Griffin O'Neal

Griffin Patrick O'Neal (born October 28, 1964) is an American actor.

Griffin O'Neal
Born
Griffin Patrick O'Neal

(1964-10-28) October 28, 1964
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1976–1992
Spouse(s)
Rima Uranga
(m. 1989; div. 1991)

JoAnna Berry
(m. 2008)
Children4
Parent(s)Ryan O'Neal
Joanna Moore
RelativesTatum O'Neal (sister)
Patrick O'Neal (half-brother)

Early life

O'Neal was born in Los Angeles to actor Ryan O'Neal and his first wife, the late actress Joanna Moore (born Dorothy Joanne Cook).[1] He has one sister, Tatum, and two half brothers, Patrick and Redmond. His grandfather was novelist/screenwriter Charles "Blackie" O'Neal.[2]

Films

Griffin O'Neal appeared in 11 movies between 1976 and 1992. Several of these were TV movies or films released directly to video.[3] He appeared in films including The Escape Artist, April Fool's Day, The Wraith, Assault of the Killer Bimbos, and Ghoulies III.

Film critic Vincent Canby of the New York Times wrote in 1982 that Griffin O'Neal "shares with his sister a natural screen presence."[4] Likewise, film critic Leonard Maltin wrote that Griffin O'Neal has a "pleasing screen presence".[5]

Personal life

Relationship with Ryan O'Neal

O'Neal is estranged from his father Ryan O'Neal. They have had a volatile relationship beginning from his childhood. O'Neal's struggle with addiction began when he was 9 years old. He told People magazine, "My life has been a reign of drug and alcohol degradation. I had to self-medicate my entire life because there was pain everywhere. There were drugs everywhere in my family all day, every day." He also suggested his family's problems stemmed from Ryan. "My father gave me cocaine when I was 11 and insisted I take it," he told Vanity Fair. He added, "He was a very abusive, narcissistic psychopath. He gets so mad he can't control anything he's doing."[6]

In 1983, O'Neal reported to authorities that his father punched out two of his front teeth, but refused to press charges.

In 2007, Ryan was arrested for shooting at Griffin, which he claimed was in self-defense; charges were dropped. "The last time I saw my dad, he shot at me because I was trying to help his son [Redmond] get sober so I haven't talked to him in nine years," he told People in 2015.[7]

O'Neal was banned by his father from attending the funeral services for Farrah Fawcett (mother of his half-brother Redmond) in 2009.[6]

Marriages

O'Neal married his first wife Rima Uranga in 1989;[8] divorced in 1991. They have a daughter together. He has been married to Joanna Berry since 2008. In 2012, O'Neal was arrested on domestic battery charges for assaulting his wife.[9]

Accidents

In 1986, Griffin O'Neal had a boating accident in Annapolis, Maryland that took the life of film producer Gian-Carlo Coppola.[10] O'Neal, who was piloting the boat, tried to pass between two other boats, unaware that they were connected by a towline. O'Neal barely had time to duck, but Coppola was struck by the towline and killed.[11] Prior to the accident, O'Neal was being directed by Francis Ford Coppola (Gian-Carlo's father) in the film Gardens of Stone, and afterward O'Neal asked to be replaced in the film.[12] He was convicted of negligently operating a boat, and received an 18-day jail sentence for not completing community service.[13][14]

In August 2011, while driving, O'Neal collided with another car. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison for driving under the influence of drugs in connection with that incident.[15]

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1976NickelodeonBicycle Boy
1982The Escape ArtistDanny Masters
1983Hadley's RebellionHadley Hickman
1986The Children of Times SquareRickTV movie
1986April Fool's DaySkip
1986The WraithOggie Fisher
1988Assault of the Killer BimbosTroy
1989Night ChildrenBlade
1989Jesse HawkesCpl. StevensEpisode: "The Centurians"
1990Return to JusticeBo Johnson
1991Ghoulies Go to CollegeBlaneAlternate title: Ghoulies III
1992SoulmatesBrian

References
  1. O'Neal, Tatum (2004). A Paper Life. Harper Entertainment. p. 14. ISBN 0-06-054097-4.
  2. O'Neal, Tatum (2004). A Paper Life. Harper Entertainment. p. 82. ISBN 0-06-054097-4.
  3. Kleinbaum, Josh, O'Neal Woes: Redmond Arrested, Griffin Injured, NBC San Diego, 3 August 2011
  4. Canby, Vincent. The Escape Artist (1982): GRIFFIN O'NEAL (TATUM'S BROTHER) IN 'THE ESCAPE ARTIST', The New York Times (May 28, 1982).
  5. Maltin, Leonard. Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide, page 418 (Penguin, 2008).
  6. Bennetts, Leslie (September 2009). "Beautiful People, Ugly Choices". Vanity Fair.
  7. Liz, McNeil (May 30, 2015). "Griffin O'Neal: 'My Whole Family Has Been Destroyed to Smithereens From Addiction and Alcoholism'". People.
  8. "In Vegas, Vowing He Has Changed His Wild Ways, Griffin O'neal Takes the Plunge into Marriage". People. July 17, 1989.
  9. "Griffin O'Neal, son of Ryan O'Neal, faces domestic-battery charges". Los Angeles Times. January 6, 2012.
  10. Coppola's Son Killed, O'Neal's Injured, United Press International via The Los Angeles Times (27 May 1986).
  11. O'Neal, Tatum (2004). A Paper Life. Harper Entertainment. p. 158. ISBN 0-06-054097-4.
  12. Cowie, Peter. Coppola: a biography, pg. 208 (Da Capo Press, 1994)
  13. Grossberg, Josh. "911 Calls Released in O'Neal Case", E! News (February 6, 2007), via Archive.org.
  14. Associated Press, "Ryan O'Neal accused of assaulting his son", The Independent, February 5, 2007.
  15. "Griffin O'Neal To Serve 16 Months For DUI, Crash", ABC10/10News.com, February 3, 2012.

Bibliography
  • Holmstrom, John. The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 350-351.
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