More Details on the New Charlie's Angels

Entertainment Weekly has shared fresh details about ABC’s Charlie’s Angels reboot. Unlike the original 1970s series, where the team of private investigators were disgruntled graduates of the police academy, the update currently has the crime-fighters as a trio of not-so-angelic criminals. In the pilot, Charlie brings them together and offers an opportunity to redeem themselves — by working for him, of course.

One major character is still being tweaked, however, and keep in mind pilots tend to undergo plenty of changes before they air. One of the trio has been previously reported as a con artist, while another is an ex-Marine and weapons expert.

Though the recent feature films were light-hearted (and, like the new series, executive produced by Drew Barrymore), sources say the new show will be a “fairly serious, non-campy” take on the concept.

But ABC’s Angels will match the original series in at least a couple key respects… Angels will consist of self-contained episodes — a new adventure each week, rather than having a serialized storyline. (There are some serialized elements, of course, like with all shows, but it’s mainly episodic).

Also, Charlie will remain a voice in a box — no video at least, when talking to the Angels – and the story will explain why, in the age of iChat and Skype, he’s still using such low-tech communication. (81-year-old Hart to Hart star Robert Wagner is near a deal to play Charlie.)

The pilot begins shooting in March, which gives the new Angels (Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh) time for some specialized training for the physical demands of the show.

The script is being polished by executive producers Al Gough and Miles Millar, and then, like all pilots, could get tweaked more in the coming months. ABC will decide in late April or early May whether to pick it up to series for fall.

Robert Wagner is Angels' New Charlie

TV veteran Robert Wagner will replace the late John Forsythe as the voice of Charlie in a planned Charlie's Angels small screen remake.

Ironically, the Hart To Hart star owns 50 per cent of the original Angels series.

Drew Barrymore, who took the franchise to the big screen, will produce the new series. Casting is currently underway, but U.S. soap star Annie Ilonzeh is reportedly leading the race to land an angelic role.

The actress, who plays Maya Ward in General Hospital, is billed to play a martial arts expert.

Charlie's Angels Pilot Greenlit by ABC!

It’s on: Charlie’s Angels just got officially greenlit as a pilot at ABC.

This move has been long expected, but now the project is firmly moving forward, along with Smallville writer-producers Miles Millar and Al Gough. The new modern-day version of the show will be set in Miami.

The producers (Leonard Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, Nancy Juvonen), Sony Pictures TV and Flower Films will now dive into casting to figure out the tricky task of finding TV’s new Angels. We hear there’s an offer out to Mark Piznarski (Gossip Girl) to direct.

Remakes have traditionally struggled to find viewers on broadcast, though CBS’ showed with Hawaii Five-0 that you can pull off a primetime hit with a classic title. And Angels is certainly on-brand for a network that has a strong female following with shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives.

If Charlie's Angels is on ABC’s schedule next fall, will you watch? I definitely will!

Cameron Diaz Wants More Angels

Cameron Diaz is calling on movie bosses to resurrect the Charlie's Angles film franchise, because she would "love" to star in a third installment.

The Hollywood beauty teamed up with Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu to bring the 1970s TV show to the big screen in the 2000 movie of the same name and they followed it up with a sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, in 2003.

Diaz now admits she wants to be given the chance to turn the series into a trilogy.

She tells E! Online, "I would love to! Of course I would. Why wouldn't I? It'd be fun!"

But Diaz fears movie bosses might want to replace the trio with a new set of 'Angels', adding, "I don't know if we'll do it. I mean, we played the movie as the new crop of Charlie's Angels and we never were trying to be (or) pretend we were the other girls (from the TV show). So it might just be time for a new crop of girls to come on."

Kelly Brook Linked to Charlie's Angels Remake

British model/actress Kelly Brook has reportedly been lined up to star in a TV remake of Charlie's Angels.

Plans are afoot to bring back the iconic show and producers Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, who previously worked with Brook on hit series Smallville, are keen for the busty beauty to take on a leading role.

A source tells Britain's Sunday Mirror, "Al and Miles know Kelly from their time on ­Smallville and they think she is a star in the making.

"Rather than cast established stars, producers want to find less well-known ­actresses and turn them into household names - just like they did in the 1970s with Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith.

"Kelly fits the bill. She's gorgeous, feisty, athletic, a good actress and - most importantly - the ­producers think American viewers will love her."

Charlie's Angels Star Kate Jackson Writing Memoir

Charlie's Angels star Kate Jackson is to reveal all about surviving breast cancer, adopting a baby and her acting career in a forthcoming memoir.

