Actor Ryan O’Neal died at the age of 82, his son Patrick O’Neal confirmed on Friday. Patrick announced his late father’s death via Instagram on December 8.
“So, this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say but here we go,” Patrick wrote. “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 continued his caption by calling the Golden Globe Award nominee was his “hero.”
“I looked up to him, and he was always bigger than life,” Patrick continued. “When I was born in 1967, my dad was already a TV star on Peyton Place. That’s where he met my mom, Leigh Taylor-Young, and about 9 months later (give or take a date night or two), I was born.”
Ryan and his ex-wife Leigh Taylor-Young were married from 1967 to 1974. Previously, the Los Angeles native was married to his first wife, Joanna Moore, from 1963 to 1967. In 1979, Ryan began dating his long-time love, Farrah Fawcett. They dated on and through the 1990s and the early 2000s.
He’s the father of actress Tatum O’Neal and Griffin O’Neal with Joanna, Patrick with Leigh, and Redmond James Fawcett O’Neal with Farrah. The Charlie’s Angels star passed away in 2009 at the age of 62. Ryan was also the grandfather of five.
“My dad became an international movie star with Love Story at the beginning of the 1970s, a decade he absolutely crushed by starring in movies like What’s Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, Barry Lyndon, A Bridge Too Far, The Main Event, and The Driver,” Patrick added in his caption. “He is a Hollywood legend. Full stop.”
Patrick elaborated that the name Ryan “can be traced back to my dad.”
“He was Rodney Harrington on Peyton Place three days a week (he starred in 500 shows over five 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).”
In 1971, Ryan was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award, as well as a Golden Globe nomination, for his heartrending performance in Love Story. In 1974, he was again nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in Paper Moon.
Patrick and his son were close. In an April 20 post, he shared an emotional social media post and a pic with his father. “Honor and a privilege to share time with my dad on his 82nd birthday,” he captioned the black and white photo. “4/20 whoop whoop!!”