Farrah Fawcett

Her mother, Pauline Alice Fawcett (née Evans; 1914–2005), was a homemaker and her father, James William Fawcett (1917–2010), was an oil field contractor.

She was of Irish, French, English and Choctaw Native American ancestry.

Fawcett once said the name "Farrah" was "made up" by her mother, because it went well with their last name.

A Roman Catholic, Fawcett began her early education at the parish school of the church her family attended, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Corpus Christi.

She graduated from W. B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi, where she was voted "most beautiful" by her classmates in her freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school.

Farrah Leni Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress.

A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she played a starring role in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels.

Mary Ferrah Leni Fawcett was born on February 2, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and was the younger of two daughters.

Fawcett began her career in the 1960s appearing in commercials and guest roles on television.

Between 1965 and 1968, she attended the University of Texas, where she studied microbiology before switching her major to art.

She lived at the Mayfair House on Pearl Street, west of the campus, and was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority.

In her freshman year of college, she was named one of the "ten most beautiful coeds on campus", and it was the first time that a freshman had been chosen for the honor.

Her photos were sent to various agencies in Hollywood.

David Mirisch, a Hollywood agent, called her and urged her to come to Los Angeles.

She turned him down, but he continued for the next two years.

Finally, in the summer of 1968, Fawcett moved to Los Angeles, initially staying at the Hollywood Studio Club, with her parents' permission to "try her luck" in the entertainment industry.

When Fawcett arrived in Hollywood at age 21 in 1968, Screen Gems signed her to a $350-a-week contract.

She began to appear in commercials for such products as Ultra Brite toothpaste, Noxzema skin cream, Max Factor cosmetics, Mercury Cougar automobiles, and Beautyrest mattresses, among others.

Fawcett's film credits include Love Is a Funny Thing (1969), Myra Breckinridge (1970), Logan's Run (1976), Sunburn (1979), Saturn 3 (1980), The Cannonball Run (1981), Extremities (1986), The Apostle (1997), and Dr. T & the Women (2000).

Her earliest acting appearances were guest spots on The Flying Nun (1969) and I Dream of Jeannie (1969–70).

She made numerous other television appearances, including Getting Together, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Mayberry R.F.D., and The Partridge Family.

She appeared in four episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man with husband Lee Majors, on The Dating Game and S.W.A.T, and had a recurring role on Harry O alongside David Janssen as the title character's girlfriend, Sue.

She had a sizable part in the 1969 French romantic-drama Love Is a Funny Thing.

During the 1970s, she appeared in numerous television series, including recurring roles on Harry O (1974–1976), and The Six Million Dollar Man (1974–1978) with her then-husband, film and television star Lee Majors.

Her iconic red swimsuit poster sold six million copies in its first year in print.

Fawcett's breakthrough role was the role of private investigator Jill Munroe in Charlie's Angels, which co-starred Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith.

The show propelled all three actresses to stardom.

After appearing in the show's first season in 1976, Fawcett decided to leave Charlie's Angels.

She later returned as a guest star in six episodes during the show's third and fourth seasons (1978–1980).

For her work in Charlie's Angels, Fawcett received her first Golden Globe nomination.

Her 1980s work in TV movies earned her four additional Golden Globe nominations.

In 1983, Fawcett received positive reviews for her performance in the Off-Broadway play Extremities.

She received Emmy Award nominations for her role as a battered wife in The Burning Bed (1984) and for her portrayal of real-life murderer Diane Downs in Small Sacrifices (1989).

She was subsequently cast in the 1986 film version and received a Golden Globe nomination.

Although Fawcett weathered some negative press for a rambling appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1997, she garnered strong reviews that year for her role in the film The Apostle with Robert Duvall.

In the 21st century, she continued acting on television, holding recurring roles on the sitcom Spin City (2001) and the drama The Guardian (2002–2003).

For the latter, she received her third Emmy nomination.

Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006 and died three years later at age 62.

The 2009 NBC documentary Farrah's Story chronicled her battle with the disease.

She posthumously earned her fourth Emmy nomination for her work as a producer on Farrah's Story.