20 Stunning Portraits of a Young and Beautiful Cheryl Ladd From the Late 1970s

Cheryl Ladd (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor; July 12, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series Charlie’s Angels, whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 to replace Farrah Fawcett. Ladd remained on the show until its cancellation in 1981.

Ladd originally came to Hollywood to begin a career in music (she was known as “Cherie Moor” when she was the singing voice of Melody on Hanna-Barbera’s Josie and the Pussycats animated series, and she also sang on the 1970 album of the same name). However, she soon began to land non-singing roles in commercials and episodic television, including guest appearances on shows such as on The Rookies, The Partridge Family, Police Woman, The Muppet Show, Search and Happy Days.

Ladd’s big acting break came in 1977, when she was cast in the ABC television series Charlie’s Angels, replacing star Farrah Fawcett, who left the show after only one season to pursue a movie career. To make the transition easier for audiences, producers cast Ladd as Fawcett’s character's younger sister, Kris, instantly making her a part of the “Angels family.” In the years to come, this practice of replacing Angels became a common event for the show. However, Ladd remained a part of the main cast for four seasons, until the show’s cancelation in June 1981.

While starring in the highly rated Charlie’s Angels, Ladd took advantage of her newfound popularity to further her musical career, guest starring in musical-comedy variety series and specials, performing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl XIV in January 1980, and releasing three albums. She had a top-40 Billboard Hot 100 single and a gold record.

Following Charlie’s Angels, Ladd remained a familiar face on television and has starred in more than 30 made-for-television films. She also appeared in a number of feature films, such as Purple Hearts (1984), Millennium (1989), Poison Ivy (1992) and Permanent Midnight (1998). Ladd had the lead role in the television series One West Waikiki (1994–96) and made guest appearances in other TV shows such as Charmed, Hope and Faith and CSI: Miami. From 2003 until the show’s cancellation in 2008 Ladd played Jillian Deline, the wife of the lead character Ed Deline (James Caan), in 29 episodes of the television drama series Las Vegas.

Here, below is a selection of 20 stunning portraits of a young and beautiful Cheryl Ladd from the late 1970s: