Ryan O’Neal is dead: the star of Love Story in 5 roles
An essential actor in the 1970s, he died this Friday at the age of 82.
Half a century later, when we think of Ryan O’Neal, we still think of a few piano notes signed Francis Lai. The cult actor of love story, who starred in one of cinema’s greatest love stories with Ali MacGraw, in 1970, died this Friday at the age of 82. He will remain as one of the icons of the 7th art of the 1970s, even if his career declined in the following decades.
“Ryan was a very generous man who was always there to help those close to him for decades.”wrote his son in a message confirming the death of Ryan O’Neal. “My father was 82 years old and living a great life. I hope the first thing he brags about in heaven is how he lasted 2 rounds against Joe Frazier in 1966, on national television, with Muhammad Ali on commentary…”
love storyby Arthur Hiller (1970)
More than this fight, Ryan O’Neal leaves behind a host of notable roles, over the course of a career that began with a bang with love story. However, it was not won. Because the director, Arthur Hiller, did not want the young boy revealed in the TV series Peyton Place. It was imposed by producer Robert Evans, after Michael Douglas, Michael York, Beau Bridges and Peter Fonda refused the role. A blessing for Ryan O’Nealsuddenly become a movie star, and even an Oscar-nominated superstar!
No. 1 film of the year 1970, with $106 million in revenue in the United States and Canada, love story became the sixth highest-grossing film of all time at that time, a cultural phenomenon, which made Ryan O’Neal a leading actor, on the same level as Clint Eastwood, and even more popular than Steve McQueen, Burt Reynolds or Robert Redford…
Cotton candyby Peter Bogdanovich (1973)
He then played roles for Blake Edwards and especially for Peter Bogdanovichwith whom he toured in quick succession Shall we pack our bags, Doc? And Cotton candywho allowed his daughter, Tatum O’Neal, to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 10 (a record).
Barry Lyndonby Stanley Kubrick (1975)
Then it’s Stanley Kubrick who gave him the title role of Barry Lyndon, after having suffered a refusal from Robert Redford, for his great costume film, unique in the filmmaker’s filmography. A feature film nominated seven times for the Oscars, including four secondary awards upon arrival, but nothing at all for Ryan O’Neal. And like Lyndon is a commercial failure, it will hardly help the actor’s career, which then begins to decline.
Driverby Walter Hill (1978)
In the process, successes become rare for Ryan O’Neal. He makes an appearance in the war film A bridge too far (1977), then played the main role of Driver (1978), alongsideIsabelle Adjani, a thriller which will be another flop at the box office but will gain in esteem over time, notably inspiring the Drive from 2011, which revealed Ryan Gosling.
Bonesby Hart Hanson (2005-2017)
Ryan O’Neal then disappeared somewhat from the radar. In the 1980s, he was most famous for his relationship with Farrah Fawcett, which will be made of ups and downs until the early 2000s, and the death of the actress. He is also the father-in-law of John McEnroe during his glory days (after the tennis champion married his Oscar-winning daughter, Tatum).
In the 21st century, Ryan O’Neal offers himself one last significant role in the series Bones. Over the course of 25 episodes, he played Brennan’s father, from the first to the last season of the crime series.
