Biography for
Ryan O'Neal More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

20 April 1941, Los Angeles, California, USA

Birth Name

Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal Jr.

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Spouse

Leigh Taylor-Young	(28 February 1967 - 1973) (divorced) 1 child
Joanna Moore	(3 April 1963 - February 1967) (divorced) 2 children

Trivia

Lived with Farrah Fawcett (1980-1997). They have a son, Redmond O'Neal.

Father of actor Patrick O'Neal from his marriage to Leigh Taylor-Young.

He was considered for the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972)

In remission in his battle with leukemia.

Was originally considered for the role of Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976). However, "Rocky" scriptwriter Sylvester Stallone had sold the film rights on the condition that he got to play the title role, so he and not O'Neal wound up starring in the picture. part.

Began his career as a stand-in and stunt man.

Brother of Kevin O'Neal.

Father of Tatum O'Neal and Griffin O'Neal.

Former brother-in-law of Dey Young.

He was a close friend of Lee Majors until a relationship blossomed between him and Majors' wife Farrah Fawcett.

He attended and graduated from Munich American High School in Munich, Germany, in 1959. His father was a Hollywood writer who was doing a stint working for the American government radio network "Radio Free Europe", which beamed programing and propaganda into Communist-controlled Eastern Europe.

As a teenager, he was a Golden Gloves boxer who compiled an amateur boxing record of 18-4 with 13 knockouts.

Former father-in-law of John McEnroe and Rebecca De Mornay.

His manager is Neil Hassman.

One of his best friends is Charlie Mattera.

5/07: Prosecutors decided not to file charges against him following a brawl with his son and allegations of assault on 2/3/07.

Was once romantically linked to Ursula Andress.

Son of actress Patricia O'Neal and author/screenwriter Charles O'Neal.

Was a Golden Gloves boxer in 1956-1957 with an 18-4 record including 13 knockouts.

His first acting job was on the German series "Tales of the Vikings" (1959) in 1959.

Is of Irish descent on his father's side and Russian descent on his mother's side.

Was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm after a fight with his son Griffin O'Neal. Griffin apparently tied his intoxicated younger brother Redmond O'Neal to a staircase in order to keep him from leaving the house to use more drugs. When Ryan returned home and saw his son tied to the staircase he became so enraged that he fired a warning shot in order to scare Griffin. [February 2007]

He and his son Redmond O'Neal were arrested on suspicion of narcotics possession. [September 2008]

Was sentenced to undergo 18 months of rehabilitation treatment after pleading guilty to drug possession in relation to his arrest in September 2008. [January 2009]

Although he and Farrah Fawcett split in 1997, they got back together in 2001 after he was diagnosed with leukemia.

Though never able to marry Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O'Neal did propose to Farrah with every intention of walking down the aisle with her. Farrah died at 9:28 AM PST on June 25, 2009 before she and O'Neal could marry.

Personal Quotes

The only time I ever had steady employment was in "Peyton Place" (1964). Once I was in control of my destiny, I found it very difficult.

I'm as moody and complex and private as anyone I ever knew.

[on Barbra Streisand] The most pretentious woman the cinema has ever known.

[on Farrah Fawcett's ongoing cancer battle] 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.

I had just put the casket in the hearse and I was watching it drive away when a beautiful blonde woman comes up and embraces me. I said to her, 'You have a drink on you? You have a car?' She said, 'Daddy, it's me - Tatum!' I was just trying to be funny with a strange Swedish woman, and it's my daughter. It's so sick. [in Vanity Fair, admitting to propositioning a woman (who he was unable to recognize as his own daughter) at Farrah Fawcett's funeral]

Salary

The Main Event (1979)

$1,000,000

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