Ryan O’Neal’s True Life Love Story Stars Mozart, a Best Friends Shelter Dog
Ryan O’Neal, iconic actor and Academy Award Nominee, embodies the classic essence of a true movie star, and his new rescue, Mozart, is turning heads on TV. Ryan met his new love on his Oprah Winfrey Network reality series, The O’Neals. I had the Super Pawsome pleasure of joining him on the OWN show with Best Friends’ dogs. Love at first sight! Ryan could have any type dog from any place in the world, and he chose to adopt a cute mix! Thank you Ryan.
He and Mozart pop in to talk about working on their show together, Farrah, Tatum, Dancing with the Stars, Ryan’s recent boxing championship, the joys of dog adoption and their personal Super Smiley Adventures.
The Therapeutic Power of Pets: "And I don't think that it's a sign of madness that you just tell your tale to your dog. It's better than telling it to no one."
— Ryan O'Neal
BIO:
Born Patrick Ryan O’Neal on April 20, 1941 in Los Angeles, California, Ryan O’Neal was born into show business as the son of writer Charles “Blackie” O’Neal and actress Patricia O'Callaghan. Determined to make his own way, O’Neal trained to become a professional boxer, competing in two Golden Gloves championships in Los Angeles in 1956 and 1957. He had an impressive amateur fighting record – 18 wins to 4 losses, with 13 knockouts.
In the late 1950s, O'Neal and his family moved to Germany for his father's job writing broadcasts for Radio Free Europe. O'Neal continued his schooling at the Munich American High School until he landed his first job in the entertainment industry as a stuntman on the American television series Tales of the Vikings.
In the early 1960s, O’Neal married actress Joanna Moore and the couple had two children: Tatum and Griffin. The two split a few years later and O’Neal later married actress Leigh Taylor-Young, whom he met on the set of Peyton Place, his first major television role. They had one child, Patrick.
O’Neal made his feature film debut in Elmore Leonard's The Big Bounce (1969). O'Neal went on to make Twentieth Century Fox's The Games (1970), where he first met writer/marathon runner, Erich Segal. His big break soon followed when he was chosen from more than 300 hopefuls for the role of Oliver Barrett opposite Ali MacGraw in Arthur Hiller’s adaptation of Erich Segal’s best-seller Love Story in 1970. The film was a huge success and landed O’Neal both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor.
After Love Story, O’Neal turned to comedy and starred opposite Barbara Streisand in smash hit What’s Up Doc (1971). He then starred with Warren Oates and Jacqueline Bisset in The Thief Who Came To Dinner (1973). O'Neal next played a drifter working con games with his daughter (played by real life daughter, Tatum) in the critically acclaimed hit Paper Moon (1973) for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actor. Tatum won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role.
O’Neal then went on to star in Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 historical drama Barry Lyndon; Oliver Story, a sequel to Love Story in 1978; and the noir hit The Driver, also in 1978. In 1979, O’Neal scored another box office win with The Main Event, starring again with Barbara Streisand. Then, in 1984, O’Neal co-starred with Drew Barrymore, Shelley Long and Sharon Stone in Irreconcilable Differences.
In 1979, O’Neal met and fell in love with actress Farrah Fawcett. Together they had one child, a son Redmond. O’Neal and Fawcett co-starred in the made-for-TV miniseries Small Sacrifices (1989), based on the true story of Diane Downs. O'Neal returned to episodic television, again co-starring with real-life love, Farrah Fawcett in 1991 with the sitcom Good Sports.
O’Neal’s other roles included starring alongside Robert Downey in Chances Are (1989), Faithful co-starring Cher (1996), and the comedic Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003). O’Neal has continued working in television with a recurring role on hit crime drama Bones and recently did a reality show with daughter Tatum on OWN.
Transcript:
[00:00:00]:
Pet Life Radio.
[00:00:01]:
This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk pets.
