Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal (April 20, 1941 – December 8, 2023) was an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, he trained as an amateur boxer before beginning a career in acting in 1960.
In 1964, he landed the role of
Rodney Harrington on the
ABC nighttime soap opera ''
Peyton Place''.
It was an instant hit and boosted O'Neal's career. He later found success in films, most notably in the romantic drama ''
Love Story'' (1970), for which he was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Actor
The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...
and the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama;
Peter Bogdanovich's ''
What's Up, Doc?'' (1972); ''
Paper Moon'' (1973), which earned him a nomination for the
;
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
's ''
Barry Lyndon
''Barry Lyndon'' is a 1975 epic historical drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1844 novel '' The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' by William Makepeace Thackeray. Narrated by Michael Hordern, and starring Ryan O'N ...
'' (1975), in which he portrayed the titular character;
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer.
Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Acade ...
's ''
A Bridge Too Far'' (1977); and
Walter Hill
Walter Hill (born January 10, 1942) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer known for his action films and revival of the Western (genre), Western genre. He has directed such films as ''The Driver'', ''The Warriors (film), The ...
's ''
The Driver
''The Driver'' is a 1978 American crime film, crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill, and starring Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern and Isabelle Adjani. The film featured only unnamed characters, and follows a getaway driver for robberi ...
'' (1978).
From 2006 to 2017, he had a recurring role in the
Fox television series ''
Bones'' as Max, the father of the
show's eponymous protagonist.
Early life and education
O'Neal was born in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, on April 20, 1941, the elder son of actress Patricia ( O'Callaghan) and novelist/screenwriter
Charles O'Neal.
His father was of Irish and English descent, while his mother was of paternal Irish and maternal Jewish ancestry. His only sibling, younger brother, Kevin O'Neal (19452023), was also an actor as well as a screenwriter.
[
O'Neal attended University High School in Los Angeles, and trained there to become a ]Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves of America is an organization that promotes annual competitions of amateur boxing in the United States, in which winners are awarded a belt and a ring, and the title of national champion. The organization currently owns 30 fr ...
boxer. During the late 1950s, his father had a job writing on a television series called ''Citizen Soldier'', and moved the family to Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, where O'Neal attended Munich American High School.
Career
1960–1969: Television roles
In Germany, O'Neal was struggling at school, so his mother pulled some favors and got him a job as a stand-in on a show being shot in the area, ''Tales of the Vikings
''Tales of the Vikings'' is an American first-run syndicated television series, first telecast on September 8, 1959 and ran through June 2, 1960. The series was produced by Kirk Douglas' production company, Brynaprod.
Plot
Set in tenth century S ...
''. O'Neal worked on it as an extra and stuntman and became interested in acting. O'Neal returned to the U.S. and tried to make it as an actor. He made his first television appearance guest starring on '' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'' episode "The Hunger Strike" in 1960. He followed this with guest slots on '' The Untouchables'', '' General Electric Theater'', '' The DuPont Show with June Allyson'', '' Laramie'', '' Two Faces West'', '' Westinghouse Playhouse'' (several episodes), '' Bachelor Father'', ''My Three Sons
''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...
'', ''Leave It to Beaver
''Leave It to Beaver'' is an American television sitcom that follows the misadventures of a suburban boy, his family and his friends. It starred Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers.
CBS first broadcast the show ...
'' episode "Wally Goes Steady" in 1961, and '' The Virginian''. He was under contract to Universal but they let it lapse. From 1962 to 1963, O'Neal was a regular on NBC's ''Empire
An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'', a modern-day western, where he played "Tal Garrett" in support of Richard Egan. It ran for 33 episodes. In 1963, the series was revived as ''Redigo'', but O'Neal turned down the chance to reprise his role. When the series ended, O'Neal went back to guest-starring on shows such as '' Perry Mason'' and ''Wagon Train
''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...
''.
