Ben Lyon - Revision history

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External links

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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Portal\|Biography}}~~
	~~{{Commons}}~~
	* {{IMDb name\|0528908}}		* {{IMDb name\|0528908}}
	* {{IBDB name}}		* {{IBDB name}}
	* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=809 Photographs of Ben Lyon and bibliography]		* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=809 Photographs of Ben Lyon and bibliography]
	* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/4db2569b#p009y8g0 BBC Desert Island Discs]		* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/4db2569b#p009y8g0 BBC Desert Island Discs]

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Ben}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Ben}}

Kurt: /* Early life and career */

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Early life and career

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	==Early life and career==		==Early life and career==
	[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg\|thumb\|right\|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]		[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg\|thumb\|right\|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]
	Lyon was born in [[w:Atlanta, Georgia\|Atlanta]],<ref>{{cite book\|last=Slide\|first=Anthony\|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses\|year=2010\|publisher=University Press of Kentucky\|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2\|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ\|title=FamilySearch: Sign In\|website=[[w:FamilySearch\|FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[w:Jewish\|Jewish]].<ref>[[w:William D. Rubinstein\|William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[w:Hilary L. Rubinstein\|Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[Broadway theatre\|Broadway]] opposite [[w:Jeanne Eagels\|Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[w:Flaming Youth (film)\|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[w:Pola Negri\|Pola Negri]], [[w:Gloria Swanson\|Gloria Swanson]], [[w:Colleen Moore\|Colleen Moore]], [[w:Barbara La Marr\|Barbara La Marr]], [[w:Viola Dana\|Viola Dana]], [[w:Anna Q. Nilsson\|Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[w:Mary Astor\|Mary Astor]] and [[w:Blanche Sweet\|Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[w:Photoplay\|Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|title=Ben Lyon \|url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up \|journal=[[Photoplay]] \|location=New York \|publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company \|date=January 1925 \|access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>		Lyon was born in [[w:Atlanta, Georgia\|Atlanta]],<ref>{{cite book\|last=Slide\|first=Anthony\|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses\|year=2010\|publisher=University Press of Kentucky\|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2\|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ\|title=FamilySearch: Sign In\|website=[[w:FamilySearch\|FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[w:Jewish\|Jewish]].<ref>[[w:William D. Rubinstein\|William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[w:Hilary L. Rubinstein\|Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[w:Broadway theatre\|Broadway]] opposite [[w:Jeanne Eagels\|Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[w:Flaming Youth (film)\|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[w:Pola Negri\|Pola Negri]], [[w:Gloria Swanson\|Gloria Swanson]], [[w:Colleen Moore\|Colleen Moore]], [[w:Barbara La Marr\|Barbara La Marr]], [[w:Viola Dana\|Viola Dana]], [[w:Anna Q. Nilsson\|Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[w:Mary Astor\|Mary Astor]] and [[w:Blanche Sweet\|Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[w:Photoplay\|Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|title=Ben Lyon \|url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up \|journal=[[Photoplay]] \|location=New York \|publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company \|date=January 1925 \|access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>

	[[File:Ben Lyon in I Cover the Waterfront.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Lyon in ''[[I Cover the Waterfront]]'' (1933)]]He had success as an actor in the 1930 film ''[[w:Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]''. The film was a major success and brought [[w:Jean Harlow\|Jean Harlow]] to prominence, but Lyon's performance as a heroic [[w:World War I\|World War I]] [[w:aviation\|aviator]] was also highly regarded. For the next decade he was constantly in demand, but his popularity began to wane by the early 1940s. By the mid 1940s he was working for [[w:20th Century-Fox\|20th Century-Fox]]. On July 17, 1946, he met a young aspiring actress named Norma Jeane Dougherty.<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book\|last=Donnelley\|first=Paul \|title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries\|publisher=Music Sales Group\|date=2003\|pages=487\|isbn=0-711-99512-5}}</ref> After his first meeting with her, he stated that she was "[[Jean Harlow]] all over again!"<ref name=nytimes>{{cite book\|title=The New York Times Biographical Service, Volume 10\|year=1979\|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press\|page=344}}</ref> He organized a color screen test for the actress, renamed her, and finally signed her as [[Marilyn Monroe]] to her first studio contract.<ref name=donnelley/>		[[File:Ben Lyon in I Cover the Waterfront.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Lyon in ''[[I Cover the Waterfront]]'' (1933)]]He had success as an actor in the 1930 film ''[[w:Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]''. The film was a major success and brought [[w:Jean Harlow\|Jean Harlow]] to prominence, but Lyon's performance as a heroic [[w:World War I\|World War I]] [[w:aviation\|aviator]] was also highly regarded. For the next decade he was constantly in demand, but his popularity began to wane by the early 1940s. By the mid 1940s he was working for [[w:20th Century-Fox\|20th Century-Fox]]. On July 17, 1946, he met a young aspiring actress named Norma Jeane Dougherty.<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book\|last=Donnelley\|first=Paul \|title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries\|publisher=Music Sales Group\|date=2003\|pages=487\|isbn=0-711-99512-5}}</ref> After his first meeting with her, he stated that she was "[[Jean Harlow]] all over again!"<ref name=nytimes>{{cite book\|title=The New York Times Biographical Service, Volume 10\|year=1979\|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press\|page=344}}</ref> He organized a color screen test for the actress, renamed her, and finally signed her as [[Marilyn Monroe]] to her first studio contract.<ref name=donnelley/>

