Farrah Fawcett Left Out Of In Memoriam Oscar Montage
March 7 2010, Published 12:19 p.m. ET
While fallen actors Patrick Swayze and Brittany Murphy (and performer Michael Jackson) were honored at the 82nd Academy Awards on Sunday, one name left off the list quickly caused waves: Farrah Fawcett.
Fawcett, who died at 62 from cancer last June, was not part of the "In Memoriam" montage that played while James Taylor performed an acoustic version of My Life. Bea Arthur, who died in April at the age of 86, was also left off.
The segment is traditionally dedicated to film stars. While Fawcett was in Dr. T and the Women and The Apostle, she was primarily known for her role in the iconic television series Charlie's Angels. RadarOnline.com caught up with Academy Awards rep Leslie Unger after the show who said, "It is highly unlikely that we forgot about Farrah Fawcett but we unfortunately don't include everyone each year." She added: "There are many angles that are looked at as to who to include and unfortunately we don't include everyone."
Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said days before the show that producing the segment is the toughest to do and his committee always has to make some tough cuts.
“It is the single most troubling element of the Oscar show every year,” he said. “Because more people die each year than can possibly be included in that segment.” His office keeps a running list of those who have passed away since last year's segments which he and a small committee whittle down from more than 100 names to about 30. "You are dropping people who the public knows. It’s just not comfortable.”