John Saint Ryan obit

Ex-Coronation Street star John Saint Ryan dies suddenly

 

He was not on the list.

A former Coronation Street actor has passed away at 72 following a heart attack.

John Saint Ryan, known for his portrayal of lorry driver Charlie Whelan from 1993 to 1994, died on April 3 surrounded by family, his wife said.

"I and our family want to let our friends know that John had a heart attack the evening of Thursday 3rd of April," his wife, Joyce, posted.

"We were with him at the hospital where the staff did everything possible but unfortunately he did not survive. We are absolutely heart broken. John wanted to aid medical research and donated his body, so there will not be a funeral. Later, we will arrange a celebration of his wonderful life.

"We are all fortunate to have known and loved this special 'Gentleman' as he has been described to me numerous times over the last couple of days," she concluded.

Born in Burnley, Lancashire, in 1953, John began as a martial arts teacher before transitioning into acting. His first role was as a stunt double for Sean Connery in The Medicine Man, followed by his acting debut in Channel 4's G.B.H. in 1983. He also appeared in Emmerdale as Jameson before landing his notable role in Coronation Street, reports the Express.

As long-distance lorry driver Charlie Whelan, he captured the public's imagination. He was thrust into the action when he began a relationship with iconic Rovers Return landlady Bet Gilroy (played by Julie Goodyear) during her separation from husband Alec Gilroy (Roy Barraclough).

However, when barmaid Tanya Pooley (Eva Pope) set her sights on him to get her own back on Bet, he succumbed to her charms. They ran off to Germany together but it didn't last, with Tanya dumping Charlie once he'd served his purpose bringing his year on the soap to an end.

Following his stint on the soap, he moved to California in the 1990s where he enjoyed continued success. He had supporting roles in films and television series including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, General Hospital, Murder, She Wrote, Cybill and The Heidi Chronicles.

He also played the main antagonist in the sci-fi film American Cyborg: Steel Warrior.

Away from the screen, he owned and operated a cattle ranch called Red Rose Ranch where he trained horses and riders in dressage and western riding. He himself specialised in the doma vaquera style of riding and won multiple national and international titles in the sport over the years.

Writer

Into the Darkness (1993)

Into the Darkness

4.3

Video

Writer (as John C. Barker)

1993

 

John Saint Ryan in The Assassinator (1992)

The Assassinator

6.4

Writer (as John C. Barker)

1992

 

Actor

John Diehl in Out of the Wild (2019)

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Tom Essex

2019

 

Bad Cat (2015)

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Short

Quinn

2015

 

Revolution (2012)

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6.6

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Bandit #2

2012

1 episode

 

The Butcher (2009)

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Illegal Surgeon

2009

 

Will Patton, Gil Bellows, Gloria Reuben, and Paige Turco in The Agency (2001)

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7.3

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SAS Leader

2001

1 episode

 

Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

8.3

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Colonel George Haviland

2000

1 episode

 

Tracy Scoggins, Gary Cole, Daniel Dae Kim, Carrie Dobro, and Peter Woodward in Crusade (1999)

Crusade

6.7

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Technomage

1999

1 episode

 

Players (1997)

Players

7.5

TV Series

Martin Daggett

1998

1 episode

 

Heath Ledger in Roar (1997)

Roar

7.2

TV Series

Fergus

1997

13 episodes

 

Cybill Shepherd in Cybill (1995)

Cybill

6.9

TV Series

Ryan

1997

1 episode

 

Dark Skies (1996)

Dark Skies

7.5

TV Series

Colonel Dimitri Mironov

1997

1 episode

 

Sugar Ray Leonard, Dawn Eason, Wolf Larson, Renee Tenison, Kenneth Tigar, and Steven Williams in L.A. Heat (1996)

L.A. Heat

6.8

TV Series

Yuri (as John St. Ryan)

1997

1 episode

 

EZ Streets (1996)

EZ Streets

8.0

TV Series

Bo

1996–1997

6 episodes

 

Gargoyles (1994)

Gargoyles

8.0

TV Series

King Arthur (voice)

1995–1996

2 episodes

 

C. Thomas Howell and Kristen Dalton in The Sweeper (1996)

The Sweeper

5.1

Video

Richman

1996

 

Carl Lumbly in M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994)

M.A.N.T.I.S.

