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's book push raises question: Was she really Farrah Fawcett's "best friend"?

Alana Stewart's instabook on her friendship with Farrah Fawcett is published officially tomorrow, arriving in bookstores even before the body of Michael Jackson, who died the same day as Farrah, is in the ground. The quickie cash-in, available on Amazon.com three days after Farrah's funeral, gets a big push with a People magazine cover, excerpt, and equally important, a noncritical story amid behind-the-scenes attacks and whispers from various Farrah friends, fans and family members.

In People's "The Farrah Nobody Knew," Alana Stewart fares far better than did Ryan O'Neal in Vanity Fair, with his admissions that he dumped Farrah for a younger woman back in 1997 and made a sexual advance to his own daughter (whom he didn't recognize) at Farrah's funeral.

Alana Stewart, did after all, accompany Farrah to and from Germany as she was treated for cancer, and remained at her side until her death on June 25th. Yet the People item-- and Alana Stewart's very own book-- is already being used by Farrah acquaintances as evidence that Alana is an opportunist and sellout.


Topping the list is the very first "diary entry" excerpted from My Journey with Farrah. Dated October 6, 2006, it has Alana Stewart learning of Farrah's cancer after her daughter reads about it on the Intrnet.

The date is significant because Farrah was diagnosed with cancer on September 22, 2006. The National Enquirer broke the news online on October 3rd.

One friend asks, "Why wouldn't Farrah have called her 'best friend' to tell her the news two weeks earlier? That's because Alana wasn't her best friend. She was an old fairweather friend. She was someone to shop with or go to a party with. Alana was not someone Farrah would have thought of turning to in her time of need."


We got in touch with Craig Nevius, the director of Farrah's 2005 reality show, Chasing Farrah, who remained close to the star and would produce her cancer documentary project, A Wing and A Prayer.

"Farrah called me three or four hours after she got home from the doctor on the day she got the diagnosis," he says. "When it took her that long to call, I got worried, because I knew she was going to the doctor and I knew why. She asked me not to tell anyone because she wasn't ready to deal with the world. In fact, she'd only told her father and Ryan at the time that she told me.

"Of course I honored her request. I never told anyone. And yes, it's true. Farrah never actually told Alana about her cancer. The Enquirer did when they told everyone else. That's when Alana called Farrah to find out if the 'rumor' was true."


Nevius, who is suing Stewart, Ryan O'Neal O'Neal's business manager over the documentary that was wrenched from his control (even so, as an executive producer, he's up for an Emmy, claims, "I don't recall Alana being around much during the first cancer-- the documentary began when her cancer recurred the following May. But I do remember being at Farrah's when Alana dropped off some fast food for her once. She stayed and visited about thirty minutes."

Alana Stewart's publisher promises that "a portion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation to support cancer research." Though the percentage of the proceeds was not mentioned, criticism of Alana Stewart should wane when she delivers a big check to the charity.

Then again, Alana Stewart would most certainly silence all the critics and win great acclaim should she donate all the book proceeds to the Farrah Fawcett Foundation

"A love letter to friendship": Publisher announces Alana Stewart's book about Farrah Fawcett

"Ryan O’Neal... was so positive and so supportive.
‘You have to do it’, he said emphatically.
'There will be lots of people writing books about her.
Yours will be the truth, and it will be
a wonderful tribute to her. You have to do it!’"

--quote attributed to Alana Stewart in press release

We told you on July 5th that Farrah Fawcett's friend Alana Stewart was the first among the tragic actress' inner circle to cash in with a book based on her proximity to Farrah in her final days.

Now, eighteen days after Farrah's passing, with this press release from HarperCollins Publishers, the cat is officially out of the bag:

10 East 53^rd Street

New York, N.Y

10022-5200

News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

William Morrow to Publish Alana Stewart’s
Tribute to Farrah Fawcett and the Actress’
Valiant 3-Year Fight Against Cancer

New York, NY (July 13, 2009) – William Morrow, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, today announced that it will publish the diary of Alana Stewart, actress, former model and close friend of Farrah Fawcett. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation to support cancer research. Stewart, a friend of Fawcett for more than thirty years, spent much of her time caring for Fawcett during her three year battle with cancer, which tragically ended Fawcett’s life on June 25, 2009. Stewart helped capture Fawcett’s tireless struggle against cancer in the documentary, “Farrah’s Story”, where Stewart worked as both a videographer and producer.

