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.

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.

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?

Ryan O'Neal to exploit son Redmond's drug battle in his Farrah Fawcett documentary sequel

Despite the denials, it appears that Ryan O'Neal will exploit his and Farrah Fawcett's son Redmond and his drug problems in a reality television format, after all.

RadarOnline.com reports that Redmond's sad battle with heroin and other addictions will be one of three plotlines in the follow-up to Farrah's Story, the exploitative NBC special that was carved from Farrah and production partner Craig Nevius' original video journal of her cancer struggle.

RadarOnline says its reporters have seen the letter O'Neal is sending out to get people to cooperate. It reads in part:

“We plan to focus on three main areas of her legacy: her art (namely her films and her sculptures), her inspirational battle with cancer; and the light of her life, our son Redmond, who is now fighting to reclaim himself in honor of his mother.”


According to RadarOnline, O'Neal also writes that the documentary will include Farrah’s voice from “an original, never-aired 2005 interview with never-before-seen footage from our private collection of home movies.”

One of the most horrific parts of the Farrah's Story special was the scene, engineered by O'Neal, in which a shackled Redmond was led from jail into the room of his near-comatose mother and allowed to get into bed with her. The sequel promises to pick up the story from there.

It's not known if O'Neal will include video of Farrah's death.

O’Neal plans to keep shooting interviews through March. It's not known if he'll get to interview Redmond, who's in court-ordered drug rehab after years of arrests, jailtime and drug treatment.


O'Neal and Redmond were arrested together on drug charges in 2008 when police found methamphetamine in the actor's Malibu home. O'Neal at first denied the drugs were his, but last year pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sentenced to a year and a half of drug counseling.

Last week, after Farrah's Charlies Angels costar Kate Jackson attacked him in the media, O'Neal said through a spokesman that his "only wishes are for Farrah to rest in peace."

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.

"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.

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"?

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."

Exclusive! Farrah's producing partner on Emmy loss: "We didn't deserve to win!"

If only to recognize Farrah Fawcett for her contribution to television culture and American history, it would have been nice to see the disputed NBC special, Farrah's Story, win the Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction Special at last night's creative arts awards ceremony. The loss was a blow to fans and friends, but not to Farrah's business and producing partner Craig Nevius, who produced the basis for the special with Farrah before she was weakened by cancer and he was edged out by her lover and caretaker Ryan O'Neal. Nevius sent Tabloid Baby this exclusive reaction:

In terms of Farrah's Story not winning: I have mixed emotions about it. I would have liked for Farrah to have been be honored her bravery, honesty and artistry-- not only in fighting this disease but in fighting it on camera in front of the whole world. But I can't lie and say the final product deserved to win.

As most everybody knows by now, the documentary was never finished (at least not if it was really Farrah's story). I was thinking about this on the way home last night. And I remembered a conversation I had with Farrah about her art. I asked her why she had so many unfinished paintings and sculptures. She explained that her art was like her life. It was always evolving and getting a little more interesting. That's why it needed to stay unfinished (for as long as it possibly could). I think my point is that Farrah wanted to surprise herself. She wanted to go to places that most other people, including herself, had never been before. Or even knew existed.

Like when we were in New York (shooting Chasing Farrah). We wrapped up a little early one afternoon and Farrah wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to go to the Empire State Building. That was the one thing that she had never had time to do on any previous trip to NYC. I told her that I would go with her. A few people from the crew came along -- including her old friend (and hair stylist) Mela Murphy as well as a new friend (and photographer) Lisa Boyle.

What was interesting about the trip was that Farrah immediately lost interest in the view from the 86th floor observatory where everyone else stood in awe of the skyline. That's because one of the security guards told us that there was an even higher vantage point in the building but the public wasn't allowed up there because it was a little bit dangerous. Well, that's all Farrah needed to hear. The fact that it was 'not allowed' and 'a little bit dangerous' made it all the more worth doing for her.


