WebProNews

Tag: farrah fawcett

  • Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal, the Stars of the Iconic ’70s Film ‘Love Story’ Swap Stories At Harvard University

    Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal who proved that “love means never having to say you’re sorry” swapped stories at the university that served as the setting for their iconic film, Love Story.

    According to Page Six, one revelation shared was just how little MacGraw was paid — $20,000 — for playing Jenny.

    The actress shared this while reminiscing with O’Neal about the movie at Harvard University on Monday.

    MacGraw said she didn’t complain because the pay was a “lot of money” for her in those days. O’Neal joked that his salary didn’t even cover his alimony payments to Leigh Taylor-Young, whom he divorced in 1973.

    The film chronicles the love story of a rich boy and a girl from the other side of the tracks, from their collegiate days at Harvard University to her tragic death to cancer at the age of 25. The film made grown men weep.

    MacGraw and O’Neal visited Harvard some 45 years after the film was released and spoke with students about their memories of their time on campus filming the classic movie.

    MacGraw said being at Harvard brought back fond memories that few of her subsequent experiences in film ever matched.

    “It was a wonderful, wonderful adventure that was followed by some pretty dramatic stuff in my private life,” she noted,

    MacGraw, who dealt with addiction for years, walked away from acting in the years after her breakout role in Love Story, which was a huge box office success that received seven Academy Award nominations.

    O’Neal shared that cancer has played a big part in his life – as it had for his character in the movie. He recently battled leukaemia, but the disease is now in remission.

    He also alluded to the death of his long-time companion, actress Farrah Fawcett, who died of cancer in 2009.

  • Jaclyn Smith Turns 70, Continues Farrah Fawcett’s Legacy

    Jaclyn Smith–one of the original Charlie’s Angels–turned 70 on Monday, and looks significantly younger than her years.

    Smith was more interested in talking about the legacy of her late friend and fellow Charlie’s Angels co-star, Farrah Fawcett, than about her 70th birthday when she chatted with Entertainment Tonight, however.

    “I think she wanted to leave behind a legacy,” Jaclyn Smith saysof her friend who died of rectal cancer back in 2009. “It’s wonderful to have watched her never give up.”

    Jaclyn Smith has long been active with the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to “provide funding for cutting edge cancer research, prevention and to help those struggling with cancer today.”

    It was back in 2002 that Jaclyn Smith received her own cancer diagnosis. She had breast cancer, and since she lived through it, she is determined to give back. Smith was honored with a Shining Star award at the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Presents First Annual Tex-Mex Fiesta Benefitting Stand Up to Cancer in Los Angeles in September. The award no doubt meant a great deal to her.

    Jaclyn Smith recently teamed up with the City of Hope, as well as famed hair stylist Jose Eber to provide wigs for cancer patients.

    “Men can shave their head and look cool and modern and trendy, but a woman really has to have a sense of self to be able to carry that off,” she explains. “You have to have these added enhancements to bring you back up.”

    It’s hard to believe that Jaclyn Smith is now 20 years old. It’s likely a bittersweet time for her, realizing Farrah Fawcett never saw this age.

    Kudos to Jaclyn Smith to continuing in Farrah’s footsteps. Her dear friend would surely be proud.

  • Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O’Neal: Arrest Warrant Issued for Son Redmond O’Neal

    Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O’Neal had just one son together, and that son has led the past several years of his life in and out of prison. Now a new arrest warrant has been issued for Redmond O’Neal for violating the terms of his probation.

    People magazine reports that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz revoked O’Neal’s probation and also issued a no bail bench warrant for his arrest in April after Redmond’s probation officer notified him about the parole violation.

    Redmond O’Neal is charged with using drugs and not maintaining his doctor’s appointments as stated in the terms of his parole.

    Ryan O’Neal told People magazine a few years back that Redmond never got over the death of Farrah Fawcett.

    It was back in June of 2009 that Farrah Fawcett died of anal cancer. She produced a documentary called Farrah’s Story that detailed her battle with the disease.

