John Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a rugged Canadian-American actor and director, known for his tall, lean presence and for portraying cynical, hard-bitten characters in a career that spanned nearly five decades. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his signature performance as the world-weary reporter Jack Burden in the political drama All the King’s Men (1949), becoming the first Vancouver-born actor to earn such an honor.
Ireland was a staple of the classic Hollywood Western, appearing in some of the genre’s most iconic films, including John Ford’s My Darling Clementine (1946), Howard Hawks’ Red River (1948), and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). John Ireland’s work extended beyond acting; he also stepped behind the camera as co-director and starring in the B-movie crime thriller The Fast and the Furious (1954). He continued to be a familiar face for decades in films like the noir revival Farewell, My Lovely (1975) and on television in the series The Cheaters.
