Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan (1909 - 1973)

Robert Ryan (with Laraine Day) in The Woman on Pier 13

Film Deaths

• Tender Comrade (1943) [Chris Jones]: Killed in combat (off-screen); we learn of his death when Ginger Rogers receives a telegram informing her.

• Crossfire (1947) [Montgomery]: Shot to death by Robert Young while trying to escape.
• Return Of The Badmen (1948) [The Sundance Kid]: Killed by Randolph Scott as they tussle for a gun in a static camera shot and go below its view. A shot is heard and Scott stands up with the gun (Thanks to Brian)

• The Woman on Pier 13 (I Married a Communist) (1949) [Brad Collins a.k.a. Frank Johnson]: Shot in the stomach in a shoot-out with Thomas Gomez in a warehouse; he dies in Laraine Day's arms shortly afterwards.

• The Racket (1951) [Nick Scanlon]: Shot to death by William Conrad when Robert tries to escape.

• Horizons West (1952) [Dan Hammond]: Shot dead in the climactic shootout by Walter Reed. (Thanks to Brian)

• The Naked Spur (1953) [Ben Vandergroat]: Shot to death by Ralph Meeker just as Robert is about to kill James Stewart (just after James throws his spear into Ryan's face); his body then falls over the cliff and into the river. Ralph later retrieves Robert's body and James brings it back into town. (Thanks to Stephen)

• About Mrs. Leslie (1954) [George Leslie Hendersoll]: Killed in combat (off-screen); we learn of his death when Shirley Booth reads the news.
• Alaska Seas (1954) [Matt Kelly]: Shot in the side and then stabbed by Gene Barry. (If he wasn't yet dead, he would definitely be finished off when the boat collided with an avalanche).

• Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) [Reno Smith]: Burned to death when Spencer Tracy throws a Molotov cocktail at him.

• Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) [Earle Slater]: Killed in an explosion, along with Harry Belafonte, in a shoot-out at an oil refinery. Their bodies are shown afterwards (covered by sheets) lying on the ground as the police clear up the scene.

• King of Kings (1961) [John the Baptist]: Decapitated (off-screen) by Frank Thring's soldiers, acting on Brigid Bazlen's request.

• Billy Budd (1962) [John Claggart, Master-at-Arms]: Killed with a single blow to the face by Terence Stamp.

• Hour of the Gun (1967) [Ike Clanton]: Shot to death in a shoot-out with James Garner. (Historically inaccurate because the real Ike Clanton was gunned down by detective Jonas V. Brighton in 1887 and not Wyatt Earp) (Thanks to Stephen)

• Custer of the West (1967) [Sgt. Mulligan]: Executed by firing squad for desertion.
• And Hope to Die (La course du lievre a travers les champs) (1971) [Charley Ellis] Already mortally wounded due to being shot in the stomach, he is shot to death off-screen after having a stand-off with the police.  The film ends before his fate is shown, but the building he is in, is being constantly barraged with bullets. 

• The Outfit (1973) [Mailer]: Shot to death by Joe Don Baker and Robert Duvall. (Thanks to Tony)

Notable Connections

• Mrs. Jessica Cadwalader (widowed)