Patrick Wisdom O'Neal (September 26, 1927 – September 9, 1994) was an American

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and restaurateur.

Early life

O'Neal was born in Ocala, Florida, to Martha and Coke Wisdom O'Neal. He attended the

Riverside Military Academy Riverside Military Academy is a private, college preparatory, boarding and day school for boys in grades 6 through 12 in Gainesville, Georgia, United States. History Riverside Military Academy was founded in 1907 by local Professors and Busines ...

in Gainesville, Georgia, and

Ocala High School Forest High School is a school in Ocala, Florida, United States. It has an EMIT (engineering) program. The school's colors are green and gold and the school mascot is the Wildcat. As of 2014, it had an enrollment of some 2,058. Forest High Schoo ...

. Upon graduation, he enrolled at the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

in Gainesville where he majored in drama. During college, O'Neal joined the Florida Players, a theatre troupe. He was also a member of the

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...

fraternity and was the editor of the university yearbook. After earning a bachelor's degree, O'Neal enlisted in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

and served during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. During the war, he directed short training films. After 15 months' service, he moved to New York and studied at the Actors Studio and

Neighborhood Playhouse A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural ar ...

Career

O'Neal was seen mostly as a guest star on television throughout four decades, beginning in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, he received critical praise for his leading role on Broadway in

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

' ''

The Night of the Iguana ''The Night of the Iguana'' is a stage play written by American author Tennessee Williams. It is based on his 1948 short story. In 1959, Williams staged it as a one-act play, and over the next two years he developed it into a full-length play, p ...

'', but the starring role for the 1964

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

went to

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

. In 1969, he had a leading role in John Huston's ''

The Kremlin Letter ''The Kremlin Letter'' is a 1970 American neo-noir DeLuxe Color espionage thriller in PanavisionSeymour, Gene. "100 Greatest Spy Movies: A Special Collector's Edition from the Editors of American History. 2009. Weider History Group. directed b ...

'' and a supporting role in the western '' El Condor''. He appeared in the 1973 hit ''

The Way We Were ''The Way We Were'' is a 1973 American romantic drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. Arthur Laurents wrote both the novel and screenplay based on his college days at Cornell University and his ...

''. In 1972, he portrayed a murderous architect in the '' Columbo'' episode "Blueprint for Murder" and in 1978, on the same show, he played a television network executive in the episode "Make Me a Perfect Murder". In 1990, he played the corrupt Police Commissioner Kevin Quinn in Sidney Lumet's '' Q&A''. With his wife and his brother Michael, O'Neal co-owned a number of successful restaurants beginning in 1963, including "The Ginger Man" on West 64th St. (later renamed O'Neal's); "O'Neal's" on West 57th St., briefly the flagship of an O'Neal's chain; "The Landmark Tavern" on 11th Avenue; and “O’Neal’s Saloon” at West 63rd St. and Columbus Ave., soon retitled "O'Neal's Baloon" (because the word “Saloon” had been outlawed during Prohibition but the neon sign for Saloon had already been created). All were located on the West Side of Manhattan.

Personal life

O'Neal married actress Cynthia Baxter in 1956. They had two sons, Maximilian and Fitzjohn, and remained married until O'Neal's death.

Death

O'Neal died on September 9, 1994, of

respiratory failure Respiratory failure results from inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, meaning that the arterial oxygen, carbon dioxide, or both cannot be kept at normal levels. A drop in the oxygen carried in the blood is known as hypoxemia; a rise ...

Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers of New York d/b/a as Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Centers (Saint Vincent's, or SVCMC) was a healthcare system, anchored by its flagship hospital, St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, locally referred to a ...

in Manhattan, 17 days short of his 67th birthday. At the time of his death, he was also suffering from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...

and

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

Broadway credits

* ''

A Far Country ''A Far Country'' is a play by Henry Denker. The work premiered on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on April 4, 1961, where it closed on November 25, 1961, after 271 performances. Produced by Roger L. Stevens and Joel Schenker, the production ...