The 61 year old rose to fame in the 1970s as Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith's co-star on the hit TV series - but her career was put on hold in 1987, after she was diagnosed with the deadly disease.

She battled the illness throughout the 1980s but was finally given a clean bill of health after a series of major operations.

Jackson went on to adopt her first child, Charles Taylor Jackson, in September 1995, and continued to work on her TV career.

Now the star will share her personal ups and downs in an as-yet-untitled tome, scheduled for release in June 2011.

Kate Jackson Says She’s in “Financial Ruin”

She was supposed to be the smart one on Charlie’s Angels, but now Kate Jackson says she’s broke.

The 61-year-old actress, who also starred in the hit shows "The Rookies" and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King," has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against her former financial advisor seeking $3 million in damages.

According to http://www.tmz.com/: Jackson claims Farrah Fawcett’s former business manager, Richard B. Francis, knew about Kate’s “extremely close relationship” with Farrah and used that information to get Kate as a client.

Kate claims Francis told her she was worth roughly $5.4 million, and she could live off of the interest from her accounts, at least $300,000 per year. But Jackson said she was actually worth considerably less, only about $3 million. She claims she learned the truth about her finances when she agreed to buy a home in 2008, a home she claims Francis knew she couldn’t afford but he drained her savings account in order to pay for it anyway. Kate also claims Francis knew she was grossly overpaying for the property.

After Charlie's Angel, Kate when on to do some moviews. She played Michael Ontkean’s wife in the landmark 1982 movie Making Love but has not starred in a TV series since the 1988-89 show Baby Boom. Still, she has dozens of TV movies and television credits over the past two decades.

Kate made a memorable appearance at the 2006 Emmys with Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith and was close to Farrah until her death last year from cancer.

Kate ackson Was Too Upset to Be a Part of Farrah Fawcett Tribute

Charlie's Angels star Kate Jackson pulled out of joining the Farrah Fawcett tribute at the TV Land Awards on Saturday - because her pal's death is still so fresh.

Fawcett lost her battle with cancer last June and her Charlie's Angels castmate is still struggling to come to terms with the loss.

So she had to pass on the opportunity to pay tribute to the late actress, alongside Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith at the awards show in Los Angeles.

In a statement to fans, the actress explains, "Farrah was not only my friend, she was an iconic star who allowed us to hit the ground running that first season and spun us into the stratosphere.

"Emotionally, it was simply too soon for me to join my co-stars."

“Charlie’s Angels” Alum Cheryl Ladd & Jaclyn Smith Reunite at TV Land Awards

How cool is this?

The ageless Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith were dazzling Saturday night at the TV Land Awards where Charlie’s Angels received an award and their late co-star, Farrah Fawcett was remembered in a tribute. (Nice of Farrah to receive her due after that infuriating Oscar snub last month.)

Cheryl and Jaclyn were handed the pop culture award after Ryan O’Neal introduced a Farrah who died last year.

USA Today reports that Jaclyn and Cheryl recalled when their show was a phenomenon in the 1970s. “We were rock stars,” Jaclyn said. Added Cheryl: “We had to sneak in the back doors of restaurants.”

The two were happy to receive the award acknowledgment, but Smith said it was “bittersweet, because we’re missing a lot of members of our family.” They include not only Farrah but John Forsythe, the voice of Charlie, who passed away earlier this month.

“It was so beautiful,” Cheryl said of the Farrah tribute.

“And well-deserved,” continued Smith, noting her omission from the Academy Awards’ recap of the year’s deaths. “It was sad she was left out at the Oscars, but certainly tonight she wasn’t. … You can see the distance her career went and how accomplished she became. And along with it, she was an interesting person, a good person to know, a good person to have on your side. I miss her.”

Cheryl and Jaclyn were members of the show’s cast for four and five years, respectively – longer than any of the other cast members including Farrah (1 full season plus three episodes in seasons 3 and 4), Kate Jackson (3 seasons), Shelley Hack (1 season) and Tanya Roberts (1 season).

They not only were the backbone of the show for most of its run, they are also two very lovely ladies who have conducted themselves with such grace and class over the years.

The gala will be aired on TV Land on Sunday, April 25th. Make sure you watch it!

Cheryl Ladd Almost Turned Down Charlie's Angels

Cheryl Ladd almost turned down her iconic role in hit TV series Charlie's Angels - because she feared fans would reject her for replacing tragic TV legend Farrah Fawcett.