In the book, titled MY JOURNEY WITH FARRAH: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship, which goes on sale August 11, 2009, Stewart shares her personal diaries from her three years by Farrah’s side. A celebration of their incredible bond, the power of Farrah’s spirit, and the memories from their thirty years together, this book is a tribute to the award-winning actress and pop culture icon. Containing never-before-seen photos and deeply intimate revelations on life and spirituality, MY JOURNEY WITH FARRAH is a love letter to friendship, filled with the honesty and emotion of their three decades together.

“When the idea to do this book was presented to me, I thought long and hard about it,” says Stewart. “In fact, I agonized over the decision. Now, was I doing the right thing by sharing many of our private moments? Farrah had originally encouraged me to write this book. It was her idea. However, while I was contemplating my decision, her health took a turn for the worse, and I could no longer seek her advice. So I turned to Ryan O’Neal. He was so positive and so supportive. ‘You have to do it’, he said emphatically. ‘There will be lots of people writing books about her. Yours will be the truth, and it will be a wonderful tribute to her. You have to do it!’ My hope is that people will find this book to be a heartfelt tribute to my friend of thirty years and her valiant fight against cancer. I also hope that it will be helpful and supportive to all of those people who have loved and cared for someone close to them with a lingering illness. I realized while I was putting it together that it was a way of keeping Farrah’s memory alive, not only for me but for everyone who reads this book.”

“There is nobody better able to tell this story of life, love, and friendship than Alana Stewart,” says Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President & Director of the Creative Development Group for HarperCollins. “What Alana learns after putting her life on hold to help Farrah will forever teach us that gratitude and selflessness are more important than anything else. This book will touch the hearts of millions of Farrah's fans, leaving a lasting impression about why compassion is the greatest gift a friend can give.”

The book was acquired by Lisa Sharkey, who bought world rights through Frank Weimann of The Literary Group International. Matt Harper, Editor in the Creative Development Group for HarperCollins, will edit the book.

Alana Stewart rushes to cash in with book about her friend Farrah Fawcett

Who will be the first to cash in on the death of Farrah Fawcett? Less than a week after the brave icon's funeral, her close friend Alana Stewart is first out of the gate and well ahead of the pack with a book based on the Farrah's cancer journey journal that was supposed to be the basis for her cancer documentary.

"My Journey with Farrah: What I've Learned about Life, Love, and Friendship" has shown up on Amazon.com with a healthy discount off its hardcover list price of $23.99.



As Tabloid Baby reported exclusively on June 24th, the celebrity ex-wife's book is being rush-released to take advantage of the worldwide outpouring of love and publicity for Farrah.

The title is set to be pblished on August 25th, the two-month anniversary of Farrah's death.


Alana Stewart accompanied Farrah through much of her cancer battle, traveling with her to German cancer clinics and running the video camera as Farrah documented the cutting edge treatments that gave her hope and extended her life by years after doctors in the States told her there was nothing more they could do. Working with her longtime confidante and producer Craig Nevius, Farrah shaped the footage into a "cancer journal" that explored the question of why lifesaving treataments are not available in America and beyond the reach of most all but the very rich.


Farrah sold the project to NBC. When her condition took a turn for the worse and she began to fade from consciousness, her longtime on-and-off lover Ryan O'Neal took control of her affairs, forced Nevius off the project and, with the help of producers from NBC Dateline commandeered the recutting of the documentary into a maudlin, morbid entertainment called "Farrah's Story" (a reference to his 1970 film, Love Story).

Alana Stewart reportedly held up the project, demanding a producer's credit and a fat payoff, before the special aired.

We reported on June 24th, the day before Farrah's death that Alana was turning Farrah's journals into a book of her own:

"Farrah's journals, we're told, are being turned into a book by Alana Stewart... The book, we're told, will be announced after Farrah's passing, 'for maximum effect.'"

At the reception following Farrah's funeral on Tuesday, Ryan O'Neal confirmed that a sequel to the high-rating Farrah's Story is in the works. Cameras filmed the funeral. It's still not known whether, as feared, O'Neal also filmed Farrah's passing.

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.

Now Farrah Fawcett's producing partner comes out swinging!

While Farrah Fawcett's college sweetheart Greg Lott has been getting lots of attention with his bombshell claims of their secret love affair in the final decade of her life, another close male companion who is about to get his own share of headlines.

