O'Neal says a sad farewell to 'Charlie's Angel' Farrah
O'Neal touches the back of the hearse carrying Farrah's casket after her funeral service yesterday
More photos:Thursday July 02 2009
Actor Ryan O'Neal led friends and family in a private funeral service for actress Farrah Fawcett, who died last week aged 62 after a long and public battle with cancer.
O'Neal, the long-time companion of the 'Charlie's Angels' star, was one of the pall-bearers and gave a reading at the service at Los Angeles Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Jail
Redmond O'Neal, the 'Love Story' actor's 24-year-old son with Fawcett, was allowed briefly out of jail where he is being held on drugs possession charges to attend the funeral service. Redmond also gave a bible reading, according to a programme made available to the media.
Fellow 'Charlie's Angels' star Kate Jackson, former model Cheryl Tiegs and rocker Rod Stewart's ex-wife Alana Stewart were also among the mourners. Fawcett's Los Angeles cancer doctor, Dr Lawrence Piro, delivered the eulogy with Stewart.
Fawcett's coffin was taken into the church as a quartet of musicians played 'Amazing Grace' and Irving Berlin's love song 'Always', according to the programme.
Outside, a few dozen fans watched as Fawcett's casket was taken inside, covered with sprays of bright yellow flowers that seemed to reflect the sunny smile and golden hair that made Fawcett a worldwide star 30 years ago.
Fawcett died in a Los Angeles hospital on Thursday with O'Neal and Stewart at her side after a long struggle to beat anal and then liver cancer. A personal video diary chronicling her cancer treatments was broadcast on US television in May.
Watching from the street, Karla Dishon (47) said she had come to pay tribute to Fawcett -- a star whose hairstyle she had copied as a teenager like millions of others around the world.
"All the girls did -- wavy, pretty, surfer, California girl hair," Dishon said. "She is an icon and she is a very beautiful woman, and I think it's too bad that we lost her so young."
- Laura Isensee in Los Angeles