    Farrah Fawcett earned a posthumous Emmy nomination–her fourth–for the documentary.

    This isn’t the first time Redmond O’Neal has violated probation.

    Ryan O’Neal is no doubt very concerned about the son he shared with the late Farrah Fawcett. His rep declined to comment about the situation, however. Redmond O’Neal’s lawyers didn’t return calls for comment either.

    Redmond O’Neal can’t use the crutch of losing Farrah Fawcett in his ongoing trend of breaking the law. He’s a 30-year-old man now, and he needs to get some treatment or he will find himself back in prison.

    Redmond O’Neal has some hard and fast decisions to make–and soon. The first will be turning himself in on this warrant.

  • ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star James Best–Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane–Dies at 88

    Dukes of Hazzard star James Best, known for his role as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, died Monday, April 6th in North Carolina at the age of 88.

    In addition to the Dukes of Hazzard, Best also appeared in many other roles on both TV and in films. Those roles included The Caine Mutiny (1954), alongside actor Humphrey Bogart, and The Left Handed Gun, in which he starred with Paul Newman. He also appeared on The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke.

    An obituary for the actor is posted on his website. The Dukes of Hazzard clearly played a big role in his life.

    “Throughout the decades that followed its seven-season run and two reunion movies, “Dukes” continued to keep Jimmie busy with reunions and personal appearances at festivals and fan gatherings. Through the enormous viewership of “Dukes” reruns, the popularity of the show has now spanned several generations of fans,” his obituary reads.

    Tom Wopat, known for his Dukes of Hazzard role as Luke Duke, was quoted in the obituary as well.

    “He was a fine actor, director and mentor, and an even better friend,” he wrote.

    Sonny Shroyer, who played Deputy Sheriff Enos Strate in the series wrote, “James Best will go down as one of the greatest actors that ever lived.

    James Best appeared on The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979 to 1985–throughout the show’s entire run.

    In addition to acting, James Best also ran an acting school. Some of his notable students throughout the years included Clint Eastwood, Farrah Fawcett, Regis Philbin and Quentin Tarantino.

    The acting world has certainly lost a beloved character in the passing of Dukes of Hazzard star James Best. The actor is survived by his wife, Dorothy Collier, his son Gary Allen Best and wife Angela, his daughter JoJami Best Tyler and husband Eric, and his daughter Janeen Damian and husband Michael Damian; as well as by grandchildren Lauren Best, Cameron Tyler, and Tessa Tyler.

  • ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star James Best–Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane–Dead at 88

    Dukes of Hazzard star James Best, known for his role as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane, died Monday in North Carolina at the age of 88.

    Born in Kentucky, the actor also appeared in many other roles on both TV and in films. Those roles included The Caine Mutiny (1954), alongside actor Humphrey Bogart, and The Left Handed Gun, in which he starred with Paul Newman. He also appeared on popular TV programs including The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke.

    James Best appeared on The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979 to 1985–throughout the show’s entire run.

    An obituary for the actor is posted on his website. The Dukes of Hazzard clearly played a big role in his life.

    “Throughout the decades that followed its seven-season run and two reunion movies, “Dukes” continued to keep Jimmie busy with reunions and personal appearances at festivals and fan gatherings. Through the enormous viewership of “Dukes” reruns, the popularity of the show has now spanned several generations of fans,” his obituary reads.

    Tom Wopat, known for his Dukes of Hazzard role as Luke Duke, was quoted in the obituary as well.

    “He was a fine actor, director and mentor, and an even better friend,” he wrote.

    Sonny Shroyer, known for his Dukes of Hazzard role as Deputy Sheriff Enos Strate in the series, wrote, “James Best will go down as one of the greatest actors that ever lived.”

    In addition to acting, James Best also ran an acting school. Some of his notable students throughout the years included Clint Eastwood, Farrah Fawcett, Regis Philbin and Quentin Tarantino.