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	{{short description\|American actor}}		{{short description\|American actor}}
	~~{{For\|the film critic and journalist\|Ben Lyons}}~~
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=May 2014}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=May 2014}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
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	\| caption = Lyon in 1936		\| caption = Lyon in 1936
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1901\|02\|06\|mf=yes}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1901\|02\|06\|mf=yes}}
	\| birth_place = [[Atlanta, Georgia]], U.S.		\| birth_place = [[w:Atlanta, Georgia\|Atlanta]], U.S.
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1979\|03\|22\|1901\|02\|06\|mf=yes}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1979\|03\|22\|1901\|02\|06\|mf=yes}}
	\| death_place = [[Honolulu, Hawaii]], U.S.		\| death_place = [[w:Honolulu, Hawaii\|Honolulu]], U.S.
	\| resting_place = [[Hollywood Forever Cemetery]]		\| resting_place = [[w:Hollywood Forever Cemetery\|Hollywood Forever Cemetery]]
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Bebe Daniels]]\|1930\|1971\|end=~~her death~~}}<br>{{marriage\|[[Marian Nixon]]\|1972\|~~<!--Year omitted per Template:Marriage instructions-->~~}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[w:Bebe Daniels\|Bebe Daniels]]\|1930\|1971\|end=d.}}<br>{{marriage\|[[w:Marian Nixon\|Marian Nixon]]\|1972\|1979}}
	\| children = 2, including [[Barbara Lyon]]		\| children = 2, including [[w:Barbara Lyon\|Barbara Lyon]]
	\| awards = [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]		\| awards = [[w:Hollywood Walk of Fame\|Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
	\| yearsactive = 1918–1955		\| yearsactive = 1918–1955
	}}		}}

	'''Ben Lyon''' (February 6, 1901 – March 22, 1979) was an American film actor and a studio executive at [[20th Century-Fox]] who later acted in British radio, films and TV.		'''Ben Lyon''' (February 6, 1901 – March 22, 1979) was an American film actor and a studio executive at [[w:20th Century-Fox\|20th Century-Fox]] who later acted in British radio, films and TV.

	==Early life and career==		==Early life and career==
	[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg\|thumb\|right\|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]		[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg\|thumb\|right\|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]
	Lyon was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref>{{cite book\|last=Slide\|first=Anthony\|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses\|year=2010\|publisher=University Press of Kentucky\|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2\|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ\|title=FamilySearch: Sign In\|website=[[FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[Jewish]].<ref>[[William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[Broadway theatre\|Broadway]] opposite [[Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[Flaming Youth (film)\|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[Pola Negri]], [[Gloria Swanson]], [[Colleen Moore]], [[Barbara La Marr]], [[Viola Dana]], [[Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[Mary Astor]] and [[Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|title=Ben Lyon \|url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up \|journal=[[Photoplay]] \|location=New York \|publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company \|date=January 1925 \|access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>		Lyon was born in [[w:Atlanta, Georgia\|Atlanta]],<ref>{{cite book\|last=Slide\|first=Anthony\|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses\|year=2010\|publisher=University Press of Kentucky\|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2\|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ\|title=FamilySearch: Sign In\|website=[[w:FamilySearch\|FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[w:Jewish\|Jewish]].<ref>[[w:William D. Rubinstein\|William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[w:Hilary L. Rubinstein\|Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[Broadway theatre\|Broadway]] opposite [[w:Jeanne Eagels\|Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[w:Flaming Youth (film)\|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[w:Pola Negri\|Pola Negri]], [[w:Gloria Swanson\|Gloria Swanson]], [[w:Colleen Moore\|Colleen Moore]], [[w:Barbara La Marr\|Barbara La Marr]], [[w:Viola Dana\|Viola Dana]], [[w:Anna Q. Nilsson\|Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[w:Mary Astor\|Mary Astor]] and [[w:Blanche Sweet\|Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[w:Photoplay\|Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|title=Ben Lyon \|url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up \|journal=[[Photoplay]] \|location=New York \|publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company \|date=January 1925 \|access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>

