Coliseum

Developers learn
what city does
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LOCAL, 1B

50 cents Friday, June 26, 2009 n CITY edition

95°/75° Michael Jackson: 1958-2009 INSIDE: A look back: Michael Jackson’s life;
discography. 2A

King of Pop
Sunny, breezy and hot

Quick Read

Perry sets
Special session
Only a month after
Texas lawmakers
adjourned their regular
dead at 50
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY
and DERRIK J. LANG
The person said Jackson
died in a Los Angeles hos-
Jackson
performs
session, they’ll be Associated Press pital. The person was not at Dodger
meeting again in a authorized to speak publicly Stadium in
special session to pass LOS ANGELES — M i c h a e l and requested anonymity. Los Angeles
legislation to keep the Jackson, the sensationally The circumstances of in 1984 at the
transportation depart- gifted “King of Pop” who his death were not immedi- height of his
emerged from childhood ately clear. Jackson was not fame. He was
ment and other state
superstardom to become the breathing when Los Angeles preparing for
agencies running.
entertainment world’s most Fire Department paramedics a large-scale
Texas, 3B influential singer and dancer responded to a call at his Los comeback
before his life and career de- Angeles home about 12:30 tour at the
teriorated in a freakish series p.m., Capt. Steve Ruda told time of his
Liquor store of scandals, died Thursday, the Los Angeles Times. death.
opening soon a person with knowledge of
the situation told The Asso-
The paramedics performed
Associated Press
file
Spec’s Wine, ciated Press. He was 50. Please see JACKSON, 2A
Spirits

Farrah Fawcett
and Finer

Actress
Foods, a
Houston-
based 1947-2009

fought
liquor
store chain,
is coming to town. It
has leased the old Of-

a brave
fice Max site on South
Padre Island Drive and
plans to open the store
in the fall.
Business, 6C

Bring dogs to
work today
Today is the 11th annual
Take Your Dog to Work
Day, but some four-
legged friends already
come to work full time
with their masters,
allowing employers to
experience the value of
pets in the workplace.
Local, 1B
It’s a bird,
It’s a robot
Flamingo art takes over
the botanical gardens
while the second
“Transformers”
overpowers the big
screen.
Weekend
BEND
AROUND THE
battle
n Cancer claims
life of original
’70s sex symbol
BOB THOMAS
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Farrah
Fawcett, the “Charlie’s
Angels” star whose feath-
ered blond hair and daz-
zling smile made her one
of the biggest sex symbols
of the 1970s, died Thurs-
day after battling cancer.
She was 62.
The pop icon, who in
the 1980s set aside the
fa ntasy girl image to
tackle serious roles, died
shortly before 9:30 a.m. in
a Santa Monica hospital,
spokesman Paul Bloch
said.
:5 MOVIES: 6
DINING GUID
E: 13 Ryan O’Neal, the long-
time companion who had
009

CALLER-T IMES
CORPUS CHRISTI
JUNE 26, 2

reunited with Fawcett as

NICE she fought cancer, was at

Angel for eternity

her side, along with close
LEGS!
Gardens’ flam
exhibit opens
ingo
friend Alana Stewart,
Bloch said.
Go Gr s great
Festival offer ment
eek “A f ter a lon g a nd
eats, entertain

Totally Transf
ormed brave battle with cancer,
the
Machines save
world... agai
n our beloved Farrah has
passed away,” O’Neal
said. “Although this is an
906864

Lou diamond extremely difficult time

Phillips wins
reality show
n Corpus Christi’s girl next for her family and friends,
we take comfort in the

Lou Diamond Phillips, door stayed true to friends
an actor who lived in
Flour Bluff, won NBC’s JAIME POWELL
second season of the
powellj@caller.com / 886-3716
reality show “I’m a
Farrah Fawcett was more
Celebrity, Get Me Out Of than just a pretty face.
Here!” Friends who grew up with
Page 2 her in Corpus Christi remem-
bered the Hollywood actress
index Thursday as a bubbly, smart,
weather 9a funny and loyal friend.
Fawcett died Thursday,
obituaries 5B
nearly three years after being
COMICS 6B-7B diagnosed with anal cancer.
LOTTERY 5C She was 62.
BUSINESS 6C-7c “We just lost our f irst
See more photos and an audio slideshow of Farrah Fawcett’s life at Caller.com
beautiful times that we
shared with Farrah over
the years and the knowl-
a n g e l ,” fo r m e r C o r p u s edge that her life brought
Christi resident Jan Alexan- joy to so many people
der wrote in an e-mail to a around the world.”
group of Fawcett’s childhood Said Stewart: “There
friends. are no words to express
Alexander and Kathy Har- the deep sense of loss that
rison, who now live in Freder- I feel. For 30 years Farrah
was much more than a
Please see ANGEL, 4A friend, she was my sister,
and although I will miss
Contributed photo her terribly I know in my
Farrah Fawcett joins friends Jan heart that she will always
Snyder Alexander (left), Kathy be there as that angel on
Harrison (background) and the shoulder of everyone
Karen Cox Spellings in 1993.
Please see FAWCETT, 7A