Megan Blake [00:00:21]:
Woof. And super smiles. Welcome to a Super Smiley adventure on Pet Life Radio, the largest pet podcast network in the world. I'm Megan Blake, here with Smiley, my giant mut and spokesdog for throwaways today, I am so excited to give a very heartfelt welcome to Ryan O'Neal, an iconic actor who embodies the classic essence of a true movie star, having won Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for films that help shape and influence our culture, like love story and paper moon. Welcome, Ryan.
Ryan O'Neal [00:00:55]:
Hi, Megan.
Megan Blake [00:00:56]:
We are so happy that you're here. And you've starred also on scores of television series like Bones, 920, Desperate Housewives.
Ryan O'Neal [00:01:04]:
And recently, don't forget Peyton Place.
Megan Blake [00:01:08]:
Of course. Never forget Peyton Place.
Ryan O'Neal [00:01:11]:
Although I don't think we ever had any dogs.
Megan Blake [00:01:13]:
Not there. But you know what you did on your recent reality series, right on the Oprah network, Van Neil. And you invited me on your show to bring you the opportunity to adopt a new love in your life. And that's why you're here.
Ryan O'Neal [00:01:26]:
I had to lock him out of the room so I could do this show.
Megan Blake [00:01:30]:
Smiley's here. Maybe you can bring him back in. We can hear a little bit of Mozart chewing or barking. We welcome that here. But first, we're going to take a quick commercial break. We'll be right back to talk with Ryan O'Neal, and maybe he'll bring Mozart in the room. We can talk with Mozart, too. Smiley, can you wait? Oh, he said this one's gonna be hard.
Megan Blake [00:01:47]:
Good boy.
[00:01:50]:
Take a bite out of your competition. Advertise your business with an ad. In pet Life radio podcasts and radio shows, there is no other pet related media that is as large and reaches more pet parents and pet lovers than pet life radio. With over 7 million monthly listeners, pet Life radio podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms, and our live radio stream goes out to over 250,000,000 subscribers on iHeartRadio, Audacy, Tunein, and other streaming apps. For more information on how you can advertise on the number one pet podcast and radio network, visit petliferadio.com advertise today.
[00:02:32]:
Let's talk pets on petliferadio.com.
Megan Blake [00:02:44]:
And we're back on pet Life radio, a super smiley adventure. I'm Megan Blake, and today we are so thrilled to have with us, film and television star. And now a wonderful walking testimony as to how pet adoption is just rocking. Welcome, Ryan O'Neal.
Ryan O'Neal [00:03:00]:
Thank you for having me.
Megan Blake [00:03:02]:
We're so happy that you're here. And Ryan, you and I met several years ago, and smiley goes almost every place with me. So you met him, too, and you told us that you were thinking about getting a dog, right?
Ryan O'Neal [00:03:12]:
Some time ago. Yes, that's true. You were always pushing me, pushing me to adopt.
Megan Blake [00:03:18]:
Well, I think it turned out pretty good, don't you think? It's.
Ryan O'Neal [00:03:21]:
Yes, I have a beauty. I have a mozart with many different flavors. He's my pal.
Megan Blake [00:03:28]:
He is truly, truly adorable. And I know that in my life, dogs can be a true healing influence. And it seemed like after Farah's passing, it just seemed like it was just the right time and the right thing to do at that time.
Ryan O'Neal [00:03:41]:
Right, that's true. I needed somebody fast and he filled the bill.
Megan Blake [00:03:46]:
Yes. And dogs do that. Dogs can often fill places that people can't even really good friends or other spouses or family dogs, they just seem to go right where you need them. Do you find that?
Ryan O'Neal [00:03:57]:
Well, not every one of them will get into bed with you, but the dog.
Megan Blake [00:04:02]:
That's right, the dogs. And Tootsie, the travel kitty just jumped up here, so he's in the act now, too. He could not be on Ryan O'Neal's show. And Ryan, it was so wonderful.
Ryan O'Neal [00:04:10]:
Are you surrounded by animals?
Megan Blake [00:04:12]:
I am, totally. I've got angel, smiley tooth tweet, the travel kitty, and starfire and Mini haha are right outside with their giant noses. Hey, Ryan, do you have the CD?