	[[File:Ben Lyon in I Cover the Waterfront.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Lyon in ''[[I Cover the Waterfront]]'' (1933)]]He had success as an actor in the 1930 film ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]''. The film was a major success and brought [[Jean Harlow]] to prominence, but Lyon's performance as a heroic [[World War I]] [[aviation\|aviator]] was also highly regarded. For the next decade he was constantly in demand, but his popularity began to wane by the early 1940s. By the mid 1940s he was working for [[20th Century-Fox]]. On July 17, 1946, he met a young aspiring actress named Norma Jeane Dougherty.<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book\|last=Donnelley\|first=Paul \|title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries\|publisher=Music Sales Group\|date=2003\|pages=487\|isbn=0-711-99512-5}}</ref> After his first meeting with her, he stated that she was "[[Jean Harlow]] all over again!"<ref name=nytimes>{{cite book\|title=The New York Times Biographical Service, Volume 10\|year=1979\|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press\|page=344}}</ref> He organized a color screen test for the actress, renamed her, and finally signed her as [[Marilyn Monroe]] to her first studio contract.<ref name=donnelley/>		[[File:Ben Lyon in I Cover the Waterfront.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Lyon in ''[[I Cover the Waterfront]]'' (1933)]]He had success as an actor in the 1930 film ''[[w:Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]''. The film was a major success and brought [[w:Jean Harlow\|Jean Harlow]] to prominence, but Lyon's performance as a heroic [[w:World War I\|World War I]] [[w:aviation\|aviator]] was also highly regarded. For the next decade he was constantly in demand, but his popularity began to wane by the early 1940s. By the mid 1940s he was working for [[w:20th Century-Fox\|20th Century-Fox]]. On July 17, 1946, he met a young aspiring actress named Norma Jeane Dougherty.<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book\|last=Donnelley\|first=Paul \|title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries\|publisher=Music Sales Group\|date=2003\|pages=487\|isbn=0-711-99512-5}}</ref> After his first meeting with her, he stated that she was "[[Jean Harlow]] all over again!"<ref name=nytimes>{{cite book\|title=The New York Times Biographical Service, Volume 10\|year=1979\|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press\|page=344}}</ref> He organized a color screen test for the actress, renamed her, and finally signed her as [[Marilyn Monroe]] to her first studio contract.<ref name=donnelley/>

	During [[World War II]], when the United States was still neutral, Lyon and his wife, actress [[Bebe Daniels]], settled in London. The couple, along with the comedian [[Vic Oliver]], starred in the radio series ''[[Hi Gang! (radio series)\|Hi, Gang!]]'', which ran from 1940 to 1949. ''Hi Gang'' was succeeded in 1950 by ''[[Life with the Lyons]]'', which also featured their real-life son Richard and daughter [[Barbara Lyon\|Barbara]], and spawned a couple of theatrical films as well as a television series on BBC and independent television from 1954 until 1960. Bebe Daniels had top billing in these series, similar to the concurrent [[I Love Lucy\|American show]] starring married couple [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Desi Arnaz]].		During [[World War II]], when the United States was still neutral, Lyon and his wife, actress [[Bebe Daniels]], settled in London. The couple, along with the comedian [[Vic Oliver]], starred in the radio series ''[[Hi Gang! (radio series)\|Hi, Gang!]]'', which ran from 1940 to 1949. ''Hi Gang'' was succeeded in 1950 by ''[[Life with the Lyons]]'', which also featured their real-life son Richard and daughter [[Barbara Lyon\|Barbara]], and spawned a couple of theatrical films as well as a television series on BBC and independent television from 1954 until 1960. Bebe Daniels had top billing in these series, similar to the concurrent [[I Love Lucy\|American show]] starring married couple [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Desi Arnaz]].

