‘Paper Moon’ and ‘Love Story’ actor Ryan O’Neal dies at 82

“This is and will be a huge void in our lives,” his son said on Instagram.

December 8, 2023, 5:54 PM

Ryan O’Neal, the actor known for films like “Paper Moon” and “Love Story” has died, his son Patrick O’Neal shared on Instagram on Friday. He was 82.

“This is just so hard for us,” Patrick O’Neal said in the caption of an Instagram post. “Ryan made such an impact and this will be difficult without him. This is and will be a huge void in our lives.”

Prior to acting, Ryan O’Neal was a professional boxer. Born Patrick Ryan O’Neal on April 20, 1941, in Los Angeles, to writer Charles O’Neal and actress Patricia O’Callaghan. He trained as a boxer and competed in two Golden Gloves championships before landing a role as a stuntman on a TV show called, “Tales of the Vikings,” according to a biography about the actor on his website.

Ryan O’Neal poses during Fox Celebrates ‘Bones’ 200th Episode at the Fox Studio Lot, Nov. 14, 2014, in Century City, Calif.

JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty Images

The role fueled his interest in acting and began landing several television appearances in shows like “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” in 1960 and “Leave it to Beaver” in 1961.

He landed his first major television role in the prime-time soap opera, “Peyton Place,” in 1964, where he portrayed the character, Rodney Harrington.

In 1970 he took on the role of Oliver Barrett IV in the romance film, “Love Story,” which he starred in alongside Ali MacGraw. The film follows Ryan O’Neal’s character and MacGraw’s, who fall in love regardless of their upbringing. Ryan O’Neal’s performance in the movie earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor and a Golden Globe nomination for best actor.

The following year, he went on to star in “What’s Up Doc” alongside Barbra Streisand.

Ryan O’Neal found success again as an actor when he portrayed Moses Pray in the 1973 film, “Paper Moon,” a comedy-drama film, which earned him another Golden Globe nomination for best actor.