Ryan O'Neal (1970 - 1979) : 'Ragin' Bulldog'
Dec 24, 2022 2:02:30 GMT
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Post by petrolino on Dec 24, 2022 2:02:30 GMT
Ryan O'Neal : 'Caught Cold Behind The Wheel ...'
Ryan O'Neal was born on April 20, 1941 in Los Angeles, California. His father was novelist and screenwriter Charles O'Neal (born January 6, 1904, Raeford, North Carolina, U.S.) and his mother was a rather mysterious figure, actress Patricia Ruth Olga O'Callaghan (1907–2003).
Step inside 'Peyton Place' ...
The younger brother of Ryan O'Neal is actor Kevin O'Neal. His daughter Tatum O'Neal and his son Griffin O'Neal are also in the acting business.
Ryan O'Neal & Sammy Davis Jr.
Ryan O'Neal was a 'Golden Gloves' boxer during his high school years. His entry in to film acting came about when he began training with stunt artists, developing skills that would serve him well when he set about targeting specific roles and directors for work. At the end of the 1970s, he retrained as a boxer for a picture he was making with Barbra Streisand who recalled being seriously impressed with his stamina, physical skill-set and in-ring discipline.
II : Interview Suite : Michael Winner discusses making Olympian drama 'The Games' (1970) at the British Film Institute
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Ryan O'Neal 's Amateur Boxing Record ["based on various sources"] at Wikistats :
Result | Record | Opponent | Method Date | Round |Time | Event | Location
Win 12-4 United States Frankie Lohman KO 1959 1 Munich, West Germany
Loss 11-4 United States Tony Foramero PTS 1957 3 Golden Gloves Tournament Los Angeles
Win 11-3 United States Stevie Rouse KO 1957 1 Golden Gloves Tournament (Finals) Los Angeles
Win 10-3 United States Chuck Newell PTS 1957 3 Golden Gloves Tournament (Semi-finals) Los Angeles
Win 9-3 United States Alvin "Allen" Walker KO 1957 1 Los Angeles
Win 8-3 United States Samuel Roland Foul 1956 1 Hollywood, Florida
Win 7-3 United States Leonard Wallace KO 1956 1 Los Angeles
Win 6-3 United States Eugene Liebert KO 1956 1 Los Angeles
Win 5-3 United States Felix Morse KO 1956 2 Los Angeles
Win 4-3 United States George Shay PTS 1956 3 Hollywood, California
Win 3-3 United States Edmund Dowe PTS 1956 3 Los Angeles
Win 2-3 United States Victor Fellsen KO 1956 1 Los Angeles
Loss 1-3 United States Dal Stewart PTS 1956 3 Los Angeles
Loss 1-2 United States George Shay PTS 1956 3 Golden Gloves Tournament Los Angeles
Win 1-1 United States J. Cecil Gray PTS 1956 3 Golden Gloves Tournament Los Angeles
Loss 0-1 United States J. Cecil Gray PTS 1956
Loss 11-4 United States Tony Foramero PTS 1957 3 Golden Gloves Tournament Los Angeles
Win 11-3 United States Stevie Rouse KO 1957 1 Golden Gloves Tournament (Finals) Los Angeles
Win 10-3 United States Chuck Newell PTS 1957 3 Golden Gloves Tournament (Semi-finals) Los Angeles
Win 9-3 United States Alvin "Allen" Walker KO 1957 1 Los Angeles
Win 8-3 United States Samuel Roland Foul 1956 1 Hollywood, Florida
Win 7-3 United States Leonard Wallace KO 1956 1 Los Angeles
Win 6-3 United States Eugene Liebert KO 1956 1 Los Angeles
Win 5-3 United States Felix Morse KO 1956 2 Los Angeles
Win 4-3 United States George Shay PTS 1956 3 Hollywood, California
Win 3-3 United States Edmund Dowe PTS 1956 3 Los Angeles
Win 2-3 United States Victor Fellsen KO 1956 1 Los Angeles
Loss 1-3 United States Dal Stewart PTS 1956 3 Los Angeles
Loss 1-2 United States George Shay PTS 1956 3 Golden Gloves Tournament Los Angeles
Win 1-1 United States J. Cecil Gray PTS 1956 3 Golden Gloves Tournament Los Angeles
Loss 0-1 United States J. Cecil Gray PTS 1956
'Boxing Clever' : Some Top Comic Sluggers On The Road To The Main Event ...
