Exclusive! New blast in Farrah war!

After Craig Nevius filed his response to a lawsuit against him by the trustee of Farrah Fawcett's estate (and business manager of his arch-enemy Ryan O'Neal) Richard B. Francis, in which he claims Francis is mishandling Farrah's money, O'Neal threatened to kill him while wresting control of the cancer documentary Nevius and Farrah had been producing together, and Alana Stewart misused her relationship with Farrah to sell a book, the estate and trio's attorney, Howard Weitzman responded:

"I've read Mr. Nevius' response to our complaint which I think contains spurious and outrageous allegations. I'm confident the truth will all come out during the course of the litigation."

Here, exclusively, Nevius responds to Weitzman's response:

"Mr. Weitzman THINKS my lawsuit contains 'spurious and outrageous allegations?' You mean, he doesn't KNOW? Itdoesn't sound like he has unwavering confidence in his clients. But he is right about one thing: the truth will come out during litigation. And it will reveal that Ryan O'Neal is a monster, Alana Stewart is soulless and Richard Francis acts like a thug. Of course, the fees Mr. Weitzman and his firm will have collected from Farrah's estate to represent these horrible people will still spend the same."


Nevius sued O'Neal, Stewart and Francis over the Farrah's Story documentary which aired on NBC last year, claiming they went against Farrah's wishes and improperly cut him out of the process. Francis responded with a lawsuit on behalf of the estate, claiming that Nevius botched a first edit of the documentary and "embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars" from the actress' company. Nevius's filing states that he is not seeking any money from Farrah's estate.

Farrah died at age 62 on June 25 after a three-year battle with cancer.

UPDATE: Click here to read the Nevius court papers at RadarOnline.

Report: Rehabbing Redmond rebels, refuses role in dad Ryan O'Neal's sequel to TV special about his mom Farrah Fawcett

Gossip man Mike Walker, who has pretty reliable sources, reports in this week's National Enquirer that "drug addict Redmond O'Neal" is "fed up with the money-grubbing exploitation of dead mom Farrah Fawcett by ruthlessly abusive dad Ryan O'Neal" and "finally exploded and refused to star in Ryan's sequel to Farrah's Story, the hit TV documentary that featured shocking footage of jailbird Redmond shuffling in shackles to Mommy's deathbed!"

Walker goes a step further by adding that "Redmond-- desperately fighting his drug habit in rehab-- blames Ryan for the vicious snub of Farrah by the Oscars, which cut her out of its In Memorium segment."

Ryan is quoted by a "friend visiting him in rehab":

"My dad's pissed off so many people in Hollywood that they're taking it out on my mother!"


Redmond reportedly believes his dad is "using poor Farrah's memory to grub for money he badly needs. Redmond got $4.5 million in Farrah's will-- but Ryan got zero."

According to one of Mike's insiders, Red's "residual anger" at that deathbed scene has built after "friends and fellow jailbirds convinced him that Ryan shouldn't have shot that embarrassing footage.

"And now that he's out of jail, he's told Ryan not to visit him in rehab."

Sound true?

Farrah Fawcett planned Lee Majors reunion

Ryan O'Neal has claimed Farrah Fawcett in death, but had she survived, the icon actress would have reunited with her ex-husband Lee Majors.

Majors' manager Denny Bond says Farrah had been in secret talks about joining the former Six Million Dollar Man in a Las Vegas production of the play, Love Letters.


The pair, who split after six years of marriage in 1979, would have played ex-lovers who spend their entire lifetime trying to get back together.

Sez Bond: "We had many discussions with Lee and Farrah and we had planned on a Las Vegas opening and doing a Los Angeles charity performance for her soon-to-be established cancer foundation as the kick-off to the tour."


The show would have been produced by Craig Nevius, Farrah's television and documentary production partner who is a battle of lawsuits against O'Neal and company over his axing from Farrah's cancer documentary that became a tawdry (if Emmy-nominated) NBC News-affiliated special.

Sez Nevius: "Love Letters was the perfect stage play for the two of them. Lee would have played a conservative, no-nonsense politician who had been in love with his childhood sweetheart for decades.


"Farrah would have played his childhood sweetheart who grew up to be an eccentric, free-spirited artist. Farrah had a lot of ideas. She was excited about the whole thing. So was Lee."

Added one wag: "All that was left was to hire Greg Lott to run the souvenir stand in the lobby and the love would have been everywhere."


Farrah and Majors had been estranged for decades, but reconnected in the months before her death on June 25th.

Academy shrugs off Farrah Oscar® snub

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has responded to Tabloid Baby's complaint that Farrah Fawcett was unjustly left out of the In Memorium segment of the Academy Awards® show, and their answer is "tough luck."

"I would not say that it was an oversight," says spokeswoman Leslie Unger. "No matter how carefully and how conscientiously people address who is included, there are people who just simply can't be.

"Every year there are many difficult decisions that have to be made and not everybody who passed during the year can be included. That's the unfortunate reality."

Unger addressed our specific complaint that Michael Jackson, who died on the same day as Farrah yet had scant film credits, was honored.

"In any given year there will always be some people that other people think should have been included and that there's more justification for one person versus another. It is impossible to include everybody."


Meanwhile, the men who are fighting over Farrah found common ground in their disgust over the omission.

Speaking through his publicist, Ryan O'Neal said, "We were disappointed that she was not included."

Farrah's producing partner Craig Nevius said: "I think this is what Farrah struggled with her entire career. She struggled with respect and told me many times she felt she was put in a box.

"She loved television, and she was primarily a star on TV, but she was also a star on stage and film. You know, how you can discount Extremities (for which Farrah earned a Golden Globe Globe nomination), The Apostle (ditto an Independent Spirit nomination) and Dr. T and the Women, I don't know.

"I think it would be very big of them to own up to the mistake, but I also think it might set a dangerous precedent for them, which is why they probably won't do it."

We settle the fight between Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett's production partner Craig Nevius over "Farrah's Story"

Outrage over Ryan O'Neal producing a sequel to the NBC special Farrah's Story that includes his and Farrah Fawcett's troubled drug addict son Redmond? The storm began even before Farrah's death last June, when Craig Nevius, Farrah Fawcett's production partner on her cancer documentary, A Wing and A Prayer, sued O'Neal, O'Neal and Farrah's longtime business manager Richard B. Francis and Farrah's friend and documentary camerawoman Alana Stewart for pushing him out of the project that became the controversial Farrah's Story. Last month, O'Neal fired back as Francis sued Nevius on behalf of Farrah's estate.

We contacted Craig Nevius, asking for his reaction to this latest twist-- and with an idea for settling at least one part of the sad saga. He responded via email.

What's your reaction to Ryan O'Neal's sequel to Farrah's Story?

I’m sure that any project Ryan or Alana may produce will be of the same quality that most of us have come to know and expect from both of them.

What are the chances of you getting a copy of the original footage and the rights to produce and release the original A Wing and A Prayer director's cut that Farrah wanted made? Would that settle things?

First, let me correct the premise of your question (and a growing misconception born out of the lawsuit that “Farrah’s Estate” filed against me last month): there is no such thing as a “Director’s Cut” of A Wing and A Prayer. While I am (and have always been) the director of the film, every edited version was the “Executive Producers’ Cut.” Meaning it was not only my work but Farrah’s work as well.

The idea that I was working in a vacuum and then, suddenly, after almost two years of editing, simply “presented” her with “my version” is as ridiculous as it is untrue. Anyone who ever got to know Farrah, let alone got the chance to work with her, knows that control was not something that she easily gave up, much less gave into (if someone else tried to exert it). And while Farrah had many talents, biting her tongue was not one of them. She always insisted that people around her “say what you mean and mean what you say.” And she did the same. In my experience, Farrah rarely changed her mind.


Even though Farrah couldn’t be in the editing room on a daily basis, we spoke almost every day, usually several times a day, often for hours on end. And we screened new scenes and/or sequences together every two or three weeks (unless she was in Germany, but even then we tried to speak once a week even if it was at 4:30 in the morning Los Angeles time). Changes to the film were made based on her artistic vision as well as her medical condition: which means both her triumphs and setbacks dictated our direction. She was, after all, still living the “story” we were telling.

