Across its 12-season run, “Bones” had an impressive array of guest stars stop by. Stephen Fry appeared multiple times as psychiatrist Dr. Gordon Wyatt, and Betty White starred in the least-watched “Bones” episode. The show even featured ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons as the father of Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin). But one of the most illustrious guests to appear in “Bones” was Ryan O’Neal.
O’Neal, who passed away at the age of 82 in 2023, is best known for a string of successful movies in the 1970s, beginning with “Love Story,” for which he was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award. He also delivered standout performances in “Paper Moon,” “What’s Up, Doc?” and “Barry Lyndon,” the latter of which took a huge toll on the cast and crew. But while the 70s arguably represented the peak of the actor’s career, O’Neal continued working solidly in the ensuing decades and made his “Bones” debut in 2006.
The actor went on to appear in a full 24 episodes of the long-running series, playing a recurring role and becoming one of the show’s best guest stars. But who exactly did Ryan O’Neal play on “Bones?”
Ryan O’Neal played Dr. Brennan’s father, Max Keenan, on Bones
“Bones” ran from 2005 to 2017 and for almost every one of those years, Ryan O’Neal was a part of the show — though he only showed up as a recurring character. Beginning in 2006, O’Neal played Max Keenan, the father of Emily Deschanel’s Temperance “Bones” Brennan. When he’s first introduced, he and Temperance have a difficult relationship as a result of Max being mostly absent during his daughter and her brother, Russ (Loren Dean)’s younger years. The character first appears in season two, episode 11 “Judas on a Pole” where he pretends to be a priest to get close to his daughter. During that season David Boreanaz’s Agent Seeley Booth arrests Max for his involvement in criminal activities years prior. This leads Brennan to investigate her father’s past extensively, revealing his history in more detail and helping Brennan gain a better understanding of why Max was absent.
As it turns out, Max and his wife, Ruth, were bank robbers and Max chose to embrace a life of crime as he saw no other alternative when it came to providing for his children. Initially, he tried to leave his life of crime behind but was forced to leave his children after members of his former criminal gang caught up to him. This ultimately led to him and his children becoming estranged. But following his arrest by Booth in season two of “Bones,” a jury acquits Max of murder in season three and he is released from custody. This allows him to become much more of a presence in Brennan’s life and his character reappears throughout the ensuing seasons as he rebuilds his connection with his daughter.
In the season 12 episode, “The Scare in the Score,” Max sacrifices his own life to protect his grandchildren, with Bones and her father having a heartfelt conversation in the hospital prior to his passing. This marked the last appearance of Ryan O’Neal in the series.
Ryan O’Neal made a big impression on the Bones cast
Though he wasn’t a constant presence on “Bones,” Ryan O’Neal played an important role in the show, allowing Temperance Brennan to gain a greater understanding of herself across the 12 seasons and thereby bolstering the strength of her story arc. While he did show up sporadically after his season two introduction, Max is also present for some of the most important moments in the series, including his daughter’s wedding and, of course, the storyline that saw him protect his grandchildren from harm, thereby fully atoning for his absence in Temperance’s life.
It seems that O’Neal was similarly important to the cast of “Bones,” too. Speaking to MovieWeb, Emily Deschanel was effusive in her praise for the actor, saying that she “really loved” working with him and adding:
“He’s a great actor; he’s very giving, he’s so funny. He really is one of the funniest people and he has great stories […] He’s such a charming man, I have to say. He just charms the whole set, everyone. So I look forward to those days when he’s working. He’s a really giving actor so it’s a joy to work with him.”
Meanwhile, David Boreanaz was similarly complimentary of O’Neal during a Paley Center talk, where he said:
“To be able to sit in the presence of somebody who’s had such a great career and hear stories, it’s fantastic to be around. And that energy and the twinkle that you see in an actor’s eyes when you’re working with them is to be a part of that energy, it’s a gift. We hold that dearly to our show and he’s been fantastic.”
According to Parade, Boreanaz also shared his own grief after O’Neal’s passing, posting a story to Instagram that labeled the late actor an “icon.”
