Jaclyn Smith is an American actress, entrepreneur, and designer best known for playing Kelly Garrett on Charlie’s Angels. Born Jacquelyn Ellen Smith on October 26, 1945, in Houston, Texas, she is 80 years old. Smith built a television career that ran across five decades, then turned that visibility into a retail business through Kmart. Her fashion lines, home goods, and skincare lines carried her name into millions of households.
In 2026, she returned to the spotlight for the Charlie’s Angels 50th anniversary, reuniting with her original co-stars. She remains a rare example of a businesswoman who paired a long acting career with a lasting consumer brand.
Who Is Jaclyn Smith? (Early Life, Family & Education)
Jaclyn Smith was born Jacquelyn Ellen Smith on October 26, 1945, in Houston, Texas. Her mother, Margaret Ellen Hartsfield, carried English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh heritage. Her father, Jack Smith, worked as a dentist and came from Russian-Jewish heritage.
Smith put on her first pair of dancing shoes at age three. Ballet lessons became a serious pursuit, and she once dreamed of becoming a professional ballerina. She graduated from Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in 1964.
From there, she studied psychology and drama at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She left after a year to chase dance instead, moving to New York to train at the Balanchine School of American Ballet. Her family supported these early artistic pursuits even as her path shifted. An agent in New York noticed her classic beauty and pushed her toward television cameras rather than the ballet stage.
Career Beginnings: Modeling, Breck Girl & Early Roles
Smith broke into show business through modeling. She appeared in television commercials and print ads before she spoke a single line on screen. One early ad, for Listerine mouthwash, helped build her name.
Her big break came when she became the Breck Girl for Breck Shampoo in 1971. That role led to more work, including a run as spokesmodel for Wella Balsam Shampoo alongside Max Factor. Years later, she developed her own scent under Max Factor called Jaclyn Smith’s California, which won an award for best mass produced fragrance in 1989.
Before Charlie’s Angels, Smith tried out for a soap opera. In 1966, she auditioned to play Victoria Winters on ABC’s Dark Shadows, but the part went to Betsy Durkin, who replaced Alexandra Moltke.
Her screen career started small. She took an uncredited part in Goodbye, Columbus in 1969, then a more visible role as a journalist in The Adventurers in 1970. Small parts followed:
- Probe (1972)
- Bootleggers (1974)
- Guest spots on McCloud, The Rookies, Switch, and The Partridge Family
These minor roles, dating back to 1968, built her resume before her career took off. Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert appeared alongside her on Switch, the show that caught the attention of Charlie’s Angels producers Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts. They needed a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead for the pilot. Smith did not have red hair, but her work on Switch was enough to land her the part.
Charlie’s Angels: Role, Cast, and Behind the Scenes
Landing the Role & Show Premiere
Smith first played Kelly Garrett on March 21, 1976, when Charlie’s Angels aired as a TV movie. She starred alongside Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett as three private investigators working for Townsend Associates, a detective agency run by a mysterious multi-millionaire. Charles Townsend, voiced by John Forsythe, gave the women their missions through a speakerphone and never appeared on screen. David Doyle and David Ogden Stiers played the male staff who helped run the agency day to day.
Network executives doubted the show at first. Test scores came back high, and the network questioned the results, so they tested it again with the same outcome. The series formally premiered on September 22, 1976, and ran for five seasons. Strong Nielsen ratings pushed the show into syndication and onto the cover of Time magazine and TV Guide. The Angels went from unknown actresses to overnight stardom, finally earning a seat at the table with network decision makers.
Cast Changes & Show Legacy
Farrah Fawcett left after the first season, and Cheryl Ladd stepped in as her replacement. Kate Jackson departed after the third season, and Shelley Hack, followed later by Tanya Roberts, took her place. Smith stayed for the entire five-year run, making her the only original female lead who never left the show.
Charlie’s Angels became a merchandising machine. Fans could buy bubble gum cards, fashion dolls, posters, puzzles, school supplies, novelizations, toy vans, and even a board game built around the series.
Producer Aaron Spelling gave Smith an early credit outside the Angels too, casting her in the first episode of his 1977 comedy The San Pedro Beach Bums in a storyline built around the Miss Harbor Beauty Contest. Smith later told uInterview founder Erik Meers that her favorite memory came from the first season episode “Angels in Chains,” where the cast spent days chained together on set. That forced closeness, she said, built the friendship that carried the show.
Later Cameos & Adaptations
Smith is the only Angel to appear in both film adaptations of the show. She made an uncredited cameo as Kelly Garrett in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in 2003, then returned for another cameo in the 2019 Charlie’s Angels film. In 2004, actress Christina Chambers played a younger version of Smith in the TV movie Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie’s Angels. In January 2019, Smith appeared on the MeTV network to promote the original series ahead of the new film’s release.
