir of Real Ones
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Los Angeles, CA (HNN) -- Television historians coin a sexist word for describing mid 70s series such as “Charlie’s Angels” and “Three’s Company:” The “jiggle” era. Both series sported beautiful women, more often than not braless, but while oozing sexuality, both series , ironically, carried a feminist banner.
For Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd, and the (now) late Farrah Fawcett, the female detectives may have often donned swimsuits, high heels, and tight fitting jeans, but all , no matter their hair color, shot shreds of shrapnel into the frail, “dumb” Barbie blonde image.
The women detectives used wits, conditioning, skills, and often used their beautiful appearances as diversions that caused villains to trip by starring too long at the eye candy or stumble when one or more feigned vulnerability.
However, in that era, women had been routinely paired as “sidekicks” or “secretaries” to the macho, testosterone dripping and bicep’s bulging extreme commando bouncing bad guys while ensuring that the lady did not break a nail or a heel.
Interestingly, “Three’s Company” placed Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) opt for Jack (John Ritter) as their roommate. After all, he could cook. But, who would believe the two women and a dude are platonic ‘just friends,’ thank you. At the time, producers inferred Jack was ‘gay’ to legitimize the arrangement.
But, it was Farrah’s iconic swimsuit poster and her feathery hair that became a symbol of the era.
Fawcett left “Charlie’s Angels” after one year desiring more serious roles, which she found in “The Burning Bed,” about a battered wife, and “Extremities,” in which a victim of rape seeks vengeance on her attacker.
“Angels” allowed young women to see themselves as successful achievers, where wardrobe and appearance were important (thank you) , but abilities ruled. The series took a leap from Bond girls and the campy 60s “Girl from U.N.C.L.E. by having the female investigator trio find clues, interview suspects, bash villains, and solve cases with only the disembodied telephone voice of John Forsythe to in “Mission Impossible” style tell them the job then congratulate them at the ending.
Brunette Kelly (Jaclyn) was a martial arts expert and Sabrina (Kate) was the smart , independent one. That left Jill (Farrah) as traditionally feminine. Still, the trio kicked dudes in the groin and bashed their necks in a symbolic demonstration of girl-power. For its era, “Charlie’s Angels” opened the doors to the exclusive male heroes with “powers” club, granting the three detectives keys to a male kingdom that would not be removed. Obviously, the so-called sexploitation masked the show’s themes which put the women in the driver’s seat and prepared the way for no-nonsense strong women like Jodie Foster in “Silence of the Lambs.”
The Charlie’s Angels website contained response from her former television angels.
“Farrah had courage, she had strength and she had faith. Now she has peace as she rests with the real angels,” wrote Jaclyn Smith.
Kate Jackson wrote, “She was a selfless person who loved her family and friends with all her heart and what a big heart it was. When you think of Farrah, remember her smiling… that is exactly how she wanted to be remembered.”
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations to support cancer research be made to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation c/o P.O. Box 6478, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
