FRIENDS SAY SITUATION IS MORE DIRE THAN THOUGHT

Farrah Fawcett, a sex symbol, icon, cultural symbol, and great lady may not live to see the finished documentary about her battle with cancer.

I;m told that Fawcett’s days may really be hours, and that she is gravely ill–moreso than previously thought. That’s the reason her son Redmond was allowed to visit her last week. But even now, the situation is dire.

At the same time, her best friend, Alana Stewart, is racing to finish their documentary about Fawcett’s fierce fight against what started as rectal cancer. The documentary is set to air next Friday, May 15th, on NBC. Friends and loved ones are praying that Fawcett will be able to see the broadcast, but at this point it’s unlikely.

In the last few days, I’m told, ex partner Ryan O’Neal has stepped in and taken over all of Fawcett’s business, etc. The couple was never married, and always had a tempestuous relationship. Aside from son Redmond, who’s had tremendous legal and substance abuse problems, the couple also produced a short lived funny sitcom together called “Good Sports.”

Fawcett, of course, came to prominence in “Charlie’s Angels” in the mid 1970s. Not since Marilyn Monroe had there been a Hollywood starlet who appeared with the force of a cultural A bomb. Her poster hung in every young boy’s bedroom in the world–and many young girls, too. Her haircut lives to this day.

Fawcett was married at the time to Lee Majors, but they were soon divorced. Her career would always be underscored by “Charlie’s Angels.” but she eventually had two more serious credits– a TV movie called “The Burning Bed,” and a Broadway play called “Extremities.” Each of these did much to shore up her reputation away from sexy crime fighter Jill Munroe. She also had a string of successes at the time with TV Movies, playing in succession Nazi hunter Beate Klarsfeld, photographer Margaret Bourke White, and poor little rich girl Barbara Hutton.

Farrah was nominated four Emmy Awards, six Golden Globes, and an Indie Spirit Award in 1997 for her work in Robert Duvall’s “The Apostle.”

Life is strange, isn’t it? Beautiful, vital Farrah is 62. John Forsythe, who was the voice of Charlie, turned 91 last January.

Stay tuned…