    The acting world has certainly lost a beloved character in the passing of Dukes of Hazzard star James Best. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Collier, as well as son Gary Allen Best and wife Angela, daughter JoJami Best Tyler and husband Eric, and daughter Janeen Damian and husband Michael Damian; and by grandchildren Lauren Best, Cameron Tyler, and Tessa Tyler.

  • Farrah Fawcett Foundation to Fund HPV-Related Cancer Research Team

    The Farrah Fawcett Foundation has joined Stand Up to Cancer and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) to form a research team dedicated to researching HPV-related cancers, the organizations announced at a press event in San Diego on Monday.

    The event was part of the AACR Annual Meeting, held in San Diego April 5-9. The HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation is supporting the effort to develop new immune therapies for HPV-associated by giving additional funding to Stand Up to Cancer.

    The grant will provide $1.2 million in funding over three years for the project. The research team aims to develop new vaccines and other immunotherapeutic approaches as treatments for patients with HPV-associated cancers – including anal, cervical, head and neck cancers. Research will focus on patients with HPV-related cancers who relapse after receiving therapy, and for whom few treatment options are available. The team’s goal is to improve outcomes for patients of this population.

    “It’s estimated that more than 30,000 HPV-associated cancers occur each year in the United States alone,” said Sherry Lansing, SU2C co-founder, founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation, and chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation Board of Directors.

    “Research into new therapies that will benefit patients is urgently needed,” Lansing said.

    “By collaborating with other organizations who share our urgency for a cure, we hope to overcome barriers to therapeutic progress and end the suffering caused by HPV, which causes 5 percent of all cancers worldwide,” said Justine Almada, executive director of the HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation.

    Fawcett was diagnosed in 2006, and founded the Farrah Fawcett Foundation a year later. She died of anal cancer in 2009 at the age of 62.

    “Farrah was committed to the struggle against anal cancer and other forms of cancer,” said Alana Stewart, chief executive officer and president of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation.

    “We are very pleased to continue Farrah’s legacy by supporting this important scientific initiative,” Stewart said.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Farah Fawcett Foundation To Fund Cancer Research

    The Farrah Fawcett Foundation (FFF), Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) have come together to fund a research team on HPV-related cancers. While there are many research teams that are searching for a cure and new treatments for various types of cancers, few of these teams are focused on HPV-related cancers.

    “It’s estimated that more than 30,000 HPV-associated cancers occur each year in the United States alone,” said Sherry Lansing, SU2C co-founder, founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation, and chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation Board of Directors. “Research into new therapies that will benefit patients is urgently needed.”

    Farrah Fawcett died from anal cancer in 2009. She was diagnosed with the cancer is 2006 and received chemotherapy and surgery to help shrink and remove the cancer. Unfortunately, the cancer spread to her liver. Fawcett again had surgery to remove the cancer as well as perfusion and embolization.

    These treatments worked, but the tumors on her liver returned just a few months later and Fawcett underwent laser ablation therapy and chemoembolization. The treatments did slow down the cancer growth, but Fawcett died from cancer in 2009.

    “Farrah was committed to the struggle against anal cancer and other forms of cancer,” Alana Stewart, chief executive officer and president of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation said at a news conference. “We are very pleased to continue Farrah’s legacy by supporting this important scientific initiative.”

    The new research team will focus on developing a vaccine that will attack HPV-driven cancer cells. The Stand Up To Cancer-Farrah Fawcett Foundation Human Papillomavirus Translational Research Team Grant will provide $1.2 million to the cancer research team for the next three years.

    Do you think the team will be able to develop the vaccine within the three years and do you think it will be successful in treating HPV-related cancers?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Farrah Fawcett Foundation to Target HPV-Related Cancers

    The Farrah Fawcett Foundation will fund research for HPV-related cancers.The foundation announced that it was partnering with Stand Up for Cancer and is going to provide $1.2 million in funding for this research over the next three years.

