Ryan O’Neal’s 4 Kids: Two Were Raised with ‘No Food’, While One Became Oscar-Winner

Ryan O’Neal, the actor who became famous for his performance in the film “Love Story,” died on Friday, December 8, 2023. His passing was announced by his son, Patrick, who stated that his father died peacefully.

Ryan’s cause of death was not mentioned, but the actor had previously opened up about some of his health issues. In 2012, Ryan was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and in the late ’90s, he survived leukemia.

The actor was a father of four, but his relationship with his children was not always smooth. Despite having the same father, the O’Neal children did not all have the same childhood, as some had it more difficult than others. Here is a glimpse into the lives of Ryan’s children.

Ryan was first married to Joanna Moore, and together, they had two children: a daughter named Tatum in 1963 and a son named Griffin in 1964. Their marriage ended, and the couple finalized their divorce in 1967.

However, life was not easy for Tatum and her brother. The siblings lived with their mother and confessed that there would be days when they were not fed. In addition to this, Tatum also endured beatings. She revealed that Moore was dating a 15-year-old who would beat her.

Her life ended up feeling like a tale of constant pain and running. “I lived a hard time. There was, you know, tremendous beatings and no food,” she confessed. While all this was happening, Tatum wished her father would rescue her. “My teeth were rotting. Like, that was really happening, and I was suffering,” she emphasized.

Ryan eventually came to his children’s rescue. He had his daughter act alongside him in the film “Paper Moon,” which propelled her toward immense success. Her performance was so good that she was awarded an Oscar at only nine years old.

Despite the success of her acting debut, Tatum still struggled. She confessed that by the time she was 13, she had already tried to commit suicide twice. Her relationship with her father also deteriorated with time.

When she reached her teenage years, Tatum felt that her father did not know what to do with her anymore, leaving her feeling displaced and insecure about herself. “I started to not know where to turn,” she added.

As the actress got older, she believed her distant relationship with her father stemmed from jealousy. Tatum was certain Ryan hated her because she won an Academy Award. The actress also struggled with drug addiction, and after a few fallbacks, she proudly revealed that she was “fully recovered” and dedicated to her 12-step program.

With time, the father and daughter tried to work on their relationship. They met up for lunch once and spent two hours talking. Tatum said Ryan apologized, “He’s all I have in terms of family, and I needed him in my life. My dad was absolutely everything to me,” she expressed.

The father-daughter relationship improved even more after Ryan lost his long love, Farrah Fawcett. Tatum said her death is what brought them closer together. The “Love Story” actor confessed that losing Fawcett made him realize all his failures.

It was heartbreaking for him to realize that Tatum did not have anyone to rely on after her mother died. “A lot of harsh things were done.” But now, we’re starting over and not looking back,” he emphasized.

In 2020, Tatum and her father were seen together in a family photo. Now that Ryan has passed, the actress is glad that he left with their relationship mended. “I’ll miss him forever, and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms,” she said.

Griffin O’Neal

Griffin O’Neal is Tatum’s brother, who has also spent most of his life trying to escape the turbulence in his family. He reckoned that the biggest contributor was the abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Griffin was exposed to a variety of drugs from a young age. He watched his mother struggle with addiction and his sister, and eventually, he found himself stuck with the same problem.

He said he was the family’s “joint roller.” But watching those he loved struggle with drugs pushed him into a dark corner, too. Griffin was in and out of prison and reckoned he had about ten DUIs. “I was basically an alcoholic, but I did every drug on the planet. I had problems with cocaine and speed, too,” he said.

Griffin spent a lot of time in rehabilitation centers. By the time he graduated high school, he had already been in rehab three times. However, he eventually came out of addiction stronger.

When he was 16 years old, Ryan reportedly punched him in the face when he tried to help his brother Redmond fight addiction. The father of four was even arrested for assaulting Griffin with a firearm. Their relationship did not get better because, in 2015, the father and son had reportedly not spoken in nine years.

Patrick O’Neal

The same year that Ryan divorced Moore, he married his second wife, Lee Taylor-Young, and together they had a son, Patrick, but their union ended soon after.

Patrick started his career as an actor, where he appeared in films such as “Die Hard,” “Wild Dog” and “Bliss.” But after not getting cast for a show, where he had made it to the third call back, Patrick knew that his career in Hollywood was over.

At first, he thought he would venture into producing, but he was offered a job as a broadcaster, and that was when everything clicked. He confessed that he loved sports and watching ESPN as a child, and after landing that gig, he decided to make a complete career change.

Patrick had a close relationship with his father and only had good things to say about him. He valued Ryan’s support and recognition of his work in sports.

Even in his tribute to Ryan, Patrick spoke about how much he looked up to his dad. “My father, Ryan O’Neal, has always been my hero. I looked up to him, and he was always bigger than life,” he said.

Despite some of the negative things that might have surrounded Ryan, Patrick will do everything he can to keep his father’s legacy alive.

Redmond O’Neal

Ryan met Fawcett while she was still married to actor Lee Majors, but they ended up sharing one of the strongest connections. The couple never married but welcomed a son, Redmond, in 1985.

However, Redmond is also said to have a severe drug problem. His half-sister Tutam said, “I love him, but I have never seen a more scary side of addiction.” His father was also candid about his son’s drug abuse. Ryan emphasized that despite Redmond’s privilege, his addiction stood in the way of many things.

According to Ryan, his son has been in 13 rehabilitation centers. In fact, Ryan did not see his son as privileged. “He’s had a terrible life,” he added. The actor reiterated that Redmond had never had a car or license and had spent most of his life on the street or in and out of prison.

Although Ryan’s relationship with his children had its ups and downs, the actor still played an important role in their lives, and the O’Neal children will hold on to the fond memories they have of their father.