Ladd replaced Fawcett and played her character's sister Kris Munroe for 90 episodes between 1977 and 1981.

But the actress was convinced she'd face a bitter backlash from Fawcett's loyal fans.

She says, "I was really nervous because I was stepping in and hoping beyond hope the show would work with me in it. Let's face it, there were big shoes to fill. So I said, 'Ok, if I could be funny and make mistakes, then I have something to play that makes sense to me.'"

Ladd paid tribute to her predecessor at Saturday's TV Land Awards, where Fawcett was honoured with a special tribute - 10 months after she lost her battle with anal cancer.

Joan Collins, Kate Jackson & Heather Locklear Pay Tribute to 'Gentleman' John Forsythe

Joan Collins, Kate Jackson and Heather Locklear have paid tribute to late actor John Forsythe, who died on Thursday after a four-year cancer battle.

The trio worked with the TV icon on beloved shows Dynasty and Charlie's Angel.

Collins, who played the ex-wife of Forsythe's Blake Carrington character in Dynasty, called the actor "the last of the true gentleman of the acting profession."

A statement from the British star reads, "I enjoyed my nine years of feuding, fussing and fighting as the Carringtons and I was so glad to have had the chance to reunite with him a few years ago in the Dynasty reunion. He will be greatly missed."

Locklear, who also appeared alongside Forsythe in the Dynasty series, says, "John was a gentleman in every sense of the word... He was a gifted actor who knew the true meaning of being gracious and kind."

And Jackson, who played one of his Angels in Charlie's Angels, tells People.com she has fond memories of trying to avoid him on the set: "I made an effort never to see him when he came in to (record) his voiceover, but I left messages for him and he would leave me a note saying, 'Hi Sabrina, it's Charlie. You'll never catch me!'"

Forsythe voiced the character of detective agency boss Charlie, who was never seen.

Jackson adds, "He had a grace about him that was incredibly awesome... He was wonderful."

Dynasty Patriarch John Forsythe Dies at 92

Dynasty star John Forsythe, who played patriarch Blake Carrington on the primetime soap and was the voice of Charlie in the TV version of Charlie's Angels, lost his nearly four-year-battle with cancer on Thursday.

In a statement Friday, Reuters reported, "The family of John Forsythe sadly announces his passing on April 1, 2010. He was 92 years old and, thankfully, he died as he lived his life ... with dignity and grace, after a years-long struggle with cancer."

Forsythe, who also played Bentley Gregg, the swinging single saddled with an orphaned niece on the 1957-62 sitcom Bachelor Father, received three Emmy nominations for Dynasty, which ran from 1981-89. After making his film debut in 1943, he also appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock movies The Trouble with Harry (1955) and Topaz (1969), as well as 1988's Bill Murray comedy Scrooged, among many others.

Born John Lincoln Freund in Penn's Grove, N.J., Forsythe found his first love in the Brooklyn Dodgers. He dropped out of the University of North Carolina to become their stadium announcer.

A two-year marriage at 20 to actress Paula McCormick produced a son, Dall. A second marriage, to Julie Warren, lasted from 1943 until her death in 1994 and produced two daughters: Page and Brooke.

In 2002, he married businesswoman Nicole Carter, who, along with his children, survive him.

After serving as a speech rehabilitation counselor for shell-shocked Air Force pilots during World War II ("maybe the most rewarding moments of my life," he told People Magazine), Forsythe came back to the Actors Studio and theater. Teahouse of the August Moon and Mr. Roberts on Broadway led to TV and his movie career.

In 2006, it was revealed Forsythe had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

He will be remembered for his distinguished voice and courtly presence on screen. Off screen, it was his modesty that separated him from the rest of the crowd.

In 1979, Forsythe said, "I'm not a soaring talent. I am a good journeyman actor, but nowhere near the league of Brando or Scott. Those people are touched by the hand of God."

Drew Barrymore to Remake Charlie's Angels

Drew Barrymore is giving wings to Charlie's Angels - the actress is making plans to bring the hit TV series back to the small screen.

Barrymore has produced and starred in two film adaptations of the 1970s show - and now she's breathing new life into the franchise, which launched Farrah Fawcett's career, by reviving it for TV.

Barrymore is currently scouting a new trio of sexy crimefighters and insists they must be "incredibly capable, but not take themselves too seriously. That's a tough combination to find."