Buster Keaton in 'Battling Butler' (1926 - Buster Keaton)
Charlie Chaplin in 'City Lights' (1931 - Charlie Chaplin)
Harold Lloyd in 'The Milky Way' (1936 - Leo McCarey)
William Holden in 'Texas' (1941 - George Marshall)
Jerry Lewis in 'Sailor Beware' (1952 - Hal Walker)
Manis in 'Every Which Way But Loose' (1978 - James Fargo)
Harry Hamlin in 'Movie Movie' (1978 - Stanley Donen)
Tim Conway in 'The Prize Fighter' (1979 - Michael Preece)
... Ryan O'Neal in 'The Main Event' (1979 - Howard Zieff)
'Flowers And Beads' - Iron Butterfly
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8 Films In 10 Years (1970 - 1979)
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01) 'Wild Rovers' (1971 - Blake Edwards)
At the start of the decade, Ryan O'Neal acted in Arthur Hiller's iconic romance 'Love Story' (1970) which became one of the biggest box-office hits of its time. It was written by Erich Segal who'd scripted Michael Winner's sports drama 'The Games' (1970) which was O'Neal's second movie.
'Two lines from the film 'Love Story' have entered popular culture :
"What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach? The Beatles? And me?"
"Love means never having to say you're sorry."
The latter is spoken twice in the film, once by Jennifer when Oliver is about to apologize to her for his anger. It is also spoken by Oliver to his father when his father says "I'm sorry" after hearing of Jennifer's death. The quote made it to No. 13 onto the American Film Institute's AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes, a list of top movie quotes.
The comedy What's Up, Doc? (1972), which stars Ryan O'Neal, refers to this line at the end, when Barbra Streisand's character says "Love means never having to say you're sorry", then bats her eyelashes. O'Neal's character responds in deadpan fashion, "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."
"What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach? The Beatles? And me?"
"Love means never having to say you're sorry."
The latter is spoken twice in the film, once by Jennifer when Oliver is about to apologize to her for his anger. It is also spoken by Oliver to his father when his father says "I'm sorry" after hearing of Jennifer's death. The quote made it to No. 13 onto the American Film Institute's AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes, a list of top movie quotes.
The comedy What's Up, Doc? (1972), which stars Ryan O'Neal, refers to this line at the end, when Barbra Streisand's character says "Love means never having to say you're sorry", then bats her eyelashes. O'Neal's character responds in deadpan fashion, "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."
- Wikipedia
'Astrologically Incompatible' - The Bonniwell Music Machine
By contrast, Blake Edwards' western 'Wild Rovers' (1971) was a troubled production that was disowned by its director. Intended to be an epic, it was mutilated by the studio which had the picture recut against Edwards' wishes. This gross corruption of the artistic process became the inspiration behind one of Edwards' finest pictures, the film industry satire 'S.O.B.' (1981).
02) 'What's Up, Doc?' (1972 - Peter Bogdanovich)
Working on the neo-screwball caper 'What's Up, Doc?' (1972) proved to be a pivotal moment in Ryan O'Neal's career. The story was conceived as a kind of freewheeling, live-action cartoon by director Peter Bogdanovich who worked on producing a screenplay with writing partners Robert Benton and David Newman. Buck Henry came on board to perform script duties and Polly Platt also contributed some ideas to the storytelling process.
O'Neal drew from a number of comic sources to create his character including comedian Harold Lloyd and romantic leading man Cary Grant. He visited Grant who advised him to wear silk underpants while shooting in character, pants that were revealed by co-star Barbra Streisand during a scene in which she tugged at O'Neal's pyjama seat (it made the final cut). Streisand channeled the anarchic spirit of Jerry Lewis during her performance.
"Until recently re-watching it, I had forgotten how funny What’s Up Doc? is. The combination of Peter Bogdanovich’s pacing, Buck Henry’s humor, and the actors’ comedic timing makes for one of the funniest outings of the 1970s. Moreover, unlike many of its contemporaries (such as 1980’s Airplane!), it has stood the test of time. Viewed more than forty years after its production, the film is just as fresh and side-splitting today as it was when it entered theaters during a much different era.
