The show Cheryl Ladd will always be most closely associated with is Charlie’s Angels, the adventure series that catapulted her to worldwide fame. But there is plenty more to her besides her role as Kris Munroe.
She was born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor in July of 1951 in Huron, South Dakota. Her first love was music. To begin with, she toured the country with the band The Music Shop, eventually leaving South Dakota and winding up in Hollywood in 1970 with her sights set on a career as a singer.
Under the name “Cherie Moor” she performed songs for the character of Melody on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Josie and the Pussycats.
From there, she segued pretty quickly into non-singing appearances on hit series like The Streets of San Francisco, Happy Days and Police Woman.
Cheryl Ladd On Charlie’s Angels
Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor was now Cheryl Ladd – completely acclimated to the LA lifestyle and married to fellow actor David Ladd in 1973. She landed a recurring role as Amy Love in Search and continued doing whatever projects she could.
After a few years of paying her dues, Cheryl Ladd eventually landed the role of Kris Munroe in Charlie’s Angels in 1977.
“The role was life-changing for sure,” she said. “It gave me a 40-year career, so I have nothing but fond memories.”
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It was the show’s second season when Cheryl entered the scene. She had the unenviable task of replacing Farrah Fawcett, who had left the show to pursue her big-screen career. But Cheryl proved a popular addition to the cast.
She appeared in 87 episodes of Charlie’s Angels in total and also used the series as a successful springboard for returning to her love of music.
Cheryl Ladd’s Music Career
Under Capitol Records, the actress-turned-singer released Cheryl Ladd in 1978. The album yielded the minor hit “Think It Over,” a single which peaked at number 34 in the Billboard Hot 100.
She followed it up with Dance Forever in 1979 and the Japan-only release Take A Chance in 1981. Another highlight of her music career around this time was her performance of the US National Anthem at the Super Bowl XIV in 1980.
1981 was a watershed year all-around. It was the year Charlie’s Angels ended, and it was also the year Cheryl Ladd married her second husband, Brian Russell. She had split from David Ladd the previous year. This second marriage proved a success, and Cheryl Ladd is married to Brian Russell to this day.
Cheryl subsequently took on a number of high-profile parts, including the title role in a Grace Kelly biopic, a slew of TV movies and feature films like Millennium and Purple Hearts.
When the 1990s dawned, Cheryl Ladd continued to find lucrative work in hit movies and TV, with a major role in the thriller Poison Ivy alongside Drew Barrymore in ’92.
What Happened to Cheryl Ladd
Even today, Cheryl Ladd continues to appear in high-profile productions.
From 2003 to 2008 she played a key supporting role in the drama series Las Vegas as Jillian Deline alongside James Caan, and has recently had guest slots in cutting-edge dramas like Ray Donovan and The People vs. O.J. Simpson.
She has also starred in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway, as well as working tirelessly as a celebrity ambassador for Childhelp, a charity that helps to combat child abuse.
Ladd played the role of Pamela Marshall on Malibu Dan the Family Man for 2 episodes in 2018, and
In short, Cheryl Ladd has had and continues to have a dynamic and varied career. One which shows no sign of slowing down.
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