"Farrah never wanted this project
to be about death.
She wanted it to be about
the fight for a chance at life."

But what she made clear to me early on was that if it suddenly became apparent that the end was near, we needed to make sure that the story in the film ended first. Because Farrah never wanted this project (or its promotion) to be about death. She wanted it to be about the fight for a chance at life. That’s why we chose to use “I Run For Life," Melissa Etheridge’s inspirational anthem to cancer patients everywhere, near the end of the documentary. Farrah’s video diary was never supposed to rely on talking heads to narrate the story, much less reminisce about her in the past tense. It was not to be a tribute and it was certainly not meant to be a eulogy. Farrah knew that there would be plenty of those on The Today Show and Entertainment Tonight and if the worst were to happen.

So what about the question we asked: What if you were allowed to release that original documentary so the pubic can have both?

My lawsuit is asking the court to declare that the Sweetened By Risk Agreement (signed by Farrah and by me) is our company’s only legally valid (and therefore controlling) operating agreement. If that is the court’s finding, then yes, A Wing and A Prayer will be seen by the world. But until that time comes, the only audience likely to see it will be the judge and jury.


And that’s only because the accusations made by Richard Francis in the estate’s lawsuit against me made the quality of the work relevant-- when it was not necessarily relevant before (in my lawsuit for contract interference). At least that’s my understanding of it. But you have to remember, my only law degree comes from watching Boston Legal.

Would you accept that?

Yes. My lawsuit has always been primarily about two issues: my rights and my responsibility. That’s how Sweetened By Risk’s Operating Agreement reads. It clearly states that if Farrah becomes unable to function for any reason (including and specifically illness), I not only had the right to make all business and creative decisions for our company, I also had the responsibility to do so.

So you see, even if I wanted to settle for something less than completing the film as Farrah intended, I really couldn’t. At least not if I wanted to live with myself. Sure, money would be great. But I know that it wouldn’t last nearly as long as the guilt I would feel for selling out Farrah. She fought too long and too hard for me not to do the same.

Has the other side offered to settle with you for money?

Whether they did or not, I wouldn’t be able to talk about it.

***

It sounds simple enough: Show us the movie. Farrah's fans, O'Neal's supporters, and the world will only be richer for getting even more insight into Farrah, and seeing her ordeal through her own eyes.

The lawsuits would be settled and everyone involved could be satisfied that Farrah is indeed "resting in peace."

Ryan? Bernie?

Is the producer of Farrah Fawcett sequel also Farrah Fawcett's sequel?

Sources tell us that the woman in these pictures, who has been seen at Ryan O'Neal's side since Farrah Fawcett's funeral and around his Malibu beachhouse in the months since, is O'Neal's handpicked producer for the sequel to the Farrah's Story tabloid special.

She is identified as "Stephanie Lynn." She has been alternatively described as "Ryan O'Neal's assistant." (IMDb has entries for two Stephanie Lynns, an actress and a television talent coordinator named Stephanie Lynn, born August 23, 1977 in Tucson Arizona, most recently of the Dr. Phil show, and a former researcher for Creep Tales.)


O'Neal's publicist Arnold Robinson has confirmed that the production process is underway.

"My understanding," he says, "is that he is collecting recollections/memories of Farrah from her friends and family for archival purposes."


No word if NBC, which aided in the altering of Farrah's cancer journal, A Wing And A Prayer into the O'Neal-flavoured Farrah's Story, is involved with the sequel, though the Emmy nomination and ratings garnered by the original would seem to point in that direction.


Developing...

Will Farrah Fawcett's death be included in the sequel to "Farrah's Story" now being produced by Ryan O'Neal?

Ryan O'Neal has begun production on a sequel to the maligned and Emmy-nominated Farrah's Story television special, and the question left hanging is whether Farrah Fawcett's death will be included.

Farrah's Story was a revamped version of Farrah's cancer journal documentary that aired to high ratings in May 2009, a little more than a month before Farrah's death. Cameras continued to roll through the final weeks of Farrah's life, however, and there have been whispers that cameras were there as Farrah passed.

Ratings-hungry NBC has not been shy in showing the moment of death, as demonstrated last week of in its constant replaying of the brutal luge accident death of an Olympic athlete.