Ryan O'Neal [00:04:22]:
I want top billing.
Megan Blake [00:04:23]:
Oh, we'll give you. I don't know, is it Mozart or you who gets top billing?
Ryan O'Neal [00:04:27]:
Or smiley for that matter. There's a hero.
Megan Blake [00:04:30]:
There you go. Ryan, it was so wonderful that with all your resources and all your ability to get anything from any place that you wanted, you chose to adopt a homeless dog. I love that.
Ryan O'Neal [00:04:42]:
Well, you helped. You know that. You did everything but throw the dog to me.
Megan Blake [00:04:49]:
Yes. You caught him.
Ryan O'Neal [00:04:51]:
But I caught him.
Megan Blake [00:04:53]:
Yes, Ryan, I didn't juggle him. No. I don't know if you realize what a huge statement this is. Thank you so much for adopting and for doing it so publicly. Let's tell everybody what happened. Ryan asked me to bring some dogs over while he was shooting his reality show, the O'Neill's, and put the process right there for everyone to see. So I brought over two dogs from best friends, which has the largest animal sanctuary in the United States. And Ryan could see if there was any chemistry.
Megan Blake [00:05:19]:
So, Ryan, tell everybody what happened after that.
Ryan O'Neal [00:05:22]:
Well, first of all, I thought there were four dogs, and all of them were beauties and rushed out onto the beach and were splashing and throwing the frisbee back and forth, and they were perfect for the beach. Then there was this little guy who had a name already. His name was Mozart, and he was reticent about the whole thing. He was a little nervous, and he didn't want to go out on the beach. He just stared at me. He reminded me of my father a little bit. He had the kind of same hair. He has a lot of facial hair, and so did my dad.
Ryan O'Neal [00:05:56]:
And so something told me that that connection was all sold me. And so I picked Mozart, the dog that didn't want to be on the beach, and because he reminded me of my father. The next day, I'm looking at him, and he doesn't look like my father anymore. Not at all. And I said to my son, what happened to my dad? And he said, oh, you mean that? Here, I cut that out. I said, you cut my dad out of the dog. But they come back. My dad is back.
Megan Blake [00:06:27]:
It was love at first sight. Ryan, you mentioned that he looked like your father. In adopting all my animals, the dogs, cats, and horses, I've always had that experience. I look in their eyes, and I just know, this is my animal. This is the one that was meant to be. And you just knew that, too, right?
Ryan O'Neal [00:06:43]:
Well, that's what happens. Yes. I mean, that's what happens. It's amazing. There is something that happens between the human and the dog. That is.
Megan Blake [00:06:54]:
Right, right. And I mentioned that dogs are such a healing force in my life. And what also was apparent as Mozart stole the spotlight from time to time on the O'Neill's when he was in the room, the energy just got happier, it got lighter, and things just seemed simpler. That's the way he's a comedian.
Ryan O'Neal [00:07:12]:
There's no question about that. And he steals the thunder.
Megan Blake [00:07:16]:
And, Ryan, I adored the way Mozart's premiere episode ended with you driving him in the car, him riding in his little safety seat, and you talking to him, telling him how you both are getting another chance. Dogs are good listeners. Don't you agree?
Ryan O'Neal [00:07:29]:
He listened. Did he agree? I don't know that. I couldn't tell. He only agrees with lunch.
Megan Blake [00:07:34]:
Most dogs are like, think. Yeah, I think that's kind of universal. And they're good therapists, too, because they're kind of like bouncing boards. You can bounce ideas off them. They're always looking you with the eye.
Ryan O'Neal [00:07:44]:
Well, you know, we talk a lot. Rather I talk. I don't know if he hears me or listens, but he's right next to me. And I don't think that it's a sign of madness that you just tell your tale to your dog. It's better than telling it to no one.
Megan Blake [00:07:59]:
Absolutely. I don't think it's a sign of madness at all. As a matter of fact, I tell Smiley things, and I feel like he tells me things back.
