Ryan O’Neal Sues for Farrah Fawcett Portrait

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Ryan O’Neal has sued a former associate of longtime partner Farrah Fawcett and claims the man is responsible for a Texas university’s attempts to reclaim an Andy Warhol portrait of the actress.

O’Neal’s defamation lawsuit against Craig Nevius Thursday seeks more than $1 million in damages. The lawsuit claims Nevius’ comments that the actor was improperly keeping the Warhol painting led the University of Texas system to sue O’Neal last week for control of the painting.

Fawcett, who died in 2009, granted all her artwork to the university system. O’Neal claims the disputed Warhol portrait was given to him by the artist and never belonged to Fawcett.

Nevius claims O’Neal’s lawsuit is an attempt to silence him.

The case was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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