Farrah Fawcett's Life in Photos

There are few people as synonymous with the '70s as Farrah Fawcett. The Charlie's Angels actress not only became instantly recognizable after landing the iconic role, but her hairstyle was one of the most popular of the decade. And yet, few people actually know how Fawcett got her start. Here, we're taking a look back at the life of a true style legend and global star.

Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1947. She attended the University of Texas in Austin after graduating from high school. Initially, Fawcett pursued a degree in microbiology, but diverted to acting in 1968 and that same year moved to Hollywood.

Fawcett had no problem landing work in California, as her all-American look made her an easy casting choice for commercials.

Fawcett met Lee Majors after the two were set up by their respective publicists. After hitting it off on a coffee date, the couple soon became the newest It couple in Hollywood.

Fawcett landed her first film role in 1969 in the romantic drama Love is a Funny Thing. Here, she's seen filming a scene with her costar, French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo.

Following up her success on the big screen, Fawcett landed a role in the comedy Myra Breckinridge, starring Raquel Welch.

After her initial success in film, Fawcett started picking up reoccurring roles on high profile television series—from I Dream of Jeannie to The Partridge Family. Here, she appears in the TV movie The Feminist and the Fuzz.

After five years of dating, Fawcett and Majors tied the knot in a ceremony at Hotel Bel-Air on July 28, 1973. Here, the couple show off Fawcett's new ring as Major's son from his previous marriage, Lee Majors II, looks on.

In 1973, Fawcett starred in The Great American Beauty Contest. The actress was perfectly cast for the part, as she was crowned the winner of several beauty contests before her acting days.

Throughout its successful run on TV, Fawcett regularly appeared on her husband's show, The Six Million Dollar Man. Majors played Colonel Steve Austin from 1974 to 1978.

In 1976, Fawcett landed a starring role in the film Logan's Run. The futuristic sci-fi movie did well with critics and audiences, and helped Fawcett catch the attention of Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling.

Spelling wound up casting Fawcett, alongside Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith, in his new television series Charlie's Angels. The show is known as the start of "jiggle TV," and featured the three actresses as female detectives. "When the show got to be No. 3, I figured it was our acting. When it got to be No. 1, I decided it could only be because none of us wears a bra," Fawcett once said.

Charlie's Angels proved to be a hit, and quickly became the most popular show on television. The network soon started merchandising everything from lunch boxes to posters and Fawcett became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

It wasn't just the show that people were crazy about—it was also her hair. The actress's feathery bangs and bouncy blonde curls were all the rage and in the mid-'70s almost everyone was asking their hairstylists to replicate "The Farrah." "Her hair helped make the show. It became one of our signatures," Spelling said.

After her first season on Charlie's Angels, Fawcett scooped up a People's Choice Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe.

At the peak of her Charlie's Angels fame, that poster of Fawcett posing in a red bathing suit was released. The pinup quickly sold out and adorned the walls of teenagers everywhere—becoming the best-selling poster of all time.

Fawcett knew how to capitalize on her newfound fame. The actress negotiated a 10% commission from the sales of her poster, which ended up selling more than 12 million copies. The actress also took a vested interest in her hair by partnering with Faberge shampoo and releasing her own collection of products in 1978.

While Fawcett's star power continued to rise, fans couldn't get enough of her sporty look. A lifelong athlete, Fawcett regularly played in celebrity tennis tournaments—like the Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes tournament here—and even pioneered recreational jogging.

After only just one season, Fawcett announced she was leaving Charlie's Angels. The exact reason is unknown (some say there was a salary dispute), but Fawcett was known to have disliked the lack of seriousness to her character. "With anything you do there comes a time to move on," Fawcett shared in 1977. She was replaced by Cheryl Ladd.

After leaving TV, Fawcett had ambitions to make the transition to film. Her husband, Majors, supported her decision and the couple launched a production company together, Fawcett-Majors Production, in 1977.

But not everything went as Fawcett planned. ABC sued the actress, claiming she walked out on her contract with them. "The industry was furious with me and hostile because I was a TV sex symbol who wanted to be an actress. People thought I was really pretentious, and for months no one would touch me," Fawcett told People in 1979.

After leaving the show, Fawcett's relationship with Majors also turned sour and the two filed for a legal separation in 1979. "It's very difficult with careers like that. This business is tough," Majors told People.

By 1979, Fawcett had finally settled her lawsuit with ABC and agreed to make six guest appearances on Charlie's Angels throughout the subsequent seasons. Here, the actress is seen appearing with former costar Kate Jackson and her replacement, Cheryl Ladd.

Fawcett followed through on her transition to film. Between 1978 and 1980, the actress appeared in three studio pictures: Somebody Killed My Husband, Sunburn, and Saturn 3, all of which tanked in the box office.

Fawcett began dating up-and-coming actor Ryan O'Neal in 1979, who was coincidentally a friend of her soon to be ex-husband.

Fawcett poses with her costars in Cannonball Run. The movie featured a hoard of famous faces, from Dean Martin and Burt Reynolds to Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Chan.

Fawcett and Major's divorce was finalized in 1982. After the paperwork was complete, the actress moved in with her boyfriend, O'Neal.

Craving more serious roles, Fawcett took over for Susan Sarandon in the Broadway play Extremities. The role earned her critical acclaim and set her on the path of more dramatic roles.

Fawcett's 1984 film, The Burning Bed, was a turning point in her career. No longer considered just a TV sex symbol, Fawcett earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role as an abused wife and mother.

Fawcett welcomed her first child, Raymond O'Neal, on January 30, 1985 with her long-term boyfriend. Raymond was Ryan's fourth child.

Fawcett was cast in the film adaption of Extremities. The film was praised, as well as Fawcett's acting, and the actress earned another Golden Globe nomination as a result.

During the late '80s, Fawcett took on a number of dramatic roles in TV movies, including Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story, Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story, Margaret Bourke-White, and Small Sacrifices.

Fawcett and O'Neal teamed up together on-screen in 1991, starring as a couple in the television series Good Sports. The series was not a hit, however, and only remained on the air for 15 episodes.

In 1995, Fawcett's career was honored when she was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actress attended the ceremony with her son, Redmond, her partner, Ryan, and her parents.

Fawcett surprised fans when she posed semi-nude in the December 1995 issue of Playboy magazine. The move didn't seem to match the starlet's wholesome persona and garnered a lot of attention.

In 1997, Fawcett and O'Neal announced that they were going their separate ways. The breakup took its toll on the actress and lead to an unusual David Letterman appearance, which sparked concerns that the actress was misusing substances.

Soon after her split with O'Neal, Fawcett began dating director James Orr. Later that year, Orr was convicted of assaulting Fawcett and the actress was forced to testify against him in court. A year later, she reunited with O'Neal.

The actress appeared on the TV Land reality show, Chasing Farrah, which gave fans an inside look into her daily life. To promote the show, Fawcett returned to David Letterman.

In memory of Aaron Spelling, who passed away in 2006, the Angels reunited. Fawcett appeared onstage with Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Shortly after, Fawcett was diagnosed with and began battling anal cancer.

After two and a half years fighting the disease, Fawcett lost her battle to cancer and passed away on June 25, 2009. The star is credited with bringing awareness to the rare disease and in her death founded the Farrah Fawcett Foundation for cancer research and prevention.

During the time of her illness, Fawcett welcomed camera crews to film everything from her doctor's appointments to her treatments. The final product was a documentary called Farrah's Story, which was released in 2009 and earned an Emmy nomination.