Tom Clancy

The former CIA Chief tells TMZ ... Jack Ryan -- the make-believe character in Tom Clancy's novels -- was the inspiration for many of his agents. We spied former CIA Director Michael Hayden on the streets of DC Friday morning ... and he told us how Clancy -- who died Tuesday -- had a profound…

Tom Clancy -- the author behind mega-hits like "The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games" and "Rainbow Six" -- died last night at the age of 66 ... this according to his publisher. The details surrounding Clancy's death are limited at this point. His publisher revealed Clancy passed away at a…