Ryan O’Neal fought bravely against leukemia and prostate cancer before passing away from congestive heart failure on December 8, 2023, at 82. His death marked the end of an era in Hollywood, yet his funeral drew attention not only for who attended — but for who didn’t.
The star, beloved for his roles in Love Story and Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, had long been admired as one of Hollywood’s most charming leading men. But behind the fame, his private life was marked by heartbreak and turmoil, particularly his stormy relationship with actress Farrah Fawcett.
The two shared a son, Redmond James Fawcett O’Neal, born in 1985. However, Redmond could not attend his father’s burial — he was confined to a California state mental hospital at the time. His life has been plagued by addiction, legal troubles, and mental illness, including diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Though Ryan had promised Farrah on her deathbed that he would care for their son, the two became estranged in later years.
While Redmond’s absence was understandable, two of Ryan’s other children also missed the funeral. Griffin O’Neal, Ryan’s son with his first wife Joanna Moore, claimed he wasn’t invited at all. Speaking to The New York Post, he said, “I’m the hated son who told the truth. There are dark times in this family. Love means never having to say you’re sorry — and Ryan never did, to anyone.”
Griffin said he drove 2,000 miles from Texas to California to attend, only to learn the service would take place a week later — and without him on the guest list. His estrangement from Ryan dated back to a violent 2007 altercation, after which the two never reconciled.
The small memorial, attended by roughly 25 people, was organized by Ryan’s son Patrick O’Neal, a Los Angeles sportscaster who had remained close to his father. Also present was Patrick’s mother, actress Leigh Taylor-Young. Ryan’s daughter, Oscar-winner Tatum O’Neal, was not seen at the ceremony, though she and her father had reconciled a few years prior.
After surviving a 2020 overdose and stroke, Tatum visited Ryan twice before his passing, including a touching reunion in Malibu. “He meant the world to me,” she said after his death. “I loved him very much and I know he loved me too. I’ll miss him forever.”
The service took place at Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, where Ryan was laid to rest beside Farrah Fawcett in a redwood-colored coffin. His burial fulfilled his wish to remain close to the woman he once called “the love of my life.”
However, even this gesture was not without controversy. Farrah’s former boyfriend, Greg Lott, accused O’Neal of disregarding her wishes, claiming she never wanted a public grave. Producer Craig Nevius echoed that sentiment, saying Ryan “took control of her life” near the end.
But friends of the couple, including Alana Stewart, defended O’Neal. “They loved each other deeply,” she said. “Sure, they had dark moments, but it was a great love story.”
Ryan’s son Patrick has since taken it upon himself to protect his father’s legacy. He publicly criticized the Television Academy for initially omitting O’Neal from the “In Memoriam” segment at the 2024 Emmys, calling it a “failure.” Months later, he expressed gratitude when his father was finally included.
“Thank you to the Television Academy for including my dad,” Patrick wrote. “He truly loved acting on television, and Rodney Harrington — the role that made him famous — would’ve had something witty to say about all this.”