Craig Nevius is suing Ryan O'Neal, Alana Stewart and O'Neal's business manager for pushing him aside from the cancer journal documentary he and Farrah were producing for NBC. Though "Farrah's Story" received many harsh, disgusted reviews for its maudlin morbidity, it is up for an Emmy-- as are Farrah and Nevius, who kept his executive producer title.

As the case winds its way to court, Nevius tells his side of the story and much more to Chris Mann on Retroality.tv.

The extensive two-part interview (here and here) contains many insights into Farrah as well as exclusive information about the career plans left unfulfilled, though more interest will likely be placed on Nevius' claim that Ryan O'Neal threatened to kill him.

A taste:

You must feel thrilled (being nominated for an Emmy. Aren’t you?

People say to me: “Congratulations. Are you excited?” But that’s not the right word. I guess I’m more “relieved.” Because when Farrah took a turn for the worse in April, Ryan O’Neal and his business manager banned me from seeing or talking to Farrah ever again.

At the same time, Ryan and Alana Stewart decided it was time for them to come in and “save” the project. And NBC, who had previously been so supportive and promised Farrah that this was her story to tell, supported them 100 percent. I’m sure the network would say otherwise but I believe that it was because they wanted this on the air for May sweeps and didn’t have the star to promote it. So began the “Ryan O’Neal Grieving Widower Press Tour With Special Appearances by Farrah’s Robotic Self-Promoting Best Friend Alana Stewart.”

That was bad enough but then Ryan and Alana did basically the same thing in the documentary itself by inserting those cringe-inducing, self-serving interview sound bytes shot by an unemployed ex-Dateline NBC Producer. I was appalled. But my appall quickly turned to disgust when I saw that Ryan and Alana had secretly shot Redmond (Farrah’s son with Ryan) in chains when he was released from jail for a few hours, under the supervision of two sheriff’s deputies, visiting Farrah—who was unconscious or close to unconscious in her bed. How dare they?

Ryan was not a producer on this program. Alana had refused to sign her co-producer contract because she wanted more money and a better title. Farrah was the boss, and if the boss was unable to function because of a health crisis her authority went automatically to me as per our company’s operating agreement (signed on April 1, 2008).

Ryan didn’t seem to care what any piece of paper said. He demanded that the title of the documentary be changed from A Wing & A Prayer to Farrah’s Story— which, in my opinion, was nothing but a cheap homage to his greatest claim to fame other than dating Farrah: Love Story. Changing the title was also a cruel irony considering if this was really Farrah’s story it would have been broadcast under the original title that Farrah and I chose: A Wing & A Prayer.
How much of the finished product that aired reflected Farrah’s intentions with the project?

Don’t get me wrong, most of the work that Farrah and I did is there. Like the diary narration that I shot with her in my living room. No one else was present. It was just her and her diary—and me and my camera.

It’s just that a lot of our other work was interrupted and sloppily clipped short in order to make room for Ryan’s bad reprisal of his Oliver Barrett role and Alana telling us that “needles are painful.” And for needless inserts of a trip to Mexico and Farrah’s brief experience with an inconclusive test of a new cancer drug. Farrah and I agreed not to include such footage because we had a lot more important, educational and inspiring scenes to include.

The New York Times reviewer Alessandra Stanley wrote, “...it was an exploitative portrait of a celebrity’s fight with cancer... NBC took Ms. Fawcett’s candid video diary and allowed it to be packaged as a generic VH1 Behind the Music” biography—maudlin music, gauzy slow-motion film, and pseudo-revealing interviews with friends, coworkers, doctors and hairdressers reminiscing about a former star.” Yikes.

I can't disagree with the reviewer. That being said, there were scenes that were cut out completely. Scenes that dealt with medical information and issues that Farrah wanted to address in order to start a dialogue that could eventually effect change in our health system. And once again Ms. Stanley nailed it, criticizing the film for what wasn’t there (based on Farrah’s diary narration) and understanding that it was supposed to have been.

She also seemed to distinguish Farrah from Farrah’s Story. She wrote that “the film isn’t as nearly as brave or as serious-minded as its cancer-stricken subject.”

But the film that Farrah and I were close to completing was as brave and as serious minded as she was. Because this project was a total reflection of her—and not Ryan O’Neal or Alana Stewart. And the fact that NBC allowed Ryan and Alana to do what they did, with significant help from an ex, unemployed NBC Dateline producer who Farrah had previously rejected, is still staggering to me. The rest of the reviews I read were as bad if not worse. At that point, I really didn’t think my promise to Farrah—of a nomination much less an Emmy—would come true. But there was one glimmer of hope. Most of the reviewers appreciated Farrah herself. Her bravery.

