Actress Farrah Fawcett died on June 25 in Los Angeles at the age of 62. With her passing after a long battle with anal cancer, we lose one of the quintessential symbols of post-feminist Hollywood, a definitive pinup who somehow parlayed a delicate-flower demeanor and all-American beauty into a 30-year career.
“After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," Fawcett's longtime companion Ryan O'Neal said via a statement."Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we takecomfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and theknowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."
As it turned out, her bravest role of all was her final one: She shared every brutally unglamorous step of her cancer treatment with the world in the riveting NBC documentary Farrah's Story. Perhaps most touchingly, the film gave its 9 million viewers a glimpse of her extraordinary love affair with O’Neal, who has supported her throughout treatment — and even told Barbara Walters on a recent 20/20 that he’d finally asked her to marry him after nearly 25 years together: “We will, just as soon as she can say yes.” Sadly, Fawcett died before before the two wed.
The former University of Texas sorority girl became an instant star when she sashayed onto Charlie’s Angels in 1976. (Her trademark poster — shot pre-Angels — hit stores that same year, cementing her role as a sex symbol.) Fawcett left the show after only one season, and, after a string of big-screen flops, finally earned critical praise in the mid '80s with the off-Broadway play Extremities and the NBC movie The Burning Bed. (Her role, as an abused wife, earned the actress her first Emmy nomination.)
In1985, Fawcett — divorced from Six Million Dollar Man Lee Majors — struck up her romance with O’Neal, and the two had a son, Redmond James O’Neal. Throughout the next decade, she attracted plenty of criticalpraise for her on camera work, including 1997’s The Apostle and 2000’s Dr. T and the Women.But she also engaged in her share of public foibles — anaked-body-painting layout in a 1995 Playboy, a famously addled appearance on David Letterman’s Late Show in 1997. She even tried to tell her own story in 2005 with the short-lived TV Land reality series Chasing Farrah, to roundly dismissive reviews.
In2006, Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer. After undergoingchemotherapy and radiation, the actress was cancer-free. Unfortunately,doctors found the disease had returned in 2007. Even as her treatment resumed — and family's drug battles continued to make headlines — Fawcett managed to maintain an upbeat outlook. As Alana Stewart, friend and co-producer of Farrah's Story, told EW.com in April, "She’s always been positive. Her spirits have always been good throughout this ordeal."
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations to support cancerresearch be made to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation c/o P.O. Box 6478, BeverlyHills, CA 90212. --Jennifer Armstrong (Additional reporting by Jeff Jensen, Dan Snierson, and Tim Stack)
More on Farrah Fawcett:
Farrah's Story: Ken Tucker's review
Farrah Fawcett: 15 career milestones
Farrah Fawcett: angel in a red bathing-suit
Comments (1-30) of 148 Add your comment
So so sad
I will always remember her for that iconic poster. True beauty
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/06/25/farrah-fawcett-passes-away-at-62-years-old/
This is so sad. But she’ll never be forgotten though, I’m sure.
May she rest with the Angels
Now she can rest in the heavens, and may her family be blessed throughout this rough time.
What a beautiful person she was, our loss heavens gain.
Well actually her love life was a little more torrid at one point. Ryan O’Neal was a good friend of Lee Majors, but he and Farrah had an affair, resulting in Fawcett and Majors divorcing. But all in all, she was a gentle soul and it’s terribly sad.
An icon of my childhood. Farrah will be missed but I am relieved she is no longer suffering. Heaven now has a new, beautiful angel. RIP.
R.I.P. Farrah Fawcett. you fought hard.
RIP, Farrah. Read my tribute here:
http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/
I had her poster on my wall all through adolescence, she was a beauty and a beautiful person – rest in peace
God Bless her and Fawcett/O’Neal family. She was a true Angel and will be missed!!
God rest your soul Farrah. I’m glad you’re suffering is over and you now lay peacefully in the hands of God.
Charlie’s Angels was my favorite show as a kid, so Farrah’s passing is bittersweet. I’m just glad that she is no longer in pain.