For Bogdanovich, the protégé of Orson Welles, What’s Up Doc? represented the second of the three movies for which film history remembers him. He broke through with 1971’s masterful The Last Picture Show. This was followed by What’s Up Doc? and Paper Moon. Then, with more than a little help from the beautiful but monumentally untalented Cybill Shepherd (with whom he was romantically involved), Bogdanovich subsequently crashed and burned, turning out a pair of critically-reviled box office duds: Daisy Miller (argued by some critics to be among the worst films ever made) and At Long Last Love. Although Bogdanovich has continued to work over the years, he never recovered from what happened to his career during the mid- and late-1970s (not to mention the personal tragedy of lover Dorothy Stratton’s 1980 murder).
Like the undeservedly ignored Noises Off! (which Bogdanovich adapted from the successful stage play in 1992), What’s Up Doc? shows the director’s gift for pure comedy. As was often the case, Bogdanovich turns back the clock, in this case drawing inspiration from the classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby. Despite being made in the early 1970s, What’s Up Doc? imitates something from an earlier decade. The “retro” feel is one reason why the movie works as well today as it did upon its release. Nothing in the film ties it to the decade of its creation. By contrast, the aforementioned Airplane!, one of the most heralded comedies of the late 1970s/early 1980s, is at times painfully unfunny today because its humor doesn’t translate.
The film’s slapstick-infused blend of wit and farce isn’t the only quality that recalls Hollywood’s Golden Age. Bogandovich makes extensive use of Cole Porter tunes, with Barbra Streisand singing “You’re the Top.” Three other songs, “Anything Goes”, “Night & Day” and “I Get a Kick Out of You”, are used in the background (as elevator music). The actors, meanwhile, take their cues from the likes of Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, Harold Lloyd, and The Marx Brothers."
For Bogdanovich, the protégé of Orson Welles, What’s Up Doc? represented the second of the three movies for which film history remembers him. He broke through with 1971’s masterful The Last Picture Show. This was followed by What’s Up Doc? and Paper Moon. Then, with more than a little help from the beautiful but monumentally untalented Cybill Shepherd (with whom he was romantically involved), Bogdanovich subsequently crashed and burned, turning out a pair of critically-reviled box office duds: Daisy Miller (argued by some critics to be among the worst films ever made) and At Long Last Love. Although Bogdanovich has continued to work over the years, he never recovered from what happened to his career during the mid- and late-1970s (not to mention the personal tragedy of lover Dorothy Stratton’s 1980 murder).
Like the undeservedly ignored Noises Off! (which Bogdanovich adapted from the successful stage play in 1992), What’s Up Doc? shows the director’s gift for pure comedy. As was often the case, Bogdanovich turns back the clock, in this case drawing inspiration from the classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby. Despite being made in the early 1970s, What’s Up Doc? imitates something from an earlier decade. The “retro” feel is one reason why the movie works as well today as it did upon its release. Nothing in the film ties it to the decade of its creation. By contrast, the aforementioned Airplane!, one of the most heralded comedies of the late 1970s/early 1980s, is at times painfully unfunny today because its humor doesn’t translate.
The film’s slapstick-infused blend of wit and farce isn’t the only quality that recalls Hollywood’s Golden Age. Bogandovich makes extensive use of Cole Porter tunes, with Barbra Streisand singing “You’re the Top.” Three other songs, “Anything Goes”, “Night & Day” and “I Get a Kick Out of You”, are used in the background (as elevator music). The actors, meanwhile, take their cues from the likes of Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, Harold Lloyd, and The Marx Brothers."
- James Berardinelli, Reel Views
The story outline for 'What's Up, Doc?' is a play on the type of "professorial-student" relationships subverted in classic screwball comedies like Howard Hawks' 'Bringing Up Baby' (1938) and 'Ball Of Fire' (1941), Preston Sturges' 'Sullivan's Travels' (1941) which Streisand would cite as being a key influence on 'The Main Event' (1979), and George Cukor's 'Born Yesterday' (1950) which Bogdanovich was later approached for to do a remake (he declined). O'Neal would later appear in an intriguing quasi-biopic of Bogdanovich, 'Irreconcilable Differences' (1984), in which Sam Wanamaker portrayed a character based on filmmaker Roger Corman.
With its complex set-pieces and intricate visual set-ups, 'What's Up, Doc?' has been described as "that most French of American comedies" by Claire Arnold in the career appraisal 'Ryan O'Neal In The Driver's Seat'. I don't think this was an accident as Bogdanovich set out to make a movie reflective of the work of French playwright Georges Feydeau whom he greatly admired. For O'Neal, it cemented a persona as a rare physical performer, which led to auteurs as far afield as Stanley Kubrick, Normal Mailer and Terrence Malick approaching him across the decades.
'Flower Punk' - The Mothers Of Invention
Bogdanovich and Platt experimented with design to make 'What's Up, Doc?'. For example, they elevated ceilings and raised surfaces to create slight shifts in comic perspective, similar to Sidney Lumet's on-set experiments designed to enhance dramatic tension when shooting the claustrophobic courtroom drama '12 Angry Men' (1957). Bogdanovich's assistant director on 'What's Up, Doc?' was future filmmaker Frank Marshall.
"Eh, what's up, doc?!"
# Designed essentially as a three-act play, the narrative utilises an extended chase sequence to bring the curtain down on the second act. This sequence took four weeks and twelve minutes to shoot and includes a homage to the innovative work of Buster Keaton. Filmed on rolling Californian hills, it's one of the most audacious, imaginative road sequences in cinema history.
03) 'Paper Moon' (1973 - Peter Bogdanovich)
Ryan O'Neal showed a different side to his character in Peter Bogdanovich's crime comedy 'Paper Moon' (1973) which cast him opposite his daughter Tatum O'Neal. It's an adaptation of the novel 'Addie Pray' (1971) by David Brown.
"The two kinds of Depression-era movies we remember best are the ones that ignored the Depression altogether and the ones like “The Grapes of Wrath” that took it as a subject. Peter Bogdanovich’s “Paper Moon” somehow manages to make these two approaches into one, so that a genre movie about a con man and a little girl is teamed up with the real poverty and desperation of Kansas and Missouri, circa 1936. You wouldn’t think the two approaches would fit together, somehow, but, they do, and the movie comes off as more honest and affecting than if Bogdanovich had simply paid tribute to older styles. Maybe that’s why Addie Loggins, the little girl, hardly ever smiles: She can see perfectly well there’s nothing to smile about."
- Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times
'The Daily Planet' - Love
The success of 'Paper Moon' led to a television spin-off, 'Paper Moon', which aired from 1974 to 1975. Jodie Foster took over the role played by Tatum O'Neal.
04) 'The Thief Who Came To Dinner' (1973 - Bud Yorkin)
The crime comedy 'The Thief Who Came To Dinner' (1973) is based on the novel 'The Thief Who Came To Dinner' (1969) by mystery writer Terrence Lore Smith. Cast members Ryan O'Neal, Michael Murphy and Austin Pendleton had appeared together in 'What's Up, Doc?'.
"Walter Hill’s LA pulp-noir thriller 'The Driver' from 1978 is re-released in cinemas, a film to show you that it isn’t hitmen who need the glacial calm of the samurai; it’s getaway drivers, and 'The Driver' is bookended with two rock’n’roll car chases. This was Hill’s second car-chase movie, after his screenplay for 'The Getaway' from 1972, adapted by him from the Jim Thompson novel and directed by Sam Peckinpah. 'The Driver' is his own lean, mean original script.
Ryan O’Neal stars, with his face of outrageous 1970s pulchritude (as Jacqueline Bisset says to him in 'The Thief Who Came To Dinner' : “You’re too beautiful to be any good.” – “Any good at what?” – “What else is there?”) He is a getaway driver, the best in the business and, in time-honoured fashion he is ultra-cool, composed, affectless but radiating understated and slightly martyred contempt for other criminals’ lack of professionalism."
Ryan O’Neal stars, with his face of outrageous 1970s pulchritude (as Jacqueline Bisset says to him in 'The Thief Who Came To Dinner' : “You’re too beautiful to be any good.” – “Any good at what?” – “What else is there?”) He is a getaway driver, the best in the business and, in time-honoured fashion he is ultra-cool, composed, affectless but radiating understated and slightly martyred contempt for other criminals’ lack of professionalism."
- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
'Had To Run Around' - The Merry-Go-Round
Filmmaker Walter Hill wrote the screenplay for 'The Thief Who Came To Dinner'. Hill would later reteam with O'Neal and cinematographer Philip H. Lathrop to make the crime thriller 'The Driver' (1978).
05) 'Barry Lyndon' (1975 - Stanley Kubrick)
'Barry Lyndon' is an adaptation of the novel 'The Luck Of Barry Lyndon' (1844) by satirist William Makepeace Thackeray, author of my all-time favourite British novel (outside of horror fiction), 'Vanity Fair' (1848). It's widely considered to be one of director Stanley Kubrick's cinematic masterpieces and one of the greatest films ever made. It's also a technical masterclass.
