Cheryl Ladd

Cheryl Ladd

Active - 1973 - 2022  |   Born - Jul 12, 1951 in Huron, South Dakota, United States  |   Genres - Action, Adventure, Drama

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Biography by AllMovie

Actress/singer Cheryl Jean Stopelmoor billed herself as Cherie Moore when she performed as a backup singer on the 1970 Hanna-Barbera animated TVer Josie and the Pussycats. She reverted to her given name when appearing as a regular on the prime-time programs The Ken Berry WOW Show and Search (both 1972), and in various TV guest assignments. Stopelmoor was occasionally written up in fan and industry magazines of the period, more because of her unusual name than her acting skills (often, her last name was longer than the parts she played). Stopelmoor finally became a star when she adopted her married name of Ladd (her husband of many years was actor David Ladd, son of film luminary Alan Ladd) and replaced Farrah Fawcett on the highly-rated ABC "jiggle" show Charlie's Angels. She played blonde angel Kris Munroe from 1977 through 1981, then concentrated on made-for-TV films, wherein she was permitted plenty of creative input. Ladd's TV movies found her cast as both victim (A Death in California) and victimizer (When She Was Bad); arguably her best outing was the title role in the 1983 TV biopic Grace Kelly. She has since returned to series TV from time to time, playing Liane DeViller on Crossing (1986) and Holli Holliday on the syndicated Baywatch wannabe One West Waikiki (1994). Tirelessly active in civic and charitable endeavors, Cheryl Ladd was at one time Goodwill ambassador to Childhelp USA.

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Factsheet

  • Provided the singing voice of Melody on Josie and the Pussycats.
  • Had a small part in the 1973 made-for-TV horror flick Satan's School for Girls, which featured future Charlie's Angels costar Kate Jackson.
  • Released two albums during the late '70s: Cheryl Ladd in 1978, and Dance Forever the next year.
  • Declined the lead role in the fact-based TV drama The Burning Bed; the part ultimately went to Farrah Fawcett, whom Ladd had replaced on Charlie's Angels.  
  • Collaborated with husband Brian Russell on the 1998 children's book The Adventures of Little Nettie Windship.
  • An avid golfer, she penned a 2005 book about the sport called Token Chick: A Woman's Guide to Golfing with the Boys; also spent several years as a golf ambassador for Buick, hosting PGA tournaments sponsored by the car company.
  • Is a longtime ambassador for Childhelp, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and treating child abuse.