As we reported exclusively in June, the sequel was in the works even before Farrah was buried, as camera crews filmed Farrah's funeral services for the project.


The sequel is being billed as a "tribute" to Farrah, whose death on June 25th was overshadowed by that of Michael Jackson hours later.

RadarOnline.com reports that a producer for the project arrived in Texas earlier this month to shoot interviews with Farrah's friends, although at least one person (not Greg Lott) has refused to participate, in protest of O'Neal's involvement.

Farrah's Story began as a video journal produced by Farrah and her production partner Craig Nevius, who sued O'Neal, Alana Stewart and business manager Richard B. Francis for pushing him out of the project and turning a serious medical documentary into a maudlin exploitative show. As the battles continue to rage behind the scenes, Francis sued Nevius on behalf of Farrah's estate, accusing him of mucking up the doco and even stealing her money.

Kate Jackson wants to move to Australia

Suspicions that former Charlie's Angels actress Kate Jackson picked a fight with Ryan O'Neal as a way to revive her career have been put to rest by a portion of her story that has yet to receive widespread exposure in the Hollywood media: she is planning to leave the country.

Jackson raised a storm when she claimed last week that O'Neal and Alana Stewart had prevented her from visiting her dear friend Farrah Fawcett in the final weeks of her life. The uproar was kicked into hurricane status when she made a stunning reversal and backed Craig Nevius in his legal battle against O'Neal and Stewart over their commandeering of his and Farrah's cancer documentary. Jackson also suggested that O'Neal had coerced a delirious Farrah into signing over the rights to him.


As it turns out, the interview that appeared on RadarOnline.com was conducted by international journalist Dylan Howard, known recently for bringing further exposure and validity to the claims by Farrah's college beau Greg Lott that O'Neal prevented him from visiting Farrah, his recent, secret lover.

A version of the story also appeared in Australia's Woman's Day magazine, and in a sidebar, the 61-year-old actress reveals her surprise plans:

"I want to move to Australia. When I started acting school, I thought, 'Gee, I would love to go to Australia,' but then my life took off.

"I ended up going in the '80s for the Logies... and I think it is great there. Australia to me feels like America when I was growing up. It feels safe. Here, I can't let my 14-year-old son go ride his bike without supervision. You need to put a GPS chip in him to do that.

"I'll live in the city in the beginning, to meet people, and then move somewhere where I will be more comfortable.

"I'm too young to retire. I want to work and Australia is the place for me to do that."

"Call Me A Liar?" Now Kate Jackson disputes Farrah Fawcett's signature that allowed Ryan O'Neal to take over her documentary

Former Charlie's Angel says Kate Jackson has upped the ante in her war of words with Ryan O'Neal, now claiming she doubts the validity of the document that gave him and Alana Stewart control of the documentary that Farrah had been producing with Craig Nevius.

As we reported exclusively in May-- a month before Farrah's death-- Nevius is using the signature on the document as evidence that he was improperly removed from the video journal project that Farrah sold to NBC and O'Neal ultimately engineered into the maudlin, exploitative (high rating and Emmy-nominated) Farrah's Story. (Farrah's and O'Neal's business manager Richard B. Francis, on behalf of Farrah's estate, countered by suing Nevius for misappropriating funds and screwing up the documentary.)

Now the 61-year-old Jackson, who last year on NBC Today show attacked Nevius and slapped him with the "Devious" moniker, has made an extraordinary team-switch.

As O'Neal insists that Jackson is lying when she says he and Stewart kept her from "saying goodbye" to Farrah at the end of her life, Jackson has turned handwriting expert, telling RadarOnline.com that she questions Farrah's signature on the lawsuit document!

Farrah Fawcett signature, April 2008

Farrah Fawcett signature April 2009

"Farrah had such beautiful penmanship," Jackson is quoted as saying. "It caused me to become very sad and upset, when I saw that signed document, because I believed that she was not awake enough, because of the pain medication she required.

"Frankly, to me, that document didn't look like she could have a clue what she was signing."


Jackson also clarifies the "Devious" crack on the Today show:

"I was embarrassed. I was told before I did the Today Show that Craig Nevius was a crook and all this other stuff. I thought he was attempting to do all these awful things."

Jackson says it was soon after the Today interview that she Stewart told her that Farrah didn't want to see her.


"I wasn't allowed to ask Farrah if that was indeed the case that she didn't want to see me or others. "I wasn't allowed to talk to her on the phone, at all.

"Even if a person is in such pain that they sleep most of the time, if the phone was answered, or the messages weren't so full that you can't leave one, I could have had someone put the phone to her ear so I could tell her that I love her.

"Even if she was sleeping, I wouldn't have cared. I needed to do it But the phone was never answered or it was full of messages. That to me was weird.

"I am having a great deal of difficulty dealing with this. It is very, very, upsetting and I can't see myself ever getting over it."

Read more at RadarOnline.com.

Ryan O'Neal calls Kate Jackson a liar

Ryan O'Neal says Kate Jackson is a liar.

The 68-year-old actor, holder of Farrah Fawcett's legacy and father of her troubled, drug-addicted son, has remained on the sidelines, if a participant, in the battles over his on-off lover who died of cancer in June, and despite some provocative comments in the media, has had to be pulled into the fray, as he was when Farrah's college sweetheart and secret lover Greg Lott confronted him in the street with a camera crew in tow.

Now, however, he's stepped into the ring willingly to rebut Jackson, a Farrah friend of four decades as well as Charlie's Angel costar, who caused a stir last week when she claimed to RadarOnline.com that O'Neal had cut off her access to Farrah in the final weeks of her life. O'Neal tells RadarOnline that it's "not true.

"Firstly, Farrah spent the last week of her life in the hospital. Secondly, why would Kate be denied access to Farrah and then be invited to her services?"

Jackson said the last time she saw Farrah was at an intimate gathering in February 2009 for the icon's 62nd birthday. And though she had attacked Farrah's original documentary partner Craig Nevius, labelling him "Craig Devious," she recanted and is now siding with the producer in his legal battle over the doco against O'Neal, Farrah friend Alana Stewart and O'Neal business manager Richard B. Francis.


O'Neal's representative Arnold Robinson adds:

"Mr. O'Neal's only wishes are for Farrah to rest in peace and for her contributions and legacy to be remembered by the millions who loved her."

Kate Jackson claims Ryan O'Neal stopped her from visiting dying Farrah Fawcett

“I was shut out.
I was prevented from saying goodbye
to one of my best friends.”

Add Kate Jackson to the list of close friends who claim they were banned from visiting Farrah Fawcett in the final weeks of her life.

Farrah's Charlie's Angels costar and friend of four decades has come out with teeth and claws bared, charging that Ryan O'Neal and Alana Stewart suddenly cut off access to the actress as she lost her battle to cancer.

"I was shut out. I was prevented from saying goodbye to one of my best friends."

Kate says the she learned of the banishment suddenly, as she had arrived to visit Farrah' at her condo on Wilshire Boulevard. "I was walking across the lobby at her apartment, carrying a shopping bag with apples, grapes, green tea and as I got toward the elevator, the security guard yelled out ‘Ms. Jackson, no-one upstairs.’

“I turned around, looked at the guard and said, ‘What?’ I was stunned.

“I walked over to him. I was really incredulous because this particular guard had seen me from the beginning. I asked him why and he said he didn’t know, but it had come from upstairs.

“From that moment on, we weren’t able to see or talk to Farrah, again. It was very upsetting."


Jackson, 61, says she confronted Stewart and demanded to know why she and others were stopped from seeing Farrah.

“Alana told me that was what Farrah wanted, because she didn’t want anyone to see her like that."

“That, to me, didn’t make much sense because the whole world was about to see her like that in the documentary, Farrah’s Story. It didn’t sound right.

“On the miniscule possibility that what Alana said was true, I did not wish to do something against Farrah’s wishes and just burst in.

“On the chance it was Farrah’s wishes, we all didn’t want to upset her. I wanted to respect her wishes.

“But to be truthful, I wish I had burst in. I really do.”

