HOLLYWOOD legend Ryan O'Neal was well-known for the 1970 tearjerker Love Story.
The actor has passed away at the age of 82.
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Who was Ryan O Neal?
Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal was born on April 20, 1941, in Los Angeles, California.
He was a legendary actor who began his tenure in Hollywood as a stand-in and stuntman.
He found fame on the hugely popular nighttime soap opera Peyton Place and later channeled it into a film career.
O'Neal was most notably known for his role as Oliver Barrett IV, a wealthy Harvard University law student,in the 1970 tearjerker Love Story.
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He also starred in the Western film Wild Rovers in 1971 and What's Up, Doc? in 1972.
O'Neal acted inthe comedy and crime movie Paper Moonin 1973 with his daughter Tatum O'Neal, making Tatum the youngest person to win an Academy Award at just 10 years old.
He was married twice: first to actress Joanna Moore from 1963 to 1967 and then to actressLeigh Taylor-Youngfrom 1967 to 1974.
He was also in an off-and-on relationship with Charlie's Angels star Farrah Fawcett for three decades, though the pair never wed.
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What is his net worth?
O'Neal has a net worth of $30 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
His fame began to fade as the 1970s drew to a close, but he later returned to TV as a recurring character on Fox's series, Bones, which aired from 2005 to 2017.
What happened between him and Farrah Fawcett?
Fawcett and O'Neal had an off-and-on relationship that spanned three decades and produced a son, Redmond O'Neal, in 1985.
The actress became an international sex symbol in the 1970s for her famous swimsuit poster and her role as one of a trio of female private detectives on the hit television show, Charlie’s Angels.
They rekindled their relationship shortly before Fawcett died from anal cancer at the age of 62 in 2009.
After her death, O'Neal wrote the bookBoth of Us: My Life with Farrah, which was published in 2012.
What illness did Ryan O'Neal have?
The actor suffered from multiple health issues, starting in 2001 with chronic myelogenous leukemia.
The cancer typically affects older adults. It is a slowly progressing and uncommon type of blood cell cancer that begins in the bone marrow.
O'Neal's spokeswoman Dede Binder told Reuters in 2001 that "he has chronic leukemia. It is treatable and he is doing very well."
She added that the diagnosis was not life-threatening and that O'Neal had already undergone treatment, but the spokeswoman stopped short of elaborating on the kind of treatment O'Neal was receiving.
The actor was also diagnosed with Stage 2 prostate cancer.
He said in a statement obtained by Reuters in 2012: "Recently I was diagnosed with Stage 2 prostate cancer.
"Although I was shocked and stunned by the news, I feel fortunate that it was detected early and according to my extraordinary team of doctors the prognosis is positive for a full recovery.
“I am deeply grateful for the support of my friends and family during this time, and I urge everyone to get regular check-ups, as early detection is the best defense against this horrible disease that has afflicted so many."
Close friends of O'Neal revealed to RadarOnline.com that "Ryan’s deteriorated to the point where it’s beyond hiding."
A source told the outlet: "He’s lost weight and seems so frail and can’t walk without the help of a cane."
O’Neal also battled diabetes, a bad heart, a wrecked shoulder, and sepsis, according to the news agency.
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The emotional toll of losing the love of his life, Fawcett, also attributed to his health decline.
The source said: "Besides stumbling out to the beach to watch the sunset, he doesn’t have anything to look forward to.
"Acting and Farrah were his two passions in life and they’re both gone."
On December 8, 2023, TMZ reported that O'Neal died at the age of 82.
His son Patrick O'Neal shared the tragic news in an Instagram post, writing: "So this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say but here we go.
"My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us.
"This is very difficult for my wife Summer and I, but I will share some feelings to give you an idea of how great a man he is.
"My father Ryan O’Neal has always been my hero. I looked up to him and he was always bigger than life. When I was born in 1967 my dad was already a TV star on Peyton Place. That’s where he met my mom Leigh Taylor-Young, and about 9 months later (give or take a date night or two) I was born.
"My dad became an international movie star with Love Story at the beginning of the 1970’s, a decade he absolutely crushed by starring in movies like What’s Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, Barry Lyndon, A Bridge Too Far, The Main Event, and The Driver.
"He is a Hollywood legend. Full stop. The growth spurt of the first name Ryan can be traced back to my dad. That’s a fact.
"He was Rodney Harrington on Peyton Place 3 days a week (he starred in 500 shows over 5 years) and then of course the name Ryan peaked after Love Story (the film that saved Paramount Studios and earned my dad a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame)."
Who are Ryan O'Neal's children?
On Sunday, September 13, O'Neal's grandson Sean McEnroeposted a family photoof him with his 56-year-old motherTatum O'Neal alongside his siblings, Kevin, and Emily.
The caption read: "This is one of the most memorable photos of my life. The last time we were all together was at the 30-year Paper Moon Anniversary in 2003."
It continued: "I could cry tears of gratitude that everyone in this photo is still alive and that we were all able to come together again after so many years of hardship.
"The entire West Coast is burning, but if the O’Neals can reconcile, truly anything is possible #Reconciliation #Forgiveness #Wholeness #Love #Family."
O’Neal had four children - Tatum, Redmond, Patrick, and Griffin - with three different women and his relationships with them were complicated.
In 2004, Tatum detailed her dysfunctional relationship with her father in her autobiography,A Paper Life.
Meanwhile, Redmond was arrested on attempted murder charges in May 2018, and deemedmentally incompetent to stand trial in 2019, according to Radar Online.
In 2010, O'Neal told People Fawcett’s death in 2009 played "a very big role" in their reconciliation.
"She brought us back together,"Tatum said.
She also revealed it was her father who extended the olive branch.
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"He told me he’s sorry. He’s all I have in terms of family, and I needed him in my life," she shared at the time.
"My dad was absolutely everything to me."
