# John P. Ryan

John Patrick Ryan (July 30, 1936 – March 20, 2007) was an American actor. A prolific character actor known for playing "slimy villains, tough cops, and military officers," he worked with notable directors like Bob Rafelson, Francis Ford Coppola, Andrei Konchalovsky, Arthur Penn, Philip Kaufman, and The Wachowskis, and often appeared in films starring his friend Jack Nicholson.

## Early life and education

Ryan was born in New York City, the son of Irish immigrant parents, and graduated from Rice High School in Harlem. He studied English at the City College of New York and acting at the Actors Studio.

## Career

Among his stage roles, Ryan played King Henry in The Lion in Winter and Mr. DePinna in You Can't Take It with You at the 1966 Williamstown Theatre Festival. He starred in the Broadway productions Daphne in Cottage D (1967) and Medea (1973).
Ryan got into film acting at the encouragement of his friend Jack Nicholson. He appeared opposite Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970), The King of Marvin Gardens (1973), The Missouri Breaks (1976), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), and Hoffa (1992).
He usually played supporting roles or character parts, though he played a rare leading role in the Larry Cohen-directed horror film It's Alive and its sequel It Lives Again. He also appeared in such films as Dillinger (1973), Futureworld (1976), Breathless (1983), The Right Stuff (also 1983), The Cotton Club (1984), Three O'Clock High (1987), and Best of the Best (1989). One of his best-known parts was as prison warden Ranken in Runaway Train (1985). His last role was as mobster Mickey Malnato in The Wachowskis' directorial debut Bound (1996).

## Personal life

Ryan was married to actress Maya Kenin, becoming the stepfather of Alexa Kenin (1962–1985). He had two daughters. Ryan was a life member of the Actors Studio, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

### Death

Ryan died from a stroke in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 70. His remains were buried at Genola Rural Cemetery in East Northport, New York.

## Stage appearances

| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
| 1963 | The Lady of the Camellias | Buyer | Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway |
| 1966 | Serjeant Musgrave's Dance | Constable | Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway |
| 1966 | Duet for Three | John | Cherry Lane Theatre, Off-Broadway |
| 1966 | You Can't Take It with You | Mr. DePinna | Williamstown Theatre Festival |
| 1966 | The Lion in Winter | King Henry | Williamstown Theatre Festival |
| 1966-67 | Yerma | Villager / Victor (understudy) | Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway |
| 1967 | Daphne in Cottage D | Joseph | Longacre Theatre, Broadway |
| 1970 | Nobody Hears a Broken Drum | Jamie O'Hanlin | Fortune Theater, Off-Broadway |
| 1972 | The Love Suicide at Schofield Barracks | Maj. Cassidy | ANTA Playhouse, Broadway |
| 1972 | Gypsy | Rich Man's Son | Theatre at Unitarian Church of AllSouls, Off-Broadway |
| 1972 | The Silent Partner | Mr. Drumm | Actors Studio Theatre, Off-Broadway |
| 1972 | Twelve Angry Men | Juror No. 3 | Queens Theatre in the Park |
| 1973 | Medea | Jason | Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway |
| 1975 | The Country Girl | | Stagewest, West Springfield |

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | The Tiger Makes Out | Toni's Escort | |
| 1968 | A Lovely Way to Die | Harry Samson | |
| 1968 | What's So Bad About Feeling Good? | Roger | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Five Easy Pieces | Spicer | |
| 1971 | Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me | 'Oeuf' | |
| 1972 | The Legend of Nigger Charley | Martin Goldman | |
| 1972 | The King of Marvin Gardens | Houston | |
| 1973 | Shamus | 'Hardcore' | |
| 1973 | Dillinger | Charles Makley | |
| 1973 | Cops and Robbers | Pasquale 'Patsy' Aniello | |
| 1974 | It's Alive | Frank Davis | |
| 1976 | The Missouri Breaks | Cy | |
| 1976 | Futureworld | Dr. Schneider | |
| 1978 | It Lives Again | Frank Davis | |
| 1980 | On the Nickel | | |
| 1980 | The Last Flight of Noah's Ark | Coslough | |
| 1981 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | Ezra Liam Kennedy | |
| 1982 | The Escape Artist | Vernon | |
| 1983 | Breathless | Lt. Parmental | |
| 1983 | The Right Stuff | Head of Program | |
| 1984 | The Cotton Club | Joe Flynn | |
| 1985 | Runaway Train | Warden Ranken | |
| 1986 | Avenging Force | Prof. Elliott Glastenbury | |
| 1987 | Three O'Clock High | Mr. O'Rourke | |
| 1987 | Fatal Beauty | Lt. Kellerman | |
| 1987 | Death Wish 4: The Crackdown | Ferrari / Fake Nathan White | |
| 1987 | Rent-a-Cop | Cmdr. Wieser | |
| 1987 | City of Shadows | Sgt. Fireman | |
| 1989 | Best of the Best | Jennings | |
| 1990 | Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection | Gen. Taylor | |
| 1990 | Class of 1999 | Mr. Hardin | |
| 1990 | Eternity | Thomas Vandervere / Prosecutor | |
| 1992 | White Sands | Arms Dealer | Uncredited |
| 1992 | Hoffa | "Red" Bennett | |
| 1992 | Star Time | Sam Bones | |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | 'Buzz' Bronski (voice) | |
| 1993 | Young Goodman Brown | The Devil | |
| 1994 | The Patriots | Arthur | |
| 1994 | Bad Blood | John Blackstone | |
| 1995 | Tall Tale | 'Grub' | |
| 1996 | Bound | Mickey Malnato | Final film role |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1973 | Kojak | Peter Ibbotson | Episode: "Cop in the Cage" |
| 1975 | Death Scream | Det. Dave Lambert | Television film |
| 1977 | The Rockford Files | Dearborn | Episode: "Dirty Money, Black Light" |
| 1980 | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Kurt Belzack | Episode: "Twiki is Missing" |
| 1983 | M*A*S*H | Major Van Zandt | Episode: "That Darn Kid" |
| 1983 | Miss Lonelyhearts | Peter Doyle | Television film |
| 1984 | Simon & Simon | Stewart Crawford | Episode: "Break a Leg, Darling" |
| 1985 | Cagney & Lacey | Philip Corrigan | Episode: "Organized Crime" |
| 1986 | Houston: The Legend of Texas | David G. Burnet | Television film |
| 1989 | Miami Vice | Jake Manning | Episode: "The Cell Within" |
| 1993 | The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. | Sheriff Bob Cavendish | Episode: "Showdown" |