Actress Farrah Fawcett died of cancer this morning at 62. Her long-time companion, actor Ryan O'Neal, was reportedly by her side.
Fawcett will forever be remembered as one of the original stars of the tv hit, Charlie's Angels. The series, about three women who work for a private investigation agency, was one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men. Although she was a regular only for the show's 1976-77 season, she became an international pop culture icon for decades to follow. Her hairstyle was emulated by millions of young women, and she was a swimsuit-wearing pin-up sex symbol for millions of young men in the 1970s and 1980s.
Sadly, many may have forgotten that Fawcett went on to become a critically-accepted actress, appearing in challenging roles off-Broadway and in acclaimed movies. In the 1984 tv movie, The Burning Bed, Fawcett gave a riveting performance as a battered housewife who took revenge on her husband. Fawcett also won acclaim in the stage (1983) and theatrical movie version of Extremities (1986), in which she played a rape victim who turns the tables on her attacker. Along the way, she earned several acting nominations (three for Emmy Awards, one for a Golden Globe Award).
photo credit: Bruce McBroom
No comments:
Post a Comment