Funeral for Farrah Fawcett's father

Funeral services are taking place this morning for Farrah Fawcett's father, who joined his Angel on Monday.

The Houston Chronicle reports that that James Fawcett died Monday at 92. After the 10 am service at the Brookside Champions funeral home in Houston, he'll be buried in the Houston National Cemetery.

James stood tall at his daughter's funeral in June 2009.


(TOP PHOTO: Studio 54, Sept 17, 1978 Robin Platzer/Twin Images/Getty Images)

Redmond O'Neal completes drug rehab

Farrah Fawcett's drug addict son Redmond O'Neal has completed a year-long court-ordered drug rehab program.

Redmond O'Neal's father, the troubled actor Ryan O'Neal, was not there to watch the 25-year-old graduate yesterday from the hardcore treatment.

Redmond was among a "class" of seventeen drug or DUI convicts in Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Tynan's courtroom. He hugged the judge before speaking at the emotional ceremony.

"I just wanted to thank Judge Tynan and tell everyone how much I appreciate everything you have done for me," he said. "To the newcomers, you do this. That's it."

FATHER & SON MUGSHOTS OCT 2008 DRUG ARREST

The courtroom was filled with friends and family members of graduates.

Redmond's latest try at rehab try began last September after a stint in jail that stemmed from a January 2008 drug arrest and a probation violation.

Now that he's completed the program, Redmond's criminal record will be expunged and is free to move out of the court-ordered sober living facility.


He inherited about $4.5 million after his mother died in June 2009.

A year without Farrah

Photographers were there as Ryan O'Neal brought Redmond O'Neal, his son with Farrah Fawcett and heir to her millions, to visit the actress' grave on the first anniversary of her death. The drug-troubled, often-jailed Redmond is said to be sober.

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Farrah shares glory on foundation website

A year after the death of Farrah Fawcett, her Farrah Fawcett Foundation for alternative cancer research opens "officially" today, with a website that features photos only of the star, and oddly, one other woman in a determinedly Farrah-esque pose.

Some body to share Farrah Fawcett's grave?

While controversy swirls around her legacy and Farrah Fawcett rests in the Westwood Village Memorial Park behind the towers of Wilshire Boulevard, a new question has arisen surrounding the odd placement of her name on her headstone.

More than one observer has commented that Farrah's name is placed high on the stone, with lots of space below.

The reason for all that empty space? One reader has offered fascinating speculation:

"It may be that Ryan O'Neal is planning to be buried in the same plot with his name on the same stone. This would be why there's so much room left under Farrah's name. This would also explain why Farrah was not cremated as (Farrah's college sweetheart and late-life secret lover) Greg Lott and others know was Farrah's wish."


Fascinating! In fact, O'Neal could have gotten the idea while on a somber walk through the park, where he could have bumped into the grave of Farrah's fellow Seventies television icon, Carroll O'Connor, who generously shares his plot and gravestone with not only his wife, but his troubled, drug-addicted son--

Troubled, drug addicted son? All the more poignant reason for Farrah to make room.


But Ryan O'Neal? Linked with Farrah through eternity? For now, it's only speculation, but at least Farrah gets top billing.

What do you think?

Charlie reunited with his Angel Farrah

It's been announced that John Forsythe, who supplied the voice of Charlie, Farrah Fawcett's detective agency boss on her star-making Seventies series Charlie's Angels, died late yesterday at 92.

Farrah Fawcett makes it Playboy's Sexy 101

Rickety Playboy magazine took some heat last fall when it when it buried its tribute to the recently-deceased Farrah Fawcett in an October issue that featured cartoon character Marge Simpson on its cover (with Tracy Morgan getting larger typeface than the Charlie's Angels icon).


It now appears Playboy is making amends for its misstep by giving Farrah special mention in its upcoming special edition, "Playboy's Sexy 100," the annual "salute (to) 100 of the hottest women who have captured our attention over the past year -- from sexy celebrities who've graced the cover of Playboy magazine to toned athletes, reality TV babes and fresh faces you'll want to keep an eye on . . ."

And why not? Farrah's December 1995 issue sold four million copies, the best-selling of the decade.

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?

