My favorite starlet of all time turns 52 today! Yes, Tanya Roberts was mainly introduced to the world for the last season of Charlie’s Angels, but it was her presence in the horror film Tourist Trap that did it for me. In these days before video, I tried to track her more obscure apparitions in TV films and movies, sometimes staying late at night to realize that her scenes had been cut for television broadcasting (as for Fingers, thank you CBS)! Around 1980, I had her poster in my bedroom (which is proudly seen to your right), the only woman personality around those KISS and Alice Cooper photos! Ah, youth!

In those years, I was beginning to write fiction and more often than not, my heroines were Tanya Roberts prototypes: tall and slender brunettes with long limbs, gorgeous wide mouths and scratchy voices. Of course, I still remember the Playboy photo shoot and cover for The Beastmaster release, amazing pictures that oozed warmth and sensuality. I was even one of the 357 people worldwide to actually go see Sheena on a big screen… So yes, even when she turned blonde, I remained a fan.

Since the end of That ‘70s Show, Tanya has been mainly heard on radio and TV as a spokesperson for several Las Vegas timeshare companies. She was also present on the convention circuit. Her husband of 32 years, Barry Roberts (whom she had met while waiting in a movie line), died on June 2006 from encephalitis, so maybe she has recently adjusted her priorities in life… I’m waiting for a Tarantino-like director to hire her for a little homage in an upcoming cult film. C’mon guys!