R.I.P. Farrah Fawcett (1947 – 2009)

By Amanda Reyes

Farrah Fawcett is an icon. As part of the original trio of ridiculously beautiful and refined detectives known as Charlie’s Angels, the actress soared to untold heights of fame. She played Jill Monroe, the fun, furtively smart girl with golden tresses and a smile that could stop a missile en route. She only played Jill for one season, but left an impact on anyone who caught the show during its original run. Fawcett passed away at the age of 62 after a long and very public battle with anal cancer. She might not ever be synonymous with horror, but her resume is overflowing with plenty of incredible genre work on the big and small screen...

Before she was an Angel Fawcett worked mostly in commercials and in character roles on television. Appearing in everything from I Dream of Jeannie to McCloud, Fawcett was also honing her skills in salacious made for television movies such as The Feminist and The Fuzz and Murder on Flight 502. Known mostly for her killer smile and even more stunning body, she seemed perfectly fit for an Angel and casting her, along with Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith proved to be a match made in, uh, heaven. She was even nominated for a Golden Globe award. Fawcett quickly became the sex symbol in a decade full of them, and the mania reached its pinnacle with the release of her infamous poster where she is clad in nothing more than a red bathing suit (many years before Baywatch) and her famous smile. To this day that poster remains one of the most popular pin-ups ever sold.

Farrah with her 'Angels' co-stars in the role that launched her mega-fame

In 1980, Fawcett starred in Saturn 3 with Kirk Douglas. The film was a bomb that was widely panned by critics (Fawcett was nominated for a Razzie), but the blonde beauty was just gearing up for the decade where her bold her film choices finally gave her the respect she deserved as an actress. After a few notable roles in the early 80s, her big break came in 1984 with her triumphant turn as an abused housewife in the harrowing television movie The Burning Bed. She garnered critical acclaim and was nominated for an Emmy.

With Kirk Douglas in 'Saturn 3'

As a sci-fi temptress in 'Logan's Run'

Then in 1986 she starred in the theatrical film Extremities where her character Marjorie turns the tables on a would-be rapist (played by James Russo). Both Fawcett & Russo reprised their roles from the off-Broadway production and she irrevocably proved that her talent was a force to be reckoned with. Fawcett ended the decade with two more amazing performances: One was as the famous Life Magazine photographer in Margaret Bourke-White and the other was as Diane Downs in the searing true crime mini-series Small Sacrifices, which garnered her yet another Emmy nomination.

Farrah's incredible turn as an abused wife in 'The Burning Bed'

The 90s took a different turn for the actress when she agreed to appear nude in Playboy magazine in 1995. That edition sold more than 4 million copies and became the best selling issue of the decade. She appeared once again in 1997 when she was fifty years old.

She turned the tables on her rapist in the thriller 'Extremities'

Farrah Fawcett: Bold, sexy and smart. When someone famous passes away you often hear it referred to as the end of an era. When it comes to someone like Fawcett that statement could not ring more true. From jiggle television to award winning performances to her candid battle with cancer, Fawcett proved that a bright shining star never truly goes out.