{"id":3599,"date":"2023-12-08T22:51:53","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T22:51:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/?p=3599"},"modified":"2023-12-08T22:51:53","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T22:51:53","slug":"remembering-the-life-of-love-story-actor-ryan-oneal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/2023\/12\/remembering-the-life-of-love-story-actor-ryan-oneal.html","title":{"rendered":"Remembering the Life of ‘Love Story’ Actor Ryan O’Neal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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s_bukley\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ryan O\u2019Neal, the leading man who started a remarkable 1970s run in Hollywood with his Oscar-nominated role as Oliver in \u201cLove Story,\u201d died at 82 years old, according to his son, Patrick O\u2019Neal, a sportscaster with Bally Sports West. He was diagnosed with chronic leukemia in 2001 and prostate cancer in 2012.<\/p>\n

In an Instagram post, Patrick wrote, \u201cAs a human being, my father was as generous as they come. And the funniest person in any room. And the most handsome, clearly, but also the most charming. Lethal combo. He loved to make people laugh. It\u2019s pretty much his goal. Didn\u2019t matter the situation; if there was a joke to be found, he nailed it. He really wanted us laughing. And we did all laugh. Every time. We had fun. Fun in the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neal was born on April 20, 1941, in Los Angeles, the older son of Charles O\u2019Neal and Patricia Callaghan. In 1956 and 1957, he competed in Golden Gloves events in Los Angeles. According to his website, he compiled a boxing record of 18-4 with 13 knockouts. In the late 1950s, O\u2019Neal and his family moved to Munich, and he became obsessed with the syndicated TV show \u201cTales of the Vikings,\u201d which was shot in Europe and was produced by Kirk Douglas\u2019 company. According to a 1975 newspaper account, O\u2019Neal wrote to another producer, George Cahan, on the show: \u201cI am six feet tall, and with a false beard, I will look as much like a Viking as any actor on set. I may be the Gary Cooper of tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Patrick O’Neal (@patrick_oneal)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n