Meanwhile filmmaker McG, who directed Barrymore in her Angels films, will serve as consultant on the project - and is aiming to diversify the team of secret agents.

He adds, "This is a more progressive, 2010 take on the idea. We want to be even more progressive in terms of racial background."

McG has named Rihanna as his dream Angel.

ABC Closing In on a New 'Charlie's Angels'

ABC is close to giving a pilot order to a modern version of the classic 1970s TV actioner "Charlie’s Angels."

Josh Friedman, who recently adapted the "Terminator" franchise for his Fox series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," is onboard to write and executive produce the new "Charlie's Angels" series.

Also involved are original "Charlie’s Angels" producer Leonard Goldberg, who launched the series with Aaron Spelling in 1976, as well as Drew Barrymore, who starred in and produced the 2000 film version and its sequel. Sony Pictures TV is the studio.

Insiders said that ABC Entertainment Group topper Steve McPherson is particularly high on this project.

Networks of late have found that it’s frequently a challenge to take on iconic franchises — and several recent reboots, such as "Knight Rider," "Melrose Place" and "The Bionic Woman" have fallen short.

But ABC is riding high this fall with its adaptation of another such property, "V." That show bowed to boffo numbers, although it took a hit in week two.

Sony is also busy adapting another 1970s Spelling (and Goldberg-produced) property, "Fantasy Island" — but as a reality show, along with Mark Burnett. No U.S. network is attached as of yet to that project, which was announced last month at the Mipcom TV confab.

The original "Charlie’s Angels" ran from 1976-81 and was back in the news this summer following the death of original star Farrah Fawcett.

Spelling attempted a revival in 1988, sealing a deal to produce a version called "Angels 88" for Fox. That show never got off the ground, but it eventually led to Spelling’s deal to produce the original "Beverly Hills 90210" (now also enjoying a revival, via the CW).

The franchise then lay dormant until 2000, when the McG-helmed "Charlie’s Angels" feature, starring Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz, was a box office hit. Movie spawned a second edition, "Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle."

It also led to an earlier attempt at a TV series revival, in 2004. That version was written for ABC (again, through Sony) by a pre-"Lost" Carlton Cuse and John Wirth and given a script-plus-penalty order but ultimately didn’t go to pilot.

This time around, a pilot is expected to be greenlit. Friedman, Goldberg and Barrymore will executive produce with Nancy Juvonen.

Friedman’s other credits include co-writing the features "War of the Worlds" and "The Black Dahlia."

Beyond "Charlie's Angels" and "Fantasy Island," Goldberg was an executive producer on "Starsky and Hutch," "Hart to Hart" and "Family."

The new "Charlie’s Angels" is expected to be geared toward a new generation while paying homage to the past.

Farrah Fawcett’s Final Three “Charlie’s Angels” Appearances are Out Today on DVD

By the time season four of Charlie’s Angels had rolled around, Kate Jackson had quit the show. It turned out that she was far more difficult to replace than Farrah Fawcett had been two years earlier when she quit after only one season.

The difference was that Cheryl Ladd was a sensation as Farrah’s replacement but Shelley Hack never really clicked as Jsckson’s replacement.

Why did Farrah come back? Producers sued her after she quit and the lawsuit was preventing her from appearing in any major studio films. So part of the lawsuit’s settlement agreement was the Farrah return for three episodes in seasons three and four.

The show lasted one more season with Tanya Roberts replacing Hack but Farrah never appeared as Jill Munroe again. That’s why this DVD, out today, is worth checking out.

Remembering Farrah Fawcett: Jaclyn Smith & Kate Jackson's TV Guide Interview

I know the world is Michael Jackson 24/7 right now but we still cannot forget about the life and death of Farrah Fawcett, who passed away just a few hours before Michael.

The current issue of TV Guide has some wonderful coverage of the late star’s life and career. Here are some excerpts from William Keck’s terrific interviews with Farrah’s Charlie’s Angels co-stars Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith.

The original Angels had a dramatic onstage reunion at the 2006 Emmys where they paid tribute to Aaron Spelling.

“The audience was on its feet - screaming and beating their hands together and they didn’t stop,” Jackson said of Emmy night. “We wanted to give the audience all over the world a little present - to see what they had wanted for so long.”

Added Smith: “It was not easy. But once we got it together on how we were going to do it, it was really fun and a memory we will all cherish forever. I know Farrah had fun. It was important we did it.”

Less a month later, Farrah got her cancer diagnosis and the three reunited off-screen more frequently from then on, the last time being an intimate birthday party for Farrah in February at Fawcett’s home.