    The new research will “focus on patients with HPV-driven cancers (including anal, cervical, and head and neck cancers) who relapse following initial therapy, and for whom few therapeutic options are available, and will provide a novel approach to improving outcomes in this population.” Farrah Fawcett died of anal cancer back in June of 2009. She was 62 years old.

    “We are very pleased to continue Farrah’s legacy by supporting this important scientific initiative,” Alana Stewart, president of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, said in a statement following the foundation’s announcement.

    Farrah Fawcett’s biggest claims to fame included a photo of her modeling a skimpy (or so it was considered at the time) red bathing suit and playing the role of Jill Munroe on the hit 1970s TV show Charlie’s Angels. The bathing suit photo became iconic and droves of young men hung posters of Farrah wearing it in their bedrooms in the 1970s. Fawcett appeared in several films as well, including Logan’s Run.

    Diagnosed with cancer in 2006, Fawcett was twice in a relationship with actor Ryan O’Neal, who returned to her side when she was diagnosed with cancer and stayed with her until the end. She and O’Neal had one child–Redmond O’Neal–who was in jail on a drug conviction at the time of his mother’s death.

    In 2007 Farrah Fawcett took a small video camera along with her during one of her appointments with her oncologist. From that point on she documented her cancer ordeal. Aired after her passing, she earned a posthumous Emmy Award for her work on the documentary.

    Farrah would no doubt be pleased to know that her cancer foundation was funding research into several cancers related to HPV–among them the anal cancer that wound up taking her life.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Farrah Fawcett Foundation Forms HPV Research Team

    The Farrah Fawcett Foundation announced this week that it will be teaming up with Stand Up To Cancer and the American Association for Cancer Research to create a team dedicated solely to the research of HPV and HPV-related cancers. The project will be called “Therapeutic CD8 vaccines against conserved E7 HPV epitopes identified by MS.”, and the foundations will provide $1.2 million in grant monies for the project. The grant will be made available to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for a clinical trial of a cancer-fighting antigen.

    “We believe that the grant committee was encouraged by novel interdisciplinary science in conjunction with the powerful immunogenicity data that Immunovaccine has collected to date with our DPX-Survivac cancer vaccine candidate,” said Marc Mansour, Ph.D., who is the chief operating officer of Immunovaccine. “We are excited to work with the talented team at Dana-Farber and add value to their clinical program with our DepoVax technology. Our previous work with DPX-Survivac gives us confidence that DepoVax has the potential to induce strong immunological responses to their novel antigen to enable the vaccine in the clinic.”

    Fawcett died of anal cancer in 2009, a disease predominantly caused by HPV. The iconic actress was diagnosed in 2006, and a year later started the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. She was deeply interested in alternative medicines and helping those who had been diagnosed, particularly children and families who couldn’t keep up with mounting medical bills.

    “Farrah was committed to the struggle against anal cancer and other forms of cancer,” said Alana Stewart, president of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. “We are very pleased to continue Farrah’s legacy by supporting this important scientific initiative.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jaclyn Smith Weeps Over Farrah Fawcett’s Death

    Jaclyn Smith was spotted weeping outside a courthouse in Los Angeles on Monday, over the passing of her dear friend and Charlie’s Angels costar Farrah Fawcett. Smith was in court supporting Ryan O’Neal, who was there to defend his right to own a Warhol painting of Farrah. Fawcett died back in 2009, but Smith was clearly overcome with emotion, missing her friend and still mourning her death more than four years later.

    Smith told the New York Post she was emotional over “seeing Redmond, and I miss Farrah.” Redmond O’Neal is Farrah Fawcett’s son with ex-husband Ryan O’Neal. Even though the two never remarried one another, they were very much in love when she died, and he cared for Farrah Fawcett during her darkest days.

    The University of Texas is challenging Ryan O’Neal over an Andy Warhol painting of Farrah Fawcett, saying all the artwork that belonged to Fawcett now belongs to the university. She did leave her art to the University of Texas–having studied there before she was discovered. O’Neal, however, claims Warhol gave this one piece of art to him, and therefore he has the right to keep it.

