Jack Ryan (designer): Difference between revisions

Jack Ryan
Jack Ryan
Born	John W. Ryan; November 12, 1926
Died	August 13, 1991 (aged 64); Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Suicide by Gunshot wound
Occupation	Designer
Spouse(s)	Barbara Harris (m. 1950; div. 1971); Zsa Zsa Gabor (m. 1975; div. 1976); Linda Henson (m. 1979; died 1981); Gari Hardy Lansing (m. 1981; div. 1985); Magda Orzechowski (m. 1985)

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Revision as of 12:51, 29 March 2022

John W. Ryan (November 12, 1926 – August 13, 1991) was an American designer. Ryan worked at toy company Mattel for 20 years, becoming the company's vice president of research and development, and subsequently working as a consultant. He was responsible for the Barbie doll, Hot Wheels, and Chatty Cathy. He was the sixth husband of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor.^[1]

Career

Ryan graduated from Yale University, after which he worked at aerospace company Raytheon as an engineer, working on the AIM-7 Sparrow and MIM-23 Hawk missiles.^[1]^[2]

Mattel hired him for his "space-aged savvy" and knowledge of materials.^[3]

In 1956, Mattel co-owner Ruth Handler returned from a European vacation with a German-designed Bild Lilli doll. She and Ryan worked on producing a similar fashion doll for the American market (the two later disputed which of them was chiefly responsible for the doll's design).^[4]

Ryan went on to lead Mattel's research and development department, with a research and development budget in 1962 of $1.5 million US dollars.^[5] He developed Chatty Cathy, Ken, Hot Wheels, and Larry the Lion, and was involved in creating the voice systems for Chatty Cathy, Barbie, and Larry the Lion.^[6]

Ryan worked on the V-rroom! X-15 velocipede which was named after the North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft, and patented the V-RROOM! toy engines that simulated motorcycle engine sounds.^{[citation needed]}

Ryan's relationship with Mattel soured, and in 1980 he sued Mattel for royalties; the company settled out of court.^[4]

Death

Ryan suffered a debilitating stroke in 1989; he died by gun suicide on August 13, 1991.^[7]^[8]^[1]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Jack Ryan Dies at 65; Designer of Barbie Doll". The Associated Press. 21 August 1991. Archived from the original on 2010-08-15 – via The New York Times.
^ Richard Warren Lewis (14 July 1975). "Jack Ryan and Zsa Zsa: A Millionaire Inventor and His Hungarian Barbie Doll". People.
^ Lori Leibovich; Suzette Lalime (26 November 1997). "The Skinny on Barbie - Essential facts about her checkered past". Salon. Salon Media Group.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jill Lepore (22 January 2018). "When Barbie Went to War with Bratz". The New Yorker.
^ Eiss, Harry Edwin, ed. (1994). Images of the child. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p. 195. ISBN 0879726547. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^ Oppenheimer, Jerry (2009). Toy monster : the big, bad world of Mattel. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. pp. 4, 14. ISBN 0470371269.
^ The Toys that Made Us - Season 1 - Episode 2
^ Myrna Oliver (19 August 1991). "Jack Ryan, 65; Toy Inventor, Missile Designer". Los Angeles Times.

Husband of a Gabor Sister
Preceded by Joshua S. Cosden, Jr.	Zsa Zsa - Sixth January 21, 1975 – August 24, 1976 Divorced	Succeeded by Michael O'Hara

[nytimes_obit-1] "Jack Ryan Dies at 65; Designer of Barbie Doll". The Associated Press. 21 August 1991. Archived from the original on 2010-08-15 – via The New York Times.

[people-2] Richard Warren Lewis (14 July 1975). "Jack Ryan and Zsa Zsa: A Millionaire Inventor and His Hungarian Barbie Doll". People.

[3] Lori Leibovich; Suzette Lalime (26 November 1997). "The Skinny on Barbie - Essential facts about her checkered past". Salon. Salon Media Group.

[newyorker-4] Jill Lepore (22 January 2018). "When Barbie Went to War with Bratz". The New Yorker.

[imagesofthechild-5] Eiss, Harry Edwin, ed. (1994). Images of the child. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p. 195. ISBN 0879726547. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

[ToyMonster-6] Oppenheimer, Jerry (2009). Toy monster : the big, bad world of Mattel. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. pp. 4, 14. ISBN 0470371269.

[7] The Toys that Made Us - Season 1 - Episode 2

[8] Myrna Oliver (19 August 1991). "Jack Ryan, 65; Toy Inventor, Missile Designer". Los Angeles Times.

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@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Ryan went on to lead Mattel's research and development department, with a research and development budget in 1962 of $1.5 million US dollars.<ref name="imagesofthechild">{{cite book |editor1-last=Eiss |editor1-first=Harry Edwin |title=Images of the child |date=1994 |publisher=Bowling Green State University Popular Press |location=Bowling Green, OH |isbn=0879726547 |page=195 |access-date=29 March 2022 |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=R6d-0zUTtbsC&lpg=PA187&ots=naPeOkdtnD&dq=%22jack%20ryan%22%20%22Chatty%20Cathy%22%20voice&lr&pg=PA195#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref> He developed Chatty Cathy, Ken, Hot Wheels, and Larry the Lion, and was involved in creating the voice systems for Chatty Cathy, Barbie, and Larry the Lion.<ref name="ToyMonster">{{cite book |last1=Oppenheimer |first1=Jerry |title=Toy monster : the big, bad world of Mattel |date=2009 |publisher=Wiley |location=Hoboken, N.J. |isbn=0470371269 |pages=4, 14}}</ref>
-Ryan worked on the V-rroom! X-15 [[velocipede]] which was named after the [[North American X-15]] rocket-powered aircraft, and patented the V-RROOM! toy engines that simulated motorcycle engine sounds.{{citation-needed}}
+Ryan worked on the V-rroom! X-15 [[velocipede]] which was named after the [[North American X-15]] rocket-powered aircraft, and patented the V-RROOM! toy engines that simulated motorcycle engine sounds.{{citation-needed|date=March 2022}}
 Ryan's relationship with Mattel soured, and in 1980 he sued Mattel for royalties; the company settled out of court.<ref name="newyorker" />