In 1964 he was cast as Rodney Harrington in the prime time serial drama '' Peyton Place''. O'Neal said he got the role because "the studio was looking for a young Doug McClure". The series was a big success, making national names of its cast including O'Neal. Several were offered movie roles, including Mia Farrow
Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera ''Peyton Place (TV series), Peyton Place'' and gained further recogn ...
, '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), and Barbara Parkins, '' Valley of the Dolls'' (1967), and O'Neal was keen to do films. During the series' run O'Neal appeared in a pilot for a proposed series, ''European Eye'' (1968). He was also signed to ABC for a recording contract. O'Neal's first lead in a feature came with '' The Big Bounce'' (1969), based on an Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest no ...
novel. In 1969, he appeared in a TV version of '' Under the Yum Yum Tree'' (1963).
1970–1980: Film stardom
In 1970, O'Neal played an Olympic athlete in '' The Games''. The film had been co-written by Erich Segal, who recommended O'Neal for the lead in the romantic drama '' Love Story'' (1970), based on Segal's novel and script. A number of actors had turned down the role including Beau Bridges and Jon Voight
Jonathan Vincent Voight (; born December 29, 1938) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and four Golden Globe Awards as well as nominations ...
before it was offered to O'Neal. His fee was $25,000; he said he had an offer that paid five times as much to appear in a Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian, with a career spanning seven decades in film, stage, television and radio. Famously nicknamed as "Th ...
film, but O'Neal knew that ''Love Story'' was the better prospect and selected that instead. Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
studio head, Robert Evans, who was married to the film's female lead, Ali MacGraw, said they tested 14 other actors but no one compared to O'Neal; he said the part was "a Cary Grant
Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...
role – a handsome leading man with lots of emotion." "I hope the young people like it", O'Neal said before the film came out. "I don't want to go back to TV. I don't want to go back to those NAB conventions." ''Love Story'' turned out to be a box office phenomenon, making O'Neal a star and earning him nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor
The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...
and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, although O'Neal was bitter that he was never given a percentage of the profits, unlike co-star Ali MacGraw.
In between the film's production and release, O'Neal appeared in a TV movie written by Eric Ambler
Eric Clifford Ambler OBE (28 June 1909 – 23 October 1998) was an English author of thrillers, in particular spy novels, who introduced a new realism to the genre. Also working as a screenwriter, Ambler used the pseudonym Eliot Reed for books ...
, '' Love Hate Love'' (1971), which received good ratings. He also made a Western, '' Wild Rovers'' (1971) with William Holden
William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film '' Stalag 17'' (1953) and the Pri ...
for director Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter.
Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts ...
. ''Wild Rovers'', badly cut by MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
, was considerably less popular than ''Love Story''. O'Neal was going to make another film for MGM, '' Deadly Honeymoon'' (1974), from a novel by Lawrence Block. However, O'Neal pulled out. Peter Bogdanovich later said MGM head Jim Aubrey was "cruel" to O'Neal.
Director Nic Roeg wanted O'Neal to appear opposite Julie Christie in an adaptation of '' Out of Africa'' that was never made. Instead, O'Neal starred in the screwball comedy '' What's Up, Doc?'' (1972) for Bogdanovich and opposite Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
. The film was the third-highest-grossing film of 1972 and led to his receiving an offer to star in a movie for Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
, ''Barry Lyndon''. While that film was in pre-production, O'Neal played a jewel thief in '' The Thief Who Came to Dinner'' (1972) opposite Jacqueline Bisset
Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset ( ; born 13 September 1944) is a British actress. She began her film career in 1965 and first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in ''The Detective (1968 film), The Detective'', ''Bullitt'', and ''The Sweet ...
and Warren Oates. Then he was reunited with Bogdanovich for '' Paper Moon'' (1973) in which he starred opposite his daughter Tatum O'Neal
Tatum Beatrice O'Neal (born November 5, 1963) is an American actress. At the age of 10, she became the youngest person ever to win a competitive Academy Award, for her performance as Addie Loggins in '' Paper Moon'' co-starring her father, Ry ...
