Charles Karel Bouley: Feathering For Fawcett

Today, my first poster girl, Farrah Fawcett died. In the 9am hour on a June Gloom day the smile and hair that set the tone for a generation and the body and face that created the gold standard of movie star posters died of the Big C, cancer. And it makes me feel old. I loved Farrah. As a young gay man, I had to have my hair exactly like hers. The vent brush and white can Aqua Net (if I have to explain, you weren't there) flew with such fervor in my bathroom that on any given morning or night oxygen was in short supply and ozone destroying vapors filled the room. I would run in to my bedroom where on the closet door was adorned the poster, Farrah, looking at the camera, a smile, a bathing suit, yes, a nipple underneath. Hair incredibly blowing in a breeze, or looking like it constantly. That poster went on to sell somewhere between eight and 12 million copies and the little company Pro Arts Inc., who in 1976 approached Fawcett with the idea has been glad ever since. In fact, according to ... (link)