Jan Smithers is a former television actress that is best known for her portrayal of the
character Bailey Quarters on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati.
After her role on that classic sitcom ended, Jan became more interested in being a mother
than being an actress.
In the new millennium, Jan has turned her interests towards yoga and climate change
awareness.
Join Facts Verse as we take a look at why Jan Smithers disappeared after WKRP in Cincinnati.
Jan Smithers got her start in the entertainment industry in an unlikely way.
In 1966, when the actress was only 16 years old, a surfer at her high school invited her
to ditch school and spend the day with him at the beach.
Jan had never done anything of the sort in her life, but there’s a first time for everything!
The day at the beach proved fateful, as a journalist and a photographer who were working
on a piece for the then-burgeoning magazine Newsweek approached Jan.
The piece was about the current state of teenagers, and the journalist and photographer thought
Jan was perfect.
Jan had her picture taken and was interviewed for the piece.
In fact, it was Jan’s picture that ended up being used on the cover of the Newsweek
issue!
The issue proved to be the magazine’s most popular issue so far, and many credit it with
cementing the magazine’s status as a notable periodical.
Not only did Jan’s picture on the cover help cement Newsweek’s status as a popular
periodical, but it also brought the young woman her first mainstream attention.
Realizing that she might be able to make a career out of appearing in the media, Jan
Smithers soon set her sights on stardom.
Agents began tracking the girl down and offering her a chance at just that, and the young woman
spent the last few years of her high school career moonlighting as an actress in numerous
commercials.
Jan's mother decided to help her out in her attempts to start a Hollywood career.
In addition to appearing in a variety of television commercials, Jan also continued her work as
a model in magazines.
She enrolled for a period of time at the Chouinard Art Institute but ended up dropping out when
she decided that her time at the school wasn't helping out any with her career prospects.
The aspiring actress's first role in a feature film came via a movie named When the Lilies
Bloom.
Following her appearance in the film, Jan could be seen on such hit series as Starsky
and Hutch.
It wasn’t too long into Jan’s career that she landed the role that has ended up going
down as her most iconic.
Of course, that has been her role in the series WKRP in Cincinnati.
Jan attained the role in 1978, and it quickly brought the actress more acclaim than ever
before.
Jan was tasked with playing the shy and lovable character of Bailey Quarters, and audiences
quickly fell in love with her!
The show ended up lasting for four seasons, and Jan portrayed the character of Bailey
throughout the series' whole run.
Following Jan Smithers’ time as Bailey Quarters on the hit sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, she
could be seen in a diminished capacity in several other shows throughout the mid-1980s.
Some of the other series that Jan appeared on during the decade include Murder, She Wrote,
The Love Boat, and Comedy Factory.
It was while performing on the series Hotel that Jan met the man that would go on to become
her second husband and the father of her daughter.
This man was actor James Brolin, whom she met in 1984 and married in 1986.
The two went on to have daughter Molly Elizabeth Brolin together.
Prior to marrying James Brolin, Jan Smithers had been married to Kipp Whitman for a short
time in the early 1970s.
The two had been divorced for well over a decade before Jan met James.
Meanwhile, James was married when he met Jan in 1984.
James was married to actress Jane Cameron, though meeting and falling in love with Jan
Smithers inspired him to file for divorce.
After giving birth to daughter Molly in 1987, Jan decided to retire from acting to dedicate
herself fully to being a parent.
Although Jan Smithers had given up acting to dedicate herself to her new daughter, James
was still working in order to support his family.
James’ schedule prevented him from spending much time with his wife, and this took a toll
on their relationship.
The pair filed for divorce in 1995, and Jan briefly returned to acting.
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After divorcing from James Brolin in 1995, Jan Smithers’ daughter was a little bit
older, and Jan felt comfortable with taking a step back into the entertainment industry.
Her last acting credit up until this point has been in the 1997 film Mr. Nice Guy, after
which point the actress retired again and decided to pursue more socially conscious
goals.
While daughter Molly was in high school, Jan reportedly went on a spiritual odyssey to
India where she learned to meditate.
In more recent years, Jan Smithers was part of a subcommittee in Washington meant to promote
environmentally friendly energy alternatives.
Though Jan has claimed that her time with the subcommittee wasn’t especially successful,
she still believes that it was a worthwhile way to spend her time.
Jan has also used her time spent in India to become a spiritual healer that helps others.
The former actress is rarely seen publicly, and she keeps her social media accounts private.
The last time she was seen at an event was in 2014, when she attended a WKRP in Cincinnati
cast reunion.
Jan has never remarried after divorcing from second husband James Brolin, although she
still has a great relationship with daughter Molly!
Although Jan Smithers never remarried after her 1995 divorce from actor James Brolin,
James Brolin ended up remarrying to an even more notable figure.
That figure is Barbra Streisand, whom James married in 1998.
The two are still together to this day, and are considered by many to be one of the biggest
power couples in all of Hollywood!
Barbra is James’ third wife.
Before James was married to Jan Smithers, the former Hotel star was married to his first
wife Jane Cameron.
In fact, it was Jane Cameron who helped James get his breakout role!
In addition to being an actress herself, Jane was a casting director when she met and married
James in the 1960s.
Through these connections, Jane got James his job on the hit series Marcus Welby, M.D.,
which went on to make the actor a star!
The two got married in 1966, and they went on to have two children together.
One of those children is actor Josh Brolin, who has arguably eclipsed both of his parents
in terms of Hollywood success.
James began playing Dr. Steven Kiley on Marcus Welby, M.D. in 1968.
James and his first wife ended up staying married until 1984.
As mentioned previously, the actor had met second wife Jan Smithers before deciding to
divorce Jane Cameron.
However, the divorce was arguably inevitable.
Jan Smithers went on to give James his third child, the aforementioned Molly Elizabeth
Brolin.
The two divorced in 1995, and James married Barbra Streisand in 1998.
Though James and Barbra haven’t had any children together, they are still happily
married after over two decades, meaning that James’ third marriage has been his most
successful.
Though Jan Smithers is still technically around, she hasn’t worked in the entertainment industry
in well over two decades.
The former actress remains best known for her time on the hit series WKRP in Cincinnati.
The series followed the exploits of the crew of its titular radio station as they attempt
to increase their ratings.
Helping them out is new program director Andy Travis, who has a history of helping failing
radio stations become successful.
Actor Gary Sandy portrayed the character of Andy Travis.
Other stars featured on the series included actress Loni Anderson as the character of
Jennifer Marlowe, actor Gordon Jump as the character of Arthur Carlson, and actor Howard
Hesseman as the character of Dr. Johnny Fever.
Jan Smithers played the character of Bailey Quarters for 86 of WKRP in Cincinnati’s
90 episodes.
At the start of the series, the character of Bailey had few duties at the titular radio
station.
However, Andy Travis ended up giving her more and more duties over the course of the show’s
run.
The character was notably timid and shy, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t get
the job done!
Bailey ended up being one of the most integral characters on WKRP in Cincinnati.
It made sense that Bailey became such a huge part of the show, as she was based on the
wife of the series’ creator.
Series creator Hugh Wilson has shared in the time since the series came to an end that
the character of Bailey Quarters was based upon his wife.
Thankfully, the television audience found the character just as appealing as Hugh did!
While Jan has stepped away from acting to share her spirituality with those around her,
the character of Bailey has become somewhat of a feminist icon due to what she illustrated
about the value of women in the workplace.
Although Jan Smithers hasn’t acted in well over two decades, she is still around and
doing fairly well for herself!
Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that WKRP in Cincinnati actress Jan Smithers
is still around, or did you think that the television star had truly disappeared?
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