. His performance in the film earned him a nomination for the , and he was voted by exhibitors as the second-most-popular star of 1973 in the United States, behind Clint Eastwood
Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
.
O'Neal spent over a year making ''Barry Lyndon
''Barry Lyndon'' is a 1975 epic historical drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1844 novel '' The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' by William Makepeace Thackeray. Narrated by Michael Hordern, and starring Ryan O'N ...
'' (1975) for Kubrick. The resulting film, despite being nominated for seven Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
, was considered a commercial disappointment and had a mixed critical reception; it won O'Neal a Harvard Lampoon
''The Harvard Lampoon'' is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 by seven undergraduates at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Overview
The ''Harvard Lampoon'' publication was founded in 1876 by seven undergraduate ...
Award for the Worst Actor of 1975. Reflecting in 1985, O'Neal said the film was "all right but he ubrickcompletely changed the picture during the year he spent editing it". The film's reputation has risen in recent years but O'Neal said his career never recovered from the film's reception.
O'Neal had been originally meant to star in Bogdanovich's flop musical '' At Long Last Love'' but was replaced by Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and 1980s. He became well known in television series such as ''Gunsmoke'' (1962–1965), '' Hawk'' (1966) and '' Dan Augus ...
. However he made the screwball comedy ''Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...
'' (1976) with Reynolds, Bogdanovich and Tatum O'Neal, for a fee of $750,000. The film flopped at the box office. O'Neal followed this with a small role in the all-star war film '' A Bridge Too Far'' (1977), playing General James Gavin. O'Neal's performance as a hardened general was much criticised, although O'Neal was only a year older than Gavin at the time of the events in the film. "Can I help it if I photograph like I'm 16 and they gave me a helmet that was too big for my head?" he later said. "At least I did my own parachute jump." The film was the 6th most popular movie of 1977.
O'Neal initially turned down a reported $3 million to star in '' Oliver's Story'' (1978), a sequel to ''Love Story''. Instead he appeared in the car-chase film ''The Driver
''The Driver'' is a 1978 American crime film, crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill, and starring Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern and Isabelle Adjani. The film featured only unnamed characters, and follows a getaway driver for robberi ...
'' (1978), directed by Walter Hill
Walter Hill (born January 10, 1942) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer known for his action films and revival of the Western (genre), Western genre. He has directed such films as ''The Driver'', ''The Warriors (film), The ...
, who had written ''The Thief Who Came to Dinner''. This was a box office disappointment in the U.S. but, like ''A Bridge Too Far'', did better overseas. Hill later said he "was so pleased with Ryan in the movie and I was very disappointed that people didn't particularly give him any credit for what he did. To me, he's the best he's ever been. I cannot imagine another actor." O'Neal was meant to follow this with '' The Champ'' (1979), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, but decided to pull out after Zeffirelli refused to cast O'Neal's son Griffin opposite him. Instead he agreed to make ''Oliver's Story'' after all once the script was rewritten. However the film was a flop at the box office.
"What I have to do now, seriously, is win a few hearts as an actor," he said in 1978. "The way Cary Grant did. I know I've got a lot of winning to do. But I'm young enough. I'll get there..." Around this time, O'Neal was meant to star in '' The Bodyguard'', from a Lawrence Kasdan
Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the ''Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...
script, opposite Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
for director John Boorman. However the film fell over when Ross pulled out, and it would not be made until 1992, with Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Costner, various accolades, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Primeti ...
in O'Neal's old role. There was some talk he would appear in a film from Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni ( ; ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and editor. He is best known for his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents", ''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and '' ...
, ''Suffer or Die'', but this did not happen.
O'Neal instead played a boxer in a comedy, '' The Main Event'', reuniting him with Streisand. He received a fee of $1 million plus a percentage of the profits. ''The Main Event'' was a sizeable hit at the box office. Also in 1979, he produced a documentary, ''The Contender'', about a boxer he managed.
