The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Paper Moon

Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon" is a rip-roaring road movie with a lot of hijinks and heart, anchored by the incredible performances from real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. They play Moses Pray, a two-bit con artist who hoodwinks widows into purchasing Bibles, and Addie Loggins, a precocious nine-year-old with a permanent scowl who claims to be his daughter. With their streetwise charm, they unite to drive across the dusty Midwest, gradually increasing the stakes of their swindles. The sharp, black-and-white cinematography by László Kovács perfectly captures the sparse, unsentimental Depression-era America. But there's also a sweetness to "Paper Moon," especially in the development of Moses and Addie's complex and tenuous father-daughter bond. The film has a certain magic that can only come from the O'Neals' actual relationship, and it's something that makes "Paper Moon" such a joy to watch. Here are the main cast members still with us.

At only nine-years-old, Tatum O'Neal became one of the youngest Oscar winners ever for her role in "Paper Moon" as Addie, a tough cookie with a golden heart. Afterward, she continued to star in films throughout the 1970s and 1980s such as the vulgar but sweet "The Bad News Bears" and the teen sex comedy "LIttle Darlings." She also starred again in another Peter Bogdanovich film with her father, the less well-received screwball comedy "Nickelodeon" about silent movie making. In her personal life, Tatum O'Neal faced challenges with substance use disorder and a high-profile divorce from tennis player John McEnroe, which prompted a hiatus from acting for several years. She also had a stroke incident in 2020 that left her unable to speak and took three years to recover from (via Entertainment Weekly).

Tatum O'Neal penned two painfully honest books about her life, "A Paper Life" and "Found: A Daughter's Journey Home." Both detail the strife between her and her father. She and Ryan O'Neal had a strained relationship for decades, but their healing journey was documented on the OWN series "Ryan and Tatum: The O'Neals" in 2011. Ryan O'Neal passed away last year in 2023. Tatum O'Neal has also made some memorable television appearances, including one of the best episodes of "Sex and the City," "A Woman's Right to Shoes," a guest role in "Rescue Me," and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." No matter what role and at any age, Tatum O'Neal has always proved herself to be a performer with exceptional poise and sensitivity.

P.J. Johnson was plucked from obscurity as a 15-year-old girl in her Houston hometown to portray Imogene, the bespectacled and mischievous maid of Trixie Delight (who is played by the beguiling Madeline Kahn). Johnson brought a humorous combination of sauciness and innocence to the role that complemented Tatum O'Neal's plucky Addie. The New York Times praised her serendipitous film debut and profiled her Texan upbringing (ignore their tactless descriptions of the young girl as "plump" and "overweight"). In 1974, P.J. Johnson reprised her role as Imogene in the short-lived ABC "Paper Moon" sitcom starring Jodie Foster. 17 years after "Paper Moon," she re-teamed with Peter Bogdanovich for a small role in "Texasville," a critically lambasted sequel to "The Last Picture Show" featuring the original cast in a mid-life crisis.

This was the extent of her film career, save for a credit as the second assistant director on Dr. Dre's "Murder Was the Case: The Movie" with Snoop Dogg. Since then, she has continued to work in the Texas art scene. According to her LinkedIn, she studied Mass Communications at Texas Southern University before forming her own company PJ'S ETC which involves consulting in radio, television, film, and print media. You can find her on X as PJ Johnson Paper Girl, or @pjjpapergirl as a self-proclaimed "Human Rights Activist & Humanitarian. Groovy Lady. Love Child(even though my parents were married.) Zany."