Ryan O’Neal claims Farrah Fawcett portrait is his
A reality television producer told a jury on Wednesday that he believes Ryan O’Neal stole an Andy Warhol portrait of Farrah Fawcett done in 1980.
Craig Nevius said he formed his opinion when he began working with the University of Texas at Austin as it sought to take the artwork from the actor.
The university claims in its lawsuit that Fawcett left the painting to the school as part of a donation but O’Neal took it from Fawcett’s condominium days after her death in 2009.
Nevius testified that he had conversations about the artwork with the actress and saw documents regarding ownership that she had signed when she loaned the portrait and a twin version also done by Warhol to a museum.
O’Neal said he had permission from the trustee of Fawcett’s estate to remove the artwork and contends it was a gift from Warhol for facilitating the portrait session with the “Charlie’s Angels” star.
“The painting is mine,” O’Neal previously told jurors.
Nevius acknowledged that he never heard Fawcett say she owed both portraits, which she hung in her condominium in the final years of her life.
O’Neal has sued Nevius for defamation in a separate case that is pending.
Nevius testified that he believes O’Neal and others close to Fawcett conspired to remove him from a documentary project that NBC aired on her fight with cancer. Fawcett died in June 2009.
Actress Russell’s home burglarized
New York City police say thieves broke into Keri Russell’s Brooklyn home while she was sleeping and stole a laptop, jewelry and a purse.
The 37-year-old star of the FX show “The Americans” was asleep when she heard footsteps and voices at 3 a.m. Wednesday. She called 911 but didn’t see the intruders.
Soon after, a 70-year-old neighbor awoke to find a burglar inside and called 911 with a description. Police canvassed the area and arrested a father and son. Some of the stolen property was recovered.
Police said the two are being investigated as possible suspects in the burglary at Russell’s home.
Slater marries girlfriend in Florida
Christian Slater has married his girlfriend in an impromptu ceremony.
Slater’s spokeswoman said the 44-year-old actor wed his girlfriend of three years, Brittany Lopez, on Monday at the courthouse in Coral Gables, Fla.
The “Heathers” and “True Romance” star was previously married to Ryan Haddon. They have two children together.
Slater will star in the upcoming ABC series “Mind Games.”
The birthday bunch
Singer Little Richard is 81. Opera singer Jose Carreras is 67. Singer Jim Messina (Loggins and Messina, Poco) is 66. Singer-guitarist John Rzeznik (The Goo Goo Dolls) is 48. Comedian Margaret Cho is 45. Actor Frankie Muniz (“Malcolm in the Middle”) is 28.