Farrah Fawcett was the “It Girl” of the 1970s — but her marriage to “Six Million Dollar Man” Lee Majors ended with her ditching her furious husband for his friend Ryan O’Neal. It was the end of an ugly relationship, but also the start of a new nightmare for the “Charlie’s Angels” star. Just as she was trying to move on in her career, Farrah and Ryan began their own vicious feuding that would leave their troubled son Redmond threatening to commit suicide. And despite Lee’s own miserable behavior as Farrah found fame, he still sat next to his ex at her deathbed to say: “I forgive you!”
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The University of Texas beauty queen met Lee in 1968, just two weeks after Farrah’s parents drove her to Hollywood. Lee was a supporting star on TV’s
“The Big Valley,” while Farrah went from television commercials to some small acting roles. First and foremost, however, Farrah had to be Lee's loyal wife. Her contracts even stipulated that she had to be home in time to cook dinner for him!
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In 1976, Farrah finally landed a hit TV role on
“Charlie’s Angels” — and posed for a legendary pin-up poster that rocketing her to megastardom. Lee had moved on to the lead in
“The Six Million Dollar Man,” but a friend revealed: “Lee had a very tough time adjusting” to his wife's sudden fame. The actor once said: “I was on a top TV show, she was on a top TV show. We couldn’t go out. We couldn’t do anything.”
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Farrah herself admitted: “Lee married a very compliant person who just wanted to cook his meals, clean his house and be dependent. I still like to cook his meals and clean his house, but I’m not dependent anymore.” As her career exploded, the high-flying beauty started to rely less on Lee and her other advisers. “I began to think about what I wanted, and needed, for myself,” she confessed.
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Farrah also had to deal with rumors of an affair with actor Vince Van Patten, the youngest son of “Eight Is Enough” star
Dick Van Patten. “Vince and his parents are some of my best, kindest, most wonderful friends and I’m sorry for the embarrassment these stories have caused them,” she said. But in the autumn of 1979, Farrah
met “Love Story” heartthrob Ryan.
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Having been invited to Lee’s Hollywood ranch, Ryan recalled seeing “this beautiful girl…delightful, full of childlike warmth … vibrant and wholesome, refreshing in this town.” Soon, Ryan and Farrah fell in love. She divorced Lee, and gave birth to Ryan's son Redmond in 1985. But, by the time Redmond was six, the couple were at each other’s throats!
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“Lee started calling Farrah’s close friends to get updates on her,” an insider reveals. “He did that for two and a half years. He just wanted to know how she was doing because he still cared about her as a friend.” Then, in February 2009, Lee called Farrah on her birthday. “They spoke for the first time in 23 years,” revealed the friend
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A source adds: “Lee told her that, through the years, he thought about her often. He said, ‘I don’t blame you for what happened. There is nothing but love in my heart for you. I forgive you.’” The TV legend was just 62 years old when she lost her battle with cancer in June 2009. After her death, Lee declared: “She was an angel on earth, and now an angel forever.”
The University of Texas beauty queen met Lee in 1968, just two weeks after Farrah’s parents drove her to Hollywood. Lee was a supporting star on TV’s
“The Big Valley,” while Farrah went from television commercials to some small acting roles. First and foremost, however, Farrah had to be Lee's loyal wife. Her contracts even stipulated that she had to be home in time to cook dinner for him!
Photo credit: Getty Images
In 1976, Farrah finally landed a hit TV role on
“Charlie’s Angels” — and posed for a legendary pin-up poster that rocketing her to megastardom. Lee had moved on to the lead in
“The Six Million Dollar Man,” but a friend revealed: “Lee had a very tough time adjusting” to his wife's sudden fame. The actor once said: “I was on a top TV show, she was on a top TV show. We couldn’t go out. We couldn’t do anything.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Farrah herself admitted: “Lee married a very compliant person who just wanted to cook his meals, clean his house and be dependent. I still like to cook his meals and clean his house, but I’m not dependent anymore.” As her career exploded, the high-flying beauty started to rely less on Lee and her other advisers. “I began to think about what I wanted, and needed, for myself,” she confessed.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Farrah also had to deal with rumors of an affair with actor Vince Van Patten, the youngest son of “Eight Is Enough” star
Dick Van Patten. “Vince and his parents are some of my best, kindest, most wonderful friends and I’m sorry for the embarrassment these stories have caused them,” she said. But in the autumn of 1979, Farrah
met “Love Story” heartthrob Ryan.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Having been invited to Lee’s Hollywood ranch, Ryan recalled seeing “this beautiful girl…delightful, full of childlike warmth … vibrant and wholesome, refreshing in this town.” Soon, Ryan and Farrah fell in love. She divorced Lee, and gave birth to Ryan's son Redmond in 1985. But, by the time Redmond was six, the couple were at each other’s throats!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty/Files
Photo credit: Getty Images
“Lee started calling Farrah’s close friends to get updates on her,” an insider reveals. “He did that for two and a half years. He just wanted to know how she was doing because he still cared about her as a friend.” Then, in February 2009, Lee called Farrah on her birthday. “They spoke for the first time in 23 years,” revealed the friend
Photo credit: Getty Images
A source adds: “Lee told her that, through the years, he thought about her often. He said, ‘I don’t blame you for what happened. There is nothing but love in my heart for you. I forgive you.’” The TV legend was just 62 years old when she lost her battle with cancer in June 2009. After her death, Lee declared: “She was an angel on earth, and now an angel forever.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