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:05]:
Well, Smiley knows everything, that's for sure.
Megan Blake [00:08:08]:
Well, Mozart looks pretty smart to me, too.
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:11]:
But Mozart and I haven't walked across the United States.
Megan Blake [00:08:16]:
We walked across.
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:17]:
We'd have really serious conversations.
Megan Blake [00:08:20]:
That's right. Hey, I know. Maybe, Ryan, maybe you and Mozart and Smiley and I can walk across the United States. That'll be.
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:26]:
Yeah, we'll do that. Sure, we'll do that. Do right after I finish dancing with the Stars.
Megan Blake [00:08:31]:
Right. We will do that. Oh, cool. So you're going to be on that next?
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:35]:
Uh huh, uh huh. Right after I have my knees replaced.
Megan Blake [00:08:38]:
Oh, well, good luck with that. You're gonna have your other knee replaced, too?
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:42]:
Yeah, next week.
Megan Blake [00:08:43]:
Oh, my goodness, Ryan. Well, we'll be thinking about you.
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:47]:
Thank you.
Megan Blake [00:08:48]:
And Mozart's going to make a great therapy dog for you, isn't he?
Ryan O'Neal [00:08:50]:
Well, we'll sure find out.
Megan Blake [00:08:52]:
Yeah. Well, one thing that I believe is that if you have a dog and you pet them, then they're therapy know, people say, oh, how do you have.
Ryan O'Neal [00:09:00]:
This system of going out on the beach and I throw the ball and he runs. He has a house guest right now, so they both run. And when I go down with this knee surgery, I won't be able to take them out. So I'm trying to recruit people to help me, not with me, but with the dogs.
Megan Blake [00:09:18]:
Yeah, dogs need a lot of attention. Well, Smiley and I'll come down. We'll do that. Yeah, I know what we'll do. We'll put Smiley and Mozart on a leash together, and they'll drag each other back and forth on the beach. What do you think?
Ryan O'Neal [00:09:29]:
No, we don't need leashes on this beach.
Megan Blake [00:09:32]:
That's right. You have a completely fenced in beach.
Ryan O'Neal [00:09:34]:
It's all they can run and run and run and run.
Megan Blake [00:09:37]:
Wow. I love that. I love that. Well, Mozart certainly hit the jackpot when you had love at first sight, when you looked in his eyes.
Ryan O'Neal [00:09:46]:
But you know what? It could have been any dog they're all winners.
Megan Blake [00:09:49]:
They absolutely are. And George was the other best friend's dog that I brought over, and a lot of people have asked what happened with George? And George did find an owner. He has a wonderful young man.
Ryan O'Neal [00:09:59]:
Was that the golden.
Megan Blake [00:10:00]:
No, that was the big, kind of shepherdy lab mix dog, the big dog that came in with Mozart. And he's got a young guy that jogs with him every day in southern California, so everybody can rest assured.
Ryan O'Neal [00:10:12]:
Yeah, that dog, he found a jogger.
Megan Blake [00:10:14]:
He did. He found a jogger, and Mozart found a lover. How about that? Well, we're so lucky to have these beautiful little souls in our lives. And Smiley's giving me that look. It's time for a quick break, and we'll be right back with Ryan O'Neal.
Ryan O'Neal [00:10:28]:
Say hi to smiley for me.
Megan Blake [00:10:29]:
Good job, Smiley. Don't go away, Ryan. We'll be right back.
[00:10:34]:
Want to know who the latest trendsetters are in Hollywood? How about irish setters? Find out who's been spotted with spot chowing with their chow and shopping for Gucci with their poochie. Get their scoop on all the latest celebrity pet patter right here. Ryan O'Neill. Let's talk pets.
[00:10:50]:
Let's talk pets.
[00:10:52]:
Let's talk pets on pet Life radio. Pet life radio.
[00:10:55]:
Petliferadio.com.
[00:10:57]:
Hi, I'm Shirley Jones on a super smiley adventure.
