Robert Ryan
Biography
Robert Bushnell Ryan was an American actor born in Chicago, Illinois on November 11, 1909, and died on July 11, 1973 at the age of 63. Known for frequently playing hardened cops and ruthless villains, he was the first child of Timothy Ryan and Mabel Bushnell Ryan. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1932, having held the school's heavyweight boxing title throughout his four years of attendance. Standing six feet and four inches tall, his early employment included working as a ship stoker, a WPA worker, and a ranch hand in Montana. Initially attempting to become a playwright, he turned to acting for financial support, studied in Hollywood, and appeared on stage and in small film parts during the early 1940s.
Career overview
Robert Bushnell Ryan was an American actor born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 11, 1909, to Timothy Ryan and Mabel Bushnell Ryan. Standing six feet and four inches tall, he graduated from Dartmouth College in 1932, where he held the school heavyweight boxing title for all four years of his attendance. Following his graduation, Ryan worked various jobs, including serving as a ship stoker, a WPA worker, and a ranch hand in Montana.
Initially attempting to pursue a career in show business as a playwright, Ryan turned to acting to support himself. He studied acting in Hollywood and subsequently appeared on stage and in small film roles during the early 1940s. Throughout a career spanning over three decades, he frequently portrayed hardened cops and ruthless villains.
With known credits numbering one hundred, Ryan's life and career concluded with his death on July 11, 1973, at the age of sixty-three. His professional legacy remains rooted in his extensive body of work on stage and screen, establishing him as a notable figure in American cinema.
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Full filmography
- A New Dimension in Noir: Filming Inferno in 3D (2017) as Self
- Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (2004) as Self (archive footage)
- The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller (2002) as Sandy Dawson (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line (1997) as Self (archive footage)
- Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire (1991) as Self (archive footage)
- The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn (1986) as Self (archive footage)
- Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973) as Pap Gutshall
- Executive Action (1973) as Foster
- The Iceman Cometh (1973) as Larry Slade
- The Outfit (1973) as Mailer
- The Man Without a Country (1973) as Lt. Cmdr. Vaughan
- The Moviemakers (1973) as Self
- And Hope to Die (1972) as Charley
- Lawman (1971) as Sabbath Marshal Cotton Ryan
- The Love Machine (1971) as Gregory 'Greg' Austin
- The Reason Why (1970) as Roger
- The Wild Bunch (1969) as Deke Thornton
- Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969) as Captain Nemo
- Simon and Garfunkel: Songs of America (1969) as Self - Host
- Anzio (1968) as Gen. Carson
- A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die (1968) as New Mexico Gov. Lem Carter
- The Dirty Dozen (1967) as Col. Everett Dasher Breed
- Custer of the West (1967) as Mulligan
- Hour of the Gun (1967) as Ike Clanton
- The Busy Body (1967) as Charley Barker
- The Professionals (1966) as Ehrengard
- Battle of the Bulge (1965) as General Grey
- The Dirty Game (1965) as General Bruce
- The Crooked Road (1965) as Richard Ashley
- World War One (1964) as Narrator
- World War I: The Complete Story (1964) as Narrator
- The Inheritance (1964) as Narrator (voice)
- A Regular Bouquet: Mississippi Summer (1964) as Narrator (voice)
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)
- Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963) as Thomas Bollington
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Longest Day (1962) as Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
- Billy Budd (1962) as John Claggart, Master of Arms
- King of Kings (1961) as John the Baptist
- The Canadians (1961) as Inspector William Gannon
- Ice Palace (1960) as Thor Storm
- The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1960) as Harry Walters
- The David Susskind Show (1959) as Self
- Day of the Outlaw (1959) as Blaise Starrett
- Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) as Earle Slater
- Lonelyhearts (1959) as William Shrike
- God's Little Acre (1958) as Ty Ty Walden
- The Great Gatsby (1958) as Jay Gatsby
- Alcoa Theatre (1957) as Trilbridge
- Alcoa Theatre (1957) as Mike Ripetti
- Goodyear Theatre (1957) as Frank Berry
- Men in War (1957) as Lt. Benson
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Matt Jessop
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Cob Oakley
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Sheriff Amos Parney
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Captain William Kraig
- The Steve Allen Show (1956) as Self
- The Proud Ones (1956) as Marshal Cass Silver
- Back from Eternity (1956) as Bill Lonagan
- The House Without a Name (1956)
- Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) as Reno Smith
- The Tall Men (1955) as Nathan Stark
- House of Bamboo (1955) as Sandy Dawson
- Escape to Burma (1955) as Jim Brecan
- Her Twelve Men (1954) as Joe Hargrave
- About Mrs. Leslie (1954) as George Leslie
- Alaska Seas (1954) as Matt Kelly
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- The Naked Spur (1953) as Ben Vandergroat
- City Beneath the Sea (1953) as Brad Carlton
- Inferno (1953) as Donald Whitley Carson III
- Clash by Night (1952) as Earl Pfeiffer
- Horizons West (1952) as Dan Hammond
- Beware, My Lovely (1952) as Howard Wilton
- Flying Leathernecks (1951) as Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
- Best of the Badmen (1951) as Jeff Clanton
- On Dangerous Ground (1951) as Jim Wilson
- The Racket (1951) as Nick Scanlon
- Hard, Fast and Beautiful! (1951) as Seabright Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self - Mystery Guest
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self
- Born to Be Bad (1950) as Nick
- The Secret Fury (1950) as David McLean
- The Woman on Pier 13 (1950) as Bradley Collins / Frank Johnson
- Caught (1949) as Smith Ohlrig
- The Set-Up (1949) as Stoker
- Act of Violence (1949) as Joe Parkson
- The Boy with Green Hair (1948) as Dr. Evans
- Berlin Express (1948) as Robert Lindley
- Return of the Bad Men (1948) as Sundance Kid
- Crossfire (1947) as Montgomery
- Trail Street (1947) as Allen Harper
- The Woman on the Beach (1947) as Scott Burnett
- Tender Comrade (1944) as Chris Jones
- Marine Raiders (1944) as Capt. Dan Craig
- Behind the Rising Sun (1943) as Lefty O'Doyle
- Bombardier (1943) as Joe Connors
- The Iron Major (1943) as Father Timothy 'Tim' Donovan
- The Sky's the Limit (1943) as Reginald Fenton
- Gangway for Tomorrow (1943) as Joe Dunham
- North West Mounted Police (1940) as Constable Dumont
- The Ghost Breakers (1940) as Intern (uncredited)
- Queen of the Mob (1940) as Jim
- Golden Gloves (1940) as Pete Wells
- The Texas Rangers Ride Again (1940) as Eddie (uncredited)