Kris Munroe
Encyclopedia
Kristine "Kris" Munroe is one of six female fictional private detectives in the 1976-1981 television series Charlie's Angels
. She was portrayed by Cheryl Ladd
. She worked for the Townsend Agency for four seasons of the show's entire five season run, taking the place of her big sister Jill
when she left the agency. Although not an original character, Kris 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. Co-star Jaclyn Smith
said, "She had to fill a big pair of shoes, and she did it with confidence".
. As revealed in the title sequence, she also studied to be a police
woman and was similarly handed low risk assignments, although in San Francisco, and not Los Angeles
. Kris is at most age 24 when she joins the show, as Jill herself was 24 in season one. When Jill left the Agency to become a race car driver, Kris basically shows up for the job. Kris is noticeably less sophisticated than the other Angels, has a stronger accent
and seems more gullible. In the first few episodes, she has to prove herself to Sabrina Duncan
and Kelly Garrett
. As she becomes accepted by her co-workers, Kris becomes more glamorous and loses her "little sis" persona. She eventually became one of the most popular Angels and had the most episodes centered on her. Petite and owning lots of "va-voom", her blond
e hair and proclivity toward bikini
s didn't hurt, either.
, a nude beach
visitor, ice-skating clown, Swedish
movie star
, trucker, Keystone Cop, assistant/target to a circus
knife thrower
and cheerleader. She also appears as a singer in a couple of episodes, giving Cheryl Ladd
a chance to showcase her singing talent. (Cheryl was an accomplished singer and released two albums in the late 70's and sang the national anthem prior to Super Bowl XIV
).
Kris seemed the most likely to have a sexual encounter with someone she encountered on the job. She had a fun, even aggressive attitude toward men. She did not repress her feelings or attractions. Unfortunately, like the other Angels and even Bosley
, they almost always were exposed as felon
s. Kris is the child of an alcoholic and holds onto sentimental items from her rough childhood. She was also mortified the first time she had to shoot someone, but as her innocence faded (and after being the Angel most likely to be kidnapped), she matured to eventually tell her kidnappers to "Go to Hell!"
Kris inherits her sister's white Mustang Cobra II's with blue stripes, and lives in Jill's white beach house
. When on vacation
, she is often seen wearing shades
with a bikini
. She loves hot tub
s, swimming, surfing
and boywatching. As shown in the season 4 episode "Love Boat Angels," she also apparently trained in scuba diving
(Ladd had previously starred in the underwater adventure film Treasure of Jamaica Reef).
In the episodes that Farrah Fawcett
appeared as Jill Munroe in seasons 3 and 4, little interaction occurred between the characters of Kris and Jill, stunting the development of the sisters' relationship. In one episode, Kris is kidnapped by a villain
who counts on Jill to rescue her. Jill and the other Angels track her down, but their reunion scene is extremely brief.
Kris's last appearance was in the final episode of the final season: "Let Our Angel Live". The episode is primarily a clips show, and contains a continuity error as Kris remembers the events of a Season One episode, which she was not present for, although she may have heard about it from Jill.
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
. She was portrayed by Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer and author. Ladd is best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the television series Charlie's Angels, hired amid a swirl of publicity prior to its second season in 1977 to replace the departing Farrah Fawcett-Majors...
. She worked for the Townsend Agency for four seasons of the show's entire five season run, taking the place of her big sister Jill
Jill Munroe
Jill Munroe is a fictional character, played by Farrah Fawcett in the first season of Charlie's Angels .Jill is the sporty and athletic angel, and is seen coaching a kids' basketball team, playing tennis, swimming, bowling, skateboarding, and rollerskating on the show. Not just a tomboy, she also...
when she left the agency. Although not an original character, Kris 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
Tiffany Welles
Tiffany Welles is a fictional character in the television series Charlie's Angels. She was played by Shelley Hack and her debut coincided with the fourth season premiere, "Love Boat Angels" , which was a crossover with fellow ABC hit The Love Boat.Unlike the previous Angels, who are all from...
, Julie Rogers
Julie Rogers (Charlie's Angels)
Julie Rogers is a fictional character in the 1976-1981 television series Charlie's Angels. She was portrayed by Tanya Roberts. She was the last Angel hired for the Townsend Agency for the show's five-season run, joining in 1980-1981. She filled the position left by Tiffany Welles, taking over her...
) are not. Co-star Jaclyn Smith
Jaclyn Smith
Jacquelyn Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith is an American actress and businesswoman. She is best-known for the role of Kelly Garrett in the television series Charlie's Angels, and was the only original female lead to remain with the series for its complete run...
said, "She had to fill a big pair of shoes, and she did it with confidence".
