Robert Ryan

Biography

Robert Ryan was an American actor who built a career playing hardened anti-heroes and ruthless villains, especially in film noir and Westerns. Born in Chicago, he joined a small theater company there in 1937 and later studied at the Max Reinhardt Workshop in Hollywood. A Broadway production of Clash by Night led RKO to sign him, and his breakthrough came as an anti-Semitic killer in Crossfire (1947), a performance that brought an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to play an aging boxer in The Set-Up (1949) and a villain opposite James Stewart in The Naked Spur (1953). On stage he won a Drama Desk Award in 1971 for his work in Long Day's Journey into Night, and he was nominated for a BAFTA for Billy Budd (1962). He also worked often in television as a guest star and won awards for his work in The Iceman Cometh (1973).

63years old at death

Born November 11, 1909Chicago
Died July 11, 1973New York City
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Also credited as Robert Bushnell Ryan

Movie Career

Films: 51
Career span: 76 years1943 to 2019

Genres

Drama71%, 36 films
Crime24%, 12 films
Western24%, 12 films
Thriller22%, 11 films
Action18%, 9 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A change of course
Ryan attended Dartmouth College, where he held the heavyweight boxing title for all four years, and he graduated in 1932. He also lettered in football and track there.
A role that slipped away
Ryan was considered for the role of Commodore Matt Decker in the Star Trek episode "The Doomsday Machine," written with him in mind, but prior commitments kept him out and William Windom took the part.
Behind the camera
Ryan, Martha Scott and Henry Fonda founded the Long Island repertory company the Plumstead Playhouse, which developed an early production of The Front Page.

Robert Ryan movies on Netflix

The Aeronauts2019IMDb rating 6.6as Royal Society Man
Executive Action1973IMDb rating 6.7as Robert Foster
Lolly-Madonna XXX1973IMDb rating 6.4as Pap Gutshall
The Iceman Cometh1973IMDb rating 7.2as Larry Slade
The Outfit1973IMDb rating 7.0as Mailer
Lawman1971IMDb rating 7.0as Sabbath Marshal Cotton Ryan Cotten
Captain Nemo and the Underwater City1969IMDb rating 5.7as Captain Nemo
The Wild Bunch1969IMDb rating 7.9as Deke Thornton
Anzio1968IMDb rating 6.0as General Carson
A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die1967IMDb rating 6.3as New Mexico Gov. Lem Carter
Custer of the West1967IMDb rating 5.8as Mulligan
Hour of the Gun1967IMDb rating 6.6as Ike Clanton
The Busy Body1967IMDb rating 5.5as Charley Barker
The Dirty Dozen1967IMDb rating 7.7as Col. Everett Dasher Breed
The Professionals1966IMDb rating 7.3as Ehrengard
Battle of the Bulge1965IMDb rating 6.8as Gen. Grey
Billy Budd1962IMDb rating 7.8as John Claggart, Master of Arms
The Longest Day1962IMDb rating 7.7as Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
King of Kings1961IMDb rating 7.0as John the Baptist
Day of the Outlaw1959IMDb rating 7.3as Blaise Starrett
Lonelyhearts1959IMDb rating 6.6as William Shrike
Odds Against Tomorrow1959IMDb rating 7.4as Earle Slater
God's Little Acre1958IMDb rating 6.5as Ty Ty Walden
Men in War1957IMDb rating 7.1as Lt. Benson
Back from Eternity1956IMDb rating 6.6as Bill Lonagan
The Proud Ones1956IMDb rating 6.9as Marshal Cass Silver
Bad Day at Black Rock1955IMDb rating 7.6as Reno Smith
Escape to Burma1955IMDb rating 5.5as Jim Brecan
House of Bamboo1955IMDb rating 6.8as Sandy Dawson
The Tall Men1955IMDb rating 6.7as Nathan Stark
City Beneath the Sea1953IMDb rating 5.5as Brad Carlton
Inferno1953IMDb rating 7.0as Donald Whitley Carson III
The Naked Spur1953IMDb rating 7.3as Ben Vandergroat
Beware, My Lovely1952IMDb rating 6.7as Howard Wilton
Clash by Night1952IMDb rating 7.0as Earl Pfeiffer
Horizons West1952IMDb rating 6.4as Dan Hammond
Flying Leathernecks1951IMDb rating 6.3as Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
On Dangerous Ground1951IMDb rating 7.2as Jim Wilson
The Racket1951IMDb rating 6.7as Nick Scanlon
Born to Be Bad1950IMDb rating 6.6as Nick
The Woman on Pier 131950IMDb rating 6.1as Bradley Collins / Frank Johnson
Caught1949IMDb rating 7.0as Smith Ohlrig
The Set-Up1949IMDb rating 7.8as Stoker
Act of Violence1948IMDb rating 7.5as Joe Parkson
Berlin Express1948IMDb rating 6.8as Robert Lindley
Return of the Bad Men1948IMDb rating 6.3as Sundance Kid
The Boy with Green Hair1948IMDb rating 6.7as Dr. Evans
Crossfire1947IMDb rating 7.2as Montgomery
The Woman on the Beach1947IMDb rating 6.3as Scott Burnett
Bombardier1943IMDb rating 6.0as Joe Connors
The Sky's the Limit1943IMDb rating 6.3as Reginald Fenton

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Wild Bunch1969 Action, Adventure, Westernas Deke Thornton
IMDb rating 7.995K votes
Bad Day at Black Rock1955 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Westernas Reno Smith
IMDb rating 7.627K votes
The Professionals1966as Ehrengard
IMDb rating 7.321K votes
The Set-Up1949as Stoker
IMDb rating 7.811K votes
The Longest Day1962as Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
IMDb rating 7.764K votes
Battle of the Bulge1965as Gen. Grey
IMDb rating 6.819K votes
The Naked Spur1953as Ben Vandergroat
IMDb rating 7.314K votes
Crossfire1947as Montgomery
IMDb rating 7.211K votes

