Robert Ryan … Cowboy Noir

     Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan
Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan was already a grizzled veteran of the screen when I was a kid – and I missed most of his earlier work of the 40’s and 50’s. And to me he always seemed to be one of those actors that somehow were never young – even in his early movies – with a presence, stature and persona that moved past his years and youth.

Rugged and somewhat gruff in his portrayals – even his smile was often more like a sardonic smirk – he often played the heavy – a villain. Yet he surely played strong and well along side the likes of:

Gary Cooper (North West Mounted Police / 1940
Rock Hudson (Horizons West / 1952
James Stewart and Janet Leigh (The Naked Spur / 1953
Clark Gable and Jane Russell (The Tall Men / 1955
Burl Ives and Tina Louise (Day of the Outlaw /1959
John Dehner and Torin Thatcher (The Canadians / 1961,
Lancaster, Marvin, Palance
StrodeBellamy and Cardinale (The Professionals / 1966
James Garner and Jason Robards (Hour of the Gun / 1967
Robert Shaw (Custer of the West /1968
Arthur Kennedy (
A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die / 1968
William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson … (The Wild Bunch / 1969
Burt Lancaster, Lee J. Cobb (Lawman / 1971 …
and more …

A heck of an actor. And these are just his Westerns !

But what Westerns they were ! At least 3 easily rising  into the heights of Western Classics: The Wild Bunch, The Professionals, Naked Spur, Hour of the Gun … plus others of worthy note.

A true Western Star.

Robert Ryan
Robert Ryan
the professionals ryan
Robert Ryan / The Wild Bunch
Robert Ryan / The Professionals
Robert Ryan / The Professionals
Ryan 'slappin leather' in The Hour of the Gun
Ryan slappin’ leather in The Hour of the Gun
Robert Ryan / The Wild Bunch
Ryan (Center Back) with mostly unidentified cast cohorts of The Wild Bunch 
– except Strother Martin (Back left)
Ryan - The Naked
Ryan – The Naked Gun

Ride on Robert …

Saddledome Rise SE, Calgary, AB T2G, Canada

Author: jcalberta

Howdy! I love Westerns. ... and the intent of MyFavoriteWesterns.com is to celebrate Western Movies/Film - old and new. This site will eventually show my top 30 favorite Westerns - or more. I will have original graphic work with regular updates. All this - and more ... Yee Haw ... !! - jcablerta / Moderator / Administrator

6 thoughts on “Robert Ryan … Cowboy Noir”

    1. Thank you for your comment Mon Ami !

      Your profile on Ryan is superior to mine. I have now included your distinguished Western blog among my Links.

      Happy Trails !

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