Evening star., 1943-09-26
He'll Return
From Battle
A Film Star
By Rosalind Shafer
HOIJ,vW0NT

HOLLY WOOD.
About the time that Robert Ryan
comes home from war, the Ameri-
can public is going to discover him
as a movie star.
The big handsome Irishman holds
the first contract written in Holly
wood to claim an actors services
after the war, he has made six
pictures-only two released-and
was inducted into the armed forces
early this month.
These circumstances are only a
Few of the unusual series in Ryan's
life before coming to the films. He
has worked as sandhog, seaman,
sewer builder, salesman, cowboy,
miner, bodyguard to gangster,
photographers model, WPA laborer,
he makes no capital of these ad-
ventures, but explains that he was
graduated from Dartmouth during
the depression and took what work
he could get.
His size. feet 8, and his Drawn,
weight 1876, made it natural that
he should find physical work easiest
to find. His first job, a member
of the BLACK gang in the engine
room of ship, was the hardest
physically, he thinks.
Through all his kaleidoscope Ca
reer, he aimed eventually to do
something in which he could use a
very good set of brains as well as
his muscles. He was working as a
photographers model-and hating
it-when he began to realize that
there might be some cash value in
his appearance, and the idea of an
acting career began to formulate.
Professional Type.
When windfall of $4,000 came
his way, he knew what to do with
1t. He came to Hollywood and
worked in the Max Reinhardt
School, and also under Vladimir
Sokoloff. Talent scouts proved cold,
however; they said he was not the
type for films. It's true he doesn't
look nor act like the general con-
ception of an actor; he's quiet
spoken, well bred, he might be a
tennis champion or college pro-
fessor.
That early Hollywood experience
got him one thing-a wife. He mar
ried Jessica Cadwallader, a fellow
drama student. With her he hit
the Eastern straw hat circuits. He
began getting attention as the big,
ugged-looking fellow whs played
with Luise Rainer in "a Kiss for
Cinderella" in the summer theaters.
Tallulah Bankhead chose him as her
leading man in Clifford Odets' play,
"Clash by Night" venture terni-
mated in Philadelphia by flu
At this time, Pare Lorentz, who
mad made excellent Government
films prior to the war, was planning
Name, Age and Occupation" Lo-
rentz didn't want actors; he wanted
fellow who looked typically Amer
lean, who could act, and he remem-
bered Ryan.
That brought Ryan to films. But
when RKO decided to shelve this
huge production 1t looked like bad
luck for Ryan. 1t wasn't; he was
Immediately spotted in q top role In
"Bombardier, followed by The
Sky's the Limit, The Iron Major"
Behind the Rising Sun" and his
latest and last for the durtion,
Tender Comrade," with Ginger
Rogers.
On Facing Realities.
Self-expression is important to
Ryan. He hopes to DO something
with writing when he gets chance.
He has tried his hand at plays,
fiction, even some poetry. Evidently
his mother sensed the urge in him
as child, for she had him take
violin lessons. When this happened,
his father, Timothy Ryan, rushed
out and got him boxing instructor,
on the theory that a violin player
In his neighborhood needed to know
boxingl
Strangely enough, in Tender Com
fade" Ryan plays a husband who
goes to war and leaves his wife at
home. He doesn't come back. The
story is told in fiashbacks as he re-
members his life with her before he
goes to his death. The studio has
been wondering if it's a good idea
to stick to that ending. Ryan thinks
1t is.
Il think people can stand the
truth that many men will not come
back. If the picture gives the sug-
gestion of moral stamina to brave
women, I don't think they'll resent
It," he says.
Ryan would think of it that way.
He's used to coming to grips with
0fe.