Oscar bosses have defended their decision to leave out late actress Farrah Fawcett from the "in memorial" montage.

They insist that it is impossible to pay tribute to every star who has passed away in the last year.

Fawcett, who had passed away in June last year, was left out from the Academy Awards' tribute section on March 7, which marked the deaths of stars including Brittany Murphy and Patrick Swayze.

The snub has caused online gossips to speculate she had been left out because of her predominant television career, with some critics slamming the ceremony heads for not adding her to the clip.

Jane Fonda was also shocked Fawcett was left out, and wrote on Twitter.com about it.

"Where was Farrah Fawcett? She should have been included," the Daily Star quoted her as having written.

Screenwriter Roger Ebert added, "No Farrah in the memorial. They have a whole lot of 'splaining (sic) to do."

And U.S. TV personality Star Jones is fuming the actress was not included, because she appeared in movies including The Cannonball Run and The Apostle and was even nominated for a Golden Globe for 1987 film Extremities.

"FYI (for your information)... Farrah had a very diverse career... that included Broadway, TV and Film. She even received a Golden Globe nom," Jones wrote on her Twitter page.

But Oscar bosses have defended their decision.

"It is the single most troubling element of the Oscar show every year," Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said.

"Because more people die each year than can possibly be included in that segment. You are dropping people who the public knows. It's just not comfortable," he added. (ANI)