Of all the women who played in Charlie's Angels, Cheryl Ladd probably had the most pressure on her. After all, she was brought in to replace Farrah Fawcett-Majors, who'd by that time become a global phenomenon.  So how did she deal with it all and managed to be accepted in the original angelhood and which other member of her family is now on her way to the A-list?

Angel: Kris Munroe Cheryl Ladd played Kris Munroe, younger sister to Jill Munroe (famously portrayed by Farrah Fawcett-Majors). Kris was recruited after Jill's departure, and in the first episodes was a rookie in every sense: well-meaning and eager, but a bit naïve and wet behind the ears (despite being a trained cop). Still, she threw herself into the cases happily, and her quirky nature meant she relished going undercover in flamboyant roles such as ice-skater, clown, and even a circus knife-thrower's assistant. As her character developed in the following seasons Kris became a really sexy, self confident and capable private investigator (even her karate skills got better). Kris's character gained fame and popularity equal to the other Angels, leading her to be included as a major character in the series, when other replacement characters (Tiffany Welles, Julie Rogers) are not.

Cheryl Ladd Profile

Born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor in Huron, South Dakota on July 12, 1951, Ladd had long dreamed of becoming a movie star. The youngster began performing at the age of five, singing and taking tap-dancing lessons with her father. As she later recalled, "My mother says my bags were packed from the time I was three. She knew I was headed either for New York or Hollywood."

In high school, Ladd played in a jazz trio called "Music Shop Band," which traveled from the midwest to California. Eventually, though, Ladd realized that even with her god-given talents, the prospects of a successful musical career were far too uncertain for her liking. Not ready to abandon her dreams entirely, however, Ladd made a compromise of practicality and decided to become an actress/performer instead. As fate would have it, Ladd’s first major gig married her dual passions into one package – providing back-up vocals on the Saturday morning cartoon “Josie and the Pussycats" (CBS, 1970-72). Still, it would be a few more years before the young actress (then still known as ‘Cheryl Stoppelmoor’) would receive her big break.

In late 1976, the newly christened Cheryl Ladd auditioned for a major role on one of the most groundbreaking dramas of the period, “Family” (ABC, 1976-1980). Though Ladd ended up losing the role to Meredith Baxter, her audition reel managed to catch the eye of veteran TV producer Aaron Spelling, who at the time was seeking someone to fill Farrah Fawcett’s role on “Charlie’s Angels” (ABC, 1976-1981). The Rookie Angel It was in 1977 that Cheryl finally found herself not just famous, but a household name. It happened when Spelling and Goldberg, having already admired her talents in earlier productions, asked her to replace Farrah Fawcett-Majors in Charlie's Angels. Fawcett-Majors had surprised everyone by quitting after only one series, just as the world was going Angels mad, and it was down to Cheryl to help keep the momentum of the show going. Cheryl knew she had a lot to live up to, but decided to tackle the situation head on by appearing on set the first day wearing a T-shirt which read "Farrah Fawcett Minor"! It helped break the ice with the cast and crew, but she needn't have worried – because the show became even more popular with her on board. Though just as pretty and jigglesome as her toothy big sister Jill Munroe, the role of Kris was tailored to be more of a brighter, slightly more independent spirit than her predecessor (But one that still looked just as good in a two-piece bikini, naturally.). Introduced in the second season’s two-part opener in 1977, “Angels In Paradise,” Ladd stayed on board until the end of the show’s run in 1981. During her “Angels” period, the triple threat released her first pop album, Cheryl Ladd, in 1978 with her single, “Think it Over” peaking at #38 on the Billboard music charts. Her sophomore effort, Dance Forever was released the following year to less success.

Life after Charlie Post-“Angels,” Ladd kept busy with a string of highly rated movies-of-the-week and the occasional miniseries, such as “Grace Kelly” (ABC, 1983) in which she played the then recently deceased actress-turned-real life princess Grace of Monaco. The mid-1990’s marked a transitional period for the actress, a similar path many actresses face after hitting 40. Luckier than most, Ladd still managed to maintain a fairly high profile thanks to guest starring turns on such television shows as “Ink” (CBS, 1996-97) “Jesse” (NBC, 1998-2000), “Charmed” (WB/UPN, 1998-2006) and “Hope & Faith” (ABC, 2003). In 1994, Ladd made a brief return to series television when she was cast in the short-lived CBS crime drama, “One West Waikiki” (CBS, 1994-96) opposite Richard Burgi. The brainchild of super producer Glen A. Larson, “One West Waikiki” was well regarded by critics, but little watched by viewers. In the autumn of 2001, Ladd made a triumphant return to the musical stage when she was tapped to temporarily replace Bernadette Peters on Broadway in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical “Annie Get Your Gun.” Though replacing a Broadway mainstay like Peters was a risky proposition indeed, this was nothing new to the woman who had successfully filled Farrah’s shoes. Most theatre critics seemed to appreciate Ladd’s efforts and were kind in their reviews. Ladd stayed with the show for several weeks until actress/country sensation Reba McIntire could finally be signed as a permanent replacement.