Farrah Fawcett's red swimsuit donated to Smithsonian
The swimsuit worn by the late Farrah Fawcett in the iconic pinup poster that sold more than 12 million copies in 1976 was donated Wednesday to the Smithsonian Institution's popular culture history collections, along with other items related to her career.
Longtime love Ryan O'Neal and friend Nels Van Patten, who was at the 1976 poster shoot, were scheduled to attend the ceremony in Washington. O'Neal is the father of Fawcett's son, Redmond O'Neal.
"If you were to list 10 images that are evocative of American pop culture, Farrah Fawcett would be one of them," Robert Thompson, a professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University, once told The Times. "That poster became one of the defining images of the 1970s."
Also included in the estate's donation to the Smithsonian: an original copy of the poster, a leather-bound book of the actress' personal copies of scripts for the first season of "Charlie's Angels," magazines with her on the cover, a Farrah doll, a Farrah jigsaw puzzle and a Farrah's Glamour Center hairstyling toy.
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-- Christie D'Zurilla
Share a thought about Farrah Fawcett and visit her star on The Times' virtual tour of the Walk of Fame.
Photos: The red swimsuit worn by actress Farrah Fawcett for this poster, top, on display at an L.A. bookstore on June 25, 2009, has been donated to the Smithsonian Institution. Fawcett's star in Hollywood, left. Credits: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press, top; Lawrence K. Ho /Los Angeles Times, left.
great. now some bimbo celebrity's swimsuit will have a home next to the bones of dinosaurs and the first typewriters and telephones. our grandkids can go visit the museum and see how stupid and shallow our generation was.
Posted by: wtffffff | Feb 02, 2011 at 11:46 AM
i hope that the republicans will be ok with farrahs swimsuit in the smithsonian!
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-clough-smithsonian-20110121,0,4117339.story
Posted by: jj | Feb 02, 2011 at 01:16 PM
How about acknowledging the poster's photographer? Douglas Kirkland.
Posted by: swf | Feb 02, 2011 at 04:06 PM
wtfffff you don't get it! It say's "pop culture". Were you around in the 70's? The Farrah and her poster was a big deal back then. I had it up in my dorm room. Is it as important as dinosaur bones, typewriters and telephones. I'd say no way. but, it is an important icon in "pop culture" and I don't feel stupid or shallow at all.
Posted by: bud | Feb 02, 2011 at 04:23 PM
The Smithsonian is a museum that covers every period in history and all types of events. She was an iconic star of the 70's and the Smithsonian has given her a very well deserved place in history.
Posted by: ADaisyADay | Feb 02, 2011 at 05:00 PM
Was it washed?
Posted by: DontGetIt | Feb 03, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Congratulations to a beautiful lady I can still recall back in 1976 when Farrah took all of us young girls by storm, she was a class act and I have so many fond memories of having my hair cut like hers, trying to find those big sweathers she worn and who can forget "Charlie Angels"!!
May she rest in peace!
Posted by: Outspoken | Feb 03, 2011 at 03:38 PM
I didn't care about Farrah's swimsuit. For me, it was all about the hair. I spent hours trying to imitate that hairstyle. Never mind my hair was waaay too short to make it happen lol
Posted by: Sabrina | Feb 04, 2011 at 07:22 AM