Dec. 9 (UPI) — Film and television actor Ryan O’Neal died Friday at age 82. His son, sportscaster Patrick O’Neal, shared the news on Instagram.
“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).“
O’Neal was a lead on 501 episodes of the prime-time soap opera Peyton Place after doing episodic appearances on shows such as My Three Sons, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Leave It to Beaver.
He transitioned to film with 1969’s The Big Bounce, but it was 1970’s Love Story that confirmed him as a romantic leading man. The tragic love story featured the line, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”
When Barbra Streisand repeats that line to O’Neal’s character in What’s Up, Doc?, he tells her it’s the stupidest thing he’s ever heard. There was a 1978 sequel to Love Story called Oliver’s Story, following his character’s new romance.
O’Neal starred with his daughter, Tatum, as con artists in Paper Moon, winning her an Oscar. Ryan had been nominated for his role in Love Story.
He also played the title role in Stanley Kubrick‘s adaptation of Barry Lyndon. Sylvester Stallone frequently tells the story that studios wanted to cast O’Neal as Rocky Balboa when Stallone was an unknown pitching his Rocky screenplay.
O’Neal continued to appear in movies such as Irreconcilable Differences, Chances Are, Tough Guys Don’t Dance, Zero Effect, Malibu’s Most Wanted and Knight of Cups. In 1991, he starred with his longtime girlfriend Farrah Fawcett on the sitcom Good Sports.
His most recent role was a recurring one on the series Bones until its 12th season in 2017. Patrick and Tatum also have siblings Redmond and Griffin.