    In addition to the painting, the university wants Ryan O’Neal to hand over a tablecloth that Warhol doodled on as well.

    The jury is presently out in this case and the verdict about whether Ryan O’Neal gets to keep the Andy Warhol painting of Farrah Fawcett rests in the hands of some who aren’t even old enough to recall either the artist or the actress.

    Jaclyn Smith wants the painting to stay with Ryan O’Neal. Her tears explain the depth of her love for her late friend and the family she left behind.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Jaclyn Smith Wants Painting to Stay with O’Neal

    They played Angels together on television. And it’s apparent that Jaclyn Smith has not completely gotten over the death of her friend Farrah Fawcett, who died from cancer in 2009.

    Smith stood in front of cameras yesterday at the Los Angeles courthouse in defense of Fawcett’s longtime partner Ryan O’Neal. The issue at hand is an Andy Warhol painting of Fawcett reportedly worth millions of dollars. Does the valuable piece of art belong to O’Neal or does it belong to the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Austin, where Fawcett went to school.

    Smith thinks it clearly should stay with O’Neal. The former Charlie’s Angels star said through tears, “I think the most important thing would be imaging what Farrah would want. I really feel Farrah would want that portrait with Ryan.”

    However, Fawcett left all her artwork to the school in her will. O’Neal argues that Warhol himself gave the actor the painting during a telephone conversation. The painting is currently at O’Neal’s house in California and that’s where Redmond, the son of Fawcett and O’Neal, thinks it needs to stay. “This portrait is a family heirloom. It has no money value to me. It’s sentimental. It’s to stay in the family. It’s a beautiful remembrance of my mom, and it belongs where it is.”

    Smith showed up at the courthouse to support O’Neal and Redmond. The actress says that it was the sight of Redmond that got her emotional to the point of tears. Smith described Warhol’s work as a spot on rendition of the 1970s iconic pinup model. “It’s her soul, it’s her eyes, it’s her hair, it’s everything she is.”

    Image Via Twitter

  • Jaclyn Smith Breaks Down Over Farrah Fawcett’s Death

    Former Charlie’s Angels star Jaclyn Smith attended a court hearing on Monday to support the late Farrah Fawcett’s widower Ryan O’Neal. Ryan has been battling the courts over a lawsuit that was filed by the University of Texas over an Andy Warhol painting that was owned by the late actress.

    Fawcett died in 2009, at the age of 62, after a long battle with cancer, and left all of her artwork to the University of Texas, where she studied. However, Ryan claims that he is the rightful owner of one of the two Warhol paintings of Fawcett, and is fighting to keep it in his family.

    “The reason I gave it to her is because there was a new woman in my life and the painting was making her uncomfortable; that Farrah seemed to be staring down at her,” O’Neal said in August 2012. “And so I said, ‘Well, I can fix that.’ I took it to Farrah and said ‘Keep this for me. I’ll be back.’”

    “This portrait is a family heirloom,” Fawcett and O’Neal’s son Redmond said. “It has no money value to me. It’s sentimental. It’s to stay in the family. It’s a beautiful remembrance of my mom, and it belongs where it is.”

    Jaclyn has defended Ryan on numerous occasions stating: “I think the most important thing would be imagining what Farrah would want. I really feel Farrah would want that portrait with Ryan.” She also said that if Ryan wins the case, it is also a win for Farrah.

    Once the hearing was over, Jaclyn broke down in tears outside of the courthouse after being spotted hugging Ryan and Redmond. When asked why she was crying, Smith told The New York Post that she broke down after seeing Redmond, and that she missed her dear friend Farrah.

    (image)

    Image via Twitter

  • Farrah Fawcett’s Personal Items Being Auctioned

    Farrah Fawcett’s belongings are going up for sale. Personal items belonging to celebrities who have passed are often auctioned, but Fawcett’s items seem pretty ordinary in comparison to the belongings of other celebs. A few of her personal belongings that are being auctioned include her passport, credit card and her driver’s license.

