Charlie’s Angels was like a gift from God to the ABC network in the 1970s. They were in 3rd place in terms of ratings and needed a hit show right away.
Producers Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg eventually brought them one. It showcased powerful female detectives who could handle themselves no matter what case was thrown at them.
The show lasted for 5 seasons and 115 episodes. It failed to gain critical acclaim but created legions of crazed fans and even attracted the attention of Prince Charles.
The show’s cast was a major part of its success. The Angels themselves were a major draw, but so were the talented actors who occasionally or consistently appeared alongside them.
Like and subscribe for more on the most beloved TV casts of all time. Watch our video to learn about several members of the Charlie’s Angels cast that suffered tragic deaths.
Farrah Fawcett Of Charlie’s Angels
Farrah Fawcett earned the role of Jill Munroe, one of the 3 original Charlie’s Angels. She was arguably the most famous of the trio and became one of the biggest pin-up icons in the world.
Despite her success, Farrah wanted to leave the show for bigger and better roles after only 1 season. Contract disputes forced her to complete 6 more episodes. Eventually, her character left to become a racecar driver and was replaced by her sister Kris played by Cheryl Ladd.
Farrah earned several awards after she left Charlie’s Angels and was able to play against her casting type. She earned Emmy nominations for her roles in The Burning Bed and Small Sacrifices. She also earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for 1997’s The Apostle.
Farrah married Lee Majors and had an on-again, off-again love affair with Ryan O’Neal. He was with her until the end of her life, as shown in the documentary Farrah’s Story that aired a month before her passing.
Farrah Fawcett died of anal cancer at the age of 62 in 2009.
Tanya Roberts Of Charlie’s Angels
Tanya Robert’s character Julie Rogers joined the show at the beginning of Season 5 as the 6th and final Angel. She allegedly beat out 2,000 other candidates for the role. She appeared in all 16 episodes of the final season.
Tanya Roberts’ birth name was Victoria Leigh Blum. She moved to Hollywood with Barry Roberts who would later become her husband. She had a few small roles before landing her big break on Charlie’s Angels.
Her other roles include films such as The Beastmaster, A View to Kill, and Sheena. The latter was a box office flop, but she rebounded and found success again as Donna’s mother Midge on 81 episodes of That 70’s Show.
Early reports of her death were exaggerated by her publicist, but the truth eventually came out.
Tanay Roberts died in January of 2021 at the age of 65 after a severe UTI evolved into sepsis.
John Forsythe
Charlie, the Angels’ mysterious leader, was just as crucial to the show’s success as the agents. Gig Young was the first actor considered for the part but was fired due to his issues with alcohol addiction. Aaron Spelling woke John Forsythe in the middle of the night and had him rush to Fox Studios as a replacement.
The job was voice-only and fairly simple. John told Larry King that he used to finish his recording in 15 minutes and that it was “the easiest and best job any actor has ever had.”
John Forsythe enjoyed a long career. He first lent his voice to radio broadcasts of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s then moved on to a part in the 1950s sitcom Bachelor Father. He also appeared in films such as The Trouble with Harry and Topaz. In the 80s, he worked with Charlie’s Angles producer Aaron Spelling again as Blake Carrington on the series Dynasty.
The role of Charlie was never credited during the show’s run. John never appeared on set, and the partially masked Charlie in the final episode was played by another actor. It wasn’t until years after the show’s run that he even met any of the actresses who played the Angels.
John Forsythe lost his yearlong battle with cancer due to complications from pneumonia at the age of 92 on April 1st, 2010. He was finally credited as the voice of Charlie in the 2000 Charlie’s Angels film and its 2003 sequel Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.
David Doyle Of Charlie’s Angels
David Doyle played John Bosley, also known as Uncle Boz. He brought a necessary heart to the show.
David said in an interview that he hoped to do more but had accepted his role. One of the only episodes to make him the focus was Season 3’s Angles in Waiting. He remained a constant presence, sharing the honor of appearing in every episode with actress Jaclyn Smith. He was nominated for an Emmy in 1977 and a Golden Globe in 1980.
David’s true passion was the theater, but he had plenty of onscreen roles throughout his career. They included the 1977 film Capricorn One and TV shows like Fantasy Island. He also did voiceover work, and his final role was as Grandpa Lou for 82 episodes of Rugrats.
David Doyle died of a heart attack in 1997 at the age of 67.
Soon-Tek Oh Of Charlie’s Angels
Soon-Tek Oh played Lieutenant Torres, a member of the Oahu Police Department that helped the Angels solve cases when they traveled to Hawaii in Season 5.
Soon-Tek was born in Korea but moved to America to go to college. He received a scholarship to USC’s cinema department and earned an MFA from UCLA.
Soon-Tek also founded the theater company East West Players in 1965. His goal was “amending the debasing Hollywood image” of Asian actors.
