# James Ryan (actor) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Ryan_(actor) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Ryan_(actor).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ryan_(actor) > Source revision: 1356962898 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|South African actor, writer and director}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = James Ryan | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 15 October 1952 | birth_place = [South Africa](/source/South_Africa) | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = actor, writer and director. | years_active = 1974-present | notable_works = ''[Kill or Be Killed](/source/Kill_or_Be_Killed_(1980_film))'' | spouse = | parents = | website = }} '''James Ryan''' is a South African actor, writer and director. Ryan played the lead in the South African made martial arts film ''[Kill or Be Killed](/source/Kill_or_Be_Killed_(1980_film))'' (1976), which became an international success. This launched Ryan as an actor, who also found success with its sequel ''[Kill and Kill Again](/source/Kill_and_Kill_Again)'' (1981). Moving forward, Ryan acted in a variety of projects as well as playing lead roles in action adventures films. ==Partial career== In 1976, Ryan garnered international attention early in his career, starring in the film ''[Kill or Be Killed](/source/Kill_or_Be_Killed_(1980_film)),'' where he played a [martial arts](/source/martial_arts) fighter. In 1981, he reprised the role in ''[Kill and Kill Again](/source/Kill_and_Kill_Again).'' The sequel proved a major box office success for a low-budget South African feature, reaching No. 2 on the American box office and grossing $802,900 after two weeks in American theatres.{{cite book|year=1980s|author=Jani Allan|author-link=Jani Allan|title=[Face Value](/source/Face_Value_(book)) |publisher=Longstreet}} In 1984, he had the title role in ''[Go for the Gold](/source/Go_for_Gold_(film))'' which also starred [Tamara Franke](/source/Tamara_Franke) and [Cameron Mitchell](/source/Cameron_Mitchell_(actor)).[British Film Institute](/source/British_Film_Institute) - [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804184754/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7b5e8bb8 ''Go for Gold'' (1984), film details] He played the part of a long distance runner called Johnny who lived at home with his mother and abusive stepfather. Two things that mean a lot to him are his girlfriend Trish and his running. He has a solid influence in his champion runner friend Victor. He comes to the attention of Phillip Pritchard, who is a businessman. He risks losing the things that are dear to him,''[Herald & Review](/source/Herald_%26_Review)'', Sunday, July 4, 1993 - [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/91848562/ Page 91 ''Friday Movies''] as Pritchard is forcing him to choose between them and fame and fortune.Running Movies - [http://runningmovies.com/title/517.htm ''Go For Gold''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028032239/http://www.runningmovies.com/title/517.htm |date=28 October 2012 }} In 1988, he participated to two [David Winters](/source/David_Winters_(choreographer)) films, the [space opera](/source/space_opera) [science fiction film](/source/science_fiction_film) ''[Space Mutiny](/source/Space_Mutiny),''{{Cite news |date=1989-04-06 |title=Recent movies |volume=320 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer}} and the action film ''Rage to Kill'' where he plays the lead.{{Cite web |title=Rage to Kill (1988) - Overview - TCM.com |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/501888/rage-to-kill |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610105216/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/501888/Rage-to-Kill/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 June 2013 |access-date=April 27, 2019 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}} That year, he acted in [Pat O'Connor](/source/Pat_O'Connor_(director))'s ''[The January Man](/source/The_January_Man)''. In 1991, he wrote and starred in ''The Last Hero''. In 1994, he landed a role in ''[Halifax f.p](/source/Halifax_f.p)'', an Australian television drama that won two [Australian Film Institute](/source/Australian_Film_Institute) awards. A year later he returned to the martial arts film genre, with a role in ''[Redemption: Kickboxer 5](/source/Redemption%3A_Kickboxer_5)''. In 1998, he appeared in the Australian television drama and sequel ''Halifax f.p: Afraid of the Dark''; the acclaimed drama earned several [Logie](/source/Logie_Award) and [Australian Film Institute](/source/Australian_Film_Institute) nominations. In 1999, he appeared in the sequel to ''[From Dusk till Dawn](/source/From_Dusk_till_Dawn)'', ''[From Dusk till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money](/source/From_Dusk_till_Dawn_2%3A_Texas_Blood_Money)''. Afterwards, he has appeared in films such as ''Red Lipstick'', ''Global Effect'' and ''Sterne über Madeira'', a German television two-part drama alongside fellow South African [Moira Lister](/source/Moira_Lister). ==Selected filmography== * ''La Diosa virgen'' (1973) * ''[Kill or Be Killed](/source/Kill_or_Be_Killed_(1980_film))'' (1976) * ''[Kill and Kill Again](/source/Kill_and_Kill_Again)'' (1981) * ''[Go for the Gold](/source/Go_for_Gold_(film))'' (1984) * ''[Falling in Love](/source/Falling_in_Love_(1984_film))'' (1984) * ''[Space Mutiny](/source/Space_Mutiny)'' (1988) * ''[Any Man's Death](/source/Any_Man's_Death)'' (1990) * ''[The January Man](/source/The_January_Man)'' (1990) * ''[Redemption: Kickboxer 5](/source/Redemption%3A_Kickboxer_5)'' (1995) * ''[From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money](/source/From_Dusk_Till_Dawn_2%3A_Texas_Blood_Money)'' (1999) * ''[Samson](/source/Samson_(2018_film))'' (2018) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *{{IMDb name|0752591}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, James}} Category:Living people Category:1952 births Category:South African male film actors Category:White South African people --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Ryan (actor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ryan_(actor)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ryan_(actor)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.