By Jim Caldwell
RYAN O'NEAL, the Hollywood heart-throb of the 70's, must undergo a bone-marrow transplant in the next 48 hours or he will die. The Love Story star has a chronic form of leukaemia, and his condition is worsening by the day.

O'Neal's sick brother, Kevin, has volunteered to be the donor, but doctors warn that because of his own frail health, Kevin will be putting his own life on the line.

The transplant was being scheduled at the City of Hope Hospital in Los Angeles.

"Ryan is aware this is effectively a last-ditch attempt to save his life,'' a close family friend said.

"Doctors have been carrying out tests with other members of he family, but Kevin is the only one who matches up medically.

Doctors told O'Neal he had leukaemia on his 60th birthday last April.

He said then: ''I can't believe it, but it's true. I have chronic leukaemia. Hopefully, it's treatable.

"I'm not going to throw in the towel. Just watch me I'll spend every waking hour fighting this curse.''

The blood cancer threatening his life is called chronic myelogenous leukaemia, in which the white blood cells multiply out of control. He has been treated with new cancer drugs for nearly a year, but now needs the transplant.

O'Neal was to have been a presenter at this Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony.

His former wife, Farrah Fawcett, 54, one of the original Charlie's Angels, is back with the star.