Farrah Fawcett succumbs to cancer at 62

[caryrae]

BREAKING NEWS
msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 4 minutes ago
Farrah Fawcett, whose luxurious tresses and blinding smile helped redefine sex appeal in the 1970s as one of TV’s “Charlie’s Angels,” died Thursday after battling cancer. She was 62.

The pop icon, who in the 1980s set aside the fantasy girl image to tackle serious roles, died Thursday shortly before 9:30 a.m. PDT in a Santa Monica hospital, spokesman Paul Bloch said.

She burst on the scene in 1976 as one-third of the crime-fighting trio in TV’s “Charlie’s Angels.” A poster of her in a clingy swimsuit sold in the millions.

She left the show after one season but had a flop on the big screen with “Somebody Killed Her Husband.” She turned to more serious roles in the 1980s and 1990s, winning praise playing an abused wife in “The Burning Bed.”

She had been diagnosed with **** cancer in 2006. As she underwent treatment, she enlisted the help of actor Ryan O’Neal, who had been her longtime companion and was the father of her son, Redmond, born in 1985.

This month, O’Neal said he asked Fawcett to marry him and she agreed. They would wed “as soon as she can say yes,” he said.

Her struggle with painful treatments and dispiriting setbacks was recorded in the television documentary “Farrah’s Story.” Fawcett sought cures in Germany as well as the United States, battling the disease with iron determination even as her body weakened.

“Her big message to people is don’t give up, no matter what they say to you, keep fighting,” her friend Alana Stewart said. NBC estimated the May 15, 2009, broadcast drew nearly 9 million viewers.

In the documentary, Fawcett was seen shaving off most of her trademark locks before chemotherapy could claim them. Toward the end, she’s seen huddled in bed, barely responding to a visit from her son.

Poster sold millions of copies
Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith comprised the original “Angels,” the sexy, police-trained trio of martial arts experts who took their assignments from a rich, mysterious boss named Charlie (John Forsythe, who was never seen on camera but whose distinctive voice was heard on speaker phone.)

The program debuted in September 1976, the height of what some critics derisively referred to as television’s “jiggle show” era, and it gave each of the actresses ample opportunity to show off their figures as they disguised themselves in bathing suits and as hookers and strippers to solve crimes.

Backed by a clever publicity campaign, Fawcett — then billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors because of her marriage to “Six Million Dollar Man” star Lee Majors — quickly became the most popular Angel of all.

Her face helped sell T-shirts, lunch boxes, shampoo, wigs and even a novelty plumbing device called Farrah’s faucet. Her flowing blond hair, pearly white smile and trim, shapely body made her a favorite with male viewers in particular.

A poster of her in a dampened red swimsuit sold millions of copies and became a ubiquitous wall decoration in teenagers’ rooms.

Thus the public and the show’s producer, Spelling-Goldberg, were shocked when she announced after the series’ first season that she was leaving television’s No. 5-rated series to star in feature films. (Cheryl Ladd became the new “Angel” on the series.)

But the movies turned out to be a platform where Fawcett was never able to duplicate her TV success. Her first star vehicle, the comedy-mystery “Somebody Killed Her Husband,” flopped and Hollywood cynics cracked that it should have been titled “Somebody Killed Her Career.”

The actress had also been in line to star in “Foul Play” for Columbia Pictures. But the studio opted for Goldie Hawn instead. “Spelling-Goldberg warned all the studios that that they would be sued for damages if they employed me,” Fawcett told The Associated Press in 1979. “The studios wouldn’t touch me.”

She finally reached an agreement to appear in three episodes of “Charlie’s Angels” a season, an experience she called “painful.”

Rest of story here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30072275...rities/page/2/

[ASweetLov]

RIP Farrah!

[Earnhardt321]

It is hard to believe that she is gone.
RIP Farrah.

[RedSoxFan]

This is so sad. She was so beautiful.

[just2mickey]

I was so touched by her documentary. It gave us a small peek into her life and I was touched by her childlike and soft voice. At that moment, she was not Farrah the hair goddess or Charlie's Angel but a mother and a daughter who seemed so innocent and strong. I hope that through research and continued funding, we can find a cure. I currently have a very close friend of mine who sits by her father daily with this horrible disease and my heart goes out to all who have been touched by it.

[TennesseeTink]

SO SAD!!! My heart goes out to her family and friends.

[MNNHFLTX]

This is sad news indeed. She certainly fought long and hard. RIP, Farrah.

[yjgirl32]

So very sad. She fought so hard. My prayers go out to her family and friends. RIP Farrah

[badkitty]

So, so sad. She was such a fighter. I loved her hair and all of us girls had to copy her golden locks. I will miss her. My heart goes out to her family and friends. RIP Farrah.

[Stitchahula]

RIP I feel bad that her son was in jail when she died. He will probably never forgive himself for not being there. Maybe her passing away without him being able to be there will be what he needs to straighten up. I guess what I'm saying is hopefully something good will come out of this. She was a strong beautiful woman.

[gueli]

Dear Farrah,
Thank you.

May you rest in peace.
Manny blessings on your family.

You showed such class and resolve in the face of your greatest battle.

[alphamommy]

RIP I feel bad that her son was in jail when she died. He will probably never forgive himself for not being there. Maybe her passing away without him being able to be there will be what he needs to straighten up. I guess what I'm saying is hopefully something good will come out of this. She was a strong beautiful woman.

I saw on The View yesterday that her son was released to go visit her for a short time before she passed.

Cancer is such a cruel, brutal disease. I wish her peace now that her battle is over.

[KarenP]

Such a beautiful woman! May she rest in peace.

[jennbunn]

r.i.p farrah. you will be missed