If you were living in America and didn't know who Farrah Fawcett-Majors was in the 1970s, then you must have been off the grid somewhere in the wilds of Alaska. The woman was a sensation, bursting on the scene as an original cast member of the Aaron Spelling, ABC TV mega hit, Charlie's Angels. The role was short lived, but nonetheless she would be forever associated with the show, everyone's favorite angel. As a result of her newfound fame, an enterprising photographer snapped a beguiling photo of Farrah for a poster.
Her high wattage smile lit up the lense, and the cash registers. She was undoubtedly a beautiful young woman, but what sent sales skyrocketing were the clearly visible pair of erect nipples, poking against the thin fabric of her red tank top. The poster was a sensation, selling millions. Her image hung on countless bedroom walls across the country, inspiring the worship of a generation of young American men. The boys wanted her and the young women wanted to look like her. Legions of them demanded to have their hair styled just like Farrah's golden mane, and hair stylists did their best to comply. Round brushes and blow dryers became a must have component of every young woman's grooming arsenal.
At the time of the poster and the Charlie's Angel's craziness, she was married to Lee Majors, who had been enjoying some superstar level success of his own, as the Six Million Dollar Man. Two big stars can be one too many, and the marriage did not survive.
Their divorce was without the rancor and drama that is so often seen in Hollywood marriages, and Farrah soon moved into a new relationship (well, there may have been some overlapping but, hey) with Ryan O'Neal.
Ryan O'Neal became instantly famous when Love Story hit movie theaters in 1970. Based on the novel by Erich Segal, the film was a modern day Romeo and Juliet, with a twist. Rather than the feuding families of Verona this was about the social differences of a Boston Brahmin and a working class Italian girl from Rhode Island, albeit one with a brain sharp enough to gain her admission to Radcliffe.
Love Story was panned by most critics as being sappy and overly sentimental in it's telling of the star crossed lovers; but moviegoers didn't care much for what the critics thought, and the movie was a box office hit.
Defying his father, Ryan's character Oliver marries Jenny (a Radcliffe music major), and in so doing finds himself on his own financially for the first time in his life. They make it through the years of law school, struggling but triumphant with the promise of a successful life in New York City. Madly in love and trying to start a family things don't end well.
When Farrah and Ryan began their romance, few could argue that they did not make a beautiful couple. This is the time period when their path crossed with mine, on a long ago ferry ride from Woods Hole, Massachusetts to Martha's Vineyard. It was May, 1984 and I was on my way to the Vineyard to spend the summer with the family of a college friend.
We had driven to the Cape that morning from the western part of the state, and were inordinately proud of ourselves for not having gotten lost. It was a warm, spring day, a coming attraction of the summer to come. After parking the car in the belly of the ship we made our way to the deck. It was about four in the afternoon, the sun was beginning it's descent and the sky had taken on that tossed up grayness that kept it from being dull and the wind had become fresh. We stood on the deck closest to the bridge, toward the bow, and peered ahead, searching for the first sight of the Vineyard as the sky began to blush with coming sunset. Breathing in the thick sea air, I spotted another couple a deck below us. Their eyes were searching for the same thing ours were, an island tucked offshore, a refuge, a paradise. The man was much taller than the woman and his arm reached easily around her, holding her close to him, it was obvious they were lovers. It was Ryan and Farrah.
There were few passengers on the ferry that day and they either did not notice or recognize Farrah and Ryan (hard to believe, but possible), or chose to behave as if they were just another couple returning to the island. In the flurry of activity that surrounded our own arrival, I quickly forgot about them, and don't even recall bringing up the fact that we'd seen them during dinner later that night.
A few days later while job hunting in Edgartown I literally bumped into them as they exited a shop. It was on a side street, I think they might have been coming out of a small ice cream shop or clothing boutique. I can easily recall the way they appeared, full of life, she so tiny, much more petite than you would imagine, and he was handsome and fit looking, and not disappointingly short the way that so many leading men are. They both looked incredibly attractive, and appeared to glow with happiness in an entirely natural way, without artifice. I can't recall if I had said hello, more likely I excused myself.
This was before the start of the busy season on Marthas Vineyard, but even so, it was then the sort of place that recognizable people could walk about and carry on with their lives without attracting too much unwanted attention. I doubt it is still this way, but it is nice to remember how it was.
Whatever has happened over the years between Ryan and Farrah, I can testify that I saw two people who were as seriously in love as two people can be.
