Background
Charles O'Neal was born in Raeford, North Carolina, in the family of Elizabeth Maude (Belton) of English descent, and Charles Samuel O'Neal of Irish descent.
Charles O'Neal was born in Raeford, North Carolina, in the family of Elizabeth Maude (Belton) of English descent, and Charles Samuel O'Neal of Irish descent.
Charles attended the University of Iowa, then moved to San Diego.
Charles joined an acting troupe that included his future wife, Patricia O'Callaghan. After publishing a short story in Esquire, he decided to forgo performing and turned to screenwriting mostly B-movies, among them The Seventh Victim, Cry of the Werewolf, The Missing Juror, I Love a Mystery, Montana, and Golden Girl. O'Neal's television credits include The 20th Century Fox Hour and The Untouchables. Together with Abe Burrows, O'Neal adapted his 1949 novel The Three Wishes of Jamie McRuin for the short-lived 1952 musical Three Wishes for Jamie. The production ran on Broadway March 21–June 7, 1952.
O'Neal is the father of actor Ryan O'Neal and screenwriter and actor Kevin O'Neal and grandfather of Tatum, Griffin, Patrick, Redmond O'Neal.