Born in 1947, Eric Ryan was a male pornographic actor (porn star) of the 1970s and 1980s who appeared mostly in pornographic movies catering to gay male audiences, and at least one for heterosexual audiences. He was also a talented musician and composer, and spent many years in New York City trying to break into the business. He moved to Los Angeles c. 1986, and lived in LA and San Francisco until his death from lymphoma and HIV in 1996.