I was never a big fan. I liked Cheryl Ladd way better.
I paid no attention to Farrah whatsoever since the ’70s, other than noticing tabloid headlines in the grocery store, from time to time, that indicated she was having a rough go of things.
So I was surprised to find myself a little sad when I heard she died.
It took me way back to the ’70s, and made me think of all kinds of long-gone people, places and things. I don’t miss those times. But they are part of me.
I liked this video that I saw on Ann Althouse.
There is another one on there with the BeeGees singing. That is the correct decade, of course, the ’70s. But the Archies doing “Sugar Sugar” goes better, since there is something sweet about many of these images of the young Farrah that goes better with the ’60s pop song, that the ’70s disco song does not capture. I like especially where she is dancing at :31 and at :49. She looks young, normal and happy, except, of course, also being incredibly good looking. I get a kick out of seeing her with Danny Partridge, too. I grew up on the Partridge Family and the Brady Bunch, like a lot of people did.
She was only on Charlie’s Angels for one year, and made one iconic poster, and she became this massively famous person. Everyone in the world knew her name and her face … and her hair. She really was the American face of the ’70s. A very Warholesque 15 minutes.
Fame and youth and beauty and all worldly goods pass away.
Rest in peace. We will remember you as young and beautiful forever.
Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.
Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.
No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renownéd be thy grave!
Dunno Lex, your memory is playing tricks. She seems to have done a lot of serious acting and winning prizes for that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrah_Fawcett#Dramatic_roles
But, I guess, that is how most people remember her: in Charlie’s Angels.
My memory is not doing tricks. I stopped watching television in 1981. If she had a great career after Charlie’s Angels, bully for her.
My point is that even though I have not paid attention to Farrah in about 30 years, her death brought a flood of memories of the old days when she was a household name and her face was everywhere. I think a lot of men who were teenagers at the time had a similar response.
It’s really worth working hard and becoming a serious actress on stage as well as TV. Not!
It may have been worth working hard for her, and for her fans for her later work.
But, as it happens, that part of her career had no impact on me.
“So I was surprised to find myself a little sad when I heard she died.”
Why?
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were. Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee…”
A note to Farrah,
You made such an impact on a little girl’s life, that would be me. I graduated high school in 1976 and watched you on Charlies’ Angles. I had always had short hair and never knew it could be long and beautiful like yours. Once I saw you on Charlie’s Angels, I grew my hair long and was beautiful for the first time in my life. I always say, “Farrah hair”. I remember a guy in the park I had liked so much, but would never give me the time of day, he was so taken with my new found beauty. It’s nice to feel beautiful. I love you and miss you. Love to Ryan. My friends have been saying to me for the last three months, sugar, sugar, i miss sugar. She went back to Corpus Cristy. I was confused. University of Texas. Give God a kiss for me. I love you always, “candy girl.” Diane Reel