A 1980 profile of O'Neal described him:
1981–1987: Career fluctuations
O'Neal was looking next to act in the lead role in the film version of '' The Thorn Birds'' to be directed by Arthur Hiller
Arthur Hiller, (November 22, 1923 – August 17, 2016) was a Canadian television and film director with over 33 films to his credit during a 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada and later in the U.S. By the late ...
, but the book ended up being adapted as a miniseries. Instead O'Neal made a British-financed thriller, '' Green Ice'' (1981), for the most money he had ever received up front. The movie had a troublesome production (the original director quit during filming) and flopped at the box office. He had a cameo in '' Circle of Two'', a film his daughter made with Richard Burton
Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor.
Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s and gave a memor ...
. O'Neal said Burton told him during filming he was "five years away from winning acceptance as a serious actor" ... nd that.. "On the other hand, my agent, Sue Mengers
Susi Mengers (September 2, 1932 – October 15, 2011) was a talent agent for many filmmakers and actors of the New Hollywood generation of the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.
Early life
Mengers was born to a German Jews, Jewish family in Hamburg, ...
says I'm right on the threshold. Split the difference, that's two and a half years. One good picture, that's all I need..."
However, in the early 1980s he focused on comedies. He received $2 million for the lead in ''So Fine''. This was followed by '' Partners'' (1982), a farce
Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical comedy, physical humor; the use of delibe ...
written by Francis Veber in which O'Neal played a straight cop who goes undercover as one half of a gay couple. He then played a film director loosely based on Peter Bogdanovich in ''Irreconcilable Differences
The concept of irreconcilable differences provides possible grounds for divorce in the United States of America and Australia, among other jurisdictions.
Australia
Australian family law uses a no-fault divorce approach, and irreconcilable differe ...
'' (1984); he received no upfront fee but got a percentage of the profits. It was a minor box office success. A 1984 profile called him "the Billy Martin of Hollywood, whether it's his love affair with Farrah Fawcett... his precocious actor daughter Tatum or fisticuffs with his son Griffin. He just can't seem to stay out of the news." O'Neal said he felt more like Rocky Marciano
Rocco Francis Marchegiano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969; ), better known as Rocky Marciano (, ), was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955. He held the world heavyweight championship from 1952 to 1956, and re ...
, "wondering why guys are always picking fights with me. If I'm in a good picture, they'll like me. If I'm not they'll hate me. Hey I'm mad too when I don't make good pictures."
O'Neal said too many of the roles he had played were "off the beaten path for me". In particular he regretted doing ''The Thief Who Came to Dinner'', ''A Bridge Too Far'', ''The Driver'', ''So Fine'', ''Partners'', and ''Green Ice''. He blamed this in part on having to pay alimony
Alimony, also called aliment (Scotland), maintenance (England, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), spousal support (U.S., Canada) and spouse maintenance (Australia), is a legal obligation on a person to provide ...
and child support
Child support (or child maintenance) is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child (state or parent, caregiver, guardian) following the end of a marriage or other similar relationship. Child maintenance is ...
. He also said agent Sue Mengers encouraged him to constantly work. "If I could get a good director to choose me for a picture, I was okay", he said. "But they stopped calling me in the mid-70s... I made a whole bunch of pictures that didn't make any money and people lost interest in me... Directors take me reluctantly. I feel I'm lucky to be here in the first place and they know it too. I'm a glamour boy, a Hollywood product. I have a TV background and they can point to the silly movies I've made." In 1985, O'Neal tried something different, playing an '' L.A. Herald Examiner'' sportswriter and sports columnist who also gambles far too much in '' Fever Pitch'' (1985), the final movie for director Richard Brooks
Richard Brooks (born Reuben Sax; May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Nominated for eight Academy Awards in his career, he was best known for ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955), '' ...
. Even less conventional was '' Tough Guys Don't Dance'' (1987) for director Norman Mailer
Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American writer, journalist and filmmaker. In a career spanning more than six decades, Mailer had 11 best-selling books, at least ...
. Both movies flopped at the box office, and received poor reviews.
1988–2017: Later roles
O'Neal had a supporting part in a Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...