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	{{short description\|American actor}}		{{short description\|American actor}}
	{{For\|the film critic and journalist\|Ben Lyons}}		{{For\|the film critic and journalist\|Ben Lyons}}
	~~{{more citations needed\|date=May 2014}}~~
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=May 2014}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=May 2014}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person

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Early life and career

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	==Early life and career==		==Early life and career==
	[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]		[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg\|thumb\|right\|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)\|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]
	Lyon was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref>{{cite book\|last=Slide\|first=Anthony\|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses\|year=2010\|publisher=University Press of Kentucky\|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2\|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ\|title=FamilySearch: Sign In\|website=[[FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[Jewish]].<ref>[[William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[Broadway theatre\|Broadway]] opposite [[Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[Flaming Youth (film)\|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[Pola Negri]], [[Gloria Swanson]], [[Colleen Moore]], [[Barbara La Marr]], [[Viola Dana]], [[Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[Mary Astor]] and [[Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|title=Ben Lyon \|url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up \|journal=[[Photoplay]] \|location=New York \|publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company \|date=January 1925 \|access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>		Lyon was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref>{{cite book\|last=Slide\|first=Anthony\|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses\|year=2010\|publisher=University Press of Kentucky\|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2\|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ\|title=FamilySearch: Sign In\|website=[[FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[Jewish]].<ref>[[William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[Broadway theatre\|Broadway]] opposite [[Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[Flaming Youth (film)\|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[Pola Negri]], [[Gloria Swanson]], [[Colleen Moore]], [[Barbara La Marr]], [[Viola Dana]], [[Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[Mary Astor]] and [[Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal \|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> \|title=Ben Lyon \|url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up \|journal=[[Photoplay]] \|location=New York \|publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company \|date=January 1925 \|access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>

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en>Meena: Removing link(s) to "Actor": Per MOS:OL.

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Removing link(s) to "Actor": Per MOS:OL.

New page

{{short description|American actor}}
{{For|the film critic and journalist|Ben Lyons}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ben Lyon
| image = Ben Lyon 1936.JPG
| caption = Lyon in 1936
| birth_date = {{birth date|1901|02|06|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Atlanta, Georgia]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1979|03|22|1901|02|06|mf=yes}}
| death_place = [[Honolulu, Hawaii]], U.S.
| resting_place = [[Hollywood Forever Cemetery]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Bebe Daniels]]|1930|1971|end=her death}}<br>{{marriage|[[Marian Nixon]]|1972|}}
| children = 2, including [[Barbara Lyon]]
| awards = [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
| yearsactive = 1918–1955
}}

'''Ben Lyon''' (February 6, 1901 – March 22, 1979) was an American film actor and a studio executive at [[20th Century-Fox]] who later acted in British radio, films and TV.

==Early life and career==
[[File:Hell's-Angels-Harlow-Lyon.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jean Harlow]] and Ben Lyon in ''[[Hell's Angels (film)|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930)]]
Lyon was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Slide|first=Anthony|title=Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses|year=2010|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0-813-13745-2|page=91}}</ref> the son of Alvine W. (Wiseberg) and Ben Lyon, a travelling salesman.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N1-WSJ|title=FamilySearch: Sign In|website=[[FamilySearch]]}}</ref> His family was [[Jewish]].<ref>[[William D. Rubinstein]], Michael Jolles, [[Hilary L. Rubinstein]], ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011), p. 626</ref> Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] opposite [[Jeanne Eagels]]. He attracted attention in the highly successful film ''[[Flaming Youth (film)|Flaming Youth]]'' (1923) and steadily developed into a leading man. He was successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era, including [[Pola Negri]], [[Gloria Swanson]], [[Colleen Moore]], [[Barbara La Marr]], [[Viola Dana]], [[Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[Mary Astor]] and [[Blanche Sweet]]. In 1925, a writer for ''[[Photoplay]]'' wrote of him, "Girls, Ben Lyon looks harmless but we have reliable information that he's irresistible, so watch your step. Besides he's a mighty fine actor and if the ladies must fall in love with him he can't help it."<ref>{{cite journal |author= |title=Ben Lyon |url=https://archive.org/stream/pho28chic#page/n45/mode/2up |journal=[[Photoplay]] |location=New York |publisher=Photoplay Publishing Company |date=January 1925 |access-date=August 20, 2015 }}</ref>