Post-Angels Acting Career
After Charlie’s Angels ended in 1981, Smith moved into television movies and miniseries. Her first major post-Angels project cast her as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in the 1981 biographical film of the same name, opposite James Franciscus as John F. Kennedy. The role earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in 1982. She later said preparing for the part felt daunting, since Kennedy’s voice and image were already so familiar to American audiences.
| Year | Project | Role or Detail |
| 1983 | Rage of Angels | Played Jennifer Parker, based on the Sidney Sheldon novel; topped Nielsen ratings the week it aired |
| 1986 | Rage of Angels: The Story Continues | Reprised the role |
| 1984 | George Washington | Miniseries appearance |
| 1984 | The Night They Saved Christmas | TV movie |
| 1985 | Florence Nightingale | Title role |
| 1985 | Deja Vu | Directed by then-husband Tony Richmond |
| 1988 | Windmills of the Gods | Miniseries |
| 1988 | The Bourne Identity | Played Marie St. Jacques, based on Robert Ludlum’s novel |
| 1989 | Settle the Score | TV movie |
| 1989 | Christine Cromwell | Mystery series set in San Francisco |
| 1990 | Kaleidoscope | Based on a Danielle Steel novel |
| 1991 | Lies Before Kisses | TV movie |
| 1991 | The Rape of Dr. Willis | Played Kate Willis |
| 1992 | In the Arms of a Killer | TV movie |
| 1994 | Family Album | Based on a Danielle Steel novel |
| 2002-2004 | The District | Played Vanessa Cavanaugh on the CBS drama |
| 2006 | 58th Primetime Emmy Awards | Reunited with Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett to honor producer Aaron Spelling |
| 2007-2008 | Shear Genius | Hosted the Bravo reality series for two seasons |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Guest role on NBC |
| 2012 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Played Olivia Hodges, mother of David Hodges, portrayed by Wallace Langham |
Recent & Current Acting Work (2019-Present)
Smith kept working well past her Charlie’s Angels years. She played Wendy Fine on All American, and took on smaller roles in Ready or Not, Sabotage, Connection, and I Do Part II between 2018 and 2024. In 2025, she joined the cast of Doctor Odyssey, playing a character named Delia in the episode “Sophisticated Ladies Week.” Her character was a cruise guest facing terminal cancer, a role that drew on the same warmth that carried her television career for decades. At 80 years old, Smith remains an active working actress rather than a retired television icon.
Business Career & Brand Empire (Kmart, Fashion, Home & Beauty)
Smith entered the business world in 1985, launching a women’s apparel line with Kmart stores. She was one of the first celebrities to build a full product line under her own name instead of simply endorsing someone else’s product. Woman’s Wear Daily later reported that her signature line carried the highest consumer awareness of any private label apparel brand in the country.
More than 100 million women bought clothing or accessories carrying her name, and brand awareness among women aged 35 to 60 topped 80 percent. Market research placed her among a top quartile of celebrity personas, in the same range as Ralph Lauren and Walt Disney. Her business success even showed up on The Simpsons, referenced in a season 15 episode called “The Fat and the Furriest.” In May 2009, Smith let a documentary crew film her home for a Kmart-sponsored online video series, walking viewers through her design philosophy.
| Year | Launch | Details |
| 1985 | Kmart apparel line | Her first product line, built on a private-label deal |
| 2007 | Fabric and trimming program | Partnership with Trend/Fabricut, a major home textile wholesaler |
| 2008 | Jaclyn Smith Today | Bedding, bath accessories, outdoor living, and seasonal home items at Kmart |
| 2008 | STYLE by Jaclyn Smith | Wig collection with Paula Young, designed with hairstylist José Eber |
| Ongoing | Skincare line | Cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen, hyaluronic acid, and retinol formulated with her husband, Brad Allen |
| 2022 | Nordstrom Rack and HSN | New clothing line, priced for the mass market without sacrificing quality |
The wig line carried a personal meaning. Wigs matter for people managing alopecia or going through chemo, and Smith wanted the collection to work as both a medical necessity and a fashion statement.
Personal Life: Marriages, Children, and Family
Smith has been married four times. Her first marriage was to actor Roger Davis, from 1968 to 1975. She then married actor Dennis Cole, from 1978 to 1981; Cole appeared on several episodes of Charlie’s Angels during that time. After their divorce, Smith stayed close to Cole’s son, Joe. Joe Cole was murdered during an attempted robbery in 1991, a crime that remains unsolved.
Smith’s third marriage was to filmmaker and cinematographer Tony Richmond in 1981. The couple had two children together, son Gaston in 1982 and daughter Spencer Margaret in 1985. When they divorced in 1989, Smith paid Richmond $4 million to secure sole custody of their children.
In 1997, Smith married Brad Allen, a cardiothoracic surgeon based in Houston. He remains her husband today. Smith often describes her family life as the center of everything else she has built, and she is now a grandmother to three granddaughters.
Health Journey: Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Advocacy
A routine check-up in July 2002 led to Smith’s breast cancer diagnosis. She underwent a lumpectomy and radiation treatment, and doctors confirmed she was cancer free by 2003. She has spoken publicly since then as a breast cancer survivor, encouraging women to keep up with regular health check-ups.
In 2010, Smith took part in “1 a Minute,” a documentary focused on breast cancer awareness. She has also co-chaired events for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, which funds cancer research and patient assistance programs. Her advocacy grew directly out of her own diagnosis rather than a cause she adopted from a distance.
Awards, Recognition & Public Image
Smith received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, in 1989. Magazine polls throughout the 1980s and 1990s repeatedly named her one of the most beautiful women in the world.
| Year | Recognition | Source |
| 1979 | Topped “Whose Face Most Women Would Like To Have” poll | McCall’s |
| 1984 | Named one of the “Ten Great Faces of Our Time” | People magazine |
| 1985 | Named one of “America’s 10 Best Bodies” | McCall’s |
| 1985 | Voted “Most Beautiful Woman in America,” ahead of Linda Evans, in a survey of 2,000 men and women across 100 locations | Ladies’ Home Journal |
| 1991 | Voted “Most Beautiful Woman Not on Television” | TV Guide readers |
| Multiple years | Named twice to the “Most Beautiful People” list | People magazine |
Fashion critic Mr. Blackwell once named her the World’s Best Dressed Woman, and later coverage in Harpers Bazaar and US Magazine reinforced that image of elegance, class, and trustworthy beauty.
Her fame reached music too. The French band Air wrote “Kelly Watch the Stars” as a tribute to her Charlie’s Angels character, releasing it as a single on their 1998 album Moon Safari.
Charlie’s Angels 50th Anniversary Reunion (2026)
Smith, Kate Jackson, and Cheryl Ladd reunited for the Charlie’s Angels 50th anniversary on April 6, 2026, at PaleyFest LA. The panel took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and marked the trio’s first joint public appearance in 34 years. Weeks later, the three actresses reunited again at the Paley Honors Spring Gala on May 14, 2026, held at The Plaza Hotel in New York and hosted by the Paley Center for Media.
Fans and reporters focused on how youthful Smith looked on the red carpet at both events. Asked about her beauty secret, she pointed to love and family rather than any product or routine. She later shared photos from the New York gala in an Instagram post, thanking the Paley Center for the celebration. The reunion arrived as Smith marked her 80th birthday, giving the milestone extra weight for longtime fans of the series.
Filmography Highlights (Selected Roles)
Smith’s screen credits go far beyond Charlie’s Angels and her well known TV movies. Across five decades, she built a resume of more than 115 episodes and television movies on top of her headline work.
| Title | Role |
| Sentimental Journey | Julie Ross-Gardner |
| The Users | Sally Fairfax |
| Sin, American Style | Susan Cole |
| The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper | Cathy Martin |
| Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich Story | Donna Yaklich |
| My Very Best Friend | Dana Griffin |
| Married to a Stranger | Megan Potter |
| Before He Wakes | Bridget Smith Michaels |
| Free Fall | Renee Brennan |
| Three Secrets | Diane |
| Navigating the Heart | Edith Iglauer |
| Ordinary Miracles | Judge Kay Woodbury |
| Bridal Wave | Felice Hamilton |
| Random Acts of Christmas | Lauren Larkin |
| Night of the Strangler | Dana Cameron |
| Get Christie Love! | Sari Lancaster |
| The Late Show Murders | Judy March |
| The Code Five Affair | Allie McGuiness |
| Hope & Faith | Dr. Anne Osvath |
Conclusion
Jaclyn Smith built a legacy that few actresses in American culture can match. She proved her versatility across five decades in the entertainment industry, then proved her resilience by building real business ventures once the cameras slowed down. As a pioneer of celebrity-endorsed product lines, her entrepreneurial journey opened doors that other stars still walk through today. She remains an iconic figure not because of one role, but because she kept working, kept building, and kept showing up. Through every marriage, health scare, and career shift, family and love stayed at the center of her story.
FAQ’s
How old is Jaclyn Smith?
Jaclyn Smith was born on October 26, 1945, and is 80 years old.
Is Jaclyn Smith married?
Yes, Jaclyn Smith is married to Brad Allen, her fourth husband, whom she wed in 1997 after three earlier marriages to Roger Davis, Dennis Cole, and Tony Richmond.
Does Jaclyn Smith have children?
Jaclyn Smith has two children with Tony Richmond, son Gaston and daughter Spencer Margaret, and she is now a grandmother to three granddaughters.
What is Jaclyn Smith’s net worth?
Jaclyn Smith’s net worth is reportedly around $150 million, built through decades of acting and her Kmart business ventures.
Did Jaclyn Smith have breast cancer?
Yes, Jaclyn Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine check-up in July 2002 and was declared cancer free following a lumpectomy and radiation treatment.
Why did Jaclyn Smith stay on Charlie’s Angels for all five seasons?
Jaclyn Smith is the only original female lead who never left Charlie’s Angels, staying through all five seasons from 1976 to 1981 while her co-stars were replaced.
What happened to Joe Cole, Jaclyn Smith’s stepson?
Joe Cole, the son of Smith’s second husband Dennis Cole, was murdered during an attempted robbery in 1991, and the crime remains unsolved.
Is Jaclyn Smith still acting?
Yes, Jaclyn Smith is still acting. She appeared in Doctor Odyssey in 2025 and joined the Charlie’s Angels 50th anniversary reunion events in 2026.