'' (April–November 1961) *''

'' (December 1961 – September 1962)

Selected filmography

Films

* ''

The Mad Magician ''The Mad Magician'' is a 1954 American horror film in 3D, directed by John Brahm starring Vincent Price, Mary Murphy and Eva Gabor. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures, with a release in 3-D to build on the craze started by ...

'' (1954) - Lt. Alan Bruce * '' The Black Shield of Falworth'' (1954) - Walter Blunt * ''

From the Terrace ''From the Terrace'' is a 1960 American DeLuxe Color romantic drama film in CinemaScope directed by Mark Robson from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman, based on the 1958 novel of the same name by John O'Hara. The film stars Paul Newman, Joanne Woodw ...

'' (1960) - Dr. Jim Roper * ''

A Matter of Morals ''A Matter of Morals'' is a 1961 American drama film directed by John Cromwell and written by John D. Hess. The film stars Maj-Britt Nilsson, Mogens Wieth, Eva Dahlbeck, Patrick O'Neal and Claes Thelander. The film was released on May 31, 1961 ...

'' (1961) - Alan Kennebeck * ''

The Cardinal ''The Cardinal'' is a 1963 American drama film produced independently, directed by Otto Preminger and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel of the same name (1950) by Henry Morton Robi ...

'' (1963) - Cecil Turner * ''

In Harm's Way ''In Harm's Way'' is a 1965 American epic war film produced and directed by Otto Preminger and starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Patricia Neal, with a supporting cast featuring Henry Fonda in a lengthy cameo, Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, Stanle ...

'' (1965) - Commander Neal Owynn * '' King Rat'' (1965) - Max * ''

A Fine Madness ''A Fine Madness'' is a 1966 American Technicolor comedy film based on the 1964 novel by Elliott Baker that tells the story of Samson Shillitoe, a frustrated poet unable to finish a grand tome. It stars Sean Connery (in the midst of his James Bo ...

'' (1966) - Dr. Oliver West * ''

Alvarez Kelly ''Alvarez Kelly'' is a 1966 American Western film set in the American Civil War directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring William Holden and Richard Widmark. The picture was based on the historic Beefsteak Raid of September 1864 led by Confeder ...

'' (1966) - Major Albert Stedman * '' Chamber of Horrors'' (1966) - Jason Cravatte (aka Jason Caroll) * ''

Matchless Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke tw ...

'' (1967) - Perry 'Matchless' Liston * '' Assignment to Kill'' (1968) - Richard Cutting * '' Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?'' (1968) - Peter Garrison * ''

The Secret Life of an American Wife ''The Secret Life of an American Wife'' is a 1968 comedy film written and directed by George Axelrod. The film was released by 20th Century Fox in 1968, and was considered a box-office failure. It features a music score by Billy May. Edy Will ...

'' (1968) - Tom Layton * '' Castle Keep'' (1969) - Capt. Lionel Beckman * '' Stiletto'' (1969) - George Baker * ''

'' (1970) - Charles Rone * '' El Condor'' (1970) - Chavez * '' Corky'' (1972) - Randy * '' Silent Night, Bloody Night'' (1972) - John Carter * ''

'' (1973) - George Bissinger * ''To Kill the King'' (1974) - David Howard * '' The Stepford Wives'' (1975) - Dale Coba * ''

The Stuff ''The Stuff'' (also known as ''Larry Cohen's The Stuff'') is a 1985 American satirical science fiction horror film written and directed by Larry Cohen and starring Michael Moriarty, Garrett Morris, Andrea Marcovicci, and Paul Sorvino. It was also ...

'' (1985) - Fletcher * '' Like Father Like Son'' (1987) - Dr. Larry Armbruster * ''

New York Stories ''New York Stories'' is a 1989 American anthology film consisting of three segments with the central theme being New York City. The first is ''Life Lessons'', directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Richard Price and starring Nick Nolte. The s ...

