Kevin O’Neal was an American TV and film actor known for his role as Private Ben Whiteledge in the 1964’s ABC comedy series No Time For Sergeants. He was born in March 1945, in Los Angeles alongside his older brother and oscar-nominated actor Ryan O’Neal, to his parents Charles Eldridge O’Neal, a novelist-screenwriter, and Patricia Ruth Olga (née Callaghan), an actress.
The Los Angeles actor passed away on January 28, 2023, at the age of 77, from natural causes. Besides his older brother, he is survived by his son Garrett, niece Tatum O’Neal, and nephews Griffin and Patrick O’Neal.
Here is more about the late actor who has more than 30 credits to his name.
Who Was Kevin O’Neal?
Kevin O’Neal was born Geoffrey Garrett O’Neal in Los Angeles, California on March 26, 1954, to Charles Eldridge O’Neal and Patricia Ruth Olga (née Callaghan). He was the younger brother of 83-year-old oscar-nominated actor Ryan O’Neal.
O’Neal’s acting career began on TV in the early 1960s on episodes of The Deputy, The Danny Thomas Show, and The Donna Reed Show. His most noteworthy role came in No Time For Sergeants (1964), an ABC comedy series, where he played the role of Private Ben Whiteledge.
In addition, he appeared on other TV shows such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Mod Squad, The Twilight Zone, My Three Sons, Perry Mason, The Fugitive, Wagon Train, Please Don’t Eat The Daises, Daniel Boone, and Lancer.
As indicated, Kevin raked more than 30 credits to his name before he retired from acting in the 70s. Some of his works before retirement include At Long Last Love (1975), The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973), The Mechanic (1972), and Love Story (1970).
Moving forward, he was previously married to Sheila Stubbs and has a son named Garrett O’Neal.
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He Died Naturally
Kevin O’Neal died on Saturday, January 28, 2023, in Thousand Oaks, California, at the age of 77, as mentioned. According to a statement by the family of the No Time For Sergeants actor, he died in his sleep of natural causes.
The actor’s nephew Patrick O’Neal also shared the news of his passing on Instagram saying his uncle passed in his sleep and didn’t suffer. He praised Kevin’s wicked sense of humor and how his presence lights up a room.
Meet Kevin O’Neal’s Family
The late Los Angeles actor was born into a family of entertainers/actors. His father Patrick Elridge O’Neal was a screenwriter-novelist, born on January 6, 1904, in Raeford, North Carolina. He attended the University of Iowa and later became a member of an acting troupe where he would meet Kevin’s mother Patricia. Some of his screenwriting works include The Seventh Victim (1943), Cry of the Werewolf (1944), The Missing Juror (1944), and Golden Girl (1951). He died in Beverly Hills, California on August 29, 1996, at 92.
Kevin’s mother Patricia Ruth Olga (née Callaghan) was an actress who was born on September 5, 1907, in Alameda, Alameda County, California, to Richard Edward Callahan and Mathilde Pius. It was alleged that she quit acting to raise her children. She died on October 27, 2003, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, at the age of 96.
As mentioned, Kevin O’Neal has only one older brother, the oscar-nominated actor Ryan O’Neal, born four years before him, on April 20, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. He attended University High School in Los Angeles where he was trained to become a Golden Gloves boxer. Later, he continued his education at the Munich American High School in Munich, Germany, after his father’s screenwriting job took them there.
Consequently, he struggled with his education in Germany and went to get a job as a stand-in on Tales of the Vikings. After this, he discovered his passion for acting and decided to pursue it. He came back to the United States and made his TV debut as a guest on The Many Loves of Dobie Gills episode “The Hunger Strike” in 1960. Some of his TV and film credits include The General Electric Theater (1960), Bachelor Father (1961) The Big Bounce (1969), Love Story (1970), and Tough Guys Don’t Dance (1987).
Going further, Kevin’s older brother has been married twice. He was first married to actress, Joanna Moore from 1963 to 1966, and then to actress, Leigh Taylor-Young, and divorced in 1973.
He has four children; Tatum and Griffin with Joanna, Patrick with Leigh, and Redmond James Fawcett from his relationship with actress, Farrah Fawcett.
