Ryan O’Neal was a Hollywood star known for the soap opera “Peyton Place” and the movies “Love Story” and “Paper Moon,” in the latter of which he starred with his daughter, Tatum O’Neal.
- Died: December 8, 2023 (Who else died on December 8?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 82.
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Ryan O’Neal’s legacy
Initially, O’Neal didn’t want to be a star of the screen; he wanted to be a boxer. He trained as a Golden Glove competitor and had a 12-4 record as an amateur, but when his mother got him a job on the set of the show “Tales of the Vikings,” acting caught his interest. He landed an appearance on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” then had bit parts on several other series, including “Leave It to Beaver” and “My Three Sons.” After a long stint on the western drama “Empire,” O’Neal was cast on the drama “Peyton Place” in 1964.
It was a career-changing role. “Peyton Place” made him an in-demand star, and he soon made the transition to the big screen. On the strength of his talent and good looks, “Love Story” became a breakout hit in 1970, earning him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and solidifying him as a rising superstar. He starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the comedy “What’s Up, Doc?” and later earned another Golden Globe nomination in 1972 for “Paper Moon,” in which he appeared opposite his daughter, Tatum O’Neal, as well as headlined in Stanley Kubrick’s (1928–1999) period drama, “Barry Lyndon.”
O’Neal had an uneven career from the ‘70s forward, due in part to a troubled personal life fueled by drugs and alcohol. He had an on-and-off relationship with Farrah Fawcett (1947–2009), four children with three mothers, and a series of legal troubles, including a 2007 incident in which he allegedly shot at his son, Griffin, and an arrest the following year for drug possession. Despite this, he continued to be a screen presence until his 70s, appearing in such shows as “Bones,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” In 2021, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tributes to Ryan O’Neal
Full obituary: Associated Press
