Career
Ryan graduated from Yale University, worked for Raytheon as an engineer, and then moved to Mattel where he was head of research and development.
Jack Ryan worked at Raytheon as an engineer designing Sparrow and Hawk missiles. Mattel hired him for his "space-aged savvy" and knowledge of materials.
Ryan was an eccentric man. For example, he purchased a mansion (known as The Castle) shortly after he began working for Mattel. He installed many creations and inventions into The Castle. He would also start many that were left unfinished. After Mattel started lowering his royalties, Jack had to sell The Castle for under two million dollars.
Ryan did a lot for Mattel, and he considered himself the third in charge next to the Handlers (Ruth and her husband Elliot) who were Mattel's founders and owners. Ruth Handler had put him in charge of re-thinking the design of a German doll called, Bild Lili to create the Barbie doll. Mattel eventually obtained the rights to the Lili dolls and Barbie went on to become the best selling doll of all time and recently celebrated her 50th anniversary.
Evidence of his "space-aged savvy" can be seen in the designs of many of the toys he created for the Mattel line. For instance, the V-RROOM! X-15 velocipede (commonly referred to as a tricycle) which was named after the North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft that were made for the USAF, the NASA, and the USN. His name also appears on the patent documents of the V-RROOM! bicycles of the 1960s as well as the V-RROOM! toy engines that simulated real motorcycle engine sounds.
At Mattel, Ryan also designed the mechanics of the Chatty Cathy dolls. Ryan worked at Mattel for twenty years.
Ryan was also known for providing room and board to UCLA students who would in turn work at the many charity events he held at his The Castle.
Ryan sued Mattel and won claiming for unpaid royalties.
One story concerning Jack Ryan and his marriage to Zsa Zsa Gabor is that as their marriage was falling apart, he apparently disassembled her Rolls-Royce in attempt to make her a custom limousine and, according to court records, refused to put it back together again.
Read more about this topic: Jack Ryan (designer)
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“I doubt that I would have taken so many leaps in my own writing or been as clear about my feminist and political commitments if I had not been anointed as early as I was. Some major form of recognition seems to have to mark a womans career for her to be able to go out on a limb without having her credentials questioned.”
—Ruth Behar (b. 1956)
“What exacerbates the strain in the working class is the absence of money to pay for services they need, economic insecurity, poor daycare, and lack of dignity and boredom in each partners job. What exacerbates it in upper-middle class is the instability of paid help and the enormous demands of the career system in which both partners become willing believers. But the tug between traditional and egalitarian models of marriage runs from top to bottom of the class ladder.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)
“He was at a starting point which makes many a mans career a fine subject for betting, if there were any gentlemen given to that amusement who could appreciate the complicated probabilities of an arduous purpose, with all the possible thwartings and furtherings of circumstance, all the niceties of inward balance, by which a man swings and makes his point or else is carried headlong.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)