Even though expected, this news saddens me. She was a beautiful and talented lady. Anybody who thinks she was nothing more than a beautiful girl with great hair on a poster needs to rent 2 DVD’s: “The Burning Bed” and “Small Sacrifices”. She was a gifted actress as proven by these 2 movies. Now she is truly free of cancer and is at peace. God bless you, Farrah.
may she rest in peace. rip farrah!
Farrah was the first woman I idolized as a child and the first poster I ever bought. I remember my older brother allowing me stay up late on Wednesday nights when my parents were out so I could watch Charlie’s Angels. Even today, 30 years later, I can still see how uniquely beautiful and magnetic she was and why I found her so appealing. I’m very sad to lose my first childhood icon, but so proud of the way she handled her disease – with courage and grace and honesty. Now she really is an angel.
Farrah what a wonderful actress she made my teenage yrs crazy with her hot poster and her shows she is one lady i will miss my god keep you in his arms of love goodbye sweet lady goodbye..
Terrible, tragic news. Her final battle made me realize what a tough gal she was, and how beautiful the love she and Ryan shared. I was moved earlier this week when he said they planned to marry – how sad they didn’t have the chance. RIP, Farrah, you’ll always be our Angel.
R.I.P. Farrah.
The Angel has now found her wings.
God bless her family and friends. You will be missed.
Farrah was a beautiful lady even to the end she was strong my heart and prayers go out to her family god bless
She was a wonderful inspiration to us all. She will be missed. My families prayers go out to Ryan and their family
R.I.P. Farrah.
The Angel has now found her wings.
God bless her family and friends in their time of mourning. Swell not on the lost but celebrate her life.
This is very sad news. What a beautiful, inspiring woman and actress. Her performances in “The Burning Bed” and “Extremeties” are legendary because she was not only fantastic but because she was trying to help woman battle abuse in both cases. A true legend and inspiration. God Bless her.
This is too sad to even be true Farrah is a bright light, and she will be remember for all the great stuff she has done. She will be in everyones heart. As well my condolences are with O’Neil and Farrah’s family
I’ve seen “Farrah’s Story” several times over since it initially aired. It revealed what a courageous, brave lady she was as she worked like crazy to fight her illness. Although the illness won over, she won my admiration. I hope Ryan will find joy once again despite the loss of Farrah. And, I hope her son Redmond will find peace and maturity in living the rest of his life in her honor.
I believe she was in the first or the second episode of Partridge Family as I saw her as a woman on the street. The youngest , Danny talks to her on the street. I came across this by accident as I was having fun watching a few of those shows. TV has changed!
Very sad. We’ve lost two icons so far in June (Ed McMahon last week), hopefully the old superstition about it coming in threes is not true.
I remember wanting to be her when I was 11. As Jill Monroe, she was beautiful AND kicked butt!! Now, at 44, I see it wasn’t the character…but the woman herself who had those wonderful attributes. Thanks for the great memories, Farrah. You will be missed.
Farrah Fawcett was a courageous woman who never let go of her inner & outer spirit. As a 26 yr.-old, I was always drawn to that spirit when she was a “Charlie’s Angel.” I envied her hair, but I also wanted her as a sister. She was so sincere & genuine. And her laughter was magical. Her mega-watt smile was her greatest asset…it lit up a room & people around her responded to it & her. Farrah never won an Emmy but should have for her performance in “The Burning Bed” & “Small Sacrifices.” The lady could act! And her role on stage in the play “Extremities” was powerful beyond belief! I watched her documentary “Farrah’s Story” & never for once felt she was narcissistic about her struggle to live life w/her cancer. I cried deeply for her. But I saw the strong stamina she had to go to battle w/this ugly disease. My thoughts are with your family/friends/fans, Farrah, wholll miss you deeply. May God hold you gently in his arms & welcome you. No more pain, no more sorrow. Only peace, finally.
Previous comment from “To M…” was me. Forgot to change out the “Your Name”.