Megan Blake [00:11:09]:
And we're back on a super smiley adventure with Ryan O'Neal and one of the loves of his life, his newly adopted dog, Mozart and Ryan.
Ryan O'Neal [00:11:17]:
I say it like, not so new, not so new. Almost a year.
Megan Blake [00:11:22]:
Oh, time flies. And he's gotten big. When I brought him over, he was little, he was ten months old, right? And now he's like a dog.
Ryan O'Neal [00:11:29]:
Annie Harvellas, my veterinarian, she claims he's a little fat. She says she can't feel his ribs. So we're now discussing how to deal with that. Throw the ball more, feed him less.
Megan Blake [00:11:42]:
Yes. Smiley has that issue as well. My german shepherd, she's a very lean, athletic dog, so she stays that way. It's like people, some people have the battle of the bulge, and smiley kind of does that, too. So I know even though he can.
Ryan O'Neal [00:11:54]:
Walk across the United States, he does.
Megan Blake [00:11:57]:
He's just a stocky, muscly boy, know, kind of like Mozart, I guess. Mozart's a guy.
Ryan O'Neal [00:12:03]:
Mozart's not bad. We argue about.
Megan Blake [00:12:05]:
Oh, okay. Well, it is true, though. You should be able to feel their ribs. And if they're short hair. You should even be able to see their ribs a little. Yeah, really? That's really. But I like to say that dogs raise our happy chemicals. And my rescued animals have taught me so many wonderful, wonderful things and opened me up to so many things.
Megan Blake [00:12:24]:
What has Mozart shared with you, Ryan, about playing on the beach or whatever? Tell us what he's told us.
Ryan O'Neal [00:12:30]:
Well, he showed me that he knows how to chase a ball, but he doesn't know how to bring it back. I have to go and get it and throw it again. And then he'll fly down the beach, and he'll get it, and then he'll corral it, and then he'll wait for me to throw it again.
Megan Blake [00:12:46]:
Mozart is a mix, but he's some type of terrier mix, most likely. And those are headstrong. Little were.
Ryan O'Neal [00:12:52]:
I've taught him half a trick.
Megan Blake [00:12:55]:
Well, you know what? That's the exercise part. If he runs off and gets the ball. Absolutely.
Ryan O'Neal [00:12:59]:
That's the way I look at it.
Megan Blake [00:13:01]:
All right.
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:01]:
He thinks I'm a little fat, so.
Megan Blake [00:13:03]:
I need to hear, oh, Marianne, you look great. You look awesome.
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:07]:
Megan. Just.
Megan Blake [00:13:10]:
I am. And Smiley loves Mozart. He's been to your beach house playing a few times. Yeah. So we're going to post some Mozart pictures on Smiley's Facebook page at super Smiley anniversary tour. Okay.
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:22]:
That's the code.
Megan Blake [00:13:24]:
Yeah. On Facebook, go to super Smiley anniversary tour. And Smiley has a Twitter at smileythedog. So I'll post some Mozart pictures. And does Mozart have a Twitter yet? Is he on there yet?
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:34]:
No, but.
Megan Blake [00:13:35]:
Okay, well, we'll have Mozart's people call Smiley's people, and then we'll get Mozart's pictures out to the people.
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:43]:
Oh, my goodness.
Megan Blake [00:13:44]:
I think that's what they're doing. Oh, Ryan. And this year, Ryan and I were at the Genesis awards together. We did the red carpet.
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:51]:
We were. We did it together.
Megan Blake [00:13:52]:
First, Ryan, let's tell everybody what the Genesis awards is. It's a huge.
Ryan O'Neal [00:13:55]:
I love the Genesis awards, and I can't wait till the next one. I'm thinking of cutting out some footage together of Mozart in action as an actor and seeing if we can't win.
