Ryan O'Neal: Farrah Beater?

Wed., Nov. 10, 1999 11:50 AM PST by Julie Keller

Apparently, the long-running relationship between golden girl Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal was anything but glamorous, according to the actor's daughter, Tatum O'Neal.

"He had a terrible temper and was very violent. He beat her up," reveals the actress about her father Ryan's treatment of the '70s sex goddess in the new issue of Talk magazine.

In a feature about the modern-day life of the ex-Charlie's Angels star, her sort-of step-daughter describes Fawcett as "an innocent. She was beautiful, she was every boy's fantasy when I met her in 1976. My dad was a Svengali for her. He took over her life, her career, but there was a price," the Paper Moon star says.

Even O'Neal himself doesn't exactly deny the report. "Was Farrah involved with overbearing men in a difficult place? Yes. I'll leave it at that," the actor tells Talk.

A publicist for Fawcett says the actress is currently unavailable for comment but would like to encourage people to read the whole story. "People are focusing on her past, and it's a tiny part of the article," the rep says.

O'Neal's camp says the actor doesn't care to comment on the article. "It happened a long time ago," his agent says. "Everyone's lives have changed, and he just wants to put it behind him and move on."

The two split in 1997 after more than 15 years of nonmarried coupledom. In 1994, Fawcett told TV Guide that the relationship had some troubles but that she would be devastated if it ended. "Sometimes Ryan breaks my heart," she said. "But he's also responsible for giving me confidence in myself."

Even now, she still sees O'Neal as her protector--not her abuser. "Ryan was a physical person," she tells Talk. "He was a bully, but I was never afraid of Ryan."

The famously ditzy star doesn't seem to have much luck in love. Her last boyfriend, director James Orr, allegedly choked and beat her when she turned down his marriage proposal in 1998.

Even now, more than a year later, Fawcett doesn't regret taking a swing--with a baseball bat--at Orr during the attack. "I would have done bodily harm to him," she says. "I'm from Texas."

"A day in my life--is there ever a day that is normal? There must have been, but I can't remember," she muses to Talk.