Actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, as Robert Bushnell Ryan, he was a distinguished performer on both the screen and television. He graduated from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, in 1932, having held the school's heavyweight boxing title all four years. He studied acting in Hollywood and appeared on stage and in small film parts for RKO Studios during the early 1940s. During World War II, he served in the United States Marines as a Drill Instructor and won several service boxing championships. After the service, he resumed acting with a breakthrough film role as a killer in "Crossfire" (1947), for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination. For the next four decades, he was a prolific actor in over fifty feature films. His credits included "The Setup" (1949), "Flying Leathernecks" (1951), "Bad Day at Black Rock" (1955), "Day of the Outlaw" (1959), "The Longest Day" (1962), "Battle of the Bulge" (1965), "The Professionals" (1966), "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), "The Wild Bunch" (1969), and "The Outfit" (1973). For television, he appeared on the series "Alcoa Theatre," "Goodyear Theatre," "Zane Grey Theatre," "Kraft Theatre," "Playhouse 90," and "Wagon Train."
Actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, as Robert Bushnell Ryan, he was a distinguished performer on both the screen and television. He graduated from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, in 1932, having held the school's heavyweight boxing title all four years. He studied acting in Hollywood and appeared on stage and in small film parts for RKO Studios during the early 1940s. During World War II, he served in the United States Marines as a Drill Instructor and won several service boxing championships. After the service, he resumed acting with a breakthrough film role as a killer in "Crossfire" (1947), for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination. For the next four decades, he was a prolific actor in over fifty feature films. His credits included "The Setup" (1949), "Flying Leathernecks" (1951), "Bad Day at Black Rock" (1955), "Day of the Outlaw" (1959), "The Longest Day" (1962), "Battle of the Bulge" (1965), "The Professionals" (1966), "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), "The Wild Bunch" (1969), and "The Outfit" (1973). For television, he appeared on the series "Alcoa Theatre," "Goodyear Theatre," "Zane Grey Theatre," "Kraft Theatre," "Playhouse 90," and "Wagon Train."
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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