Ryan O'Neal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ryan O'Neal
O'Neal in 1968
Born	(1941-04-20)April 20, 1941 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	December 8, 2023(2023-12-08) (aged 82)
Occupation	Actor boxer
Years active	1960–2017
Spouse(s)	Joanna Moore ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1967)​ Leigh Taylor-Young ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1974)​
Partner(s)	Farrah Fawcett (1979–1997; 2001–2009)
Children	4, including Tatum, Griffin, and Patrick
Parent(s)	Charles O'Neal Patricia O'Callaghan

Ryan O'Neal (born April 20, 1941 – died December 8, 2023) was an American actor. He was born in Los Angeles, California. Before becoming an actor, he trained as an amateur boxer.

O'Neal started his acting career in 1960. He became very famous for his role as Rodney Harrington in the TV show Peyton Place. He also starred in many popular movies. Some of his most well-known films include the romantic drama Love Story (1970), What's Up, Doc? (1972), and Paper Moon (1973). Later in his career, he had a regular role in the TV series Bones.

Early Life and Boxing

Ryan O'Neal was born in Los Angeles on April 20, 1941. His mother, Patricia O'Callaghan, was an actress. His father, Charles O'Neal, was a writer. Ryan was their oldest son.

He went to University High School in Los Angeles. There, he trained to become a Golden Gloves boxer. In the late 1950s, his family moved to Munich, Germany. His father was working on a TV show there. Ryan went to Munich American High School.

Becoming an Actor

First TV Roles

While in Germany, Ryan found it hard to focus on school. His mother helped him get a job as a stand-in on a show called Tales of the Vikings. He worked as an extra and stuntman on the show. This made him interested in acting.

After returning to the United States, O'Neal started trying to get acting jobs. His first TV appearance was in 1960 on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He then had guest roles on many other TV shows. These included The Untouchables, Leave It to Beaver, and The Virginian. From 1962 to 1963, he was a regular on the NBC show Empire.

Starring in Peyton Place

In 1964, Ryan O'Neal got a big role in the TV show Peyton Place. He played Rodney Harrington. The show was a huge success. It made O'Neal and other cast members famous across the country. Many actors from the show started getting movie offers. Ryan was very eager to make films too.

O'Neal and Leigh Taylor-Young in a Peyton Place photo in 1967

His first main role in a movie was in The Big Bounce (1969).

Movie Star Years

Love Story and Big Success

In 1970, O'Neal played an Olympic athlete in the movie The Games. The writer of that film, Erich Segal, then suggested O'Neal for the main role in Love Story. Many other actors had turned down the part. Ryan O'Neal chose Love Story even though another film offered him more money. He felt Love Story was a better opportunity.

Love Story became a massive hit at the box office. It made Ryan O'Neal a huge star. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.

O'Neal in Finland, 1970

More Hit Films

After Love Story, O'Neal starred in the comedy What's Up, Doc? (1972) with Barbra Streisand. This movie was also very successful. It was one of the highest-earning films of 1972.

He then worked with director Peter Bogdanovich again on Paper Moon (1973). In this film, he starred alongside his real-life daughter, Tatum O'Neal. His acting in Paper Moon earned him another Golden Globe nomination. In 1973, he was voted the second most popular star in the country.

Barry Lyndon and Later 70s Films

Ryan O'Neal spent over a year making the movie Barry Lyndon (1975) with director Stanley Kubrick. The film received mixed reviews at first. Some people felt his career didn't fully recover after this film. However, Barry Lyndon's reputation has grown over the years.

He then made the comedy Nickelodeon (1976) and had a small part in the war film A Bridge Too Far (1977). In 1978, he starred in the car-chase film The Driver. He also made Oliver's Story (1978), which was a sequel to Love Story.

In 1979, O'Neal reunited with Barbra Streisand for the comedy The Main Event. This movie was a big hit.

Later Career

1980s and 1990s

In the early 1980s, Ryan O'Neal focused on comedies. He starred in So Fine (1981) and Partners (1982). He also played a film director in Irreconcilable Differences (1984), which was a small success.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, he appeared in supporting roles. He was in Chances Are (1989). He also worked with his partner Farrah Fawcett in the TV movie Small Sacrifices (1989) and the TV series Good Sports (1991). In 1992, he co-starred with Katharine Hepburn in the TV movie The Man Upstairs. He had a notable role in Faithful (1996) with Cher.

2000s and Beyond

In the 2000s, O'Neal continued to act in films and TV shows. He had a regular role in the TV series Miss Match (2003). From 2006 to 2017, he played Max Keenan, the father of the main character, in the popular Fox TV series Bones.

In 2011, Ryan and his daughter Tatum tried to fix their relationship after many years. Their journey was shown in the TV series Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals.

In 2016, O'Neal reunited with his Love Story co-star Ali MacGraw for a play called Love Letters. In 2021, both O'Neal and MacGraw received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This happened almost 50 years after Love Story was released.

Personal Life

Family

Ryan O'Neal was married twice. His first wife was actress Joanna Moore. They had two children, Tatum O'Neal and Griffin O'Neal. His second wife was actress Leigh Taylor-Young, his co-star from Peyton Place. They had one son, Patrick O'Neal.

He was also in a long-term relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett from 1979 to 1997, and again from 2001 until her death in 2009. They had one son together, Redmond James Fawcett O'Neal.

Health

In 2001, Ryan O'Neal was diagnosed with a type of leukemia. In 2012, he announced he had prostate cancer. He passed away on December 8, 2023, at the age of 82.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Ryan O'Neal para niños