Character biography
Kris Munroe is the younger sister of former Townsend Agency detective Jill MunroeJill Munroe
Jill Munroe is a fictional character, played by Farrah Fawcett in the first season of Charlie's Angels .Jill is the sporty and athletic angel, and is seen coaching a kids' basketball team, playing tennis, swimming, bowling, skateboarding, and rollerskating on the show. Not just a tomboy, she also...
. As revealed in the title sequence, she also studied to be a police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
woman and was similarly handed low risk assignments, although in San Francisco, and not Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Kris is at most age 24 when she joins the show, as Jill herself was 24 in season one. When Jill left the Agency to become a race car driver, Kris basically shows up for the job. Kris is noticeably less sophisticated than the other Angels, has a stronger accent
Accent (linguistics)
In linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language In...
and seems more gullible. In the first few episodes, she has to prove herself to Sabrina Duncan
Sabrina Duncan
Sabrina Duncan is one of fictional private detectives in the 1976-1981 television series Charlie's Angels. She was portrayed by Kate Jackson and is featured in the first three seasons of the show...
and Kelly Garrett
Kelly Garrett
Kelly Garrett is one of six female fictional private detectives in the 1976–1981 television series Charlie's Angels. She was portrayed by Jaclyn Smith, who also portrayed the character in the 1977 pilot episode of The San Pedro Beach Bums and reprised the role in a cameo in the 2003 film Charlie's...
. As she becomes accepted by her co-workers, Kris becomes more glamorous and loses her "little sis" persona. She eventually became one of the most popular Angels and had the most episodes centered on her. Petite and owning lots of "va-voom", her blond
Blond
Blond or blonde or fair-hair is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some sort of yellowish color...
e hair and proclivity toward bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
s didn't hurt, either.
Covers and techniques
As her sister did before her, Kris tended to take the "inside" covers with Kelly while working on the case, while Sabrina took "outside" roles. Some of her covers included beauty pageant contestant, surferSurfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, a nude beach
Nude beach
A nude beach is a beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Sometimes the terms clothing-optional beach or free beach are used. Nude bathing is one of the most common forms of nudity in public. As beaches are usually on public lands, any member of the public is entitled to use the...
visitor, ice-skating clown, Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
movie star
Movie star
A movie star is a celebrity who is well-known, or famous, for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. The term may also apply to an actor or actress who is recognized as a marketable commodity and whose name is used to promote a movie in trailers and posters...
, trucker, Keystone Cop, assistant/target to a circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
knife thrower
Knife throwing
Knife throwing is an art, sport, combat skill, or variously an entertainment technique, involving an artist skilled in the art of throwing knives, the weapons thrown, and a target.-A throwing knife:...
and cheerleader. She also appears as a singer in a couple of episodes, giving Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd
Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer and author. Ladd is best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the television series Charlie's Angels, hired amid a swirl of publicity prior to its second season in 1977 to replace the departing Farrah Fawcett-Majors...
a chance to showcase her singing talent. (Cheryl was an accomplished singer and released two albums in the late 70's and sang the national anthem prior to Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
).
Kris seemed the most likely to have a sexual encounter with someone she encountered on the job. She had a fun, even aggressive attitude toward men. She did not repress her feelings or attractions. Unfortunately, like the other Angels and even Bosley
John Bosley (fictional detective)
John Bosley is a fictional character in the 1976-1981 television series Charlie's Angels. He was portrayed by David Doyle.He, along with Kelly Garrett , is the only character who stayed with the Townsend Agency for the show's entire five-season run.The character of John Bosley also appeared -...
, they almost always were exposed as felon
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
s. Kris is the child of an alcoholic and holds onto sentimental items from her rough childhood. She was also mortified the first time she had to shoot someone, but as her innocence faded (and after being the Angel most likely to be kidnapped), she matured to eventually tell her kidnappers to "Go to Hell!"
Kris inherits her sister's white Mustang Cobra II's with blue stripes, and lives in Jill's white beach house
Beach house
A beach house is a house on or near a beach, generally used as a vacation or second home for people who commute to the house on weekends or during vacation periods....
. When on vacation
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, she is often seen wearing shades
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
with a bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
. She loves hot tub
Hot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....
s, swimming, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
and boywatching. As shown in the season 4 episode "Love Boat Angels," she also apparently trained in scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
(Ladd had previously starred in the underwater adventure film Treasure of Jamaica Reef).
In the episodes that Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
appeared as Jill Munroe in seasons 3 and 4, little interaction occurred between the characters of Kris and Jill, stunting the development of the sisters' relationship. In one episode, Kris is kidnapped by a villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
who counts on Jill to rescue her. Jill and the other Angels track her down, but their reunion scene is extremely brief.
Kris's last appearance was in the final episode of the final season: "Let Our Angel Live". The episode is primarily a clips show, and contains a continuity error as Kris remembers the events of a Season One episode, which she was not present for, although she may have heard about it from Jill.