Kate Jackson joins other Farrah intimates like secret boyfriend Greg Lott and production partner Craig Nevius, who claim that O'Neal stopped them from paying respects to their dear friend Farrah. She recently raised eyebrows when she "switched sides" and threw her support to Nevius in his lawsuit battle with O'Neal, Stewart and Richard B. Francis over the Farrah's Story documentary special.

She made her explosive comments to RadarOnline.com, the Internet branch of the National Enquirer that last week ran our exclusive story about the auctioning of a lock of Farrah's hair without attribution.

Has Alana Stewart become Farrah Fawcett?

"American Women in Radio & Television
Southern California announced
two new recipients of the 2010 Genii Awards.
In honor of her work with Farrah Fawcett,
Producer Alana Stewart will be presented
with the Excellence in Documentary Award
for the feature-length documentary 'Farrah’s Story'..."

When Ryan O'Neal could not make the trips to Germany with Farrah Fawcett when she sought out state-of-the-art treatment for her cancer, Farrah's friend, the Hollywood ex-wife Alana Stewart went in his place. Alana held the home video camera as Farrah set out to document her ordeal for a video diary she wanted to call A Wing and A Prayer. With those tapes and more, Farrah and her production partner Craig Nevius began to create the documentary. After Farrah sold the project for airing on NBC, her health took a turn for the worse,and O'Neal took control of her estate, and removed Nevius from the documentary project. With the help of would-be tabloid producers on loan from NBC Dateline, new, even more intrusive was added, sad music was sprinkled in, the title changed to Farrah's Story in a nod to O'Neal's 40-year-old star vehicle, Love Story, and after a strong battle, Alana Stewart was granted a "producer" credit.

Less than a week after Farrah's funeral, Alana Stewart announced she'd secured a deal for a book about her friendship and travels with Farrah.

On Farrah's birhtday, she announced the formation of The Farrah Fawcett Foundation for cancer research. Alana Stewart's photo was the only one other than Farrah's to appear on the site.


Today, an organization called "American Women in Radio and Television Southern California" awarded a 2010 Genii Award for "Excellence in Documentary Award" to Alana Stewart.

According to the group's press release:

"'Farrah’s Story' is a compelling and transparent chronicle of actress Farrah Fawcett’s courageous fight against cancer. Early on when she was first diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006, Fawcett’s close friend Alana Stewart - who produced “Farrah’s Story” and handled most of the camerawork – was by her side. Fawcett, a former Genii Award recipient and honoree, decided to film her experiences, and turned the camera duties over to Stewart, resulting in an honest and uncompromising look at Fawcett’s vibrant life and indomitable spirit as she confronted her disease. The two-hour documentary aired May 2009 just one month before the star’s tragic death. Alana Stewart is an accomplished producer, model, actress, and is also the author of the New York Times best selling book, 'My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship' released in 2009."

As of our posting, Alana Stewart has not declined the award or offered it up to Farrah Fawcett. The gesture would not be unfitting, for after all, Farrah was executive producer of the project, (which in television terms is the person who runs the show), and this documentary was Farrah's.


How about you? Do you think Alana Stewart deserves an "Excellence in Documentary Award"?

Alana Stewart announces the formation of The Farrah Fawcett Foundation

Farrah Fawcett's friend Alana Stewart, criticized for cashing in on Farrah's legacy with a quickie book and for tarnishing her legacy with the exploitative Farrah's Story special on NBC, has announced the formation of The Farrah Fawcett Foundation "to provide funding for alternative methods of cancer research, clinical trials, prevention, and awareness, with an emphasis on anal and pediatric cancers."

Farrah, whose initial diagosis of anal cancer led to her death in June, would have been 63 yesterday.

According to the website, which features pictures only of Farrah and Stewart, the foundation includes on its advisory board Farrah's Los Angeles doctor, Dr. Lawrence Piro, her doctor in Germany Dr. Ursula Jacob, and spiritual activist and New Age guru Marianne Williamson.

Richard B. "Bernie" Francis, the executor of Farrah's estate, is listed as Chairman of the Board and Treasurer.

Alana Stewart is listed as President.

Francis recently sued filmmaker Craig Nevius in behalf of Farrah's estate, claiming he botched Farrah's documentary project that showed her trips with Alana Stewart for alternative cancer treatments.