What changes would you make to NBC’s cut? Would you cut out some of the more graphic “death” scenes?

Absolutely. Because that’s sinking to the levels of the tabloids. It’s what Farrah was against. Like the scene with her son, Redmond, in chains and shackles, when he comes to visit Farrah, who does not appear to be conscious. And the various scenes from her last trip to Germany, which Alana withheld in order to try to get more money and a better credit. Farrah doesn’t appear to be completely lucid in that footage. And since neither Farrah nor I was ever shown that video to approve its inclusion, well, I think it was in bad taste and totally exploitative of everyone.

Doesn’t sound like you’re going to drop your lawsuit anytime soon?

I’m not. I can’t. Farrah trusted me. She was a good partner and a good person. A lot of fun as a friend. She was a talented actress and artist. And an inspiration to millions around the world—not just fans but also her fellow cancer patients and their families.

* * *

Alana ignored Farrah’s wishes as to who she entrusted to make decisions and violated her right to privacy in doing so. Nowhere is that more evident than when she shot Farrah barely conscious— if she was conscious at all— in her bedroom. Her own bedroom. Again, Farrah was fine with having everything (related to cancer) filmed in order to consider its use. But that was only with the knowledge that the footage was going directly to me and no one else, including NBC. It was a betrayal.

* * *

Ryan and I had never fought, at least not to my knowledge. In fact, Farrah was always amazed that we got along because she said that Ryan didn’t like most of the people in her life. Anyway, he was going on and on. But I never raised my voice—again, as far as I was concerned we had nothing to fight about. But Ryan saw it differently. His final words to me that day were the final words he has ever spoken to me: 'If you take me on, I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you in Farrah’s life and then I’ll kill you in real life!' Then he hung up.

Read Retroality.tv's complete interview with Craig Nevius here and here.

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?

EXCLUSIVE: Producer's lawsuit over Farrah Fawcett documentary could hinge on disputed signature on document that gave control to Ryan O'Neal

Farrah Fawcett's famous autograph is the ticking time bomb within the lawsuit over the NBC television special about her battle with cancer, potentially widening one man's complaint about being pushed out of the project into a major Hollywood scandal that includes accusations of coercion, forgery and an attempt to take over the iconic actress's estate.

Craig Nevius, Farrah's longtime friend and documentary collaborator, earlier this month filed suit against Farrah's longtime former lover Ryan O'Neal, O'Neal's business manager Richard B. Francis and Farrah's friend Alana Stewart, claiming they wrongfully interfered with a deal he'd made with Farrah to document her cancer fight.

The disputed signature is on a document that transferred control of the documentary to O'Neal, and is being compared to the very unique autograph Farrah has executed thousands of times on 8x10 photos which sell for an average of $50 to $100 online.

Nevius, who'd worked with Farrah since he created, directed and produced her 2005 reality television series, bases his case on an agreement he'd signed with Farrah last year.

It's one of two documents at the heart of the lawsuit and, Tabloid Baby has learned, the center of a brewing storm that includes claims that Ryan O'Neal took over the dying Farrah's documentary project and her life as part of a larger scheme to take over her estate upon her death. (O'Neal and Fawcett began a relation in the early 1980s but were never married. After a long hiatus, O'Neal returned to her life earlier in this decade after his own battle with leukemia.)

The LLC agreement between Farrah and Nevius, dated April 1, 2008, formed a company called Sweetened By Risk, "for the purposes of developing, producing and distributing/licensing a documentary currently entitled 'A Wing And A Prayer' (based on Fawcett's home movies)."

The agreement states:

"Fawcett will be the Manager/Chief Executive Office of the company and will make the final decisions on both business and creative matters.... "However, Nevius shall have both the right and the responsibility to assume Fawcett's role as Manager of the LLC if Q) Fawcett becomes too ill to function (for any prolonged length of time) or B) Fawcett is otherwise unavailable due to failing health (for a prolonged length of time) or C) Fawcett is unable to communicate her instructions and/or decisions for any reason whatsoever (for a prolonged length of time)."

The agreement was signed by Farrah on April 1, 2008 (above).