    While these items are not necessarily special or valuable, they do offer a peek into what Fawcett’s everyday life may have been like. Anyone who is fan of Farrah Fawcett will want to add these items to their collections.

    What makes these items so special is that many of them contain personal photos of Fawcett as well as her signature and handwritten notes. Her passport has a starting bid of $800 and is stamped with the names of places she traveled to between 1980 and 1985.

    (image)

    Another item in the auction is a movie script from the film Burning Bed. Alongside the script are notes that Fawcett wrote herself. Her driver’s license contain a photo of Fawcett and was the last one issued to her before her death.

    (image)

    All of the items in the auction were inherited and listed by Fawcett’s nephew Gregory Walls. Walls said that he wanted Fawcett’s fans to be able to have a little piece of her and felt that auctioning her personal items was a great way to make that happen. The items are listed with Heritage Auctions.

    Images from Wikimedia Commons. and YouTube.

  • Farrah Fawcett Legal Battle Heats Up With Ryan O’Neal’s Testimony

    Farrah Fawcett has been at the center of a legal battle this year regarding a portrait of her famous likeness done by Andy Warhol; now, the man she spent several years of her life with has his chance to speak about the artwork–which he says was given to him by Fawcett–and about their notoriously rocky relationship.

    The trouble began when the University of Texas at Austin–Fawcett’s alma mater and the recipient of all her artwork after her 2009 death, as outlined in her will–accused O’Neal of taking the expensive piece of art when it didn’t belong to him. Because they were bequeathed Fawcett’s collection, they say, they are the rightful owners. However, O’Neal says he took it from Fawcett’s home about a week after her death because he’d asked her to hold onto it for him after he’d already been in possession of it for years.

    “The reason I gave it to her is because there was a new woman in my life and the painting was making her uncomfortable; that Farrah seemed to be staring down at her,” O’Neal said in a deposition in August 2012. “And so I said, ‘Well, I can fix that.’ I took it to Farrah and said ‘Keep this for me. I’ll be back.’”

    The woman in question was a young lady who was caught in bed with O’Neal by none other than Fawcett herself; the couple later reconciled after she forgave him, O’Neal says.

    The “Love Story” actor testified on Monday that Warhol was a friend of his and that both he and Fawcett took prints from the artist when they were done. Her copy hangs in the university’s Blanton Museum of Art; O’Neal says he wants to keep the one he has to pass on to his son with Fawcett, Redmond.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Farrah Fawcett’s Warhol: Who Does It Belong To?

    Farrah Fawcett left behind an Andy Warhol painting of herself, which is valued at anywhere between $600,000 and $10 million.

    The portrait was painted from a Polaroid picture Warhol took of the actress in 1980. He gave her red lips and green eyes, but other than that, it is colorless.

    The question that will soon be decided in court, is who does it belong to, according to ABC.

    Fawcett’s long-time love, Ryan O’Neal, the man she had a relationship with for over 30 years, says that the portrait was his. He says that he brought it to her house so that the salty sea air at his beach property wouldn’t ruin the valuable art work.

    O’Neal has countersued the University for the return of a napkin that Andy Warhol drew hearts on for Farrah Fawcett.

    “It is a precious memento of his life with Ms. Fawcett, the love of his life, with whom he was romantically involved for 30 years up until the time of her death,” O’Neal’s lawyers wrote in a trial brief. “Because O’Neal’s Warhol portrait is an heirloom, he never intends to, nor will sell it.”

    On the other side, her alma matter, the University of Texas at Austin claims that the portrait was given to them in her will, and should hang beside the other one they have from her, at the University. They also claim that Ryan O’Neal wrongly removed the painting, which was one of the main attractions in a 2011 exhibit on portraiture at UT’s Blanton Museum of Art, from her condo after her death.

