Ryan O'Neal

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RyanONealBio Last Updated: 9/10/25
Real Name: Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal
Born: April 20, 1941
Died: December 8, 2023 (aged 82)
Height: 5' 9"

Grade: D
Actor/Movie Star: 0%-100%
Prime Years: 1970, 1972-73, 1975, and 1978
Most Famous Film: Love Story (1970)
Most Infamous Film: An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997)
Masterpiece: Barry Lyndon (1975)
Outstanding: Paper Moon (1973)
Honorable: Oliver's Story (1978)

Opinion: Ryan O'Neal is the worst big-time actor I've seen when it comes to emoting. In fact, calling him an actor is a real stretch. Yet I love him in Barry Lyndon; he had the perfect combination of qualities to play the titular character. It's the only film that he was robbed of an Oscar nomination. But no thanks to Love Story although he was better in the sequel: Oliver's Story. Ryan O'Neal admitted for years that his career started to nosedive after Barry Lyndon, and I agree with him. The messy, alcohol- and drug-fueled relationships he had with his three children, Tatum, Griffin, and Redmond, did major damage to his reputation. He was also an abusive serial womanizer, even during his relationship with Farrah Fawcett.

Confirmed: Of English, Irish, and Jewish heritage, was born in Los Angeles, California, to a former actress and a screenwriter. Had a very pushy mother who was serious about him and his younger brother achieving success in the showbiz. Wasn't much of a student and joined a gang. Dropped out of high school to focus on acting although he first started out as a stuntman. Also, turned his eye toward boxing and competed in the Golden Gloves.

Had to change his name to Ryan O'Neal because there existed an actor named Patrick O'Neal. Worked on TV shows for a while. Married actress Joanna Moore which resulted in the birth of Tatum O'Neal on November 5, 1963. Achieved breakthrough in the seminal primetime soap opera called Peyton Place, having done 501 episodes which ran from 1964 to 1969. One year afterwards, hit the apogee of his career by starring in Love Story with Ali MacGraw that saved Paramount from the brink of bankruptcy. Both earned Oscar nominations, the only one of their careers.

Cheated on his wife, who was addicted to drugs and alcohol, constantly and was physically violent with her, leading to their divorce in 1967. She had been also physically abusive to her children, even after gaining custody of them, and was confirmed to be mentally ill. Married Leigh Taylor-Young, his co-star on Peyton Place having replaced Mia Farrow, and they would star together in The Big Bounce.

Appeared opposite Tatum in Paper Moon which saw her win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at age 10, the youngest ever in any category. Prior to that, punched her after learning she received an Oscar nomination but not him, causing a permanent rift in their relationship. She ended up going without her parents to the awards ceremony.

Had a falling out with Stanley Kubrick after going too far in flirting with his teenage daughter during the making of Barry Lyndon. Made a bet with Tatum that the aforementioned film would beat The Bad News Bears at the box office but lost, punching and telling her, "I made you, Tatum, and look at what you are. You're nothing but a fucking piece of shit."

Punched Griffin in the mouth in 1983, breaking his front teeth. Griffin described him, "He was a very abusive, narcissistic psychopath. He gets so mad he can't control anything he's doing." Did drugs with his children, even to the point of supplying them (and they would also buy drugs for him), and all had done stints in rehab. Often had temper tantrums. Abused and degraded his children in a bullying manner all their lives.

Griffin was responsible for causing a boating accident that killed Francis Ford Coppola's son in 1986. The year before, he made things worse for John McEnroe, who would marry his sister, by demanding that he drive them back home to get his contact lenses on the day of the U.S. Open Final, causing the tennis player to lose precious time and subsequently the match. As a result, John McEnroe never reached the final of a major tournament again and only made the semifinals three times out of 19 tournaments in seven years total.

Had a child named Redmond, after his character in Barry Lyndon, with Farrah Fawcett. A lifelong drug addict, Redmond was in and out of jails, rehabs, and psychiatric care for years and got, at one point, charged with attempted murder (the case is still pending). Eventually, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and antisocial personality disorder and continues to be confined to a psychiatric hospital.

Was arrested in 2007 for shooting at Griffin. Wished Alicia Silverstone was his daughter instead of Tatum. In 2011, appeared on Oprah Winfrey's show called Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals for a chance at reconcilement, which didn't work out, causing him to tell the host, "We're further apart now than we were when we started the show. So thanks, Oprah, for all your help."

Rumors: None.