'' (1989) - Phillip Fowler (segment: "Life Lessons") * '' Q & A'' (1990) - Kevin Quinn * '' Alice'' (1990) - Alice's Father * ''

For the Boys ''For the Boys'' is a 1991 American musical comedy-drama film that traces the life of Dixie Leonard, a 1940s actress/singer who teams up with Eddie Sparks, a famous performer, to entertain American troops. The film was adapted by Marshall Brickm ...

'' (1991) - Shephard * ''

Under Siege ''Under Siege'' is a 1992 American action thriller film directed by Andrew Davis, written by J. F. Lawton, and starring Steven Seagal as a former Navy SEAL who must stop a group of mercenaries, led by Tommy Lee Jones, after they commandeer the ...

'' (1992) - Captain Adams

Television

* ''

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse ''The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse'' is an American dramatic anthology series that aired on ABC from 1953 to 1955, sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. The show was hosted by Arlene Dahl (1953), Anita Colby (1954), and, finally, Polly Bergen (1955). Initially the s ...

'' (1 episode, 1954) * '' Appointment with Adventure'' (2 episodes, 1955-1956) * '' Dick and the Duchess'' (25 episodes, 1957-1958) - Dick Starrett * '' One Step Beyond'' (1 episode, 1959) - Mitchell Campion * '' Diagnosis: Unknown'' (3 episodes, 1960) - Dr. Daniel Coffee * '' The Millionaire'' (episode: “The Story of Elizabeth Tander”, 1960) - David Stevens * '' Naked City'' (1 episode, 1962) - Roy Pressfield * ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'' (episode: "

A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain "A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain" is an episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode, a scientist gives his brother an experimental youth serum in order to save his marriage to a much younger woma ...

", 1963) - Harmon Gordon * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'' (1 episode, 1964) - George Maxwell * '' Route 66'' (1 episode, 1963: " Same Picture, Different Frame", - Eric * '' Outer Limits'' (episode: "

Wolf 359 Wolf 359 is a red dwarf star located in the constellation Leo, near the ecliptic. At a distance of approximately 7.9 light years from Earth, it has an apparent magnitude of 13.54 and can only be seen with a large telescope. Wolf 359 i ...

", 1964) - Jonathan Meridith * ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, ''The Twilight Zone ...

'' (1 episode, 1971) - Justus Walters (segment: "A Fear of Spiders") * '' McCloud'' (2 episodes, 1971-1972) - Alex Demarest / Arthur Yerby * '' Columbo'' (2 episodes, 1972-1978) - Frank Flanagan / Elliot Markham * ''

Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

'' (1 episode, 1972) - Arlo Hemming * ''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

'' (3 episodes, 1972-1973) - Jonathan Rusk * ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was o ...

'' (3 episodes, 1973-1976) - Coleman Reeves / Frank Cabot / Charles Manly Wheeling * '' Thriller'' (1 episode, 1974) - Michael Lane * '' The Moneychangers'' (miniseries, 1976) - Harold Austin * '' Kaz'' (23 episodes, 1978-1979) - Samuel Bennett * '' Emerald Point N.A.S.'' (9 episodes, 1983) - Harlan Adams * '' Tales of the Unexpected'' (1 episode, 1984) - Sutton * '' Murder, She Wrote'' (1 episode, 1985) - Si Parrish * '' Perry Mason Returns'' (television movie, 1985) - Arthur Gordon * ''

Maigret Jules Maigret (), or simply Maigret, is a fictional French police detective, a '' commissaire'' ("commissioner") of the Paris ''Brigade Criminelle'' ('' Direction Régionale de la Police Judiciaire de Paris:36, Quai des Orfèvres''), created b ...

'' (television movie, 1988} - Kevin Portman * '' Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal'' (television movie, 1993) - Arthur Westbrook (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
Patrick O'Neal
at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

'
Actors Studio audio collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneal, Patrick University of Florida alumni 1927 births 1994 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American restaurateurs Deaths from respiratory failure Male actors from Florida People from Ocala, Florida 20th-century American businesspeople United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War