Alana Stewart says she's producing a film about Farrah Fawcett

Liz Smith is still alive and still has a column, in which she reveals this week that Farrah Fawcett’s friend Alana Stewart, who, with a quickie book, producing credit on the Emmy-nominated NBC cancer special, a cancer foundation and a gig for her son on Extra, has made more hay than anyone out of her relationship with the beloved actress, plans to executive produce a film about Farrah.

Pens Liz:

"It will deal with her rise to stardom on 'Charlie’s Angels' and the years that followed, but will touch only briefly on her long battle with the cancer that finally killed her... "The big problem will be finding an actress to play Farrah. The late star was not in any way a typical blonde bimbo type. She had a deep sensitivity and vulnerability that came through in her work, and a sort of soul-bruised vibe in later years. Alana has her work cut out for her. Good luck!"


Liz makes it sound to be a scripted project like that Behind The Camera TV movie on NBC back in 2004, and not a documentary. Add this to Ryan O'Neal's threequel to Love Story and Farrah's Story, one might say the Seventies icon is becoming an industry again.

Farrah Fawcett swimsuit scar photo for sale

A rare early swimsuit photo of a teenage Farrah Fawcett is going up for auction next week.

Collectors Michael H. Epstein and Scott E. Schwimer will sell the picture through on March 26 and March 27.

The photo was taken by famed photographer Harry Langdon, Jr. in Marina de Rey, California.

It shows Farrah in a bikini, and reveals a large scar from an appendectomy.

A rare Polaroid of Farrah, taken by Andy Warhol, is going up for bids in July Someone else is selling what's said to be a lock of Farrah's golden hair.

Farrah died last June at 62 after a brave battle with cancer.

Ryan O'Neal gets that date with his daughter

His pickup line at Farrah Fawcett's funeral must have worked, for Ryan O'Neal is seen as a third of an attractive threesome with his recently-reconciled daughter Tatum and a "mystery blonde" at last night's premiere of The Runaways movie at the Arclight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

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.

Alana Stewart says Kate Jackson is "insane"

Well, Farrah Fawcett is certainly more controversial in death than she was in life. Amid the hubbub over the Academy Awards®' boneheaded decision to omit the beloved actress from its In Memorium segment Sunday night pipes up Farrah friend Alana Stewart to refute Kate Jackson's claim that she (Stewart) and Ryan O'Neal stopped Kate from visiting Farrah in the final months of her life.

Alana, who is billed as "Farrah's best friend," accompanied Farrah to Germany for her ultimately unsuccessful cancer treatments and held the camera for the verite footage of her fight to beat the disease. After Farrah sunk into the final stage of her illness, Stewart reportedly held up production of the NBC tabloid special based on her original film, demanding more money and a producer's credit, then was the first to cash in with a quickie book about her best friend.


Now she returns to the spotlight to say that Farrah's friend of four decades and Charlie's Angels costar is "insane."

"First of all, I spoke to Kate many, many times during Farrah's final months and explained to her that Farrah did not want to see people. It was not my choice, or Ryan's. Farrah wanted to keep some of her friends away.


"I would go to her and say, 'Honey, so and so has called, these people really want to see you.' Farrah would think about it for a moment and respond, 'Not now, I just don't feel like it.' I don't think Farrah wanted to emotionally deal with it. She didn't want people seeing her when she wasn't looking like herself."


As for the others who have hurled barbs at Stewart and O'Neal, she adds to RadarOnline:

"These people should just put a pin in it and honor her (Farrah’s) memory. They're angry, bitter, disgruntled or have an axe to grind. Farrah's legacy is far greater than any of these people could disparage. Let Farrah rest in peace."

Now what do you think about that?

Farrah Fawcett Oscar® snub was deliberate

The man in charge of Sunday night's Academy Awards® In Memorium sequence has apologized for omitting actress Farrah Fawcett, yet says the decision was deliberate and insists he stands by it, comparing the show business icon to Gene Barry.

Bruce Davis, executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, responded to the outrage expressed on this website, saying: "There's nothing you can say to people, particularly to family members, within a day or two of the show that helps at all. They tend to be surprised and hurt, and we understand that and we're sorry for it."


Davis (above) claimed the academy considered adding Farrah t0 the tribute, but decided her "remarkable television work" made her more suitable for the Emmy Awards, making room for an unusual number of "extremely distinguished screenwriters" who'd died in the past year.

