July  12

Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor's Birthday
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If you wanted to be an actor and your surname was Stoppelmoor, you probably would change your name . So when Cheryl Ann Stoppelmoor decided to go into show business, she first tried on the name Cherie Moor and landed her first job as the singing voice of Melody Valentine in the Josie and the Pussycats cartoon series. But a new name change was in store for her when she married David Ladd (famed actor Alan Ladd's son) and voila, Cherie Moor/Cheryl Ann Stoppelmoor, became Cheryl Ladd.

She began to get some acting gigs and old-time TV series addicts may remember her appearances in The Partridge Family and Happy Days.  Cheryl was considered for the role on TV's Family (1976), eventually played by Meredith Baxter, which is how she came to the attention of producer Aaron Spelling who later sought her out as a replacement for Farrah Fawcet after she gave notice she was quitting the ABC's popular "jiggle" series, Charlie's Angels.  When it was announced that Cheryl would play new blonde angel Kris Munro, many insiders thought that Farrah's departure would mark the end of the series, but the fans embraced Cheryl (metaphorically) and rating soared. 

Ironically, years later when Cheryl turned down the lead role in the TV movie The Burning Bed (1984), the role went to Farrah. Another Charlie's Angels'  irony is that Cheryl lived next door to and was good friends with John Forsythe who was the voice of the mysterious Charlie on the series.

Cheryl divorced David and married music producer Brian Russell who helped her on her musical career.  Most of her fans weren't aware of her great voice until she performed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl XIV in January 1980,  She started recording as a solo artist while working Charlie's Angels. and  released three albums, includingt the hit single "Think It Over"  which peaked at #34 on the Billboard music chart.  After Charlie's Angels ended in 1982, Cheryl went on to many other TV and film acting gigs and more actively pursued her singing career.  In September 2000, she starred on Broadway, taking over the title role from Bernadette Peters in a revival of  Annie Get Your Gun.

Cheryl is also a familiar face on the Celebrity Golf Tour since the late 90s. When she first started playing on the tour, she was often the only female player, although these days we occasionally get a glimpse of  Catherine Bell and Jessica Alba. In 2005, she published Token Chick: A Woman’s Guide to Golfing With the Boys, an autobiographical book which focused on her love of golf.  

To celebrate the birthday of the ever-beautiful actress/singer/golfer, we suggest renting some of the old TV Charles Angels shows from Netflix, and make a recipe as dazzling as her beautiful blond hair which helped her land her role on Charlie's Angels.

Angel Hair Pasta with Scallops

 
  
Ingredients
 		  
1/2 pound sea scallops, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium fresh tomatoes, minced into 1/4 inch pieces
6 slices bacon or pancetta, diced fine
3 cloves garlic, minced		 fresh thyme, salt and pepper to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
 		  

 
Instructions
 
  1. Boil water for pasta. When it begins to boil, add salt and oil, then turn down and start the sauce.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon or pancetta to render out some of the drippings. Add garlic and stir to brown. Add scallops, cooking quickly to avoid browning but to cook thoroughly (this is why they're cut into thin slices).
  3. When the scallops look nearly done, turn the water back up to a boil, then put the tomatoes into the skillet at the same time you put the pasta into the water.
  4. Cook for the requisite amount of time (2-3 minutes fresh, 6-7 minutes dried), then drain and *lightly* oil the pasta with a good extra-virgin olive oil (this will help keep the pasta from clumping while you eat it). Toss the fresh thyme into the skillet and stir through before removing it from the heat.
  5. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Serves 4

 © 2011 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes