Editing Ryan O'Neal (section)

=== 1960–1969: Television roles ===
[[File:Ryan O'Neal and Leigh Taylor-Young.JPG|thumb|upright=0.8|O'Neal and [[Leigh Taylor-Young]] in a ''[[Peyton Place (TV series)|Peyton Place]]'' publicity photo in 1967]] 
In Germany, O'Neal was struggling at school, so his mother pulled some favors and got him a job as a stand-in on a show being shot in the area, ''[[Tales of the Vikings]]''. O'Neal worked on it as an extra and stuntman and became interested in acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Empire Co-star an Ex-Stunt Man|date=December 31, 1962|work=Los Angeles Times|page=B7}}</ref><ref name="act">{{cite news |title=The Character Finds the Actor |first=Marion |last=Purcelli |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=March 9, 1963 |page=c3}}</ref> O'Neal returned to the U.S. and tried to make it as an actor. He made his first television appearance guest starring on ''[[The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis]]'' episode "The Hunger Strike" in 1960. He followed this with guest slots on ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', ''[[General Electric Theater]]'', ''[[The DuPont Show with June Allyson]]'', ''[[Laramie (TV series)|Laramie]]'', ''[[Two Faces West]]'', ''[[Westinghouse Playhouse]]'' (several episodes), ''[[Bachelor Father (U.S. TV series)|Bachelor Father]]'', ''[[My Three Sons]]'', ''[[Leave It to Beaver]]'' episode "Wally Goes Steady" in 1961, and ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]''. He was under contract to [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] but they let it lapse.<ref name="screen">{{cite news|title=A Big Town Boy Finds Success in a Small Town|last=Purcelli|first=Marion|work=Chicago Tribune|date=March 6, 1966|page=h15}}</ref> From 1962 to 1963, O'Neal was a regular on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Empire (1962 TV series)|Empire]]'', a modern-day western, where he played "Tal Garrett" in support of [[Richard Egan (actor)|Richard Egan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Terry Bawls With the Best|last=Chapman|first=Hank|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=September 9, 1962|page=n_a13}}</ref> It ran for 33 episodes.<ref name="act" /> In 1963, the series was revived as ''Redigo'', but O'Neal turned down the chance to reprise his role.<ref name="screen" /> When the series ended, O'Neal went back to guest-starring on shows such as ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' and ''[[Wagon Train]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=O'Neal Will Guest|work=Los Angeles Times|date=June 9, 1964|page=C11}}</ref>

In 1964 he was cast as Rodney Harrington in the prime time serial drama ''[[Peyton Place (TV series)|Peyton Place]]''. O'Neal said he got the role because "the studio was looking for a young [[Doug McClure]]".<ref name="iron">{{cite news|title=Ryan O'Neal-Iron Man of Television|date=March 18, 1966|work=Los Angeles Times|page=c15}}</ref> The series was a big success, making national names of its cast including O'Neal. Several were offered movie roles, including [[Mia Farrow]], ''[[Rosemary's Baby (film)|Rosemary's Baby]]'' (1968), and [[Barbara Parkins]], ''[[Valley of the Dolls (film)|Valley of the Dolls]]'' (1967), and O'Neal was keen to do films.<ref>{{cite news|title='Who Wants to See Happiness?' Asks Ryan O'Neal of Peyton Place|last=Crawford|first=Linda|work=Chicago Tribune|date=July 10, 1966|page=j13}}</ref> During the series' run O'Neal appeared in a pilot for a proposed series, ''European Eye'' (1968).<ref>{{cite news |title=Maggie Smith Captures Two Prized Movie Roles |first=Florabel |last=Muir |work=[[The Washington Post and Times-Herald]] |date=December 20, 1967 |page=C15}}</ref> He was also signed to ABC for a recording contract.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ryan O'Neal Signs |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 18, 1965 |page=c17}}</ref> O'Neal's first lead in a feature came with ''[[The Big Bounce (1969 film)|The Big Bounce]]'' (1969),<ref name="The Guardian obit">{{cite news |last1=Bergan |first1=Ronald |title=Ryan O'Neal obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/09/ryan-oneal-obituary |access-date=December 10, 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=December 9, 2023}}</ref> based on an [[Elmore Leonard]] novel.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Espen |first1=Hal |title= 'Road Dogs': More Leonard made for Hollywood |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-caw-elmore-leonard17-2009may17,0,1214383,full.story|access-date=December 23, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |date= May 17, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522143747/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-caw-elmore-leonard17-2009may17,0,1214383,full.story|archivedate=May 22, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1969, he appeared in a TV version of ''[[Under the Yum Yum Tree]]'' (1963).<ref>{{cite web |title=Under the Yum Yum Tree |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/476075/under-the-yum-yum-tree#credits |website=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=December 10, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>