A year and nineteen days later, Farrah signed an "Appointment of Chief Executive Officer an Delegation of Rights" in which she appointed Richard B. Francis as Chief Executive Officer of Sweetened By Risk LLC, giving him "the full power and authority to take all actions the Chief Manager is authorized to take."

The half-page document also:

"...delegates to Ryan O'Neal all of her rights, whether under the agreement, any other agreement or under law, to exercise full artistic and creative control of the production currently entitled 'A Wing And A Prayer'... including, without limitation, the content, the editing and every version... including the final version."

Farrah's signature is dated April 20, 2009 (above).

At issue are those two signatures. The one dated April 1, 2008 is identical to the signature Farrah has written out thousands of time since her first flash of stardom in the Seventies.

(Click here to visit TheKlinikMovie.com)

The signatures on the two documents are visibly different.

In an uncanny coincidence, Farrah's friend Alana Stewart (who is named in the lawsuit) was quoted on April 21st saying that Farrah had "thrown" a 68th birthday party for O'Neal on the 20th, the day the Delegation of Rights document was dated.

Stewart's statement was made specifically to counter a much-publicized statement by Farrah's son during a parole violation hearing four days earlier. Redmond O'Neal told a judge that his mother's weight had dropped to just "86 pounds."

Said Stewart on April 21st: "Redmond is young and overreacted a little. Farrah has lost weight, but not that much. No, no, no. I just saw her last night and she looked better. She had color in her face and was talking and laughing."

Her party story as not accompanied by photographs.

Farah Fawcett has not been seen in public since.

On May 7th, O'Neal was featured in People magazine, saying that Farrah's treatment has "pretty much ended."

The tabloid television special, "Farrah's Story," which starred O'Neal, made reference to his cancer movie, "Love Story" and included much footage shot hastily by producers of NBC News' tabloid series Dateline, aired on NBC on Friday, May 15th. After it was announced that the ratings were better than usual for a Friday night, O'Neal announced he would be producing a sequel, one that would presumably include Farrah's death.

But over the weekend, hours after Tabloid Baby's lawsuit report on Friday, O'Neal and Stewart said the sequel had been scrapped.

Farrah Fawcett's signature, April 2008 (click document to enlarge)

Farrah Fawcett's signature, April 2009 (click document to enlarge)

(UPDATE! Signature scandal leads to new questions...)

Exclusive: Farrah Fawcett's diaries are missing

The valuable diaries written by Hollywood icon Farrah Fawcett during her transcontinental battle against cancer have mysterious gone missing, and accusations are flying about who made off with them.

Farrah, who died June 25th, had jotted her thoughts, experiences and artwork in the faux-leatherbound books over the two years she traveled back and forth to cancer clinics in Germany for the treatments that extended but ultimately failed to save her life from the disease that ravaged her since 2006.

The first of the blank-paged volumes was given to her by producer Craig Nevius in 2007 before her first trip to Germany. Nevius, who produced Farrah's 2005 reality television series, was producing the documentary based on Farrah's video diaries of her cancer fight.

One insider tells Tabloid Baby exclusively: "Farrah wrote in them all the time. They were brown and looked like leather. You can get the book at stationery stores. It's long and rectangle-shaped rather than perfectly square. You open it and it's just empty pages. I saw her with it. Farrah would draw in it-- write her thoughts and stuff like that.

"Apparently, it's gone missing."


This week, HarperCollins publishers announced the forthcoming publication of a related book by Alana Stewart, Farrah's friend who accompanied her to Germany, helmed the video camera for the documentary, and later held out for a producer's credit after the material was sold to NBC and recut under the stewardship of Farrah's companion Ryan O'Neal.

According to the press release, the book My Journey with Farrah is a "tribute" in which "Stewart shares her personal diaries from her three years by Farrah’s side."

"The scuttlebutt is that this book that Alana Stewart is writing-- and you know she's not really 'writing' it; she has a ghostwriter-- contains Farrah's words from her diary," says the insider. "And Redmond is not very happy with Alana's book coming out."

Redmond is Redmond O'Neal, Farrah's son with Ryan O'Neal, who's currently jailed on drug charges. Redmond is presumably Farrah's beneficiary and the owner of the missing diaries.

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."

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.

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.

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.

Ryan O'Neal shows up on Extra, being interviewed by Alana Stewart's son

Ryan O'Neal has surfaced on the syndicated television infotainment show, Extra, in an interview with "special correspondent" Ashley Hamilton, the son of Alana Stewart.

