Jack Ryan (character)

This article is about the Tom Clancy character. For the franchise, see Jack Ryan (franchise). For other uses, see Jack Ryan.
Jack Ryan
Ryanverse character
Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October.
First appearanceThe Hunt for Red October (1984)
Created byTom Clancy
Portrayed by
In-universe information
Occupation
Family
  • Emmet William Ryan (father, deceased)
  • Catherine Burke Ryan (mother, deceased)
  • Special Agent Dominic "Enzo" Caruso, FBI (nephew)
  • Captain Brian "Aldo" Caruso, USMC (nephew, deceased)
SpouseCaroline "Cathy" Mueller-Ryan
Children
  • Olivia Barbara "Sally" Ryan
  • John Patrick "Jack" Ryan Jr.
  • Kathleen "Katie" Ryan
  • Kyle Daniel Ryan
ReligionCatholic Church

John Patrick Ryan Sr. KCVO (Hon.), nicknamed Jack, is a fictional character created by author Tom Clancy and featured in his Ryanverse novels, which have consistently topped the New York Times bestseller list over 30 years.[1] Since Clancy's death in 2013, five other authors, Mark Greaney, Grant Blackwood, Mike Maden, Marc Cameron and Don Bentley, have continued writing new novels[2] for the franchise and its other connecting series with the approval of the Clancy family estate.[3]

The son of a Baltimore police detective and a nurse, Ryan is a former U.S. Marine and stockbroker who becomes a civilian history professor at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). Ryan works with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) initially as a MITRE contractor before becoming an analyst and occasional field officer, eventually leading it as Deputy Director. After retiring from the CIA, Ryan later served as National Security Advisor and Vice President before suddenly becoming President of the United States following a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol. Ryan went on to serve two non-consecutive terms and mostly dealt with international crises in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Clancy told Robert Gates that "You know, for the first several novels, I pretty much modeled Ryan’s career on yours."[4]

Jack Ryan has been portrayed in adaptations by actors Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, Chris Pine, and John Krasinski. The film series from 1990 to 2014 have an unadjusted worldwide gross revenue of $788.4 million to date,[5] making it the 57th-highest-grossing film series.[6] The Amazon Prime Video series ran from 2018 to 2023.[7]

  1. ^ Bosman, Julie (2 October 2013). "Tom Clancy, Best-Selling Master of Military Thrillers, Dies at 66". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  2. ^ Burch, Peggy. "Memphis-based writer Mark Greaney keeps thrills alive in Tom Clancy universe". Memphis Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  3. ^ Steck, Ryan (20 February 2017). "Exclusive: Big Changes Coming To The Tom Clancy Universe In 2017". The Real Book Spy. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Robert M. Gates Oral History | Miller Center". 27 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Jack Ryan Movies". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  6. ^ "Movie Franchises". The Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  7. ^ Agard, Chancellor (January 30, 2018). "Watch Amazon's explosive 'Jack Ryan' Super Bowl ad before it airs". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 13, 2018.