John P. Ryan, a renowned character actor, was born on July 30, 1936, in New York City, to Irish immigrant parents. He graduated from Rice High School and later studied English at the City College of New York, where he initially developed a passion for acting.
Prior to pursuing a career in acting, Ryan served six years in the US Army and worked as a welfare investigator. He made his film debut in the comedy The Tiger Makes Out (1967) and went on to appear in five pictures alongside Jack Nicholson, including the iconic Five Easy Pieces (1970),where he played the memorable role of male nurse Spicer.
Throughout his career, Ryan was often cast as tough, intense characters, including nasty villains, hard-boiled police officers, and strict military men. He gave a standout performance in Larry Cohen's It's Alive (1974),playing the role of Frank Davis, a bitter and regretful father of a monstrous mutant baby. He reprised this role in the sequel It Lives Again (1978).
Ryan's other notable film roles include the fanatical Colonel Hardcore in Shamus (1973),shrewd mob capo Patsy O'Neill in Cops and Robbers (1973),evil scientist Schneider in Futureworld (1976),dogged Lt. Parmental in Breathless (1983),vicious Irish mobster Joe Flynn in The Cotton Club (1984),sadistic prison Warden Ranken in Runaway Train (1985),hateful fascist lunatic Glastenbury in Avenging Force (1986),ruthless drug kingpin Nathan White in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987),and lethal robot history teacher Mr. Hardin in Class of 1999 (1990).
In addition to his film work, Ryan also made numerous television appearances, including guest spots on popular shows such as M*A*S*H (1972),The Rockford Files (1974),Hawaii Five-O (1968),Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979),Starsky and Hutch (1975),Kojak (1973),Hart to Hart (1979),The F.B.I. (1965),and Miami Vice (1984). He had a recurring role on the TV series Archer (1975).
Throughout his career, Ryan appeared in over 90 stage plays, and after his final film appearance in "Bound," he dedicated his later years to giving acting lessons and advocating for spiritual healing. John P. Ryan passed away on March 20, 2007, at the age of 70, due to a stroke, leaving behind two daughters.
