Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1909-11-11
Deathday: 1973-07-11 (63 years old)

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Biography

Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American  actor who often played hardened cops and ruthless villains.


Ryan was born in Chicago, Illinois, the first child of Timothy Ryan and his wife Mabel Bushnell Ryan.  He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1932, having held the school's heavyweight boxing title all four years of his attendance. After graduation, the 6'4" Ryan found employment as a stoker on a ship, a WPA worker, and a ranch hand in Montana.


Ryan attempted to make a career in show business as a playwright, but had to turn to acting to support himself. He studied acting in Hollywood and appeared on stage and in small film parts during the early 1940s.


In January 1944, after securing a contract guarantee from RKO Radio Pictures, Ryan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton, in San Diego, California. At Camp Pendleton, he befriended writer and future director Richard Brooks, whose novel, The Brick Foxhole, he greatly admired. He also took up painting.


Ryan's breakthrough film role was as an anti-Semitic killer in Crossfire (1947), a film noir based on Brooks's novel. The role won Ryan his sole career Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor. From then on, Ryan's specialty was tough/tender roles, finding particular expression in the films of directors such as Nicholas Ray, Robert Wise and Sam Fuller. In Ray's On Dangerous Ground (1951) he portrayed a burnt-out city cop finding redemption while solving a rural murder. In Wise's The Set-Up (1949), he played an over-the-hill boxer who is brutally punished for refusing to take a dive. Other important films were Anthony Mann's western The Naked Spur, Sam Fuller's uproarious Japanese set gangland thriller House of Bamboo, Bad Day at Black Rock, and the socially conscious heist movie Odds Against Tomorrow. He also appeared in several all-star war films, including The Longest Day (1962) and Battle of the Bulge (1965), and The Dirty Dozen. He also played John the Baptist in MGM's Technicolor epic King of Kings (1961) and was the villainous Claggart in Peter Ustinov's adaptation of Billy Budd (1962).


In his later years, Ryan continued playing significant roles in major films. Most notable of these were The Dirty Dozen, The Professionals (1966) and Sam Peckinpah's highly influential brutal western The Wild Bunch (1969).


Ryan appeared several times on the Broadway stage. His credits there include Clash by Night, Mr. President and The Front Page, the comedy drama about newspapermen.


He appeared in many television series as a guest star, including the role of Franklin Hoppy-Hopp in the 1964 episode "Who Chopped Down the Cherry Tree?" on the NBC medical drama about psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour. Similarly, he guest starred as Lloyd Osment in the 1964 episode "Better Than a Dead Lion" in the ABC psychiatric series, Breaking Point. In 1964, Ryan appeared with Warren Oates in the episode "No Comment" of CBS's short-lived drama about newspapers, The Reporter, starring Harry Guardino in the title role of journalist Danny Taylor. Ryan appeared five times (1956–1959) on CBS's Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater and twice (1959 and 1961) on the Zane Grey spin-off Frontier Justice. He appeared three times (1962–1964) on the western Wagon Train.

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Filmography

all 99

Movies 88

self 11

TV Shows 11

Narrator 4

Self
A New Dimension in Noir: Filming Inferno in 3D

A New Dimension in Noir: Filming Inferno in 3D (2017)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade

Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (2004)

Movie
Sandy Dawson (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller

The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller (2002)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line

Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line (1997)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire

Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire (1991)

Movie
Self (from Clash by Night [1952]) (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend

Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (1986)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn

The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn (1986)

Movie
Larry Slade
The Iceman Cometh

The Iceman Cometh (1973)

Movie
Foster
Executive Action

Executive Action (1973)

Movie
Mailer
The Outfit

The Outfit (1973)

Movie
Lt. Cmdr. Vaughan
The Man Without a Country

The Man Without a Country (1973)

Movie
Pap Gutshall
Lolly-Madonna XXX

Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973)

Movie
Charley Ellis
And Hope to Die

And Hope to Die (1972)

Movie
Gregory Austin
The Love Machine

The Love Machine (1971)

Movie
Sabbath Cotton Ryan
Lawman

Lawman (1971)

Movie
Roger
The Reason Why

The Reason Why (1970)

Movie
Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo and the Underwater City

Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)

Movie
Self - Host
Simon and Garfunkel: Songs of America

Simon and Garfunkel: Songs of America (1969)

Movie
Thornton
The Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Movie
3.67
General Carson
Anzio

Anzio (1968)

Movie
New Mexico Gov. Lem Carter
A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die (1968)

Movie
Mulligan
Custer of the West

Custer of the West (1967)

Movie
Ike Clanton
Hour of the Gun

Hour of the Gun (1967)

Movie
Col. Everett Dasher Breed
The Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Movie
5.77
Charley Barker
The Busy Body

The Busy Body (1967)

Movie
Ehrengard
The Professionals

The Professionals (1966)

Movie
1
Gen. Grey
Battle of the Bulge

Battle of the Bulge (1965)

Movie
4
General Bruce
The Dirty Game

The Dirty Game (1965)

Movie
Richard Ashley
The Crooked Road

The Crooked Road (1965)

Movie
Narrator
The Inheritance

The Inheritance (1964)

Movie
Narrator
World War One

World War One (1964)

TV
Narrator
World War I: The Complete Story

World War I: The Complete Story (1964)

TV
Narrator
A Regular Bouquet: Mississippi Summer

A Regular Bouquet: Mississippi Summer (1964)

Movie
Thomas Bollington
Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963)

TV
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)

TV
John Claggart - Master of Arms
Billy Budd

Billy Budd (1962)

Movie
6
Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
The Longest Day

The Longest Day (1962)

