Jury Gives Warhol Portrait of Fawcett to O'Neal

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After a three-week trial, a Los Angeles jury voted 9-3 to award an Andy Warhol portrait of the late actress Farrah Fawcett to her decades-long companion, actor Ryan O'Neal, rather than her alma mater, the University of Texas, the Associated Press reported.

After Fawcett, who gained stardom in tv's Charlie's Angels, died of anal cancer in 2009, her estate bequeathed her art collection to the Univ. of Texas. O'Neal, who became a star in the '60s tv version of Peyton Place and whose personal life has been a soap opera ever since, removed from Fawcett's condo one of two 1980 Warhol portraits of the actress with the permission of her estate's trustee that O'Neal claimed was gifted to him by the painter for setting up the portrait session with Fawcett.

The jury sided with O'Neal, despite evidence from the university, including a loan agreement signed by Fawcett to the Warhol Museum that listed her as the owner of both portraits. The contested painting's value was assessed during the trial as ranging from $800,000 to $12 million, according to the AP article.

Earlier this year, a California appellate court allowed O'Neal's defamation suit to proceed against producer Craig Nevius who allegedly accused O'Neal of filching the portrait (see "TUOL" post 2/15/13).

UPDATE: Calif. Appeals Court Allows Ryan O'Neal Libel Suit to Proceed

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In the 7-page decision, Ryan O'Neal v. Craig Nevius (Case No. B238640), the California Second Appellate District Court has ruled the actor and long-time boy friend of the late Farrah Fawcett may proceed with his defamation case against a producer who alleged he stole an Andy Warhol painting from the actress' estate.

As reported by the THR, Esq. blog, the appellate court upheld an earlier trial court finding that denied the defendant's attempt to dismiss O'Neal's complaint under the state's anti-SLAPP law [Calif. Code Civ. Proc. sec. 425.16], ruling: "There is at least minimal merit to the defamation claim to satisfy the evidentiary standard to defeat an anti-SLAPP motion."

O'Neal sued Nevius for defamation and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, seeking more than $1 million damages. (See "TUOL" post 7/18/11). Both Good Morning America and Star Magazine reported--purportedly based on information provided by Nevius--that after Fawcett died of anal cancer in 2009, O'Neal concealed a Warhol portrait of her valued at $30 million in his home that was uncovered after daughter Tatum O'Neal repeated the allegation in her autobiography, Found. The University of Texas, to which Fawcett bequeathed her art collection, sued O'Neal to recover the silkscreen portrait that he insists is his.

The appellate decision sends the case back to the trial court.

O'Neal Sues Fawcett Assistant for Defamation in Spat Over Warhol Silkscreen

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeActor and gossip tabloid favorite Ryan O'Neal last week filed a defamation suit in Los Angeless County Superior Court against Craig Nevius, personal assistant to O'Neal's late partner, actress Farrah Fawcett.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter's THR, Esq. blog, O'Neal's complaint seeks more than $1 million in damages and includes counts alleging defamation and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. O'Neal blames Nevius' comments to Star Magazine and on Good Morning America for prompting the University of Texas to sue O'Neal on July 8 for the return of a silkscreen portrait of Fawcett done by Andy Warhol reportedly valued at $30 million.

Fawcett left her art collection to her alma mater when she died of anal cancer in 2009, but O'Neal claims the artwork is his. O'Neal's complaint alleges the school's complaint against him is based on false statements by Nevius. The actor, currently appearing in a reality tv show with his actress daughter Tatum O'Neal, has accused Nevius of being "obsessed" with Fawcett and blamed him for leaking her medical records to supermarket tabloids.

Given the gossip-rich path his off-screen life has followed, in retrospect it was probably a bad idea for O'Neal to make his show business splash in TV's adaption of soap opera Peyton Place.