Daily TribuneO’Neal achieved lasting fame with the now-classic romantic drama ‘Love Story,’ which earned him nominations for Best Actor in the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Ryan O’Neal, 1941-2023. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE LUMINARIES MAGAZINE
American actor Ryan O'Neal, best known for his role as Oliver Barrett IV in Love Story, has died, his son Patrick announced on Friday. He was 82.
"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," Patrick wrote on Instagram.
The sportscaster called his late father 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)," he said.
Patrick promised to uphold his father's legacy, saying, "My dad was 82, and lived a kick ass life. I hope the first thing he brags about in Heaven is how he sparred 2 rounds with Joe Frazier in 1966, on national TV, with Muhammad Ali doing the commentary, and went toe to toe with Smokin' Joe. YouTube has it and trust me, it's so awesome. Ryan by a majority decision. He loved boxing. And hitting the bag. My dad is a proud member of the West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame.
"Ryan never bragged. But he has bragging rights in Heaven. Especially when it comes to Farrah. Everyone had the poster, he had the real McCoy. And now they meet again. Farrah and Ryan. He has missed her terribly. What an embrace that must be. Together again. I miss you dad. I love you. We love you," he continued.
No cause of death was given. O'Neal was diagnosed with chronic leukemia in 2001 and prostate cancer in 2012.
O'Neal started with television roles, working either as a stand-in or stuntman in the 1960s. He began with guest appearances in the shows The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Untouchables, General Electric Theater, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, Two Faces West, Westinghouse Playhouse, Bachelor Father, My Three Sons, Leave It to Beaver and The Virginian. He rose to fame with the romantic drama movie Love Story, in which he co-starred with Ali MacGraw. The movie, which turned out to be a box-office hit, earned him nominations for Best Actor in the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
In 2016, O'Neal reunited with MacGraw to stage Love Letters by A.R. Gurney. Both were honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2021.
