Jack Ryan (designer) explained

Jack Ryan
Birth Date:12 November 1926
Death Place:Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Designer
Spouse:

    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.

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

    Death

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

    References

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    Notes and References

    1. News: Jack Ryan Dies at 65; Designer of Barbie Doll . . . August 21, 1991 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100815112945/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/21/obituaries/jack-ryan-dies-at-65-designer-of-barbie-doll.html . August 15, 2010 . live.
    2. Jack Ryan and Zsa Zsa: A Millionaire Inventor and His Hungarian Barbie Doll . Richard Warren Lewis . July 14, 1975 . .
    3. Web site: The Skinny on Barbie - Essential facts about her checkered past . Lori Leibovich . Suzette Lalime . November 26, 1997 . Salon.
    4. When Barbie Went to War with Bratz . . Jill Lepore . Jill Lepore . January 22, 2018 .
    5. Book: Eiss . Harry Edwin . Images of the child . 1994 . Bowling Green State University Popular Press . Bowling Green, OH . 0879726547 . 195 .
    6. Book: Oppenheimer . Jerry . Toy monster : the big, bad world of Mattel . 2009 . Wiley . Hoboken, N.J. . 978-0470371268 . 4, 14.
    7. The Toys that Made Us - Season 1 - Episode 2
    8. News: Jack Ryan, 65; Toy Inventor, Missile Designer . . August 19, 1991 . Myrna Oliver.