Nevius had already sued Francis, Stewart and Ryan O'Neal (father of Farrah's troubled son Redmond) for forcibly removing him form the project and turning it into an awful, if Emmy-nominated, TV special.

O'Neal is not listed among the foundation board members but is accorded "our very special heartfelt thanks" on the site.

Angel's first birthday in Heaven

Happy birthday, Farrah Fawcett!

Farrah lawsuit labelled "a load of sh*t"

LISA BOYLE/RADARONLINE.COM

"A load of shit!"
"A great big lie!"

Farrah Fawcett's documentary producing partner Craig Nevius has gotten another show of support from another member of Farrah's inner circle against the lawsuit filed by Farrah's estate and its executor, Ryan O'Neal's business manager Richard B. Francis.

This weekend, the National Enquirer's RadarOnline.com reports exclusively that Lisa Boyle has called the lawsuit accusing Nevius of botching Farrah's cancer documentary and possibly stealing her money “a load of s---” and “one big lie” (our staff figured out the translation of "s---").

“Farrah would not have wanted what is going on,” Boyle tells Radar.

LISA BOYLE/RADARONLINE.COM

Lisa Boyle is a photographer who met Farrah on the set of the 204 reality series, Chasing Farrah that was produced by Nevius. She remained a close friend and confidante of the icon until her death from cancer last June.

She is the latest Farrah insider, joining Charlie's Angel Kate Jackson and Farrah's former assistant Mike Pingel, supporting Nevius in his fight against O'Neal, Francis, and Alana Stweart. Nevius sued the trio for wresting control of his and Farrah's documentary project, A Wing and A Prayer after Farrah sold the footage to NBC, and then turning the cancer journey project into a maudlin, exploitative paean to Farrah and O'Neal's love, retitled Farrah's Story in a nod to O'Neal's film from 1970, Love Story.

The suit against Nevius, filed earlier this month, is seen to be a countersuit to his charges. Nevius has stated that he will use Farrah's written and videotaped statements in his defense, literally calling his partner to testify from beyond the grave.

Farrah Fawcett's assistant backs Nevius

Farrah Fawcett's former personal assistant is the latest insider to line up against her estate in an ugly legal battle over her legacy that's only intensifying seven months after her death.

Mike Pingel, who worked for Farrah from November 2005 to October 2007 and was said to be at her side when she got her cancer diagnosis in 2006, has come forward to support documentary producer Craig Nevius, who was sued last week by Farrah's estate, for allegedly misusing her funds and botching the cancer documentary that was eventually sold as a special to NBC-- and apparently in retaliation for his own lawsuit against the estate's executor and Farrah's sometime lover Ryan O'Neal.

Pingel, author of The Q Guide To Charlie's Angels, and by one account, an "unsung hero in Farrah's life," goes public on his Charlie's Angels fansite:

"Farrah trusted her friend and producing partner, Craig Nevius with executing her vision for the documentary which was to tell the world of her cancer battle. Farrah was so pleased with how 'A Wing & A Prayer' was coming together she even showed me part of the film. It's sad her vision was stopped and has yet to be seen."

Pingel also posts Friday's statement from Farrah's Charlie's Angel costar Kate Jackson in support of Nevius:

"He had an unflagging devotion to Farrah in every way and he worked with her to help her achieve her vision, not his vision and not anybody else's vision."

Nevius, as readers of this site are well aware, had sued the man who became executor of the estate, Richard B. Francis, along with O'Neal and friend Alana Stewart, for pushing him out of the project, which was originally entitled A Wing & A Prayer and retitled Farrah's Story to bring to mind O'Neal's 1970 film, Love Story.

Nevius and his attorney have said that the latest legal action is an attempt at intimidation. Nevius has promised to use Farrah's own words and writings in his defense.

Craig Nevius responds to Farrah lawsuit

"I will be happy to let the work Farrah and I did together
and Farrah's own words speak for me and defend me,
finally removing all doubt and suspicion as to what actually happened
during the final months of her life and who her real exploiters are."