Sono-Tek’s first credited screen role came in 1965 with the film I Spy. He later appeared in other films such as The Man with the Golden Gun and Missing in Action 2. His TV credits included Diff’rent Strokes, Beverly Hills Ninja, Hawaii Five-0, Magnum P.I, and One West Waikiki. He also did voice-over work in the Disney film Mulan and its sequel.
Soon-Tek Oh died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease in 2018 at the age of 85.
Dick Sargent
Dick Sargent appeared in 3 episodes of Charlie’s Angels. His most famous performance was replacing Dick York for the role of Darrin in Bewitched. He also acted in 1959’s Operation Petticoat and 1966’s The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.
Dick officially came out as gay on National Coming Out Day in 1991. He went on to do charity work for AIDS awareness, the Special Olympics, and World Hunger.
Dick York lost his battle with prostate cancer at the age of 64 in 1994.
Dennis Cole
Dennis Cole first appeared on Charlie’s Angels in the Season 1 episode Dancing in the Dark. He guest-starred on the series multiple times after that but left after Season 3.
Dennis Cole met Jaclyn Smith on set, and art began to imitate life as their characters got closer. They began a 19-month relationship, got married in the fall of 1978, and got divorced in 1981.
Dennis had a son named Joey from a previous marriage. He was murdered during an attempted robbery, and the case remains unsolved.
The tragedy led Dennis to become an anti-violence advocate. He even refused roles in films and TV shows that contained violence. He left Hollywood to work in Florida real estate.
Dennis Cole died of renal failure at the age of 69 in 2009.
Like and subscribe for more classic TV casts who tragically lost key members. Keep watching to learn about the tragic deaths of more of the Angels’ most memorable male companions.
Denny Miller
Denny Miller appeared in 3 episodes of Charlie’s Angels, including Circus of Terror, Angels on Vacation, and Stuntwomen Angels.
Denny didn’t grow up wanting to be an actor. He was a UCLA Bruins basketball player who graduated with a physical education degree. Casting directors loved his beautiful blonde locks, and they sent him straight to Hollywood.
Denny starred in 1959’s Tarzan the Ape Man. He also appeared in over 100 episodes of Wagon Train and the 1968 film The Party.
Denny brought life to memorable ad icons. He was the Brawny paper towel guy for 12 years and spent 14 years as the Gorton’s fisherman.
He was also a skilled author. He wrote several books and a 2004 memoir called “Didn’t You Used to Be What’s His Name?”
Denny Miller was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2014 and died later that year at the age of 80.
Michael Witney
Michael Witney enjoyed a 19-year acting career. His first major role was Buck Coulter on the series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters. He went on to guest star in several other popular western series including Rawhide, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza.
He also co-starred in 1967s The Way West. He took his guns to space in Star Trek and appeared in the 1975 BBC series Oil Strike North.
Michael played 3 guest roles in the final 3 seasons of Charlie’s Angels, including Ted Burton, Stone, and an unnamed police officer in the finale. These were, unfortunately, his final performances.
Michael married British model and actress Twiggy in 1977. They had a daughter named Carly, and her birth led him to seek help for his drinking problems.
Michael Witney died of a heart attack at the age of 52 in 1981.
Norman Alden
Norman Alden guest-starred on Charlie’s Angels 3 times, but he worked with Aaron Spelling on 47 other projects. They included roles in Honey West, Mod Squad, Fantasy Island, and Dynasty.
Norman worked on over 2,500 films, shows, and ads over the course of his career. They included the voice of Aquaman on Superfriends, and Lou the mechanic in AC Delco ads. One of his most famous roles was the owner of Lou’s Cafe in Back to the Future.
Norman Alden died of natural causes at the age of 87 in 2012.
Richard Bakalyan
Richard began his career with The Delinquents in 1957. He continued to play tough-guy roles after that in films such as 1964’s Robin and the 7 Hoods.
Richard guest-starred on Charlie’s Angels 3 times. He also appeared in other Aaron Spelling projects like 1960’s Johhny Ringo and 1984’s Matt Houston. His most famous role was Detective Loach in Chinatown.
Richard Bakalyan suffered a brain hemorrhage and died in his sleep at the age of 84 in 2015.
Louie Elias
Louie Elias shares the honor of playing 5 different roles on Charlie’s Angels with Rick Casorla.
He was an athlete in his early life, playing football at UCLA and pro ball in Canada. When injuries forced him to change career paths, he moved to Hollywood.
The bumps and bruises kept coming when Louie moved to stunt work. His first role on Spartacus left him with a permanent scar on his chin.
His other stunt work on films like Planet of the Apes, True Grit, and Flashdance gave him the nickname Action Louie. His leap from a tower was included in the opening credits of F Troop.
Louie Elias died in 2018 at the age of 84.
The Charlie’s Angels cast was full of talented actors and actresses. Whether they guest-starred in a few episodes or became a permanent fixture, their careers should be celebrated and their tragic deaths must be remembered.
Which of these cast member deaths shocked you the most? Let us known in the comments below. Like and subscribe for more on the casts of classic TV shows.