TV special ''Sam Found Out: A Triple Play'' (1988), and also supported in the romantic comedy '' Chances Are'' (1989). He returned to TV opposite his then-partner Farrah Fawcett in '' Small Sacrifices'' (1989). He and Fawcett made a short-lived CBS series, '' Good Sports'' (1991), which lasted 15 episodes.[ O'Neal co starred with ]Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...
in the TV movie '' The Man Upstairs'' (1992) and had a cameo in Fawcett's '' Man of the House'' (1995). He had a good role in '' Faithful'' (1996) with Cher
Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...
. It was directed by Paul Mazursky who later said of O'Neal:
He's sweet as sugar, and he's volatile. He's got some of that Irish stuff in him, and he can blow up a bit. One day he was doing a scene, and I said, "Bring it down a little bit," and Ryan said, "I quit! You can't say 'Bring it down' to me that loud!" I said, "If you quit, I'm going to break your nose." He started to cry. He's sort of a big baby at times, but he's a good guy, and he's very talented. He's had a strange career, but he was a monster star.
O'Neal had a supporting role in '' Hacks'' (1997) and the lead in '' An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn'' (1998). He had the third lead in '' Zero Effect'' (1999) and was top billed in ''The List'' (2000). He had a semi-recurring role in ''Bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...
'' (2001) and supporting parts in ''Epoch
In chronology and periodization, an epoch or reference epoch is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured.
The moment of epoch is usually decided b ...
'' (2001), '' People I Know'' (2002) with Al Pacino
Alfredo James Pacino ( ; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Known for his intense performances on stage and screen, Pacino is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. His career spans more than five decades, duri ...
, '' Gentleman B.'' (2002), and '' Malibu's Most Wanted'' (2003). O'Neal had a regular part on the TV series '' Miss Match'' (2003) with Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone ( ; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller ''The Crush (1993 film), The Crush'' (1993), earning the 1994 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and gained further pro ...
, which ran for 18 episodes. Around this time he guest starred on shows such as ''Desperate Housewives
''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...
'' and '' 90210''. In 2009 he said that he "made a tremendous amount of money on real estate".
O'Neal was a recurring character on Fox's '' Bones'' from seasons 2 to 12, with his final episode airing in February 2017. In 2011, Ryan and Tatum attempted to restore their broken father/daughter relationship after 25 years. Their reunion and reconciliation process was captured in the Oprah Winfrey Network
The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN, also known as the OWN Network) is an American multinational basic cable television network which launched on January 1, 2011, effectively replacing the Discovery Health Channel, which one month later merged with ...
series '' Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals'', which O'Neal produced. It ran only nine episodes, and he later said that it left their relationship in a worse state than before. O'Neal could be seen in ''Slumber Party Slaughter'' (2012) and '' Knight of Cups'' (2015) in a small role.
In 2016, O'Neal reunited with ''Love Story'' co-star Ali MacGraw in a staging of A. R. Gurney's play '' Love Letters''. In February 2021, O'Neal and MacGraw were honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
, nearly 50 years after the release of ''Love Story''.
Personal life
Relationships
O'Neal married his first wife, actress Joanna Moore, in 1963. They had two children before separating in 1966. Moore eventually lost custody of their children to O'Neal as a result of her alcoholism and drug addiction
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
.
His second marriage was to actress and his '' Peyton Place'' co-star Leigh Taylor-Young, with whom he had a son. They remained friends after divorcing in 1973. "I could speak to parts of Ryan like temper and volatility and reactivity, but I deeply know his goodness", Taylor-Young said.
O'Neal was in a relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett from 1979 to 1997. The relationship was tumultuous due to his infidelity and volatile behavior. O'Neal and Fawcett reunited in 2001 and were together until her death in 2009.
"I got married at 21, and I was not a real mature 21," said O'Neal. "My first child was born when I was 22. I was a man's man; I didn't discover women until I was married, and then it was too late." He had romances with Ursula Andress, Bianca Jagger, Anouk Aimée
Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (; 27 April 1932 2024), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, was a French film actress who appeared in 70 films from 1947 until 2019. Having begun her film career at age 14, she studied acting and ...