Megan Blake [00:14:04]:
Something that would be, you know, let me just tell everybody what it is. The Genesis awards. It's a huge awards ceremony like the Academy Awards, presented by the Humane Society of the United States, and it recognizes media, like film, television, and radio, that confronts cruelty and celebrates animals. It really is the Academy Awards for media about animals. And it's so amazing. Like, Oprah's won Ellen DeGeneres presented Paul McCartney's given commentary. So, Ryan, I better get a tux for than. But, Ryan, tell everybody, truly, it's really an awesome event.
Megan Blake [00:14:41]:
Just tell everybody about your experience being there the first time.
Ryan O'Neal [00:14:44]:
Well, I was shocked at the elaborateness of it and the cast. It was a wonderful group of people, and it was packed. It was very much like any kind of award event you would have in Hollywood, except it was for dogs and animals. Quite beautiful.
Megan Blake [00:15:00]:
It was really a much better cause. Absolutely. Because these animals, as you say, they have no voice, so we're their voices. And, Ryan, you have done so much for pet adoption. I don't even know if you really realize how much you've done, but you are a very public pet adoption advocate with a wonderful ambassador in Mozart, but also with your series, the O'Neill's. You and Mozart illustrated so beautifully how an adopted pet can come into an environment and make it better, make it calmer.
Ryan O'Neal [00:15:29]:
Exactly what happened.
Megan Blake [00:15:30]:
Yes, tell us about that. It's priceless. Tell us.
Ryan O'Neal [00:15:33]:
Well, I got along a lot better with Mozart than I did with Tatum, I'll tell you that.
Megan Blake [00:15:37]:
Yeah.
Ryan O'Neal [00:15:38]:
So that was one for two, I guess you call that.
Megan Blake [00:15:41]:
Yeah, well, animals do that. They just get right to the heart of things. They look at you, they make it simple, they make it true. And if you're connecting with your pet, I mean, it's kind of like they remind you to be in the moment and they remind you what's important. Do you agree?
Ryan O'Neal [00:15:54]:
Sure, I do. I do. And I'm talking to an expert, so I better agree.
Megan Blake [00:16:01]:
Smiley's the expert. Ryan. Smiley tells me what to say. Don't let him fool you, Smiley tells me.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:06]:
I'm not so sure about that. You give Smiley a lot of credit.
Megan Blake [00:16:10]:
I do. Well, he's got that charming smile. He's got me charmed.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:12]:
You know how he's a good guy.
Megan Blake [00:16:14]:
Yeah, he is a good guy.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:15]:
I remember going to a huge rock and roll party that your husband gave, and, my God, there was smiley right in the middle of everybody.
Megan Blake [00:16:22]:
That's right.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:22]:
That was an award show.
Megan Blake [00:16:24]:
The Grammy Awards.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:25]:
The Grammy Awards.
Megan Blake [00:16:27]:
Yeah. Smiley was at the awards. Really, really fun. And, Ryan, a few weeks ago, I went to another fun event that you were at. You re entered the boxing ring for a charity boxing match.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:39]:
Oh, right, right. But I didn't fight a dog.
Megan Blake [00:16:42]:
No, of course not.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:43]:
No, I was the dog that night.
Megan Blake [00:16:45]:
No, you came out a champion. You won your round. Congratulations.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:49]:
Thank you. Thank you. I'm retiring.
Megan Blake [00:16:51]:
Yeah. Well, it's good to retire while you're on the top. Right.
Ryan O'Neal [00:16:54]:
I'm going to get the knee fixed and then I have to get my shoulder fixed, too. I have a torn rotator cup. And then I'm going to start training for the dance, which begins in February. The ABC's dancing with the February.
Megan Blake [00:17:06]:
I had no idea it started so soon. That's really.
Ryan O'Neal [00:17:09]:
I didn't either. I was shocked to find out.
Megan Blake [00:17:11]:
Wow. And is Mozart going to go to rehearsals with you?
Ryan O'Neal [00:17:14]:
Of course he know. I met one of the dancers and she said she's allergic to dogs. And so I thought, goodbye.
Megan Blake [00:17:21]:
Yeah. No, you've got to go as a team. It's you and Mozart. Yeah.
