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Ryan O’Neal by Wikipedia

Ryan O’Neal

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Ryan O’Neal
Born Charles Patrick Ryan O’Neal, Jr.
April 20, 1941 (1941-04-20) (age 69)
Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation Actor
Years active 1960–present
Spouse Joanna Cook Moore (m. 1963–1967, divorced)
Leigh Taylor-Young (m. 1967–1973, divorced)
Partner Farrah Fawcett
(1982–1997; 2001–2009, her death)
Children Tatum, Griffin, Patrick, Redmond
Parents Charles O’Neal (deceased)
Patricia (née O’Callaghan)

Ryan O’Neal (born Charles Patrick Ryan O’Neal, Jr.;[1] April 20, 1941) is an American actor. He is best known for his role in Love Story, for which he received an Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. He is also known for starring in Paper Moon along with his real-life daughter Tatum O’ Neal.

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Early life

O’Neal was born in Los Angeles, the eldest son of Patricia (née O’Callaghan), who had an acting career,[2] and Charles O’Neal,[3] a Hollywood movie screenwriter who had also acted. His brother, Kevin, is an actor and screenwriter.[3] His maternal grandfather was Irish and his maternal grandmother was Russian.[4] He spent part of his childhood abroad, including Germany. He attended University High School and became a Golden Gloves contender.[5]

Career

TV roles in early career

O’Neal appeared in guest roles on series that included The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Bachelor Father, Leave It to Beaver, Westinghouse Playhouse and Wagon Train. In 1961, he and Leonard Nimoy guest starred in the episode « Doctor’s Orders » on the syndicated western series Two Faces West. In 1962–1963, O’Neal was a regular on NBC’s Empire, another western. He played 21-year-old rancher’s son Tal Garrett. On October 3, 1962, a week after the premiere of Empire, O’Neal guest starred in the premiere episode of the ABC’s Our Man Higgins, starring Stanley Holloway. O’Neal gained enormous popularity from 1964–1966 on the hit prime time ABC soap opera Peyton Place (with fellow newcomer Mia Farrow).

Feature film success

O’Neal’s film career took off beginning with his role in Love Story (1970), earning a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. In 1973, he was #2 in the Annual Top Ten Box Office Stars, behind Clint Eastwood.[6] He starred in a series of films for director Peter Bogdanovich, beginning with the screwball comedy What’s Up, Doc? (with Barbra Streisand, 1972); following were Paper Moon (with daughter Tatum O’Neal in an Oscar-winning role, 1973), and Nickelodeon (1976, again with Tatum). Other films of the 1970s included Barry Lyndon (directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1975), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Oliver’s Story (1978, a sequel to Love Story), and the car chase film The Driver (directed by Walter Hill, also 1978).

His film career faded by the end of the 1970s. He starred as a character loosely based on director Bogdanovich in Irreconcilable Differences (1984). He returned to TV in the short-lived CBS series Good Sports (1991, with companion Farrah Fawcett), and as a recurring character on Fox’s Bones (2007–2010).

Personal life

O’Neal was in a long-term (off and on again) relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett until her death. In June 2009, O’Neal said he asked Fawcett again to marry him. O’Neal reported that this time she said yes, and stated that the wedding would happen « as soon as she can say yes ». No ceremony took place before Fawcett’s death on June 25, 2009.[7][8]

He also dated Diana Ross and was linked to Bianca Jagger. He was previously married to actresses Joanna Cook Moore and Leigh Taylor-Young; both marriages ended in divorce. He has four children: Tatum O’Neal and Griffin O’Neal (with Moore), Patrick O’Neal (with Taylor-Young) and Redmond James O’Neal (born January 30, 1985, Los Angeles;[9] with Fawcett).

In 2001 he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).[10] As of 2006, it is in remission.[11] After struggling with leukemia, O’Neal was frequently seen at Fawcett’s side during when she had cancer. He opened up to People magazine saying, « 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. »[12]

On February 4, 2007, O’Neal was arrested for allegedly assaulting his son, Griffin, in Malibu, California,[13] but the charges were dismissed. Ryan and Redmond O’Neal were arrested on September 17, 2008, after authorities said they found methamphetamine at the actor’s Malibu home during a probation check on Redmond. The elder O’Neal was ordered to participate in a drug awareness program, with Redmond to receive drug rehabilitation on an outpatient basis. Redmond was later incarcerated on separate charges, and briefly allowed to leave jail twice, once to visit his dying mother and later to speak at her funeral.[14]

Awards

Wins

Nominations

Filmography

Television