During the years that followed Farrah proved herself to have some acting chops under all those wings and waves. She shocked her skeptics with riveting performances on Broadway in the wrenching drama, Extremities. More dramatic praise followed for performances in the television adaption of the Burning Bed, and her portrayal of Diane Dowd in the telemovie, Small Sacrifices to name a few of her more notable roles.
Undoubtedly her final role will be as herself. Choosing to film her personal journey with cancer is a profoundly brave act from a woman known first and foremost for her physical beauty. There are few more ironic examples of the pendulum arc of celebrity than she. Here is Farrah, a Charlie's Angel, a beauty of near cult status, young, beautiful and seemingly without depth (but not really of course), versus this woman of achievement at the age of 62, who belied her critics when she performed on Broadway, and who has kept the cameras rolling as she fought a terrible disease, warts and all. And a disease with a decidedly ugly name: anal cancer.
A documentary of her journey is slated to air May 15th. Many would have abandoned the project once they realized this was not going to be a story of success. Instead, she has chosen to soldier on, show people that even a beautiful person who appeared to have it all, is merely flesh and blood in the end, not very different from other bald headed chemo patients, or you and I. And that living and dying go hand in hand.
Brave heart.
Ryan O'Neal has had a life more traumatic and dramatic than any Hollywood screenplay could concoct. I won't call it a train wreck but it hasn't been a walk in the park for him or his progeny. Sadly that luck did not change with the son that he and Farrah shared, Redmond, now back in rehab for the umpteenth time.
Ryan O'Neal has been stricken with leukemia in recent years, the very same disease that struck down his co-star in Love Story. He appears to have been cured, or has beaten the disease into a long term remission.
Ryan's relationship with Farrah has waxed and waned over the years, but it seemed that they always fell back together, and he has been with her, and is there now, by her bedside. An eerie echo of his role as Oliver Barrett those many years ago. A beautiful talented woman dying too young.
Art imitates life imitates art.
Author's Note: Farrah died this morning June 25, 2009 at 9:25 AM. She fought her battle with courage and grace. She was 62 years old.
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Comments
I wonder if she were given the choice of trading her beauty for a longer (now the clock would be turned back to childhood in this bargain) and much more "average" sort of life, would she?
rated for true love through thick and thin, warts and all
If you ever have the opportunity to go to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket you must go, but here's a hint: go after Labor Day. It's cheaper and much nicer after the summer crowds are gone.
Not everyone is cut out to be a parent...
Despite what we see in her final days, she will always be remembered as the beautiful woman with the amazing locks and smile seen on that poster. And yes, it was hanging on my dorm room wall.
Your acumen at spotting and writing about the uncanny resemblance of their person love story is wonderful. Thank you for pulling all of the pieces together in such a lovely piece.
I would definitely watch her film.
Rated
well-written and much enjoyed.
Nice writing Ablonde.
d
When beautiful and relatively young people die we all take pause.
Yes, Farrah has more depth than people thought (I had a relative that used to see her in Catholic Church almost every week and said she was a lovely serious person there) but she's also clearly had drug problems (and who knows what else - rumors of mental issues) and she's been involved with this man has also had serious drug problems much of his life and is physically violent to people.
When I was a young teen, I enjoyed them both as you conjure them, but as I've gotten older and heard more, in reality they seem like very very messed up people who have produced a very messed up son. I feel sorry for that kid. I can't admire them, even as I'm sorry that she's suffering and do think she's doing a service to the public if she's trying to use that suffering to educate people about cancer (altho that remains to be seen - her last reality show, which i saw one ep of, wasn't educational -- well, except perhaps about what drug use can do to you).
If anything I meant to point out that they appeared to have every advantage, looks, money, career, and each other, but where did it get them in the end? O'Neal has screwed up children from both of his marriages not to mention his own problems with drugs and violent behavior. Farrah had one child who has been in and out of rehab so many times and is facing serious jail time. And all the beauty and money in the world doesn't mean squat once cancer is eating you alive from the inside out. Their lives are tragic parallels to Love Story. Good looks, money, and an outstanding future are all illusions that can vanish with one bad doctor's appointment. Love is wonderful but it alone is not enough to vanquish all the demons that plague us.
Thanks for the excellent post!
I feel sad for Farrah, who truly was a gorgeous physical specimen. Hard to believe she would go this way.
But Farrah, fair, fair Farrah...and her strength.
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Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint: O cursed spite
(Hamlet)