"The visuals of this fascinating period drama are, in particular, worthy of high praise. Much of the credit in this regard must go to Stanley Kubrick’s frequent collaborator, cinematographer John Alcott. Kubrick’s partnership with Alcott began with 2001 in 1968, and the cinematographer’s work here resulted in well deserved BAFTA and Oscar wins for achievements in cinematography. The great man’s work has frequently been described as a work of art in its own right, each frame presented as if a painting, making wonderful use of landscapes (be that the Ireland of Barry’s childhood or the European countryside we encounter later on) and candlelight in particular, the latter evoking an atmosphere in 'Barry Lyndon' like few others have ever accomplished. This is certainly not the first or last Kubrick film to have astounding visuals, but it is undeniably one of the greatest.
The performances across the board are as one would expect : tremendous. Ryan O’Neal plays the titular hero with a sense of swagger and vulnerability. In a role that is relatively silent, as the film makes heavy use of Michael Hordern’s near-perfect narration, O’Neal’s facial expressions and body language carry a lot of his performance; and to superb effect. Marisa Berenson as Lady Lyndon is also terrific in her support, her character initially loving Barry but later demanding a sense of sadness and isolation that the actress terrifically delivers upon. Marie Kean’s firery turn as Barry’s mother Belle is another highlight, while Leon Vitali as the antagonist of the film’s second half, Lord Bullingdon, is also immaculate in his portrayal."
The performances across the board are as one would expect : tremendous. Ryan O’Neal plays the titular hero with a sense of swagger and vulnerability. In a role that is relatively silent, as the film makes heavy use of Michael Hordern’s near-perfect narration, O’Neal’s facial expressions and body language carry a lot of his performance; and to superb effect. Marisa Berenson as Lady Lyndon is also terrific in her support, her character initially loving Barry but later demanding a sense of sadness and isolation that the actress terrifically delivers upon. Marie Kean’s firery turn as Barry’s mother Belle is another highlight, while Leon Vitali as the antagonist of the film’s second half, Lord Bullingdon, is also immaculate in his portrayal."
- Christopher Connor, The Film Magazine
'The Keeper Of The Games' - Sagittarius
During the editing process for '2001 : A Space Odyssey' (1968), Kubrick pondered the idea of bringing a new adaptation of Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' to the big screen. A television adaptation was being pushed in to production at the time, so Kubrick turned his attention towards adapting 'The Luck Of Barry Lyndon'. His top choices to headline the project were Robert Redford and Ryan O'Neal, and he was able to secure the services of O'Neal.
06) 'Nickelodeon' (1976 - Peter Bogdanovich)
The cinematic fantasy 'Nickelodeon' is Peter Bogdanovich's third outing with Ryan O'Neal. In theory, it's a classic movie lover's dream, a paean to the invention of narrative filmmaking.
'Underrated and underappreciate homage to the early era of silent films. Bogdanovich, in this film, has crafted a comedy that both looks back on the crazy days of 2 reel films and it feels like it is from that era. He incorporated real stories and tall tales, drawing a lot of inspiration from John Ford, which adds to the authenticity of the movie.
All the actors give excellent performances, with the two leads Ryan O'Neal and Burt Reynolds shining. The comic timing is impeccable and the visual gags are hilarious. The film is like a comedic film history lesson. I enjoyed it WAY more than I thought I would.
Seriously, why does this have an 8% on Rotten Tomatoes?
I wanna thank Richard Linklater for screening and presenting this film at AFS. The talk afterwards with Bogdanovich's partner, Louise Stratton, was just great and the stories they told enriched the film even more.'
All the actors give excellent performances, with the two leads Ryan O'Neal and Burt Reynolds shining. The comic timing is impeccable and the visual gags are hilarious. The film is like a comedic film history lesson. I enjoyed it WAY more than I thought I would.
Seriously, why does this have an 8% on Rotten Tomatoes?
I wanna thank Richard Linklater for screening and presenting this film at AFS. The talk afterwards with Bogdanovich's partner, Louise Stratton, was just great and the stories they told enriched the film even more.'
- The Kino Corner, Letterboxd
'To Put Up With You' - The Holy Mackerel
In reference to a series of subtle on-screen dreams manifested by director Irvin Kershner for 'Up The Sandbox' (1972), a man whose talent she greatly admired, Barbra Streisand said fantasy is created by an avoidance of truth. It's the games we play ...
