John Bosley (fictional detective)

Infobox character|
caption =
name = John Bosley
first = Pilot - 21 March, 1976
last = Let Our Angel Live - 24 June, 1981
cause = Series Finale
species =
gender = Male
age =
born =
occupation = Private Detective
title =
family =
portrayer = David Doyle
creator = Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts

John Bosley is the assistant to owner Charlie Townsend in the 1976-1981 television series "Charlie's Angels". He was portrayed by David Doyle. [David Mansour, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b1ruwF6xYNIC From Abba to Zoom] ", p. 249. (ISBN 0740751182)]

He, along with Kelly Garrett (actress Jaclyn Smith), is the only character who stayed with the Townsend Agency for the show's entire 5-season run.

The character of John Bosley also appeared - played by Bill Murray - in the 2000 Charlie's Angels film.

Original series

In early episodes, Bosley takes a playfully antagonistic role to the Angels, especially Jill's and Kris' sense of humor. He also frets about vacation days, car damages, and timeliness when the opportunity arises. [R White - " [http://heldref-publications.metapress.com/index/R72NHX1345263617.pdf Lipgloss Feminists: Charlie's Angels and The Bionic Woman] ", Storytelling: A Critical Journal of Popular Narrative (2006)] Bosley is apparently the only Townsend Agency employee to have ever met Charlie, and he remains steadfast in never revealing Charlie's identity, or even a clue to his looks. This was a running joke in the series.

Most of the Angels found themselves romantically involved at one time or another with someone they encountered on the job, and Bosley is no exception. In one early episode, Bosley mentions a wife, but by the second season he "has not been married for some time", and he became linked with several females encountered in cases, although always those of middle age. One particularly close relationship occurred when the Angels visited Aspen, Colorado in Season 3. However, these liaisons never seemed to last beyond the episode, and otherwise, we learn little about Bosley's private life. He remains a father figure to the Angels. Ironically, although Bosley is proficient with firearms, disguises and accents, his actions occasionally hampered the Angels' work. In one episode, Bosley, acting as an Auctioneer, gets caught up in the excitement and mistakenly sells valuable merchandise not to an Angel as per the plan, but to an actual bidder. This ruined the Angels later plan to catch a cat burglar.

Critic's analysis

John Bosley (often nicknamed "Boz") is portrayed as a middle-aged man of average looks, especially when contrasted with the glamorous "Angels". However, he is warm, funny, and intelligent, and often helps the Angels either with background information, or often joining them in the field. Seemingly asexualSherry A. Inness, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oNaXkUvTztUC Disco Divas] ", p.156. (ISBN 0812218418)] (and thus unthreatening - Bosley has been described as an "indulgent eunuch". [Todd Gitlin, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UPryhZrTnNIC&pg=PA121&dq=Bosley+angels&sig=ACfU3U0xSSa4zwMyPaAcTJSfJYfymSyipw Inside Prime Time] ", p. 121. (ISBN 0415085004)] ), he helped direct the Angels meet Charlie's desired ends in the series where most men were villains and women were often victims (outside the Angels themselves [ [http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/C/htmlC/charliesang/charliesang.htm Charlie's Angels ] ] ). Several times he played either a pratfall-type character, the buffoon [Bill Osgerby, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=JUGehoTVrOAC Action TV] ", p. 94. (ISBN 0415226201)] , or a Sugar Daddy as part of one of the Angels' covers. Bosley always initiates the phone conferences between Charlie and the Angels as they learn of each case. He also acts as a bumbling father figure to the ladies.cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922576,00.html|title=Farewekk to a Phenomenon|author=Otto Friedrich|publisher=TIME Magazine|date=1981-06-08|accessdate=2008-08-07] Schwichtenberg described Bosley as a "narrative pimp" - with the sole male character (Bosley) an asexual "eunuch", the male viewer is free to desire the Angels without feeling threatened. Writing for the "New York Times" in 2000, Molly Haskell noted that critics, more so than the fans, saw Bosley and Charlie "more as procurers than protectors" and that the two male characters and the Angels "fell into pimp-prostitute roles along traditional gender lines". [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04EFDD1639F933A2575AC0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=Can 'Charlie's Angels' Still Fly in a 'G.I. Jane' World?|author=Molly Haskell|publisher=New York Times|date=2000-09-10|accessdate=2008-08-07]

Recognition

David Doyle was nominated for a 1977 Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Emmy_Awards/1977|title=Emmy Award nominees 1977|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=2008-08-07] , and a 1980 Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actor in a Supporting Role. [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Golden_Globes_USA/1980|title=Golden Globe nominees 1980|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=2008-08-07]

Film series

In the "Charlie's Angels" film, John Bosley was played by Bill Murray, and then in the sequel, a new character, John's adoptive brother Jimmy Bosley (comedian Bernie Mac), replaced him. [Roger Ebert, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kk5gaB7_bQ0C&pg=PA113&dq=Bosley+angels&sig=ACfU3U1HCkUj4ItAZ_sNbmUBpjB-iNYEcw Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2004] ", P. 113. (ISBN 0740738348)] Murray's take on the stodgy and avuncular Bosley character was more buffoon-like, giving rambling speeches of little or no help to the Angels. [cite web|url=http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/110900/mov_1109000020.shtml|title=Jordan: Girl power rules|publisher=Athens Banner-Herald|date=2000-11-09|accessdate=2008-08-07] Murray's Bosley was well received; the "Washington Post" described him as "very funny as the Angels' fussy, butler-esque helper", but considered the fact that this was "only because Murray's funnier than the role written for him". [cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2000/11/03/AR2005062902010.html|title='Angels' Plays All the Right Angles|publisher=Washington Post|date=2000-11-03|author=Desson Howe|accessdate=2008-08-07]

For the first film, Drew Barrymore, the producer and star of the film series, pursued Bill Murray for months to play Bosley; he consistently declined. Eventually, he did the film but did not return for the sequel. Murray clashed with co-star Lucy Liu on the set. [cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/10/28/2003277777/wiki|title=Bill Murray wears his heart on his sleeve|date=2005-10-28|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-08-07] [ [http://www.starswelove.com/scriptsphp/news.php?newsid=3667 Bill Murray Clears Up 'Charlie's Angels' Feud with Lucy Liu ] ]

References