Most often with

Nicholas Ray directed four of these films, Anthony Mann three and Ken Annakin two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Robert Mitchum

Lee Marvin

Ernest Borgnine

Burt Lancaster

Robert Adler

Walter Sande

Nicholas RayDirector, 4 films Anthony MannDirector, 3 films Ken AnnakinDirector, 2 films

Films together

Robert Mitchum4 films together, 1947 to 1968
Robert Mitchum's page
- Anzio1968IMDb rating 6.0Ryan as General CarsonMitchum as Dick Ennis (war correspondent, International Press)
- The Longest Day1962IMDb rating 7.7Ryan as Brig. Gen. James M. GavinMitchum as Brig. Gen. Norman Cota
- The Racket1951IMDb rating 6.7Ryan as Nick ScanlonMitchum as Captain Thomas McQuigg
- Crossfire1947IMDb rating 7.2Ryan as MontgomeryMitchum as Peter Keeley
Lee Marvin4 films together, 1955 to 1973
Lee Marvin's page
- The Iceman Cometh1973IMDb rating 7.2Ryan as Larry SladeMarvin as Hickey
- The Dirty Dozen1967IMDb rating 7.7Ryan as Col. Everett Dasher BreedMarvin as Maj. Reisman
- The Professionals1966IMDb rating 7.3Ryan as EhrengardMarvin as Fardan
- Bad Day at Black Rock1955IMDb rating 7.6Ryan as Reno SmithMarvin as Hector David
Ernest Borgnine3 films together, 1955 to 1969
Ernest Borgnine's page
- The Wild Bunch1969IMDb rating 7.9Ryan as Deke ThorntonBorgnine as Dutch Engstrom
- The Dirty Dozen1967IMDb rating 7.7Ryan as Col. Everett Dasher BreedBorgnine as Gen. Worden
- Bad Day at Black Rock1955IMDb rating 7.6Ryan as Reno SmithBorgnine as Coley Trimble
Burt Lancaster3 films together, 1966 to 1973
Burt Lancaster's page
- Executive Action1973IMDb rating 6.7Ryan as Robert FosterLancaster as James Farrington
- Lawman1971IMDb rating 7.0Ryan as Sabbath Marshal Cotton Ryan CottenLancaster as Bannock Marshal Jared Maddox
- The Professionals1966IMDb rating 7.3Ryan as EhrengardLancaster as Dolworth
Robert Adler3 films together, 1953 to 1956
Robert Adler's page
- The Proud Ones1956IMDb rating 6.9Ryan as Marshal Cass SilverAdler as Poker Player
- The Tall Men1955IMDb rating 6.7Ryan as Nathan StarkAdler as Wrangler
- Inferno1953IMDb rating 7.0Ryan as Donald Whitley Carson IIIAdler as Ken - Ranch Hand
Walter Sande3 films together, 1947 to 1955
Walter Sande's page
- Bad Day at Black Rock1955IMDb rating 7.6Ryan as Reno SmithSande as Sam
- The Racket1951IMDb rating 6.7Ryan as Nick ScanlonSande as Precinct Sgt. Jim Delaney
- The Woman on the Beach1947IMDb rating 6.3Ryan as Scott BurnettSande as Otto Wernecke
Nicholas RayDirector, 4 films, 1950 to 1961
All films by Nicholas Ray
- King of Kings1961IMDb rating 7.0Ryan as John the Baptist
- Flying Leathernecks1951IMDb rating 6.3Ryan as Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
- On Dangerous Ground1951IMDb rating 7.2Ryan as Jim Wilson
- Born to Be Bad1950IMDb rating 6.6Ryan as Nick
Anthony MannDirector, 3 films, 1953 to 1958
All films by Anthony Mann
- God's Little Acre1958IMDb rating 6.5Ryan as Ty Ty Walden
- Men in War1957IMDb rating 7.1Ryan as Lt. Benson
- The Naked Spur1953IMDb rating 7.3Ryan as Ben Vandergroat
Ken AnnakinDirector, 2 films, 1962 to 1965
All films by Ken Annakin
- Battle of the Bulge1965IMDb rating 6.8Ryan as Gen. Grey
- The Longest Day1962IMDb rating 7.7Ryan as Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
Also three films together5 more actors
- Jeffrey HunterCuster of the West (1967), King of Kings (1961) and The Proud Ones (1956)
- Richard BullExecutive Action (1973), Lawman (1971) and Hour of the Gun (1967)
- Walter ReedHorizons West (1952), Return of the Bad Men (1948) and Bombardier (1943)
- Tom KeeneBerlin Express (1948), Return of the Bad Men (1948) and Crossfire (1947)
- William TalmanBeware, My Lovely (1952), The Racket (1951) and The Woman on Pier 13 (1950)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Robert Ryan's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$145 million

15 of the 51 films have a worldwide figure.

15Worldwide figure
4US gross only
32Figure not found

Top grosser

The Longest Day1962Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin$50.1 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 93% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Longest Day1962as Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin
$50M34.7% of the total
2
The Dirty Dozen1967as Col. Everett Dasher Breed
$45M31.3% of the total
3
King of Kings1961as John the Baptist
$13M9.3% of the total
4
Battle of the Bulge1965as Gen. Grey
$11M7.7% of the total
5
The Tall Men1955as Nathan Stark
$5.0M3.5% of the total
6
Bad Day at Black Rock1955as Reno Smith
$3.8M2.6% of the total
7
The Aeronauts2019as Royal Society Man
$3.5M2.4% of the total
8
Flying Leathernecks1951as Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
$2.6M1.8% of the total