Movie
1
John the Baptist
King of Kings

King of Kings (1961)

Movie
1
Inspector William Gannon
The Canadians

The Canadians (1961)

Movie
Harry Walters
The Snows of Kilimanjaro

The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1960)

Movie
Thor Storm
Ice Palace

Ice Palace (1960)

Movie
Slater
Odds Against Tomorrow

Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)

Movie
Blaise Starrett
Day of the Outlaw

Day of the Outlaw (1959)

Movie
William Shrike
Lonelyhearts

Lonelyhearts (1959)

Movie
Self
The David Susskind Show

The David Susskind Show (1959)

TV
Ty Ty Walden
God's Little Acre

God's Little Acre (1958)

Movie
Jay Gatsby
The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby (1958)

Movie
Dr. Robert Ross / Frank Berry / Gunner Smith
Goodyear Theatre

Goodyear Theatre (1957)

TV
Jeff Banner / Ken Morton / Mike Ripetti
Alcoa Theatre

Alcoa Theatre (1957)

TV
Lt. Benson
Men in War

Men in War (1957)

Movie
4
Matt Jessop / Captain William Kraig / Sheriff Amos Parney / Cob Oakley
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956)

TV
Bill Lonagan
Back from Eternity

Back from Eternity (1956)

Movie
Self
The Steve Allen Show

The Steve Allen Show (1956)

TV
Marshal Cass Silver
The Proud Ones

The Proud Ones (1956)

Movie
Actor
The House Without a Name

The House Without a Name (1956)

Movie
Nathan Stark
The Tall Men

The Tall Men (1955)

Movie
Sandy Dawson
House of Bamboo

House of Bamboo (1955)

Movie
Jim Brecan
Escape to Burma

Escape to Burma (1955)

Movie
Reno Smith
Bad Day at Black Rock

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

Movie
5.6
Joe Hargrave
Her Twelve Men

Her Twelve Men (1954)

Movie
George Leslie Hendersall
About Mrs. Leslie

About Mrs. Leslie (1954)

Movie
Matt Kelly
Alaska Seas

Alaska Seas (1954)

Movie
Donald Whitley Carson III
Inferno

Inferno (1953)

Movie
Brad Carlton
City Beneath the Sea

City Beneath the Sea (1953)

Movie
Self
The Oscars

The Oscars (1953)

TV
Ben Vandergroat
The Naked Spur

The Naked Spur (1953)

Movie
Dan Hammond
Horizons West

Horizons West (1952)

Movie
Howard Wilton
Beware, My Lovely

Beware, My Lovely (1952)

Movie
Earl Pfeiffer
Clash by Night

Clash by Night (1952)

Movie
Jim Wilson
On Dangerous Ground

On Dangerous Ground (1951)

Movie
Nick Scanlon
The Racket

The Racket (1951)

Movie
Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
Flying Leathernecks

Flying Leathernecks (1951)

Movie
Jeff Clanton
Best of the Badmen

Best of the Badmen (1951)

Movie
Seabright Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)
Hard, Fast and Beautiful

Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951)

Movie
Nick
Born to Be Bad

Born to Be Bad (1950)

Movie
Brad Collins
The Woman on Pier 13

The Woman on Pier 13 (1950)

Movie
David McLean
The Secret Fury

The Secret Fury (1950)

Movie
Self - Panelist / Self - Mystery Guest
What's My Line?

What's My Line? (1950)

TV
Bill 'Stoker' Thompson
The Set-Up

The Set-Up (1949)

Movie
4.75
Smith Ohlrig
Caught

Caught (1949)

Movie
Joe Parkson
Act of Violence

Act of Violence (1949)

Movie
Dr. Evans
The Boy with Green Hair

The Boy with Green Hair (1948)

Movie
Sundance Kid
Return of the Bad Men

Return of the Bad Men (1948)

Movie
6
Robert Lindley
Berlin Express

Berlin Express (1948)

Movie
Montgomery
Crossfire

Crossfire (1947)

Movie
Scott
The Woman on the Beach

The Woman on the Beach (1947)

Movie
6
Allen
Trail Street

Trail Street (1947)

Movie
Capt. Dan Craig
Marine Raiders

Marine Raiders (1944)

Movie
Chris Jones
Tender Comrade

Tender Comrade (1944)

Movie
Joe Dunham
Gangway for Tomorrow

Gangway for Tomorrow (1943)

Movie
Father Timothy 'Tim' Donovan
The Iron Major

The Iron Major (1943)

Movie
Lefty O'Doyle
Behind the Rising Sun

Behind the Rising Sun (1943)

Movie
Reginald Fenton
The Sky's the Limit

The Sky's the Limit (1943)

Movie
Joe Connors
Bombardier

Bombardier (1943)

Movie
Eddie (uncredited)
The Texas Rangers Ride Again

The Texas Rangers Ride Again (1940)

Movie
Constable Dumont
North West Mounted Police

North West Mounted Police (1940)

Movie
Pete Wells
Golden Gloves

Golden Gloves (1940)

Movie
Jim
Queen of the Mob

Queen of the Mob (1940)

Movie
Intern (uncredited)
The Ghost Breakers

The Ghost Breakers (1940)

Movie
4

Ratings

Average 6.04
Based on 475 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1940
1951
1957
1952
2017
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Robert RyanRobert RyanRobert RyanRobert RyanRobert RyanRobert RyanRobert RyanRobert Ryan

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1909-11-11

Deathday
1973-07-11 (63 years old)

Birth Place
Chicago, United States of America

Height
193-centimeter

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Robert Bushnell Ryan, Роберт Райан


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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