So we all went up to the 'tower attic.' It was like being inside a lighthouse that was still under construction. Except the floor was nothing but a metal construction grill that allowed you to see past your feet at a several story drop back down to the 86th floor. Actually, not all of us went up with Farrah. Mela wouldn't get out of the elevator. Lisa wouldn't even get in the elevator. This made it even more fun for Farrah who took delight in calling them both 'Fraidy cats!' She loved it.


I remember her giggling as she tested the sturdiness of the grill by hopping up and down on it like a kid on a new mattress. The view from the tower was so amazing that Farrah had to call her father to describe the sunset to him. Before we left Farrah noticed one of the tower walls: some construction workers and maintenance men had graffitied it. Well, Farrah didn't want to go without leaving her mark. I never forgot what she wrote.


Even though it sounded like a cliche I knew that it was more than that. I just didn't know what the deeper or more symbolic meaning was-- at least not at the time.

She wrote:

The Top
Farrah was here!
and proud of it!

It didn't matter to Farrah that most people would never see her name on that wall. Or even know that she was ever there. Because she knew. And she was proud of it.

It's a little bit like that with her documentary.

For me too.

In Heaven there is no Emmy for Farrah

'Farrah's Story,' the controversial and litigated NBC television spsecial based on Farrah Fawcett's cancer journal documentary and tweaked into a reality sequel to Ryan O'Neal's Love Story, lost out on the Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction Special at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony this evening.

The Emmy went to The History Channel's '102 Minutes That Changed America.'

The battle over the rights to the special and its footage between Emmy-nominated executive producer Craig Nevius and O'Neal, his business manager and Farrah's friend Alana Stewart, will continue in court.

This was Farrah Fawcett's fourth Emmy nomination and many hoped it would have been her first, if posthumous, win. Farrah lost her battle against cancer on June 25th.

While Farrah Fawcett may win her first Emmy tomorrow night, her producing partner has already won a round in his court fight against Ryan O'Neal

Farrah Fawcett may finally win an Emmy on Saturday night, an award that's eluded her in three previous nominations in as many decades (The Burning Bed, Small Sacrifices & The Guardian). Should she win posthumously for the controversial Farrah's Story, the statuette won't be for her acting, but for her role as executive producer of the documentary she made chronicling her fight with cancer.

Meanwhile, Craig Nevius, Farrah's fellow producing nominee, is only beginning his own fight: a legal war with Ryan O'Neal over who has the right to tell Farrah's real story. Nevius and Farrah worked for almost two years on an unconventional yet inspirational "video diary" that would tell Farrah's story from her point of view. Yet, after Farrah sold the material to NBC and her health took a turn for the worse in April, she turned her affairs over to longtime lover O'Neal, who took control of the documentary, kicked Nevius to the curb and rejigged it with the help of NBC Dateline into an exploitation of a celebrity's death with a nod to his own film, Love Story.


Nevius filed a lawsuit against O'Neal, his business manager Richard Francis, and Alana Stewart, Farrah's friend who helped shoot some of the documentary footage and later held out for producing credit that has her up for an Emmy as well.

The lawsuit was in court this week. A Tabloid Baby contributor was there and sends us this unsolicited report:

"After Craig Nevius filed suit, O'Neal and Francis responded quickly and in full force by retaining the very prestigious and very powerful law firm of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp to defend them against Nevius' claims, which the world-class attorneys characterized in court papers as "meritless," "frivolous" and "ludicrous."

Attorneys Kim Swartz and Karin Pagnanelli of MSK also attempted to minimize if not completely deny Nevius' true contribution to the documentary and his position in the company that he and Farrah had formed to own and license the the documentary worldwide (Sweetened By Risk LLC).

Nevius filed a motion to disqualify Swartz, Pagnanelli and their 100-year old law firm for conflict of interest. He claims that MSK had previously represented him as a producer as well an owner and member of Sweetened By Risk LLC (with Farrah).


Swartz, Pagnanelli and MSK have denied that any such attorney-client relationship existed and produced an alternative SBR LLC Operating Agreement dated June 5, 2008 (approximately eight weeks after Farrah and Nevius signed the April 1, 2008 Operating Agreement). This "renewal" agreement appears to have been unilaterally executed by Farrah, and contains a scrawled signature that's identical to the disputed signature from the April 20th, 2009 "Delegation of Authority" (to Ryan O'Neal and his business manager Richard Francis).

