Ryan was one of the huge stars I recall of during the 1970s.

I remember him especially for Love Story and Paper Moon (it which delightfully co-starred his very talented daughter Tatum), also for What's Up, Doc? and The Main Event.

RIP.

@genplant29 said:

Ryan was one of the huge stars I recall of during the 1970s.

I remember him especially for Love Story and Paper Moon (it which delightfully co-starred his very talented daughter Tatum), also for What's Up, Doc? and The Main Event.

RIP.

My first exposure to him was as Rodney Harrington in 'Peyton Place'.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057779/mediaviewer/rm1167497216?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pbl_5

I see, from his credits listed on IMDb, that he appeared in an episode or two of various tv series throughout the 1960s, so suspect I may have seen him in something or another (perhaps airing in rerun) during that decade, though if so I no longer can recall.

I do remember when Love Story premiered on tv in 1972 when I was a kid. (From Wikipedia: "The film was first broadcast on ABC television on October 1, 1972, and became the most-watched film on television...with 27 million homes watching, with a score of 42.3 by Nielsen ratings and an audience share of 62%.") That was a major broadcast event, and O'Neal was by then a top star from the movie's mega-successful theatrical run.

Wikipedia article: Love Story (1970 film)

@genplant29 said:

I see, from his credits listed on IMDb, that he appeared in an episode or two of various tv series throughout the 1960s, so suspect I may have seen him in something or another (perhaps airing in rerun) during that decade, though if so I no longer can recall.

I do remember when Love Story premiered on tv in 1972 when I was a kid. (From Wikipedia: "The film was first broadcast on ABC television on October 1, 1972, and became the most-watched film on television...with 27 million homes watching, with a score of 42.3 by Nielsen ratings and an audience share of 62%.") That was a major broadcast event, and O'Neal was by then a top star from the movie's mega-successful theatrical run.

Wikipedia article: Love Story (1970 film)

I saw LS in the theater when it first came out. As a very cynical young woman, I thought it was a bit too sappy!

I watched it when a preteen, and, too, definitely thought it sappily romantic and sooo emotional.

@genplant29 said:

I watched it when a preteen, and, too, definitely thought it sappily romantic and sooo emotional.

Well, you are a man, so you weren't the target audience. I'm sure thousands of men were dragged kicking & screaming to the theaters by their wives & girlfriends.

True. And me being a kid back then added to the effect.

@genplant29 said:

True. And me being a kid back then added to the effect.

Hey, I was among the 'target audience' & even I thought it was a bit sappy but I think I did cry at the end?

It didn't do badly at the box office.

"Adjusted for inflation, the film remains one of the top 50 domestic grosses of all time. It grossed an additional $67 million in international film markets for a worldwide total of $173.4 million ($1.3 billion in 2023 dollars)".