07) 'The Driver' (1978 - Walter Hill)
The existential crime thriller 'The Driver' is a deadly game of cat and mouse.
"When Walter Hill decided to write this movie he knew that it wasn’t going to be your typical action-drama. Hill wanted to make a film with a very specific focus. The script was written in 1975 with very little dialog. The Driver almost plays like a documentary where none of the characters look into the camera. Originally, Hill wanted to get Steve McQueen to play the Driver (How cool would that have been?). Charles Bronson was also considered, but not by Hill because they had a falling out prior to production of this film. Ryan O’Neal was interested and felt he could give the character justice.
What makes The Driver such an interesting film to watch, if you’re a fan of cars and driving, is the details. You see things in this film that you rarely see in other driving-focused films. Small scenes that turn the act of driving into a character, like: showing the Driver hotwire a car and then carefully wrap the wires together. Slamming both feet on the brake pedal before jumping back on the throttle. Throwing the vehicle’s weight around by turning the wheel to one side and back to push cars out of the way. Making a console automatic look cool but showing the Driver shift up and down between gears. It all works together to let the audience know how much skill is involved in driving at this level.
What makes The Driver such an interesting film to watch, if you’re a fan of cars and driving, is the details. You see things in this film that you rarely see in other driving-focused films. Small scenes that turn the act of driving into a character, like: showing the Driver hotwire a car and then carefully wrap the wires together. Slamming both feet on the brake pedal before jumping back on the throttle. Throwing the vehicle’s weight around by turning the wheel to one side and back to push cars out of the way. Making a console automatic look cool but showing the Driver shift up and down between gears. It all works together to let the audience know how much skill is involved in driving at this level.
Walter Hill had worked as a second assistant on Bullitt in 1968, and was inspired by their use of inside shots where you see Bill Hickman and Steve McQueen driving and getting airborne through the streets of San Francisco. Hill wanted that same effect in his film, but better. In The Driver you see the action unfolding through the windshield. Scenes where Ryan O’Neal plays chicken with two police cars and seeing them part ways at the last second. Or during the final chase between the bad guy’s Firebird and the Driver’s C-10 pickup where you see both cars sliding around at high speed through nighttime LA.
Cameras placed on the bumper of the cars allow the viewer to experience the speed and controlled chaos of driving flat-out through city streets while avoiding traffic. Unlike other films, you can tell that the actors are actually driving themselves. They aren’t inside the car while it’s being pulled on a trailer or in a sound stage moving a fake steering wheel side to side."
- Jesus R. Garcia, 'Underrated Car Movies'
'Happy Together' - The Turtles
'The Driver' is often viewed today as one of the most influential genre films of its era. Its influence can be seen in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' action series, Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Drive' (2011), Adam Wingard's 'The Guest' (2014) and Edgar Wright's 'Baby Driver' (2017), to name but a few.
08) 'The Main Event' (1979 - Howard Zieff)
Coming full circle, it's a square circle that returns Ryan O'Neal to his roots for the boxing comedy 'The Main Event'. Director Howard Zieff was preparing to make the film with Goldie Hawn, but when Hawn dropped out, the project was picked up by Barbra Streisand. I'm not sure at what point O'Neal came on board, but he was a key target due to his comic abilities and in-ring experience. His chemistry with Streisand is rekindled.
In its own peculiar way, a chase sequence in 'The Main Event' becomes as memorable as the one in 'What's Up, Doc?'. Perhaps it's because its reach from a boxing academy to the backstreets offers a small snapshot of California's oft-neglected industrial history contained within a cinematic nutshell.
“My producer said you have to either be a boxer or an actor but you can’t be both. So, I quit boxing after I turned 19. I wanted to do something strong and stay away from the stereotype that actors had back in the day of being weak. I wasn’t. I trained a lot. I even had a gym in Santa Monica, on 2nd street.”
- Ryan O'Neal speaking in 2021 having received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Lux & Ent
The Doors ...
, which is a little unfair. PAPER MOON was outstanding and BARRY LYNDON a nice change of pace. NICKELODEON was a dog though.
Sonny Tufts could never claimthat BO clout.. He was 11th & 12th in 72-73 but down to 23rd by 74 (below George Segal but above Roger Moore!). If anyone has access to the rest of decade I'd be interested in his placing.