Who’s
Miller
playing?
Check out the 2009
H.S. football schedule
for Miller H.S. at Caller.
com/overtime
Born Feb. Attended Graduated Married actor Longtime relationship with In July 1984, Fawcett spoke at the In December 1993, Fawcett
To subscribe: 2, 1947, in St. Patrick from Ray Lee Majors in actor Ryan O’Neal began in groundbreaking for a proposed health spoke at a fundraiser on
883-3800 Corpus Elementary High School July 1973; the 1979. The couple’s son spa attached to the La Mirage Racquet behalf of the Women’s Shelter
Christi School and in 1965; couple Redmond O’Neal was born and Athletic Club in the 6600 block of of the Corpus Christi Area,
Hamlin attended divorced in in 1985. Their relationship South Staples Street. The spa plans fell which included a three-hour
Junior High University 1982 was off and on for several through during the economic downturn telethon and the showing of
of Texas years, although O’Neal in the mid-1980s and the planned Fawcett’s 1984 movie about
revealed earlier this week complex never was completed. domestic violence, “The
their plans to wed. Burning Bed.”
4A » Friday, June 26, 2009 »
ANGEL from 1A
icksburg, and local busi-
nesswoman Christine Skin-
ner were fast friends with
Fawcett after she trans-
ferred to Hamlin Middle
School from Catholic school
50 years ago.
The friendship was sealed
after Harrison’s mother took
the trio toilet-papering and
Fawcett’s father, Jim, caught
them mid-roll in his yard.
Everyone ended up inside
for coffee and sodas, and
Farrah went home with the
girls to spend the night.
Over the years Alexan-
der and Harrison have vis-
ited their friend in Los An-
geles, Dallas and New York,
and Fawcett has come home
to Texas to visit the larger
group of about 40 child-
hood friends known as the
Amigas.
“My best friend for 50
years” was how Alexan-
der described Fawcett on
Thursday. “We giggled like
nobody giggled. We just
had an instant connection.
We just didn’t part. There
was nothing we didn’t do
together.”
Back then, to local lawyer
and former state Rep. Bill
Harrison and his group of
friends, Farrah was just an-
other girl hanging out with
his younger sister Kathy.
“We called her Drippy
(Fawcett),” Bill Harrison
recalled. “She was just an-
other little punk coming
over to my sister’s house.”
Harrison introduced Faw-
cett to his best friend, Gary
Roberts, the guy she dated
through high school and into
college.
Fawcett’s father thought
Roberts and his daughter
were getting too serious, so
it was up to Bill Harrison to
pick Fawcett up for dates.
“He liked me because
I was the son of a minis-
ter,” Bill Harrison recalled.
“Gary would be sitting next
to my date, and I’d go pick
up Farrah. And we’d go
around the corner, and Far-
rah would jump in the back
with Gary, and my date
C A L L E R -T I M E S
from the cover
Alexander said. Skinner said. “Most of that
A s R e d m o n d g r e w, was she probably did not
O’Neal coached his soccer know what to expect. It was
team, and Fawcett spent difficult to step back into
time at his school raising where she came from.”
money. The schedule on Later that same year, she
their bulletin board looked came to Corpus Christi to
like any other family’s, full raise money for the Wom-
of soccer games and dentist en’s Shelter of the Corpus
appointments, Alexander Christi Area.
said. After Fawcett was di-
“It was important to her agnosed with cancer and
to raise him with normal was going through che-
family values,” Alexander motherapy and radiation,
said. “He adored her.” Alexander, a retired stress
Despite the Hollywood management counselor,
limelight and raising a fam- was in regular contact with
ily, Fawcett remained close the actress.
to her childhood friends. “She thought she had
In June 1993 she made a licked it, that it was over, it
surprise visit to Fredericks- was done,” she said. “And
burg for the annual Amigas the nasty old thing came
reunion. back.”
Contributed photo When she arrived sev- Alexander and Kathy
Farrah Fawcett (from right) joins Karen Cox Spellings, Jan Snyder Alexander, Pam Pruitt Walker, Kathy eral of her friends who had Harrison spent Thursday
Putman, Mary Lou Ray Hamilton and Kathy Harrison at the 1993 Amigas reunion at Alexander’s home. not seen her in a while were afternoon flipping through
surprised at the movie star old photos and talking about
Roberts recalled a trip to hand when Fawcett married that strong it can be really who had arrived in the liv- their old friend.
Laredo when Fawcett was a actor Lee Majors in 1973. difficult, and it can be really ing room, Skinner said. “She was such a well-
senior at Ray and he was a When Alexander was amazing fabulous.” About an hour later that fa- rounded person,” Harrison
freshman at Texas Tech. preparing to leave following After Fawcett gave birth cade slid away, and she was said. “She was a true light to
“We went to Cadillac Bar another visit, Fawcett cried to son Redmond O’Neal in the Farrah the crew had all of those who knew her,
to have lunch. It was noisy, because friends were hard to 1985, Alexander flew to Cal- known and loved for years, and she was that before she
clanging and banging, and come by in Hollywood. ifornia again to visit. Faw- Skinner said. went off to Hollywood. She
when we were 10 or 12 feet “She said it felt so good cett loved being a mother, “She was always shy,” was just a good person.”
into the restaurant, the for me just to want to
whole place went quiet,” know about her,” Alex-
Roberts said. “I realized ander said. “And at that
then that she is the center time she had a hard time
OLA
of attention. Everybody was making real friends in
staring. Hollywood because she
R G
“I remember it like it said they always wanted
PE MMER
SU E!
was yesterday. She was something — her to read
SAL
we a r i n g a wh ite l i nen a script, get the best hair-
pa ntsuit. T he h a i r, t he dresser, introduce them
teeth, the makeup — peo- to someone.”
ple were inviting us to join A le x a n d e r v i s ite d Plants, Shrubbery & Trees • Garden Necessities & Gifts • Arbors & Pergolas
their parties and offering Fawcett in Los Angeles
to pick up the tab.” after Fawcett divorced A Custom Pergola -
It took Bill Harrison a Majors and moved in Affordable Beauty For
little longer to figure out with Ryan O’Neal. They
that Fawcett was something were madly in love, sev- The Home & Garden!
special. By the time Harri- eral friends said. PERFECT for Backyard Barbeques
son was at the University “You talk about chem- or Poolside Parties!
of Texas, he realized the istry,” Alexander said. PRETTY for Outdoor Gatherings
line of friends coming to “Those two had some and Weddings!
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Roberts, now a Kerrville Despite her good
banker, watched Fawcett looks, Fawcett was always
evolve from a schoolgirl nice — maybe too nice for
into one of the world’s most the California scene, Bill
renowned beauties. Harrison said, reminisc-
In t he eight h g rade, ing about a conversation
Fawcett was beautiful in he had with her.
a wholesome way, Rob- “I was studying for my