MSK seemed to be painting Nevius as a disgruntled employee who was angry at Farrah (for some unspecified reason) and was sought ownership and/or control of the documentary and SBR LLC out of revenge.

At a hearing on September 1st, MSK sent in a "big gun": managing partner Thomas P. Lambert appeared in court to make arguments against the disqualification of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp over a dispute in a two person LLC with only one asset.

Across the table from Lambert and company was a single lawyer representing Nevius: Miles Feldman of Liner, Grode, Stein, Yankelevitz, Sunshine, Regenstreif & Taylor LLP.

The lone attorney was enough, as Judge Joseph S. Biderman granted Nevius' motion for the disqualification (the "tentative ruling" has since been made official).

Judge Biderman agreed with Nevius' attorney that the case is a dispute about ownership and control of SBR and the film. Therefore there was conflict of interest for the company's attorneys (Swartz and Pagnanelli et al) who would likely be called as witnesses over the various agreements and delegations that they allegedly drew up.

As a result Judge Biderman's ruling, O'Neal and Francis must now retain new, unbiased representation or formally appeal the motion in the hopes that the ruling will be overturned.

Nevius was seen in the courtroom.

None of the defendants was present.

Both the plaintiff and the defendants, however, are expected to be at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Farrah's Story is the favorite to win the Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction Special.

As Nevius said in his recent interview with Retroality.tv's Chris Mann: "The fact that this documentary touched so many people (and received an Emmy nomination) is a real tribute to Farrah. It succeeded in reaching people in spite of everything that Ryan and Alana did to it (and tried to do to it). Because at the end of the day, Farrah was still Farrah.""

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.

Farrah Fawcett's life and death become an E! True Hollywood Story

When NBC Dateline took Farrah Fawcett’s cancer documentary (as was its right since the network paid for it) and turned it into a morbid maudlin “mainstream news” version of a tabloid television special, critics groaned, millions watched in horror, the original producer sued and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gave it an Emmy nomination.

When The E! True Hollywood Story dedicates an hour to “the life and legacy of the iconic Hollywood beauty” on Wednesday night, there may not be awards cast in its direction, but viewers can expect they'll be able to sit down to a compelling hour of tabloid show business biography.

The E! True Hollywood Story is television’s premier entertainment biography show, turning each of its stories into a down-and-dirty Hollywood noir, laying its subjects bare while treating them with the respect and awe that their achievements and status command. Whether Natalie Wood or Ray Combs, Liberace or Jan-Michael Vincent, Rebecca Schaeffer or Joe Piscopo, all the THS subjects wind up together in the equivalent of a low-rent Sunset Boulevard motel-- not diminished but enshrined equally as True Hollywood Stars, for why else would we care so much about their personal travails?


It’s a pre-TMZ approach that comes closest to the Hollywood myth-handling of the early days of tabloid television when James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis were still fertile subject matter.

As for the series’ latest portrait of Farrah-- she was featured in 1999, in Season 3-- take it from the press release :

“In 1976, a famous hairstyle and a red swimsuit turned unknown actress Farrah Fawcett into a pop culture icon, but the Texas-born beauty never lost her girl-next-door humility and charm. Diagnosed with cancer in 2006, Fawcett was also an inspiration to many people as she waged a courageous battle with the disease that ultimately took her life. THS chronicles the complicated journey of this blonde bombshell through intimate interviews with those who knew her best…”

The hour-long episode features a rare interview with Farrah’s college friend Sylvia Dorsey, “who sat with Fawcett in the hospital during her final days, along with Farrah’s longtime stylist Mela Murphy and “Charlie’s Angels” creator Leonard Goldberg.

There are also “never-before seen photos taken by her best friend, Alana Stewart.”

In light of the turmoil among those closest to Farrah in the weeks preceding and after her death, those alone should make for a very interesting hour, while adding to the bigger picture.

“Farrah Fawcett: The E! True Hollywood Story” premieres Wednesday, August 5th at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific, and ten show up throughout the E! schedule.