Dad of the year: Ryan O'Neal described as 'violent,' 'narcissist'

Aug 5, 2009, 9:33 GMT

The cheese stands alone: What an interview with Griffin O\'Neal: Ryan O\'Neal - Farrah Fawcett\'s Funeral Services at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels - Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

Ryan O'Neal was jealous of Farrah Fawcett's cancer battle, his son has claimed.

Griffin O'Neal has blasted the actor's "narcissistic" attitude and claims he resented the 'Charlie's Angels' star - who died on June 25 - for having the terminal illness.

When asked if Ryan was mad at Farrah having cancer, Griffin said: "Yes, because the attention was diverted to Farrah. He didn't like that. Absolute complete narcissist in every way."

Griffin claimed the 'Love Story' star used his own 2001 battle with leukaemia to divert attention away from Farrah's illness.

He added to US talk show host Larry King: "I remember when she was diagnosed with cancer and my dad got upset and he goes, 'No, I'm dying. You're not dying. I'm dying.' And I said, 'Well, dad, that sounds a little selfish because you're in remission. You have been in remission for years now.' "

Griffin then went on to accuse his father of only staying with Farrah to ensure he would be included in her will and had implied he will repair his strained relationship with other son Redmond - who was named sole beneficiary of the actress' estate - because of the financial implications.

Griffin added: "I think they are probably going to get a lot closer now, since Redmond has all the money. Who knows? Yes, they are close but for reasons that are ill. Ill reasons. They party together. They were both arrested. My dad had more dope on him than Redmond did. This isn't the '70s anymore."

According to Griffin, Ryan - who confessed this week to unwittingly "hitting on" estranged daughter Tatum O'Neal at Farrah's funeral because he didn't recognise her - openly had affairs and didn't care if his family knew about them.

When quizzed on the subject, he said: "Was he faithful to her in the relationship? No. Are you kidding? She walked in on him and he was with some other woman.

"Their relationship was bombastic at times. There were great times. There were very hard times. By the time Redmond was five, they lived in separate rooms in a very large house."