Kate Jackson recently got candid and revealed why she was sure of Charlie’s Angels’ success.
On April 6, the 77-year-old American actress and television producer attended PaleyFest LA 2026 for the Charlie’s Angels 50th Anniversary Celebration, where she reunited with her co-stars Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith.
While conversing with PEOPLE magazine at the event, Jackson shared that she showed reservations about the concepts pitched by the creators.
Calling to mind, she said, “I was looking down, listening, thinking, ‘This is the worst thing I ever heard in my life.’”
Jackson had already thought of different ideas for Charlie’s Angels, which she drew from her role as a rookie cop on The Rookies.
“It was really easy because The Rookies was about three young rookie cops. So just flip that and have three young women who go to the police academy, meet each other, become close friends [and] work their way up to plainclothes detectives,” the Dark Shadow star noted.
Notably, just a year before the show aired, she explained her idea for the new shoe to the executive producer Aaron Spelling. Also, creators first called it Alley Cats, but it was Jackson who suggested the name Charlie’s Angels.
“We started shooting the pilot, and I never doubted. I don’t know why, but I never doubted that it was going to be a big hit. It was unique,” Kate Jackson said.

