Early life

O'Neal was born in Los Angeles, California, the eldest son of actress Patricia Ruth Olga (née Callaghan; 1907-2003) and novelist and screenwriter Charles O'Neal. His father was of English and Irish descent, while his mother was of half Irish and half Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. His brother, Kevin, is an actor and screenwriter.

O'Neal attended University High School, and trained there to become a Golden Gloves boxer. During the late 1950s, his father had a job writing on a television series called Citizen Soldier, and moved the family to Munich, where O'Neal attended Munich American High School.

Career

TV roles and early work

O'Neal appeared in guest roles on series that included The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Leave It to Beaver, Bachelor Father, Westinghouse Playhouse, Perry Mason and Wagon Train. From 1962 to 1963, he was a regular on NBC's Empire, another modern day western, where he played "Tal Garrett". From 1964 to 1969, he was a regular on Peyton Place playing Rodney Harrington, the turbulent love interest of Mia Farrow's Alison Mackenzie, parts which launched both into stardom.

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 number two in the annual Top Ten Box Office Stars, behind Clint Eastwood.

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).

Later career

His film career faded by the end of the 1970s. His one time agent Sue Mengers later said of the decline:

I never figured it out myself. It was hard to cast Ryan—he was too beautiful—and I think a lot of men were jealous of him. Ryan was very cocky, self-confident, very masculine, and gorgeous, and he had every beautiful girl in the world going out with him. It didn’t make him popular with his male contemporaries; he never became pals with the guys who were in the center of things then.

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-present).

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 series, Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals.

In 2016, Ryan O'Neal reunited with Love Story co-star Ali MacGraw in a staging of A.R. Gurney's play Love Letters.

Personal life

Relationships and family

O'Neal was in a long-term relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett until her death in 2009. He was previously married to actresses Joanna 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 Fawcett O'Neal (with Fawcett; born January 30, 1985). In her 2014 memoir, Anjelica Huston claimed that O'Neal physically abused her when they were in a relationship.

For several years, O'Neal was estranged from his elder three children. However, in 2011, Tatum reconciled with her father with a book and a television show. On August 4, O'Neal, Tatum, and Patrick appeared on Redmond's court appearance on firearms and drug charges.

O'Neal has nine grandchildren: three from Tatum's marriage to tennis player John McEnroe, four from both of Griffin's marriages, and two from Patrick's relationship with actress Rebecca De Mornay. He is a great-grandfather by his estranged son, Griffin.

Health

In 2001 he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). As of 2006, it is in remission. 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 revealed he had been diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer. He reported that it had been detected early enough to give a prognosis of full recovery, although some doctors have questioned this prognosis.

Filmography

Film

The Big Bounce (1969) The Games (1970) Love Story (1970) The Moviemakers (1971) (short subject) Wild Rovers (1971) What's Up, Doc? (1972) The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) Paper Moon (1973) Barry Lyndon (1975) Nickelodeon (1976) A Bridge Too Far (1977) The Driver (1978)

Oliver's Story (1978) The Main Event (1979) So Fine (1981) Green Ice (1981) Partners (1982) Irreconcilable Differences (1984) Fever Pitch (1985) Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987) Small Sacrifices (1989) Chances Are (1989) Faithful (1996) Hacks (1997)

Zero Effect (1998) An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998) Coming Soon (1999) Gentleman B. (2000) The List (2000) People I Know (2002) Malibu's Most Wanted (2003) Knight of Cups (2015) Unity (2015) Narrator (Documentary)

Television

Empire, "This Rugged Land" (unaired pilot, 1962) The Virginian, "It Takes a Big Man" (1963) Perry Mason, "The Case of the Bountiful Beauty" (1964) Gunsmoke, "The Warden 1 episode" (1964) Peyton Place as Rodney Harrington (1964-1969) Good Sports (1991) with Farrah Fawcett, canceled after 9 episodes The Man Upstairs (1992 television movie, with Katharine Hepburn) 1775, (TV pilot, 1992) Bull, as Robert Roberts II, "Ditto"'s father

Miss Match (2003), O'Neal starred as the father of the lead character (played by Alicia Silverstone) Desperate Housewives (2005), O'Neal starred as Rodney Scavo (the father of the character played by Doug Savant) Bones (2007-present), recurring role as "Max Keenan" (the father of Temperance "Bones" Brennan) Grey's Anatomy (2009), a patient in the episode 4 (see Grey's Anatomy (season 6)) 90210 (2010-2013), recurring role as Spence Montgomery, father of Teddy Montgomery

Awards

Wins

• 1970 - Best Foreign Actor - David di Donatello Awards for Love Story

Nominations

• 1970 - Academy Award for Best Actor for Love Story
• 1971 - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Film for Love Story
• 1974 - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Film for Paper Moon
• 1988 - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for Tough Guys Don't Dance
• 2005 - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Razzie Loser of Our First 25 Years

Amateur boxing record

Based on various sources.

Amateur boxing record

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Date	Round	Time	Event	Location	Notes
Win	12-4	Frankie Lohman	KO	1959	1			Munich, Germany
Loss	11-4	Tony Foramero	PTS	1957	3		Golden Gloves Tournament	Los Angeles, California
Win	11-3	Stevie Rouse	KO	1957	1		Golden Gloves Tournament (Finals)	Los Angeles, California
Win	10-3	Chuck Newell	PTS	1957	3		Golden Gloves Tournament (Semi-Finals)	Los Angeles, California
Win	9-3	Alvin "Allen" Walker	KO	1957	1			Los Angeles, California
Win	8-3	Samuel Roland	Foul	1956	1			Hollywood, Florida
Win	7-3	Leonard Wallace	KO	1956	1			Los Angeles, California
Win	6-3	Eugene Liebert	KO	1956	1			Los Angeles, California
Win	5-3	Felix Morse	KO	1956	2			Los Angeles, California
Win	4-3	George Shay	PTS	1956	3			Hollywood, California
Win	3-3	Edmund Dowe	PTS	1956	3			Los Angeles, California
Win	2-3	Victor Fellsen	KO	1956	1			Los Angeles, California
Loss	1-3	Dal Stewart	PTS	1956	3			Los Angeles, California
Loss	1-2	George Shay	PTS	1956	3		Golden Gloves Tournament	Los Angeles, California
Win	1-1	J. Cecil Gray	PTS	1956	3		Golden Gloves Tournament	Los Angeles, California
Loss	0-1	J. Cecil Gray	PTS	1956	3			Los Angeles, California

[ Source: Wikipedia ]