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John P. Ryan‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1936-07-30

Popularity

star2.9

John P. Ryan

New York City, New York, USA

John P. Ryan

New York City, New York, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1936-07-30

Popularity

star2.9

Biography

Character actor John P. Ryan was born on July 30, 1936 in New York City. The son of Irish immigrant parents, Ryan graduated from Rice High School and studied English at the City College of New York, where he first developed an interest in acting. He served six years in the US Army and worked as a welfare investigator prior to pursuing an acting career. John made his film debut in the 1967 comedy "The Tiger Makes Out." He appeared in five pictures for Jack Nicholson; he's especially memorable as male nurse Spicer in "Five Easy Pieces." Manic, pale-eyed and craggy-faced, with an often intense and explosive screen presence, Ryan was frequently cast as nasty villains, hard-boiled police officers, and strict military men. John gave a strong and touching performance in a rare change-of-pace sympathetic role as Frank Davis, the bitter and regretful father of a murderous monster mutant baby in Larry Cohen's excellent "It's Alive." He also portrayed Davis in the okay sequel "It Lives Again." Other notable movie parts include the fanatical Colonel Hardcore in "Shamus," shrewd mob capo Patsy O'Neill in the witty "Cops and Robbers," evil scientist Schneider in "Futureworld," the dogged Lt. Parmental in "Breathless," vicious Irish mobster Joe Flynn in "The Cotten Club;" at his ferocious best as sadistic prison Warden Ranken in the powerful "Runaway Train," hateful fascist lunatic Glastenbury in the exciting "Avenging Force," ruthless drug kingpin Nathan White in the cruddy "Death Wish IV: The Crackdown," ramrod high school principal Mr. O'Rourke in the amusing "Three O'Clock High," and lethal robot history teacher Mr. Hardin in "Class of 1999." Among the TV shows Ryan did guest spots on are "M.A.S.H.," "The Rockford Files," "Hawaii Five-O," "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," "Starsky & Hutch," "Kojak," "Hart to Hart," "The F.B.I.," and "Miami Vice." John had a recurring role on the TV series "Archer." In addition to his film and TV credits, Ryan also appeared in over 90 stage plays. Following his final film appearance in "Bound," John spent his later years giving acting lessons and was an advocate of spiritual healing. John P. Ryan died from a stroke at age 70 on March 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California; he's survived by two daughters.

Movie Credits

Breathless

Breathless‌
star5.8
calendar 1983

Futureworld

Futureworld‌
star5.9
calendar 1976

Shamus

Shamus‌
star6.4
calendar 1973

A Killing Affair

A Killing Affair‌
star5.2
calendar 1977

Class of 1999

Class of 1999‌
star6.0
calendar 1990

Runaway Train

Runaway Train‌
star6.9
calendar 1985

A Lovely Way to Die

A Lovely Way to Die‌
star4.3
calendar 1968

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown‌
star5.7
calendar 1987

Bound

Bound‌
star7.2
calendar 1996

Five Easy Pieces

Five Easy Pieces‌
star7.1
calendar 1970

Dillinger

Dillinger‌
star6.6
calendar 1973

It's Alive

It's Alive‌
star6.0
calendar 1974

It Lives Again

It Lives Again‌
star5.4
calendar 1978

Fatal Beauty

Fatal Beauty‌
star5.5
calendar 1987

The Last Flight of Noah's Ark

The Last Flight of Noah's Ark‌
star5.5
calendar 1980

The Missouri Breaks

The Missouri Breaks‌
star6.5
calendar 1976

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm‌
star7.5
calendar 1993

Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection

Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection‌
star5.4
calendar 1990

Avenging Force

Avenging Force‌
star5.5
calendar 1986

The King of Marvin Gardens

The King of Marvin Gardens‌
star5.8
calendar 1972

Paramedics

Paramedics‌
star2.7
calendar 1988

City of Shadows

City of Shadows‌
star3.0
calendar 1987

The Pixar Story

The Pixar Story‌
star7.5
calendar 2007

Kill Me If You Can

Kill Me If You Can‌
star0.0
calendar 1977

Target Risk

Target Risk‌
star0.0
calendar 1975

The Postman Always Rings Twice

The Postman Always Rings Twice‌
star6.5
calendar 1981

Rent-a-Cop

Rent-a-Cop‌
star4.8
calendar 1987

Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars‌
star3.5
calendar 1983

The Legend of Nigger Charley

The Legend of Nigger Charley‌
star6.2
calendar 1972

Houston: The Legend of Texas

Houston: The Legend of Texas‌
star7.0
calendar 1986

Hoffa

Hoffa‌
star6.2
calendar 1992

Bad Blood

Bad Blood‌
star4.8
calendar 1994

Best of the Best

Best of the Best‌
star6.5
calendar 1989

The Right Stuff

The Right Stuff‌
star7.4
calendar 1983

The Cotton Club

The Cotton Club‌
star6.5
calendar 1984

Star Time

Star Time‌
star5.8
calendar 1992

Eternity

Eternity‌
star4.2
calendar 1990

Blood River

Blood River‌
star4.5
calendar 1991

Young Goodman Brown

Young Goodman Brown‌
star9.0
calendar 1993

Three O'Clock High

Three O'Clock High‌
star6.8
calendar 1987

A Hatful of Rain

A Hatful of Rain‌
star0.0
calendar 1968

Cops and Robbers

Cops and Robbers‌
star6.2
calendar 1973

The Escape Artist

The Escape Artist‌
star6.1
calendar 1982

The Patriots

The Patriots‌
star6.6
calendar 1994

Death Scream

Death Scream‌
star6.6
calendar 1975

White Sands

White Sands‌
star5.9
calendar 1992

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle‌
star5.0
calendar 1987

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me‌
star3.5
calendar 1971

Tv Credits

M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H‌
star7.9
calendar 1972

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.‌
star7.0
calendar 1993

Starsky & Hutch

Starsky & Hutch‌
star7.2
calendar 1975

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.‌
star5.4
calendar 1965

Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon‌
star6.7
calendar 1981

Miami Vice

Miami Vice‌
star7.5
calendar 1984

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O‌
star7.1
calendar 1968

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century‌
star6.9
calendar 1979

Kaz

Kaz‌
star5.0
calendar 1978

Kojak

Kojak‌
star6.9
calendar 1973

Hart to Hart

Hart to Hart‌
star6.9
calendar 1979

Cagney & Lacey

Cagney & Lacey‌
star6.9
calendar 1982

Police Woman

Police Woman‌
star6.3
calendar 1974

Hollywood Beat

Hollywood Beat‌
star5.0
calendar 1985

Matt Houston

Matt Houston‌
star6.2
calendar 1982

Paris

Paris‌
star5.0
calendar 1979

Archer

Archer‌
star7.5
calendar 1975

Matt Helm

Matt Helm‌
star7.4
calendar 1975

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.‌
star5.4
calendar 1965

Faerie Tale Theatre

Faerie Tale Theatre‌
star8.4
calendar 1982

American Playhouse

American Playhouse‌
star5.7
calendar 1982

The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files‌
star7.5
calendar 1974