John Patrick Ryan was an American actor. A prolific character actor known for playing "slimy villains, tough cops, and military officers," he worked with notable directors like Bob Rafelson, Francis Ford Coppola, Andrei Konchalovsky, Arthur Penn, Philip Kaufman, and The Wachowskis, and often appeared in films starring his friend Jack Nicholson.
Among his stage roles, Ryan played King Henry in The Lion in Winter and Mr. DePinna in You Can't Take It with You at the 1966 Williamstown Theatre Festival. He starred in the Broadway productions Daphne in Cottage D (1967) and Medea (1973).
Ryan got into film acting at the encouragement of his friend Jack Nicholson. He appeared opposite Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970), The King of Marvin Gardens (1973), The Missouri Breaks (1976), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), and Hoffa (1992).