[[File:Ben Lyon in I Cover the Waterfront.jpg|thumb|right|Lyon in ''[[I Cover the Waterfront]]'' (1933)]]He had success as an actor in the 1930 film ''[[Hell's Angels (film)|Hell's Angels]]''. The film was a major success and brought [[Jean Harlow]] to prominence, but Lyon's performance as a heroic [[World War I]] [[aviation|aviator]] was also highly regarded. For the next decade he was constantly in demand, but his popularity began to wane by the early 1940s. By the mid 1940s he was working for [[20th Century-Fox]]. On July 17, 1946, he met a young aspiring actress named Norma Jeane Dougherty.<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book|last=Donnelley|first=Paul |title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries|publisher=Music Sales Group|date=2003|pages=487|isbn=0-711-99512-5}}</ref> After his first meeting with her, he stated that she was "[[Jean Harlow]] all over again!"<ref name=nytimes>{{cite book|title=The New York Times Biographical Service, Volume 10|year=1979|publisher=New York Times & Arno Press|page=344}}</ref> He organized a color screen test for the actress, renamed her, and finally signed her as [[Marilyn Monroe]] to her first studio contract.<ref name=donnelley/>

During [[World War II]], when the United States was still neutral, Lyon and his wife, actress [[Bebe Daniels]], settled in London. The couple, along with the comedian [[Vic Oliver]], starred in the radio series ''[[Hi Gang! (radio series)|Hi, Gang!]]'', which ran from 1940 to 1949. ''Hi Gang'' was succeeded in 1950 by ''[[Life with the Lyons]]'', which also featured their real-life son Richard and daughter [[Barbara Lyon|Barbara]], and spawned a couple of theatrical films as well as a television series on BBC and independent television from 1954 until 1960. Bebe Daniels had top billing in these series, similar to the concurrent [[I Love Lucy|American show]] starring married couple [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Desi Arnaz]].

He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in March 1963, when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] at the BBC Television Theatre.

==Military service==
Lyon served as a pilot in the 322nd Pursuit Squadron in the early 1930s. During World War II he returned to the colours as a lieutenant colonel in charge of US Army Air Forces [[Special Services (entertainment)|Special Services]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dmairfield.org/|title=Welcome to the Website of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register|website=dmairfield.org}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Lyon married actress [[Bebe Daniels]] in June 1930.<ref>Donnelley 2003 p.191</ref> They had two children, daughter Barbara in 1932 and a son, Richard, whom they adopted from a London orphanage. In an issue of the contemporary magazine Radio Pictorial, Bebe explained how she saw Richard peering through the railings and instantly thought "A brother for Barbara". Daniels suffered a severe stroke in 1963 and withdrew from public life. She suffered a second stroke in late 1970. She died at the couple's London home in March 1971.<ref name=golden>{{cite book|last=Golden|first=Eve|title=Golden Images: 41 Essays on Silent Film Stars|year=2000|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0-786-48354-7|page=21}}</ref>

On April 1, 1972, Lyon married the actress [[Marian Nixon]], whom he had known since the 1920s.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/marian-nixon/|title=Marian Nixon|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> They remained married until his death.<ref name="auto"/> She died five years later, also at age 78.

==Death==
On March 22, 1979, Lyon and his second wife, Marian Nixon, were vacationing together on the ''[[Queen Elizabeth 2]]'' cruise ship near [[Honolulu, Hawaii]], when Lyon suffered a fatal [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]]. He was 78 years old.<ref name=nytimes/> His body was cremated and is interred in the Chapel Columbarium at [[Hollywood Forever Cemetery]] next to his first wife, [[Bebe Daniels]].<ref>{{cite book|last=D'Agostino|first=Annette M.|title=The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia|year=2004|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0-786-41514-2|page=75}}</ref>

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Ben Lyon has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 1724 [[Vine Street]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/ben-lyon/|title=Hollywood Star Walk|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref>

A biography, ''Bebe and Ben'', was written by [[Jill Allgood]], a personal friend who worked with them at the BBC.