, Jacqueline Bisset
Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset ( ; born 13 September 1944) is a British actress. She began her film career in 1965 and first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in ''The Detective (1968 film), The Detective'', ''Bullitt'', and ''The Sweet ...
, Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
, Joan Collins, Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
, and Anjelica Huston. According to his daughter Tatum O'Neal
Tatum Beatrice O'Neal (born November 5, 1963) is an American actress. At the age of 10, she became the youngest person ever to win a competitive Academy Award, for her performance as Addie Loggins in '' Paper Moon'' co-starring her father, Ry ...
, he also had an affair with Melanie Griffith. In her 2014 memoir, Anjelica Huston claimed that O'Neal physically abused her.
Children
O'Neal had four children: Tatum O'Neal
Tatum Beatrice O'Neal (born November 5, 1963) is an American actress. At the age of 10, she became the youngest person ever to win a competitive Academy Award, for her performance as Addie Loggins in '' Paper Moon'' co-starring her father, Ry ...
and Griffin O'Neal with Moore, Patrick O'Neal with Taylor-Young, and Redmond James Fawcett O'Neal with Fawcett.
For several years, O'Neal was estranged from his three elder children. "I'm a hopeless father. I don't know why. I don't think I was supposed to be a father. Just look around at my work—they're either in jail or they should be," he told ''Vanity Fair''. In her autobiography, ''A Paper Life'', Tatum wrote that she had suffered physical and emotional abuse as a result of her father's drug abuse. Griffin O'Neal also suggested their family's problems stemmed from Ryan. "My father gave me cocaine
Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
when I was 11 and insisted I take it," he said. Griffin added, "He was a very abusive, narcissistic psychopath
Psychopathy, or psychopathic personality, is a personality Construct (psychology), construct characterized by impaired empathy and remorse, along with boldness, bold, disinhibited, and egocentrism, egocentric traits. These traits are often ma ...
. He gets so mad he can't control anything he's doing."
In 2007, O'Neal was arrested for shooting at Griffin, which he claimed was in self-defense; the charges were dropped. O'Neal refused to allow Griffin to attend Fawcett's funeral in 2009. He hit on Tatum at Fawcett's funeral, not recognizing her as his daughter.
In 2011, Tatum published a book with her father and appeared with him on the TV show ''Ryan and Tatum: the O'Neals''. In August of that year, O'Neal, Tatum, and Patrick attended Redmond's court appearance on firearms and drug charges.
Redmond struggled with drug addiction for most of his adult life. In 2008, O'Neal and Redmond were arrested for drug possession in their Malibu home. In 2015, Redmond's probation was revoked and he was sentenced to three years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacra ...
. In 2018, Redmond was arrested and charged with attempted murder, robbery, assault and drug possession after he allegedly tried to rob a convenience store in Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
. In an interview from jail he blamed his struggles on his parents.
Illness and death
In 2001, O'Neal was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). After struggling with leukemia, O'Neal was frequently seen at Fawcett's side when she was battling cancer. He told ''People'' magazine, "It's a love story. I just don't know how to play this one. I won't know this world without her. Cancer is an insidious enemy." In April 2012, O'Neal stated he had been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...
. He later stated it was stage 2.
O'Neal died at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, on December 8, 2023, at the age of 82. His cause of death was congestive heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood.
Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...
, with cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a group of primary diseases of the heart muscle. Early on there may be few or no symptoms. As the disease worsens, shortness of breath, feeling tired, and swelling of the legs may occur, due to the onset of heart failure. A ...
listed as a contributing factor. O'Neal was interred next to Fawcett at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
Amateur boxing record
Based on various sources.
Explanatory notes
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneal, Ryan
1941 births
2023 deaths
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of English descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Jewish descent
Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
David di Donatello winners
Deaths from cardiomyopathy
Deaths from congestive heart failure in the United States
Male actors from Los Angeles