Ryan O'Neal

Born: 20 April 1941
Where: Los Angeles, California, USA

Boyish, sandy-haired O'Neal gained fame in Sixties soap opera Peyton Place before finding fame with 1970's soppy Love Story, for which he was Oscar nominated.

The son of actress Patricia O'Callaghan and screenwriter Charles O'Neal, he began his career as a stand-in and stunt man.

He was a professional Golden Gloves boxer for a year in the late Fifties. His first acting job was in German series Vikings in 1959.

Nothing O'Neal did after Love Story ever equalled its success. He starred alongside Barba Streisand in 1972 comedy What's Up, Doc? In Paper Moon, he was upstaged by 10-year-old daughter Tatum, who won an Oscar for her part.

He also appeared in Stanley Kubrick's period piece Barry Lyndon before a quiet period, broken in the mid to late Eighties by So Fine, Irreconcilable Differences and Chances Are.

Formerly married to actresses Joanna Moore and Leigh Taylor Young, O'Neal lived for many years with Farrah Fawcett, with whom he co-starred in sitcom Good Sports. He has four children, including Tatum.