A Republican, Cryer served as the 32nd Mayor of Los Angeles from 1921 to 1929, a period of rapid growth in the city's population.

Born on a farm in Waterloo, Douglas County, Nebraska, Cryer moved to southern California with his family in 1885.

[2] When the Spanish–American War was declared in 1898, Cryer volunteered and served as a private in Company G, Seventh California Infantry.

[4] Cryer's first public office was as first assistant United States Attorney, a position he held from approximately 1910–1912.

[7] Cryer's campaign promised to close the "dens of vice,"[8] and attacked Snyder as being corrupt and unfit to be mayor.

The city also expanded its municipal-owned public utility system (the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power), and Cryer was instrumental in the passage of the legislation that provided for the construction of the Hoover Dam and All-American Canal, providing water and electricity to Los Angeles.

In May 1924, he declared a citywide half-day holiday and urged city residents to fill the new Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to capacity for Olympic try-outs.

[17] Cryer led a parade of athletes into the Coliseum for an event that included a boxing exhibition by Jack Dempsey.

agitation, every enemy of our flag and country and institutions is carrying on this insidious propaganda of destruction, and it is, therefore, very necessary and proper that the forces of law and order should be alive, awake, and on guard.

"[20] Some historical accounts indicate that Cryer was controlled by the city's political boss, Kent Kane Parrot, and a coterie of bootleggers and criminals, including "vice kingpin" Charles H. Crawford (a model for some of Raymond Chandler's villains).

He must learn to think up plausible reasons for the actions of the organization and not let the purely political motive stick out like a sore thumb.

Robert P. "Fighting Bob" Shuler, repeatedly branded Cryer as a "grafter" and the "chief exploiter," called his administration "one of the must corrupt the city ever saw," linked him to vice king Charlie Crawford, and asserted that Cryer went into office as a poor man and came out as a millionaire.

At the trial in November 1929, Shuler's lawyer cross-examined Cryer about allegations that he "pitched dice at in Farmer Page's place," and about his accumulation of wealth during his eight years as mayor.

[27] Shuler's controversial broadcasts also included attacks on Catholics, African Americans, the YWCA (for sponsoring dances that extended into the early hours of Sunday morning), and Rufus B. von KleinSmid, the President of the University of Southern California for permitting evolution to be taught.

In November 1931, Cryer succeeded in winning an order from the FRC revoking KGEF's broadcast license.

[33] Cryer died at age 86 following surgery for a broken hip suffered when he tripped over a garden hose at his house in Los Angeles.

[5] In the 2008 motion picture Changeling, the part of Mayor George Cryer was played by Reed Birney.