What was Ryan O'Neal's Net Worth?
Ryan O'Neal was an American actor who had a net worth of $30 million at the time of his death in December 2023. That net worth estimate includes the value of his $5 million Malibu beach house and an Andy Warhol-produced portrait of Farrah Fawcett which caused a lengthy legal battle in 2011. The Warhol was appraised at $24 million in 2018. Much more on this painting and the legal battle it created later in this article.
Ryan O'Neal rose to stardom in the 1960s with his role on the ABC primetime television soap opera "Peyton Place." He went on to star in numerous films, with his most famous credits including "Love Story," "What's Up, Doc?," "Paper Moon," "Barry Lyndon," and "The Driver." Later in his career, O'Neal had a notable recurring role on the Fox television series "Bones." Ryan O'Neal is also remembered for his relationship with model/actress Farrah Fawcett. They began dating in the 1970s and remained together on and off until her death in 2009. Ryan and Farrah had one child together, a son named Redmond O'Neal. Ryan is also the father of Tatum O'Neal. Ryan and Tatum starred together in the 1973 movie "Paper Moon." Tatum went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She was 10 years old at the time and still stands as the youngest actor in history to win an Oscar. Unfortunately, Ryan O'Neal died on December 8, 2023 at the age of 82.
Redmond O'Neal's Trust Fund
According to the terms of Farrah's will, she set aside $4.5 million in trust to benefit her son Redmond. The lifetime trust came with strict parameters and restrictions. Farrah left her producer friend Richard Francis as trustee of the trust. Redmond is only entitled to interest generated by the trust. Francis can choose whether to distribute the interest income quarterly or once per month. Redmond can only tap into the principal for health care at the discretion of Richard Francis. Redmond can not even use the principal for his legal defense (he has had a number of legal issues over the years) or bail when he is involved in with the police. Ryan has no access to the money. Farrah also left $500 thousand to her father and her nephew.
Andy Warhol Painting
In addition to her cash bequeaths, Farrah's will dictated that her art collection be gifted to the University of Texas at Austin, her alma mater. Most notably, the collection included ONE Andy Warhol portrait of Farrah. Keyword, "ONE."
A few months after her death, Farrah's college boyfriend (who was also the star quarterback for the school in the 1960s while they dated and reportedly HATED O'Neal), alerted the school that Andy actually produced TWO portraits, one of which mysteriously went missing from Farrah's LA condo soon after her death. After an investigation, the university suspected Ryan O'Neal had taken the portrait for himself. That suspicion turned out to be true, thought it wasn't officially confirmed until 2011 when it was seen in the background an episode of the reality series "Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals." In the episode the portrait could be seen hanging in the master bedroom of Ryan's Malibu beach house.
After spotting the painting in the show, a legal battle was launched by the university. In the trial, Ryan argued that while Andy did indeed produce two portraits of Farrah during her 1980 session with the artist, she did not actually own the second one at the time of her death. He did. According to Ryan, he introduced Farrah to Warhol – a friend of his – and arranged for the portrait session on the condition that two pieces would be produced, one for him and one for her.
In December 2013, an LA jury ruled in Ryan's favor, allowing him to keep the painting. The value of the painting at the time was estimated to be $18 million. In 2018 it was appraised at $24 million. Today it could be worth $40+ million.
Early Life and Education
Ryan O'Neal was born as Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal on April 20, 1941 in Los Angeles, California to actress Patricia and screenwriter and novelist Charles. He is of Irish, English, and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, and has a younger brother named Kevin. As an adolescent, O'Neal was first educated at University High School in Los Angeles, where he trained to become a Golden Gloves boxer. After he moved with his family to Munich, Germany for his father's work, he attended Munich American High School.