Extra is promoting O'Neal's claim that he is once again on good terms with his drug-addicted daughter Tatum O'Neal, whom, he volunteered to Vanity Fair, he "hit on" at Farrah Fawcett's funeral.

From Extra's site:

"'Extra' has Ryan O'Neal in his first television interview since losing partner Farrah Fawcett in June.

"O'Neal tells 'Extra' special correspondent Ashley Hamilton that since Farrah's death he has repaired his rocky relationship with daughter Tatum O'Neal. Ryan said, 'It's so nice to see her again. I've missed her terribly and that's a big step for me and her.'

O'Neal is keeping busy. He'll will appear on '90210' this season and is continuing Fawcett's legacy with The Farrah Fawcett Foundation.

"'I'd rather have Farrah back, but we will take what we can get,' O'Neal says. 'We talk about Farrah and we bring all those memories back and it almost makes me feel that she's still with us.'

"For more of Ryan O'Neal's exclusive interview tune in to 'Extra' on Friday!"

EXCLUSIVE: Signature scandal in Farrah Fawcett cancer documentary lawsuit leads to new questions for Ryan O'Neal

The issue of a disputed signature in the lawsuit over Farrah Fawcett's cancer documentary has led to new questions that go beyond Ryan O'Neal's control over the project to his control over Farrah Fawcett's final days.

Craig Nevius, the producer who's suing Ryan O'Neal, Alana Stewart and O'Neal's business manager for allegedly unlawfully hijacking Farrah Fawcett's cancer documentary project, confirmed our report that the signature on the document transferring creative control to O'Neal and company could be a explosive evidence against the defendants. He also revealed that the issue goes far beyond the television special.

April 2008

April 2009

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment on matters of which I don't have firsthand knowledge," Nevius told Tabloid Baby this afternoon. "But I will acknowledge that you have raised some questions that need answers in terms of the disparity between those two signatures, especially when you take into account the various public statements about Farrah's lucidity, or lack thereof, that have come from Ryan O'Neal and others over the past six weeks or so.

"I wish I had the answers but I don't. I have not been allowed access to Farrah, not even the briefest of phone calls, by others whom I have never had to go through before."


The questions of access and Farrah's condition was also raised over the weekend in a message on her official website, FarrahFawcett.us:

"To add to this on going upsetting situation with Farrah. Now I have been denied access to my business partner (Farrah) by phone, email and in-person. Farrah and I have been in partnership with FarrahFawcett.us since the conception in Sept. 2006. Please keep her in your thoughts. ~Greg Lott"

Greg Lott is Farrah's partner in website and has long been part of Farrah Fawcett lore, with a relationship that goes back at least 43 years when he was her boyfriend at the University of Texas at Austin (People magazine: "The Delta Delta Delta sorority sister was going steady with Greg Lott, the Longhorns' star quarterback...") and who rekindled his relationship with the beauty in 1997, after she and O'Neal announced their breakup.


Sources tell Tabloid Baby that the native Texan is in Los Angeles, and is very concerned about Farrah's condition, now that O'Neal has announced that her treatment has pretty much ended, and that he controls her medication.

The document at the center of this sad chapter bears Farrah's signature and hands over "full power and authority" in the production company she started with Nevius a year earlier to business manager Richard B. Francis and "full artistic and creative control" of her cancer journal documentary to O'Neal. The document is dated April 20, four days after Farrah's son Redmond said in open court that her condition had deteriorated and she was down to 86 pounds.

Nevius (below) and other sources (including Tabloid Baby pal Brett Hudson, who was treated in Germany with Farrah and is working on his own doco project, Frozen Pictures' The Klinik) tell us that Farrah intended the documentary to explore why alternative treatments were not available in the United States. It wound up as a morbid, exploitative tabloid television entertainment special produced under the auspices of NBC News and the supervision of O'Neal, who played a major part onscreen and in its promotion.

"Farrah and I have always had a direct and open line of communication-- professionally and personally, in sickness or in health, no matter what time of the day or night, regardless of country she was in." Nevius insists. "Her condition, by all accounts, seems to have gotten worse over the last two months, yet Ryan and Alana Stewart's spokesperson has said that Farrah is still seeing friends. So why haven't Ryan and his business manager allowed me to see her? And why was I threatened--physically and professionally)-- if I even tried?

"Like Farrah said in our documentary about her cancer, 'I don't have all the answers. But I do have some questions.'"

( Click here to visit The Klinik website)