Every man wanted her, and they settled for her classic swimsuit poster. Every woman wanted to be her, and adopted hairstyles with flipped-back wings. But what Farrah had, you couldn't get from a curling iron.

But for Farrah, being an icon was never enough. At every point in her career, Farrah wanted us to know that there was more to her. She chose acting roles that were deliberately non-glamorous, even frumpy. She took parts that were controversial. She tried to express herself in art, at one point promoting a Playboy video in which she painted her body. No one was sure what that was about.

When audiences tuned in to the two-hour documentary "Farrah's Story," they learned two things: That Farrah was a fighter, but also that she was surprisingly delicate. "I know that everyone will die eventually," she said, "but I do not want to die of this disease."

It's hard to say goodbye to Farrah because she was a paragon of health who never aged. It seems impossible that the story of this golden girl could end like this.

Rest in peace, Angel.

A look back at some of Farrah's finest performances:

Noxzema pitchwoman, 1973:
"I'm gonna get creamed!" a giggling Joe Namath said as an unknown Farrah smeared shaving cream all over his face, and then man-handled him. Joe who?

Pinup girl, 1976:
The photographer used the Indian blanket that covered the seats of his car, and Farrah put on a fairly modest red one-piece. The result was magic. The poster sold more than twice as many copies as posters of Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe put together -- more than 12 million copies.

Charlie's Angel, 1976:
Married at the time to Lee Majors, Farrah made sure it was in her contract that she could leave the set in time to make dinner each night. She solved crimes as a female prisoner, a roller derby diva, and a maid. They called it "T&A TV." She once admitted, "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." Farrah won a People's Choice award, but left the show after just one season.

Living, bleeding public service announcement, 1984:
For "The Burning Bed," glamour puss Farrah disappeared into the role of Francine Hughes, a Michigan woman who endured 13 years of domestic abuse -- and then set her husband on fire while he slept. Francine was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Critics and viewers were impressed, and the TV movie was the first to include an 800 number for victims of abuse.

Feminist avenger, 1983
Critics loved Farrah in "Extremities," a highly successful, off-Broadway production in which she played a woman who turns the tables on a would-be rapist. She starred in the 1986 film version of "Extremities," in what the Hollywood Reporter called "a riveting performance."

Unfit mother, 1989
Farrah took on the disturbing role of Diane Downs, an Oregon woman who claimed that a carjacker shot her three children. It turned out she shot them herself, while the Duran Duran song "Hungry Like a Wolf" played, because her boyfriend didn't want children. Farrah received an Emmy nomination.

Pinup girl part 2, 1995
Throughout the '70s and '80s, Farrah may have done some jiggling, but she kept her clothes on. For the December 1995 issue of Playboy, she took it all off. It became the top-selling issue of the '90s, selling more than 4 million copies. Two years later, at the age of 50, she posed again.

Religious trophy wife, 1997
In Robert Duvall's masterpiece "The Apostle," Farrah played the preacher's wife, who eventually leaves him for a youth minister and tries to take over his congregation. Farrah's comeback proved that she wasn't daunted by any role. She earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress.

Performance artist, 1997
David Letterman received a loopy visit from Farrah that has become legendary. Physically, she looked smashing. Conversationally, she was all over the place. Many watchers theorized she had a drug problem. But after David Letterman had an uncomfortable interview with Joaquin Phoenix last February, Letterman joked, "We owe an apology to Farrah Fawcett."

Elusive reality star, 2005
TVLand aired one season of "Chasing Farrah," a reality show that one critic called "a bizarre combination of narcissism, cluelessness, disdain for the audience and boredom." One episode was all about Ryan O'Neal waiting for Farrah to change clothes. Maybe this show was just before its time.

Documentarian, 2009
Perhaps to share her battle with cancer -- perhaps to distract her from it -- Farrah had friends like Alana Hamilton record her experiences with doctors, and her war with the media, which printed details about her condition from leaks at UCLA Hospital. At one point, she revealed that chemotherapy caused her to shave her famous blonde mane. "You wouldn't stop until you got my hair," she tells her doctor.