Problems are in disgu ise.

erts said, sort of sheltered, bar exam, and I was giv-
with bobbed hair wearing ing her advice, telling her
a Catholic school uniform. not to go to Hollywood
After a visit with an aunt because they would eat

opportu nities
in Houston who mentored her up,” he said. “I told her
her, Fawcett blossomed in pretty girls are a dime a
her sophomore year at Ray dozen. And six months
High School, becoming later she got there and
interested in clothes and wow. Boy, she was big
fashion, growing her hair, deal.”
getting it highlighted and Jan Alexander, Kathy
wearing makeup, Roberts Harrison and Fawcett’s
said. She was voted Most college roommate Karen
Beautiful her sophomore, Cox Spellings were among
junior and senior years at the select few from Cor-
Ray High School. pus Christi who were on
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FAWCETT from 1A
who loved her.”
Other “Charlie’s Angels”
stars paid tribute as well.
“Farrah had courage, she
had strength, and she had
faith. And now she has peace
as she rests with the real an-
gels,” Jaclyn Smith said.
Said Cheryl Ladd: “She
was incredibly brave, and
God will be welcoming her
with open arms.”
Fawcett burst on the scene
in 1976 as one-third of the
crime-fighting trio in TV’s
“Charlie’s Angels.” A poster
of her in a clingy swimsuit
sold in the millions.
Her full, layered hair-
style became all the rage,
with girls and women across
America adopting the look.
She left the show after one
season, but had a flop on the
big screen with “Somebody
Killed Her Husband.” She
turned to more serious roles
in the 1980s and 1990s, win-
ning praise playing an abused
wife in “The Burning Bed.”
She was diagnosed with
cancer in 2006. As she under-
went treatment, she enlisted
the help of O’Neal, who was
the father of her now 24-year-
old son, Redmond.
T h i s m ont h O ’ Ne a l
said that he asked Fawcett
to marry him and that she
agreed, but they were un-
able to wed before she died.
Her struggle with painful
treatments and dispiriting
setbacks was recorded in
the television documentary
“Farrah’s Story.” Fawcett
sought cures in Germany
as well as the United States,
battling the disease with
iron determination even as
her body weakened.
I n t he doc u menta r y
Fawcett was seen shaving
off most of her trademark
locks before chemotherapy
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Farrah Fawcett stars in an episode of “Charlie’s Angels” in
early 1977. She left the show after one season to focus on
films, finding acclaim in a long string of TV movies.
could claim them. Toward
the end, she’s seen huddled
in bed, barely responding to
a visit from her son.
Fawcett, Kate Jackson and
Smith made up the original
“Angels,” the sexy, police-
trained trio of martial arts
experts who took their as-
signments from a rich, mys-
terious boss named Charlie.
(UPTOWN
NEAR
CITY HALL)
from the cover
“ ”
Associated Press file
Backed by a clever pub-
licity campaign, Fawcett —
then billed as Farrah Faw-
cett-Majors because of her
marriage to “The Six Million
Dollar Man” star Lee Majors
— quickly became the most
popular Angel of all.
“She was an angel on
Earth and now an angel for-
ever,” Majors said Thursday.
“ O, Gosh!
Have you heard?
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SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
Farrah’s Story (2009)
A Wing & a Prayer:
Farrah’s Fight for Life (2008)
Chasing Farrah (reality TV series)(2005)
Playboy: Farrah Fawcett, All of Me (1997)
Dr. T and the Women (2000)
The Apostle (1997)
Man of the House (1995)
The Substitute Wife (TV movie) (1994)