We filled you in earlier this morning on the story behind the lawsuit by Farrah Fawcett's estate against Craig Nevius, the documentary producer who sued Farrah's sometime lover Ryan O'Neal and business manager Richard B. Francis for forcing him off Farrah's cancer project. Francis is the executor of the estate that filed suit against Nevius yesterday.

This morning, Craig Nevius sent us a statement in response, telegraphing his intention to call Farrah herself as a star witness from beyond the grave:

"These accusations are nothing more than a fabricated press release disguised as a lawsuit. As much as I would like to answer the allegations and disprove them right here and right now in the court of public opinion, I will wait to do so in a court of law. Out of respect to Farrah, I limited the focus of my lawsuit against Richard Francis, Ryan O'Neal and Alana Stewart to issues of contract interference. But it now seems that at least one of the defendants wants to widen the scope of litigation to issues of artistic integrity and the personal relationships between parties. If that is the case, I will be happy to let the work Farrah and I did together (over years) speak for itself. And I will be more than happy to let the video tapes, documents, witnesses and Farrah's own words (both written and spoken) speak for me and defend me, finally removing all doubt and suspicion as to what actually happened during the final months of her life and who her real exploiters are. This is a fight Francis, O'Neal and Stewart cannot win."

~Craig J. Nevius,
Executive Producer/Director
"Chasing Farrah" & "Farrah's Story"

Ryan O'Neal strikes back as his business manager countersues Farrah Fawcett's producing partner on behalf of her estate

Don't let the headlines fool you. Word that "Farrah Fawcett's estate" is suing her production partner Craig Nevius is the latest volley in a war that began when Nevius filed suit against Ryan O'Neal, his business manager Richard B. Francis and Alana Stewart for snatching control of the cancer documentary that was turned into a maudlin NBC special.

Nevius had claimed O'Neal and company threatened him in the power grab. In the suit filed yesterday, Farrah's-- and O'Neal's business manager Richard B. Francis filed suit yesterday on behalf of Farrah's estate and her company, Sweetened By Risk LLC.

The lawsuit claims Nevius exploited Farrah and improperly revealed privileged information about her to the media, including news that her cancer had returned. The suit also claims Nevius turned in an unworkable first cut of that documentary on Farrah's cancer fight and may have embezzled money from Sweetened By Risk.

The lawsuit states NBC, which aired the television special Farrah's Story, had to rework the footage with help from Fawcett's longtime, on-again, off-again lover, Ryan O'Neal. The edits were being made until shortly before the special aired, the lawsuit states.

Nevius' attorney, Miles J. Feldman responded:

"These allegations lack merit and are a pathetic attempt to try to intimidate and further injure Mr. Nevius."

We've covered the story extensively in the past year. After Farrah's health took a turn for the worst, Ryan O'Neal took control of Farrah's estate and cancer project, kicking Nevius to the curb and, with the help of producers from NBC's Dateline show, renamed it Farrah's Story (a nod to his star turn in Love Story forty years ago) and turned what was a video journal into a maudlin exploitative television special that featured a scene in which Farrah and O'Neal's shackled drug-addicted son climbs into her deathbed.

Nevius sued Francis, O'Neal and Fawcett's friend Alana Stewart over Farrah's Story last year, claiming that the trio interfered with his role in Farrah's Story. That suit is still pending

According to the lawsuit filed Friday, Nevius knew Farrah for about five years before she died on June 25th, working with her on the Chasing Farrah reality TV series and producing the documentary that eventually aired on NBC before Farrah cut ties to him in early 2009 and he became jealous of O'Neal and Stewart.

The lawsuit contends Nevius turned in a first cut of Farrah's Story that Farrah deemed "wholly unacceptable." She then turned creative control of the film over to O'Neal.

The complaint states Francis believes Nevius "embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars" from Farrah's company. It states Nevius has refused to allow Sweetened by Risk's financial records.

An interesting footnote: Farrah's Charlie's Angels co-star Kate Jackson is defending Nevius.

Though she'd been critical of him in the past, Kate said last night that her earlier comments were misguided, that as far as she knows Farrah had creative control when she worked with Nevius, and that she's shocked by the allegations:

"He had an unflagging devotion to Farrah in every way and he worked with her to help her achieve her vision, not his vision and not anybody else's vision."