Ryan O'Neal [00:17:25]:
He'll be there for. So she could dance.
Megan Blake [00:17:28]:
That'll be so much fun. Ryan, he doesn't need to dance. He just needs to sit there and look cute.
Ryan O'Neal [00:17:35]:
He can do that. That's a cinch.
Megan Blake [00:17:37]:
Yeah.
Ryan O'Neal [00:17:37]:
But I did another movie and I put him in with me as my dog. I was supposed to be a german shepherd and I said, no, my guard dog is this tiny little terrier. And so they said, ok. And he's in a couple of scenes with me and he steals them.
Megan Blake [00:17:51]:
I swear, Ryan, that's so much fun. Can you tell us the name of the movie? Does it have a working title?
Ryan O'Neal [00:17:56]:
No, not yet. Right now it's called Halloween Massacre. It's a comedy, but they're going to. It is, in a way.
Megan Blake [00:18:06]:
Oh, my gosh.
Ryan O'Neal [00:18:08]:
And he acted. He did the most amazing bits of acting and all he needed was a ham and cheese sandwich to get him enthusiastic.
Megan Blake [00:18:17]:
That's so cool.
Ryan O'Neal [00:18:18]:
We would just wave it at him behind the camera and he would be alert. He didn't get to eat it, but he thought he was.
Megan Blake [00:18:24]:
Well, that's all you need to know is what turns the dog on, what turns the person on. That's all you need to know. Well, maybe when the film comes out, you and Mozart can come back on and Mozart can.
Ryan O'Neal [00:18:34]:
We will promote it together. Yes, we will.
Megan Blake [00:18:37]:
That's great, Ryan. Thank you and Mozart so much for joining us. Is there anything else?
Ryan O'Neal [00:18:43]:
No, but a big kiss to your husband for me. I do like him a lot.
Megan Blake [00:18:47]:
Well, thank you, Ryan. We love you. Yeah, we all. Smiley, angel, Kim, me. We all love you so much. And we just. Thank you. Thank you so much.
Ryan O'Neal [00:18:56]:
Thank you. We should thank Farrah for.
Megan Blake [00:18:58]:
Right.
Ryan O'Neal [00:18:59]:
She put us all together.
Megan Blake [00:19:00]:
That's right. We met through Farah. And bless her wherever she is looking down on us and the animals. She meant so much to the entire world. And our hearts just go out to her and to you and to Mozart. Ryan, thank you.
Ryan O'Neal [00:19:14]:
You're very good at impressed.
Megan Blake [00:19:18]:
Oh, thank you, Ryan. Thank you. And Smiley has something else he wants to remind everybody where you can see his super smiley flash mobs for pet adoption that's been touring the United States. They're on the web@supersmileyflashmob.com. And, Ryan, this is a flash mob tour. So after you do dancing with the stars and you, and you're, like, amazing, you and Mozart will have to come do a flash mob dance with us. You think?
Ryan O'Neal [00:19:41]:
Is it more dancing?
Megan Blake [00:19:43]:
Yeah. Oh, gosh.
Ryan O'Neal [00:19:44]:
Okay.
Megan Blake [00:19:46]:
Okay. You heard it here.
Ryan O'Neal [00:19:48]:
Okay. What else can I have replaced first? I'll be there. You know me.
Megan Blake [00:19:53]:
I always show, right? That's right. And one more thing. Smiley has a shout out to Toyota's pet safety initiative. Oh, and also, we want to point out that when Mozart was in the car, he was always buckled up in his, always protected. That is so cool, Ryan. Thank you.
Ryan O'Neal [00:20:08]:
You showed me that. You showed me that.
Megan Blake [00:20:10]:
That's right. And that's another way. So you're advocating for pets, Ryan? So cool. Smiley keeps it simple. He says, buckle up, harness up, super smile, and enjoy your adventure. And thank you again. Dear, dear Ryan O'Neal and Mozart, we wish you the very best of luck. Thank you.
