▁board ed ▁a ▁ship ▁to ▁sail ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁She ▁worked ▁in ▁v au dev ille ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 7 ▁years ▁old . ▁She ▁also ▁sang ▁in ▁the ▁cho ir ▁and ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁basketball ▁team ▁of ▁St . ▁Michael ' s ▁Church . ▁ ▁Ryan ▁had ▁an ▁older ▁sister , ▁Peg gy , ▁and ▁a ▁younger ▁sister , ▁Jan ice . ▁ ▁Radio ▁Ryan ▁began ▁working ▁in ▁radio ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 4 ▁years ▁old . ▁( An other ▁source ▁says ▁that ▁she ▁" start ed ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 .") ▁Her ▁best - known ▁role ▁was ▁probably ▁that ▁of ▁Kath le en , ▁Henry ▁Ald rich ' s ▁girl friend ▁on ▁The ▁Ald rich ▁Family . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 4 - 1 9 3 5 ▁radio ▁season , ▁Ryan ▁" w rote , ▁directed ▁and ▁acted ▁in ▁a ▁radio ▁play ▁presented ▁over ▁CBS ." ▁ ▁Ryan ' s ▁roles ▁in ▁other ▁programs ▁are ▁shown ▁in ▁the ▁table ▁below . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁she ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁cast s ▁of ▁Our ▁Bar n ▁Let ' s ▁P ret end . ▁ ▁Public ▁service ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Ryan ▁worked ▁two ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁nur se ' s ▁a ide ▁after ▁receiving ▁her ▁di pl oma ▁from ▁M iser ic ord ia ▁Hospital ▁in ▁Manh attan , ▁New ▁York . ▁She ▁also ▁was ▁a ▁host ess ▁at ▁the ▁Stage ▁Do or ▁C ante en . ▁On ▁a ▁typical ▁day