A documentary telling the story of terminally- ill US actress Farah Fawcett, famous for her flamboyant hairstyle and appearances in TV series Charlie's Angels, was shown on US television on Friday evening.

The actress, who was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006, is believed to have stopped treatment and to be close to death.

The two-hour-long "Farah's Story," filmed by friend and producer Alana Stewart and shown on the NBC network, described what the star called her "own private war" with the illness.

"I know that everyone has to die, but I don't want to die from this disease," the 62-year-old said during the documentary.

The film is an unflinching look at the course of Fawcett's illness, in which she was frequently in extreme pain, and also documents her relationship with long-time love Ryan O'Neal and troubled son Redmond.

The Texan-born actress has made numerous trips to Germany for alternative treatments since 2006.

In the film, Fawcett said: "Cancer is a disease that is mysterious, headstrong and makes its own rules. And mine, to this date, is incurable."

"I want to stay alive. So I say to God, because it is, after all, in his hands - it is seriously time for a miracle," she said.