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Television Career
O'Neal began his acting career on television in 1960. That year, he made appearances on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" and "General Electric Theater." The following year, he showed up in episodes of "Bachelor Father," "Laramie," and "Leave it to Beaver." O'Neal landed his first regular role in 1962, playing Tal Garrett on the NBC series "Empire." Following the end of that show in 1963, he made guest appearances on "The Virginian," "Perry Mason," and "Wagon Train." O'Neal subsequently had his breakthrough on the ABC primetime soap opera "Peyton Place," which ran from 1964 to 1969. He played the main role of Rodney Harrington, the eldest son of Leslie and Catherine. A major hit, "Peyton Place" launched O'Neal to national fame.
After "Peyton Place" ended, O'Neal starred in the television film "Love Hate Love." He then took a long break from the small screen, only returning in 1989 to star opposite Farrah Fawcett in the television film "Small Sacrifices." O'Neal subsequently reunited with Fawcett to star on the short-lived 1991 sitcom "Good Sports." He next starred opposite Katharine Hepburn in the 1992 television film "The Man Upstairs." O'Neal didn't appear much on television during the remainder of the decade. He returned at the start of the new millennium with a recurring role on the TNT series "Bull." Following that, he appeared in the television film "Epoch." In 2003, O'Neal had a main role on the short-lived series "Miss Match." He later had recurring roles on "90210" and "Bones," playing the father of the protagonist on the latter show.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Film Career
On the big screen, O'Neal made his debut as the star of the 1969 film "The Big Bounce," based on the eponymous Elmore Leonard novel. He followed that with two more starring roles in the 1970 films "The Games" and "Love Story." The latter film, based on the eponymous bestselling novel and costarring Ali MacGraw, was a box-office smash, and earned O'Neal an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In a change of pace, he next starred opposite William Holden in the Western "Wild Rovers." O'Neal went on to star opposite Barbra Streisand in Peter Bogdanovich's 1972 screwball comedy "What's Up, Doc?," which was a huge commercial success. He reunited with Bogdanovich the next year for another well-received film, "Paper Moon," in which he starred opposite his daughter Tatum O'Neal, who won an Academy Award for her performance. The same year, O'Neal starred opposite Jacqueline Bisset in "The Thief Who Came to Dinner."
In 1975, O'Neal starred as the titular 18th-century Irish rogue in Stanley Kubrick's period drama "Barry Lyndon." He subsequently appeared in his third Peter Bogdanovich film, "Nickelodeon," and was part of the large ensemble cast of the war epic "A Bridge Too Far." In 1978, O'Neal starred as the titular getaway driver in Walter Hill's neo-noir "The Driver," and also starred in the "Love Story" sequel "Oliver's Story." He closed out the decade reuniting with his former costar Barbara Streisand in the sports romantic comedy "The Main Event." O'Neal was in fewer major films in the 80s; his credits included such flops as "So Fine," "Green Ice," "Partners," "Fever Pitch," and "Tough Guys Don't Dance." However, he had minor successes with "Irreconcilable Differences" and "Chances Are." In the 90s, O'Neal appeared in "Man of the House," "Faithful," "Hacks," "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn," and "Zero Effect." His later credits include "Malibu's Most Wanted" and "Knight of Cups."
Personal Life
Ryan O'Neal married his first wife, actress Joanna Moore, in 1963. Together, they had daughter Tatum and son Griffin before divorcing in 1967. O'Neal next married actress Leigh Taylor-Young, with whom he had a son named Patrick. They divorced in 1971. At the end of the 70s, O'Neal began his longest romantic relationship when he started dating actress Farrah Fawcett. Although the relationship was often turbulent, the pair remained together until 1997 when Fawcett found O'Neal in bed with actress Leslie Stefanson. O'Neal and Fawcett reconciled in 2001 and stayed together until the latter's passing in 2009. They had one child together, a son named Redmond.
Beyond his marriages and romance with Fawcett, O'Neal dated several other actresses, including Ursula Andress, Anouk Aimée, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Streisand, and Anjelica Huston. Notably, O'Neal was estranged from his three eldest children for several years due to his violent behavior and drug abuse.
In 2001, O'Neal was diagnosed with leukemia. A little over a decade later, he announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Unfortunately he died on December 8, 2023 at the age of 82.
