Remembering Ryan O’Neal, the star of Love Story who died at 82

The world of cinema has lost one of its brightest stars. Ryan O’Neal, the actor who rose to fame with his Oscar-nominated performance in the 1970 classic Love Story, passed away at the age of 82, his son announced.

According to his family, O’Neal died peacefully on Friday, surrounded by his loving team. The cause of death was not disclosed, but O’Neal had been battling chronic leukemia since 2001 and prostate cancer since 2012.

O’Neal had a remarkable career that spanned five decades and several genres. He was known for his handsome features, his charismatic charm, and his versatile talent.

From soap opera to silver screen:

O’Neal was born in Los Angeles in 1941, to a stage actress mother and a novelist and screenwriter father. He took up boxing in school and developed a muscular physique that helped him land small roles on television.

He got his big break when he was cast in Peyton Place, the first prime-time soap opera in America. He played Rodney Harrington, a rich and rebellious young man who had a tumultuous love life. 

The show made him a household name and opened the doors for his film career.

A romantic hero:

O’Neal’s most iconic role was in Love Story, the 1970 romantic drama that made him a superstar. He played Oliver Barrett IV, a wealthy Harvard student who falls in love with Jennifer Cavilleri, a poor and witty Radcliffe student, played by Ali MacGraw.

The film was a huge hit, earning seven Oscar nominations, including one for O’Neal as best actor. It also featured one of the most famous lines in movie history: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

The film was ranked by the American Film Institute as the ninth most romantic film of all time.

A comedy star:

O’Neal proved that he was not only a dramatic actor but also a gifted comedian. He starred in What’s Up, Doc? a 1972 screwball comedy that paired him with Barbra Streisand. 

He played Howard Bannister, a musicologist who gets involved in a series of hilarious mishaps with Judy Maxwell, a free-spirited troublemaker, played by Streisand.

The film was a box office success and a critical acclaim. O’Neal and Streisand reunited in 1979 for another comedy, The Main Event, in which he played a boxer and she played his manager.

Streisand expressed her sadness over O’Neal’s death on X, formerly Twitter. She wrote: “He was funny and charming, and he will be remembered.”

A father and a son

O’Neal also showed his range as an actor in Paper Moon, a 1973 comedy-drama set in the Depression era. He played Moses Pray, a con artist who teams up with a young girl named Addie, who may or may not be his daughter. 

The girl was played by O’Neal’s real-life daughter, Tatum O’Neal, who was only nine years old at the time.

The film was a critical and commercial success, and Tatum O’Neal won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, making her the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award.

O’Neal also acted with his son, Patrick O’Neal, in the 1977 war film A Bridge Too Far, which featured an ensemble cast of stars. 

He played General James Gavin, one of the commanders of the Allied forces in Operation Market Garden, a failed attempt to capture several bridges in Nazi-occupied Netherlands.

A Kubrick collaborator:

O’Neal also had the privilege of working with one of the most acclaimed directors of all time, Stanley Kubrick. He starred in Barry Lyndon, a 1975 historical drama based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. 

He played the title character, an Irish rogue who rises and falls in the 18th-century aristocracy.

The film was praised for its stunning cinematography, its meticulous production design, and its authentic costumes and music. It won four Oscars, including one for best cinematography. 

It was also Kubrick’s follow-up to his controversial masterpiece, A Clockwork Orange.

A troubled personal life:

O’Neal’s career declined in the 1980s and 1990s, as he struggled with drug addiction, legal troubles, and failed relationships. 

He was married twice, first to actress Joanna Moore, with whom he had Tatum and Griffin, and then to actress Leigh Taylor-Young, with whom he had Patrick.

But his most famous romance was with actress Farrah Fawcett, who was best known for her role in Charlie’s Angels. 

They met in 1979 and had a son, Redmond, in 1985. They had a turbulent relationship that lasted until 1997 and then resumed in 2001 when Fawcett was diagnosed with cancer.

O’Neal was by her side until she died in 2009. He later said that watching Love Story again “upsets me, actually”.

“I lost Farrah to cancer, and I just wonder [why] that played out that way for me,” he said.

A Hollywood legend:

O’Neal’s son, Patrick, paid tribute to his father on Instagram, calling him “a Hollywood legend. Full stop.”

He said that his father was “skilled at his craft, worked so hard, and just loved acting plain and simple”.

He also praised his father’s generosity, humor, and charm.

“And the most handsome clearly, but also the most charming. Lethal combo,” he wrote.

He also remembered his father’s long-time love, Fawcett.

“Now they meet again. Farrah and Ryan. He has missed her terribly. What an embrace that must be. Together again.”

Ryan O’Neal will be remembered as one of the most talented and charismatic actors of his generation, who left behind a legacy of unforgettable films and a lasting impression on millions of fans.

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