Small Sacrifices (TV movie) (1989)
Poor Little Rich Girl:
The Barbara Hutton Story (TV movie) (1987)
The Burning Bed (TV movie) (1984)
The Cannonball Run (1980)
Charlie’s Angels (TV series, 1976-1980)
Logan’s Run (1976)
Myra Breckinridge (1970)
Tributes
Ray High School memorial
ideas
Ray High School Principal
Cissy Reynolds-Perez said no
vigils are planned at Fawcett’s
alma mater as per Corpus Christi
Independent School District poli-
cies. However, the school’s Web
site has an e-mail address where
people can send suggestions
of how the school can honor
Fawcett.
“We have new science facili-
ties in our school that could be
named in her honor and in
support of cancer research,”
Reynolds-Perez said. “We could
put up her photo and a plaque
somewhere on campus or per-
haps someone out there has
another idea that they could
submit to us.”
A decision on how to honor
The public and the show’s
producer, Spelling-Goldberg,
were shocked when she an-
nounced after the series’ first
season that she was leaving
television’s No. 5-rated series
to star in feature films.
But the movies turned
out to be a platform where
Fawcett was never able to
duplicate her TV success.
”
906626
C A L L E R -T I M E S
Sources: Caller-Times
archives, IMDb.com
Fawcett will be made once
school is back in session, she
said.
Send suggestions to:
ceperez@ccisd.us
Condolences
Local funeral homes have
memory books available for
residents to sign from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. today. They plan to
forward the books to
Fawcett’s family.
n Seaside Memorial Park and
Funeral Home
4357 Ocean Drive
n Corpus Christi Funeral
Home
2409 Baldwin Blvd.
— Jaime Powell and
Elvia Aguilar
Fawcett fared better with
television movies such as
“Murder in Texas,” “Poor Lit-
tle Rich Girl” and especially
as an abused wife in 1984’s
“The Burning Bed.” The last
earned her an Emmy nomi-
nation and the long-denied
admission from critics that
she really could act.
As further proof of her
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acting credentials, Fawcett
appeared off-Broadway in
“Extremities” as a woman
who is raped in her own
home. She repeated the role
in the 1986 film version.
Not content to continue
playing victims, she played
a murderous mother in the
1989 true-crime story “Small
Sacrifices” and a tough law-
yer on the trail of a thief in
1992’s “Criminal Behavior.”
She also starred in biog-
raphies of Nazi-hunter Beate
Klarsfeld and photographer
Margaret Bourke-White.
“I felt that I was doing a
disservice to ourselves by
portraying only women as
victims,” she commented
in a 1992 interview.
I n S eptember 2 0 0 6 ,
Fawcett, who at 59 still
maintained a strict regi-
men of tennis and paddle-
ball, began to feel strangely
exhausted. She underwent
two weeks of tests and was
told she had anal cancer.
O’Neal, with whom she
had a 17-year relationship,
a ga i n beca me her con-
stant companion, escort-
ing her to the hospital for
chemotherapy.
“She’s so strong,” the
actor told a reporter. “I
love her. I love her all over
again.”
Her decision to tell her
own story through the NBC
documentary was meant
as an inspiration to others,
friends said. The segments
showing her cancer treat-
ment, including a trip to Ger-
many for procedures there,
were originally shot for a
personal, family record, they
said. And although weak, she
continued to show flashes of
grit and good humor in the
documentary.
“I do not want to die of
this disease. So I say to God,
‘It is seriously time for a mir-
acle,’ ” she said at one point.
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