Says Jaclyn: “My last time with Farrah was right before she left for her last trip to Germany (for experimental treatment). I took her to acupuncture. You would never have known she was sick that night if you didn’t know one leg was four times the size of the other. We were laughing like true girlfriends.”

Kate remembers the good-natured bickering that occurred while driving Farrah to a cancer treatment: “She made me so damned nervous, telling me to turn left. Farrah said, ‘Get in the left lane - no, not for another two blocks!’ Someone honked their horn because they almost hit us, and Farrah started laughing. She said, ‘See, this should be an episode.’ I believe she was looking back on that wonderful, glorious year when we were three little cocoons who turned into butterflies and she was the most beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, funny,. well-known woman in the world.”

Cheryl Ladd Talks About Working with Farrah Fawcett and Feeling “Hurt” at Being Left Out of “Angels” Emmy Reunion

With Farrah Fawcett’s passing last week, a great deal of attention has been paid to her last public appearance at the 2006 Emmy Awards - just two weeks before she received her cancer diagnosis.

At the end of a tribute to Charlie’s Angels creator Aaron Spelling on that Emmy night, Fawcett stunned and delighted the audience when she walked out hand-in-hand with her Angels’ co-stars Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith.

So where was Cheryl Ladd? She replaced Farrah on the show after season one and remained on it for four years until it was cancelled in 1981. She admits to feeling “hurt” that she was not asked to participate in the reunion and tribute to Spelling.

“I think Kate made the decision for everybody that this is how it was going to be,” Ladd says in the new issue of TV Guide. “I was the outsider, but Jaclyn and I have remained fast friends.”

While Farrah left the show after the first season, she and Ladd did work together for a total of six episodes during seasons three and four when Farrah made guest appearances as part of a legal settlement with producers. Since their characters were sisters, the two had many of their scenes together.

“It was awkward,” Ladd admits. “I don’t think she wanted to be there. She was a little surprised how well the show did after she left. So we both chose to be 100 percent professional.”

It is ironic that Ladd was excluded from the reunion since the continued success of the show hinged on her being able to fill Fawcett’s shoes and connect with the public. Ratings for seasons two and three soared and did not drop off until season four when Jackson left and was replaced by Shelly Hack.

Remembering Farrah Fawcett: Guest Star with Lee Majors on The Brady Bunch Variety Hour

This is oh-so cheesy but great memories of 1970s fun.

The 1970s TV golden couple Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett-Majors (as she was then billed) appeared on "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour," the once-a-month 1976-77 ABC variety show.

Lee, who looks as hot as I remember, was ABC’s "Six Million Dollar Man" at the time while Farrah had just started ABC’s "Charlie’s Angels."

Kate Jackson Remembers Farrah Fawcett

They only starred together on Charlie’s Angels for one season but Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Farrah Fawcett remained connected for the rest of Farrah’s life through the show;s enormous pop culture legacy and their personal affection for each other.

Kate, who is also known for her roles on the hit TV series The Rookies and Scarecrow and Mrs. King, talked to Entertainment Weekly on Friday about Farrah in a deeply personal interview.

Here are some excerpts:

“I didn’t plan to do any interviews today. I was just going to go to the place that Farrah and I were together the last time we were together during this three years and just sit. But I love her so much. There’s no way that I couldn’t be part of a tribute to her, and you know, just give people my impressions of who Farrah is.

“When the first year of Charlie’s Angels ended, our friendship didn’t. It just grew stronger and closer through the years. I don’t know what the connection that the three of us have is, but it is there, and it is something extremely special. I think that is the reason the show worked. I think it’s even better than the movies because we truly cared about each other and still do. It was a pleasure and a privilege.

“It was not easy at times to be able to be with her these last three years and to be able to continue laughing. There was always, if few words were spoken, a zinger, though. Then there’d be a little light laugh, even through everything. She was just extraordinary and bright and as sharp as they come and beautiful and her courage, I just… I don’t even know what to say about that. She was never a follower; she was always a leader. Her choices were her choices.”

Charlie's Angels Opening - Pilot Episode

In memory of Farrah Fawcett's recent death I share with you the opening of the pilot episode of Charlie's Angels, which aired in 1976. It is longer than the first season's opening.

Note that there are common points between them: Sabrina's also shooting the gun, the three girls going out from the police department together... But the building of Charles Townsend Agency isn't the same, and it's called Private Investigations.