"Think of all the blogging
we would have gotten
if we had left
Michael Jackson out."

Davis said Michael Jackson was included because he'd recently appeared in a popular theatrical film. That would probably be This Is It, the posthumous documentary focused on Jacko's singing and dancing.

He added (and get a load of this!): "Think of all the blogging we would have gotten if we had left him out."


Farrah's survivors joined Tabloid Baby in protest of the Oscar omission. Tatum O'Neal, Oscar®-winning daughter of Farrah's on-off lover Ryan O'Neal, said in a statement following our postings:

“On behalf of myself, my father Ryan O’Neal and my entire family, we are deeply saddened that a truly beautiful and talented actress Farrah Fawcett was not included in the memorial montage during the 82nd Academy Awards®.

“We are bereft with this exclusion of such an international icon who inspired so many for so many reasons. Beautiful, talented Farrah will never be forgotten by her family and amazing fans.”

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."

Farrah Fawcett snubbed at The Oscars®

The image of Patrick Swayze led off the tributes and Karl Malden seemed to generate the loudest applause, but Farrah Fawcett was for some reason excluded from last night's Academy Awards® "In Memorium" segment. Farrah may be better known for her television work, but she also starred in classic films including Myra Breckenridge, Logan's Run, Sunburn, The Cannonball Run, Extremities, The Apostle and Dr. T and The Women.


(Michael Jackson, who died the same day as Farrah and whose film bio is far less substantial than Farrah's, was included.)

Restricted! Now how will Ryan O'Neal get footage of his drug addict son for his Farrah Fawcett sequel?

Controversial Hollywood actor and father Ryan O'Neal is being restricted from visiting his and Farrah Fawcett's son Redmond in drug rehab, while the young drug addict has been banned from any more home visits that could impede his recovery.

The young ginger O'Neal left his one-year program at the Impact residential drug treatment center today for a courtroom progress report in Los Angeles and to hear Judge Michael Tynan tell him:

"You were faking it the last time you were at Impact. You weren't sincere. You have to take a hard look at your life.

"Right now, pal, you are still in trouble. I'm going to ask Impact to eliminate any home visits, you agree with that Mr O'Neal?"

Redmond replied: "Yes your honor."


RadarOnline.com quotes Redmond as saying, "I'm doing better this time."

The 25-year-old also told People: "I'm doing great. I am focused on my recovery and plan not to let anything get in the way. I am doing my best to make my mother proud."

His attorney Richard Pintal added:"Redmond has kicked it up, and the progress report reflected that."

It was the father, Ryan O'Neal, who took the hardest shot in court when Redmond was denied home visits, along with being restricted from visiting with his son. This is especially difficult for the 68-year-old actor in light of his professed plans to include footage of Redmond amid his struggle with drugs in his planned sequel to the NBC special Farrah's Story.

Redmond's next court date is set for April 7th.

Ryan and Tatum O'Neal, back in black

Ryan O'Neal, currently preparing a sequel to the Farrah's Story television special based on his on-off lover Farrah Fawcett's losing cancer battle, is photographed with his formerly-estranged daughter Tatum O'Neal at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

The pair were caught looking both festive and pensive at the American Society of Cinematographers 24th Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards.


Father and daughter last made headlines together in August, after Ryan O'Neal confessed in Vanity Fair magazine that he'd inadvertently "hit on" Tatum at Farrah's funeral.

The O'Neals have been estranged for years, at least since Tatum, 46, published her autobiography A Paper Life in 2004, describing her drug addiction, and a strained relationship with her father, painting a very unflattering picture of him.

The O'Neals starred together in the 1973 film Paper Moon, for which Tatum won a for Best Supporting Actress Oscar®. They've been estranged at least since 2004, when Tatum published an autobiography that described her horrific childhood and life of drug addiction.

Ryan O'Neal, 68, recently said he and Tatum have been trying to repair their relationship in the months since Farrah's death. In his recent interview with Alana Stewart's son Ashley Hamilton on Extra, he said he missed Tatum. In that Vanity Fair interview, however, he revealed he was still very angry at his daughter:

"She wrote a book— bitch! How dare she throw our laundry in the street for money!

"…She didn't call after Farrah's show! She'll have to explain that."

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?