Megan Blake [00:20:28]:
Until next time, woof and super smiles.
[00:20:31]:
Let's talk pets every week on demand, only on petliferadio.com.
Timestamped overview:
00:00 Advertise on top pet podcast & radio network.
05:22 Four beautiful dogs, one hesitant, like father.
09:00 Recruiting help due to upcoming knee surgery.
12:05 Rescued dogs teach empathy and joy.
14:04 Genesis Awards: Academy Awards for animal media.
17:37 Cast tiny terrier as my movie guard dog.
19:18 Thank you, Ryan. Smiley's pet adoption flash mobs.
Questions:
1. What were the main ways in which Ryan O'Neal's adopted dog, Mozart, impacted his life and brought joy and happiness?
2. Why is it significant that Ryan O'Neal chose to adopt a homeless dog, and how did this decision influence his life?
3. What insights did Ryan O'Neal share about the powerful bond and connection between humans and dogs, and how did this contribute to the heartwarming story of Mozart's adoption?
4. How did the episode shed light on the therapeutic and healing impact of pets, particularly in the context of helping individuals deal with loss and difficult times?
5. In what ways did the podcast episode emphasize the importance and benefits of pet adoption and responsible pet care, as illustrated through Ryan O'Neal and Mozart's story?
6. How did Ryan O'Neal's involvement in the Genesis Awards and his public advocacy for pet adoption and animal welfare enhance the narrative surrounding his relationship with Mozart and the broader impact of their story?
7. What were the key takeaways and lessons about the joyful and heartwarming aspect of sharing one's life with a pet, as exemplified in the episode through the experiences of Ryan O'Neal and Mozart?
8. What role did Smiley, the giant mut and spokesdog for throwaways, play in the conversation about pet happiness and enrichment, and how did his presence contribute to the overall narrative?
9. How did Ryan O'Neal and Mozart's story showcase the idea of pets being not just companions, but also sources of inspiration, motivation, and genuine connection in the lives of their owners?
10. What aspects of the episode exemplified the deeper significance of the human-animal bond and its ability to uplift spirits, offer comfort, and create a sense of belonging and purpose both for the pet and its owner?
Key topics and bullets:
Primary Topic: Introduction to Ryan O'Neal and His Adoption of Mozart
- Introduction to Ryan O'Neal, an iconic actor
- Discussion of Ryan O'Neal's interest in adopting a dog
- Offer by Megan Blake to bring dogs for adoption to Ryan O'Neal's show
Primary Topic: The Adoption of Mozart
- Ryan O'Neal's experience meeting Mozart and choosing to adopt him
- The impact of Mozart's adoption on Ryan O'Neal's life following the passing of Farah
- Megan Blake's involvement in facilitating the adoption process
- Discussion of the chemistry and connection between Ryan O'Neal and Mozart
Primary Topic: Mozart's Role in Ryan O'Neal's Life
- The influence of Mozart in bringing happiness and lightness into Ryan O'Neal's life
- Using pets as listeners and therapists
- Mozart's potential as a therapy dog for Ryan O'Neal
- The way Mozart made a positive impact on the O'Neill's reality show
Primary Topic: The Genesis Awards and Animal Advocacy
- Ryan O'Neal's participation at the Genesis Awards
- The significance of the Genesis Awards in recognizing media that celebrates animals and confronts cruelty
- Ryan O'Neal's contributions to pet adoption advocacy and animal welfare
Primary Topic: Fun Personal Anecdotes
- Discussion of Smiley the dog attending events with Ryan O'Neal
- Ryan O'Neal's participation in a charity boxing match
- Mention of Mozart's appearance in a film and potential future appearances
Primary Topic: Future Plans and Conclusion
- Ryan O'Neal's future participation in "Dancing with the Stars"
- Potential collaboration between Ryan O'Neal, Mozart, and Megan Blake for a flash mob dance event
- Mention of a pet safety initiative by Toyota
- Farewell and well-wishes from Megan Blake to Ryan O'Neal and Mozart