Actress Farrah Fawcett died Thursday in a Los Angeles hospital after a long battle with cancer. She was 62.

Fawcett, who rose to fame as the star of U.S television's "Charlie's Angels," was first diagnosed with anal cancer in late 2006.

She passed away at 9:28 a.m. PT at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica.

Her longtime partner Ryan O'Neal was at her bedside.

In a statement O'Neal said: "After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away. Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."

Reports say their child, Redmond O'Neal, was not present. The 25-year-old is currently in jail on numerous drug charges, though was allowed out on several occasions to visit his ailing mother.

Fawcett's co-stars on "Charlie's Angels" paid tribute to her.

"Farrah had courage, she had strength, and she had faith. And now she has peace as she rests with the real angels," Jaclyn Smith said.

Said Cheryl Ladd: "She was incredibly brave and God will be welcoming her with open arms."

With her big smile and feathered blond mane, Fawcett was a Hollywood golden girl in the 1970s, after "Charlie's Angels" became a hit TV show in 1976.

Despite the show's popularity, Fawcett tried to leave "Charlie's Angels" after its first season. As a result of a lawsuit by the producers, she agreed to return for six guest appearances in the next two seasons.

During her heyday Farrah's face helped sell T-shirts, lunch boxes, shampoo, wigs and even a novelty plumbing device called Farrah's faucet.

A poster of her in a red swimsuit sold millions of copies and became a 70's staple in the bedrooms of many young men.

Earlier in her career , Fawcett had small roles in 1960s and '70s television shows such as "Mayberry, R.F.D.," "Three's a Crowd," "I Dream of Jeannie," "Marcus Welby," "McCloud," "The Flying Nun" and "The Partridge Family."

She later went on to win critical acclaim for her role as a battered wife in "The Burning Bed,"

Fawcett was nominated for three Emmys and six Golden Globes, but never won.

Born Feb. 2, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas, Fawcett later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career.

Fawcett married actor Lee Majors in 1974 and they appeared together in his television show, "The Six Million Dollar Man," before divorcing in the early 1980s.

In 1985 she had a son with long-time companion actor Ryan O'Neal and the couple starred in a short-lived sitcom, "Good Sports," in the early '90s before splitting up.

Fawcett's struggle with cancer brought them back together and O'Neal had said this month that he had asked Fawcett to marry him and that she had agreed.

Reports say they did not marry in her final days.

Fawcett chronicled her fight against cancer in a 90-minute television documentary titled "Farrah's Story." It drew 9 million viewers and included footage of her shaving off her hair, as well as scenes in which she was bedridden and heavily medicated.