6.1

TV Series

Druid (as John St. Ryan)

1995

1 episode

 

Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs, Jerry Doyle, and Andreas Katsulas in Babylon 5 (1993)

Babylon 5

8.4

TV Series

Troublemaker (as John St. Ryan)

1995

1 episode

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.2

TV Series

Jack Conroy (as John St. Ryan)

1995

2 episodes

 

No Greater Love (1995)

No Greater Love

5.8

TV Movie

Titanic Officer with Moustache (uncredited)

1995

 

The Heidi Chronicles (1995)

The Heidi Chronicles

6.3

TV Movie

Nick (as John St. Ryan)

1995

 

Adam Beach in Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994)

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale

6.1

Miles Standish

1994

 

Peter Adamson, Jean Alexander, Johnny Briggs, Margot Bryant, and Doris Speed in Coronation Street (1960)

Coronation Street

5.6

TV Series

Charlie Whelan

Barman

1987–1994

60 episodes

 

CIA II: Target Alexa (1993)

CIA II: Target Alexa

3.8

Ralph Straker (as John Ryan)

1993

 

SeaQuest 2032 (1993)

SeaQuest 2032

6.7

TV Series

Captain Finius Wideman

1993

1 episode

 

American Cyborg: Steel Warrior (1993)

American Cyborg: Steel Warrior

4.3

Cyborg (as John Ryan)

1993

 

Into the Darkness (1993)

Into the Darkness

4.3

Video

Jeff Conti

1993

 

Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992)

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

7.3

TV Series

Mister Max (as John Ryan)

1992

1 episode

 

John Saint Ryan in The Assassinator (1992)

The Assassinator

6.4

Chris McCall (as John Ryan)

1992

 

The Eye of Satan (1992)

The Eye of Satan

5.0

Video

Camille Muhamed

1992

 

James Cosmo and Gwen Taylor in The Sharp End (1991)

The Sharp End

8.3

TV Mini Series

Maurice (as John Ryan)

1991

2 episodes

 

Delta Force 3: The Killing Game (1991)

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3.4

Sergei (as John Ryan)

1991

 

Dolph Lundgren in Cover-Up (1991)

Cover-Up

4.4

Mini Barman (as John Ryan)

1991

 

Screen Two (1984)

Screen Two

6.4

TV Series

Nightclub Manager (as John Ryan)

1989

1 episode

 

Wipe Out (1988)

Wipe Out

TV Mini Series

Jean-Marie Leletton (as John Barker)

1988

2 episodes

 

John Benfield, Gaby Dellal, and Philip Sayer in Floodtide (1987)

Floodtide

7.6

TV Series

Capt. Gibson (as John Ryan)

1987

3 episodes

 

A Small Problem (1987)

A Small Problem

7.2

TV Series

Policeman (as John Ryan)

1987

1 episode

 

Emmerdale Farm (1972)

Emmerdale Farm

4.9

TV Series

C.S.M. Jameson (as John Ryan)

1987

2 episodes

 

Gunpowder (1986)

Gunpowder

4.6

Platoon Commander

1986

 

The Twilight Zone (1985)

The Twilight Zone

7.7

TV Series

William (segment "The Storyteller") (as Morgan Saint John)

1986

1 episode

 

Scene (1968)

Scene

6.6

TV Series

Policeman (as John Ryan)

1986

1 episode

 

Richard Dean Anderson in MacGyver (1985)

MacGyver

7.6

TV Series

Eddie (as Morgan Saint John)

1986

1 episode

 

Target Eve Island

Colonel Mitri Petrovich

1983

 

G.B.H. (1983)

G.B.H.

5.3

Big Nick Rafferty (as John Barker)

1983

 

Finola Hughes, Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, Genie Francis, Kelly Monaco, Laura Wright, Donnell Turner, Tanisha Harper, Josh Kelly, Eden McCoy, Josh Swickard, and Tabyana Ali in General Hospital (1963)

General Hospital

6.6

TV Series

McBride

1963

 

Producer

John Saint Ryan in The Assassinator (1992)

The Assassinator

6.4

associate producer (as John Ryan)

1992

 

Stunts

Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco in Medicine Man (1992)

Medicine Man

6.0

stunts (as John Ryan)

1992

 

Dolph Lundgren in Cover-Up (1991)

Cover-Up

4.4

stunts (as John Ryan)

1991

 

Soundtrack

Heath Ledger in Roar (1997)

Roar

7.2

TV Series

performer: "A Lass Named Briney Brown"

performer: "Walk Away Fail Lass, Walk Away with Me"

performer: "Mothers of Earth", "There Once was a Man Who was Tellin' Me Lies" (uncredited) ...

1997

4 episodes

 

Self

Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow (2023)

Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow

7.9

Self

2023

 

Roar: The Making of

8.0

TV Special

Fergus

1997

 

Archive Footage

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service (1999)

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service

6.8

Video

Mister Max (archive footage, as John Ryan)

1999

 

Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater (1987)

Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater

8.8

TV Series

Ralph Straker (archive footage, as John Ryan)

1995

1 episode