Biography
John P. Ryan (1936–2007) was an American character actor. Born in New York City, he graduated from Rice High School and studied English at the City College of New York before training at the Actors Studio. He served six years in the US Army and worked as a welfare investigator prior to beginning his acting career.
Ryan made his film debut in The Tiger Makes Out (1967) and appeared in five films with Jack Nicholson, including Five Easy Pieces (1970). He was frequently cast as villains, tough cops and military officers, with notable roles in It's Alive (1974), The Right Stuff (1983), Runaway Train (1985) and The Cotton Club (1984). His final screen appearance was as Mickey Malnato in Bound (1996). He also had an extensive stage career and appeared in numerous television series.