    “We simply want to honor and respect the charitable intent and wishes of Farrah Fawcett,” UT’s Vice Chancellor for External Relations Randa S. Safady wrote in a statement. “It is indisputable that in Ms. Fawcett’s living trust, she named the University of Texas at Austin as the sole beneficiary of all of her works of art, including artwork she created and all objects of art that she owned, for charitable purposes.”

    Jury selection will begin this week. Jurors will hear evidence concerning Ryan O’Neal’s relationship to Fawcett, as well as his friendship with Andy Warhol. They could also possibly hear testimony from Fawcett’s “Charlie’s Angels” co-star, Jaclyn Smith. They will hear testimony of Fawcett’s final wishes, as well, which reportedly state that she wanted the portrait to go to the school.

    The trial will start Wednesday, when attorneys will begin arguing over which evidence should be admitted into court, and is expected to last two weeks.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Farrah Fawcett Portrait in Middle of Court Debate

    Farrah Fawcett, the icon of the 70’s, had her beauty immortalized in artwork that is now the center of heated debates and court proceedings. Fawcett’s Alma Mater, the University of Texas, has brought a lawsuit regarding ownership of a silkscreen picture against Ryan O’Neal, who famously shared a glamorous yet rocky and public relationship with the blonde celebrity.

    Though O’Neal had previously spoken about the violent outbursts that happened throughout his relationship with Fawcett, he remains adamant that the portrait was a gift to him from his late love interest.

    Fawcett indicated in her will that all artwork in her possession was to be given to the University of Texas. When receiving the artwork, an Andy Warhol portrait of Fawcett was delivered. With the help of an informant, it soon came to the attention of the university officials that a second portrait had also been completed. Detectives were hired by the officials at the university to locate the second portrait, which was ultimately found in Ryan O’Neal’s home.

    There are two sides to every story, and according to O’Neal the second portrait was a gift from Andy Warhol, himself, to O’Neal. However, the situation has gotten messy. Trustees of the university have sued O’Neal, and he has countersued the university over a different Warhol sketch, which he claims is a personal belonging of his that has somehow ended up in the university’s Blanton Museum of Art.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cLHTmuU0ZQ

    Though the beauty died in 2009 on the same day as Michael Jackson, fans the world-over still hold a torch for the beloved Charlie’s Angel.

    [Image Via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Farrah Fawcett Artwork At Center Of Legal Battle

    Farrah Fawcett was the face of the ’70s; with her all-American good looks and gleaming smile, she was an icon from the moment she struck that famous “Charlie’s Angels” pose. Now, a highly-sought after piece of art bearing her likeness is caught in the middle of a legal battle, and it’s hard to say who will come out the victor.

    The artwork is a silkscreen done by none other than Andy Warhol, which puts the value somewhere in the $30 million range, and Fawcett’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, actor Ryan O’Neal, says it was given to him before she died in 2009. However, the University of Texas claims the actress wanted all her artwork donated to them and had it put in a living trust.

    O’Neal may have a hard time proving the piece belongs to him, but has garnered a list of celebrity names to take the stand during the court battle, including his son with Fawcett, Redmond O’Neal; celebrity Alana Stewart; and Fawcett’s former co-star, Jaclyn Smith.

    “It may come down to how good of an actor Mr. O’Neal is,” said probate and estate attorney Kenneth Ostrove. “If he can play out that emotional side of it, be believable.”

    The actor says that he was in possession of the artwork until the late ’90s, when a woman he was dating at the time objected to it being hung on the wall at his home. He says he took it down and gave it back to Fawcett with the condition that he would be back for it.

    “And the reason I gave it to her is because there was a new woman in my life and the painting was making her uncomfortable; that Farrah seemed to be staring down at her,” O’Neal said in a deposition in August 2012. “And so I said, ‘Well, I can fix that.’ I took it to Farrah and said ‘Keep this for me. I’ll be back.’”

    The trial begins today in Los Angeles Superior Court.

    Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy