Born in Canada, John Ireland was raised in New York. Performing as a swimmer in a water carnival, he moved into the legitimate theater, often appearing in minor roles in Broadway plays. His first big break in pictures came in 1945 when he appeared as "Windy" the introspective letter-writing G.I. in the classic war epic A Walk in the Sun. Ireland was then often featured (mostly as a heavy) in several films. In 1949 he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the reporter in All the King's Men. During the early 1950s, Ireland was often in starring roles, as the emoting, brooding hero, and almost exclusively in "B" pictures. In 1953, with his son Peter Ireland and wife, Joanne Dru, Ireland co-produced and co-directed the western mini-classic _Hannah Lee (1953)_ (aka "Outlaw Territory"). From the mid-'50s on he appeared mainly in Italian "quickie" features and showed up occasionally in supporting roles in major pictures (Spartacus). Occasionally his name was mentioned in tabloids of the times, in connection with young starlets, namely Natalie Wood and Sue Lyon. He was to play the role of the patriarch on the Ponderosa in "The New Bonanza" but the series was not picked up. In addition to _Hannah Lee (1953)_ , his best work was in Little Big Horn and The Bushwhackers. In his later years he owned a tony restaurant, Ireland's, in Santa Barbara, California.


Half-brother of actor-entertainer Tommy Noonan, who appeared with him in I Shot Jesse James (1949). (See also Peter Marshall.) He had two sons by his marriage with 'Elaine Sheldon Rosen: John Ireland and Peter Ireland. He also has a daughter, Daphne Ireland Whelahan, with Daphne Cameron. He was better known in Hollywood for his wild exploits as a lothario than his work in films. Howard Hawks even included a scene with Ireland and Montgomery Clift in Red River (1948) where they compare the size of their guns, allegedly a wink to Ireland's infamous physical endowments.