==Selected filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Director
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1921
| ''[[The Heart of Maryland (1921 film)|The Heart of Maryland]]''
| Bob Telfair
| ''[[Tom Terriss]]''
|
|-
| 1923
| ''[[The Custard Cup]]''
| Dick Chase
| ''[[Herbert Brenon]]''
|
|-
| 1923
| ''[[Potash and Perlmutter]]''
| Boris Andrieff
| ''[[Clarence G. Badger]]''
|
|-
| 1923
| ''[[Flaming Youth (film)|Flaming Youth]]''
| Monty Standish
| ''[[John_Francis_Dillon_(director)|John Francis Dillon]]''
|
|-
| 1924
| ''[[Painted People]]''
| Don Lane
| ''[[Clarence G. Badger]]''
|
|-
| 1924
| ''[[The White Moth (film)|The White Moth]]''
| Douglas Morley
| ''[[Maurice Tourneur]]''
|
|-
| 1924
| ''[[Wine of Youth]]''
| Lynn Talbot
| ''[[King Vidor]]''
|
|-
| 1924
| ''[[Lily of the Dust]]''
| Lt. Prell
| ''[[Dimitri Buchowetzki]]''
|
|-
| 1924
| ''[[Wages of Virtue]]''
| Marvin
| ''[[Allan Dwan]]''
|
|-
| 1924
| ''[[So Big (1924 film)|So Big]]''
| Dirk DeJong
| ''[[Charles Brabin]]''
|
|-
| 1925
| ''[[One Way Street (1925 film)|One Way Street]]''
| Bobby Austin
| ''[[John_Francis_Dillon_(director)|John Francis Dillon]]''
|
|-
| 1925
| ''[[The Necessary Evil]]''
| Frank Jerome
| ''[[George Archainbaud]]''
|
|-
| 1925
| ''[[Winds of Chance]]''
| Pierce Phillips
| ''[[Frank Lloyd]]''
|
|-
| 1925
| ''[[The Pace That Thrills (1925 film)|The Pace That Thrills]]''
| Danny Wade
| ''[[Webster Campbell]]''
|
|-
| 1925
| ''[[The New Commandment (film)|The New Commandment]]''
| Billy Morrow
| ''[[Howard Higgin]]''
|
|-
| 1925
| ''[[Bluebeard's Seven Wives]]''
| John Hart / Don Juan Hartez
| ''[[Alfred Santell]]''
|
|-
| 1926
| ''[[The Reckless Lady]]''
| Ralph Hilliwe
| ''[[Howard Higgin]]''
|
|-
| 1926
| ''[[The Savage (1926 film)|The Savage]]''
| Danny Terry
| ''[[Fred C. Newmeyer]]''
|
|-
| 1926
| ''[[The Great Deception]]''
| Cyril Mansfield
| ''[[Howard Higgin]]''
|
|-
| 1926
| ''[[Prince of Tempters]]''
| Francis
| ''[[Lothar Mendes]]''
|
|-
| 1927
| ''[[The Perfect Sap]]''
| Herbert Alden
| ''[[Howard Higgin]]''
|
|-
| 1927
| ''[[High Hat (1927 film)|High Hat]]''
| Jerry
| ''[[James Ashmore Creelman]]''
|
|-
| 1927
| ''[[The Tender Hour]]''
| Wally McKenzie
| ''[[George Fitzmaurice]]''
|
|-
| 1927
| ''[[Dance Magic (film)|Dance Magic]]''
| Leach Norcutt
| ''[[Victor Halperin]]''
|
|-
| 1927
| ''[[For the Love of Mike]]''
| Mike
| ''[[Frank Capra]]''
|
|-
| 1927
| ''[[Dancing Vienna]]''
| Jonny Conzaga
| ''[[Frederic Zelnik]]''
|
|-
| 1929
| ''[[The Air Legion]]''
| Dave
|
|
|-
| 1929
| ''[[All Faces West ]]''
| Mathew
| ''[[Raymond K. Johnson]]''
|
|-
| 1929
| ''[[The Quitter (1929 film)|The Quitter]]''
| Neal Abbott
| ''[[Joseph Henabery]]''
|
|-
| 1929
| ''[[The Flying Marine]]''
| Steve Moran
| ''[[Albert S. Rogell]]''
|
|-
| 1930
| ''[[Lummox (film)|Lummox]]''
| Rollo Farley
| ''[[Ray_Lissner|Ray Lissner (assistant)]]''
|
|-
| 1930
| ''[[Alias French Gertie]]''
| Jimmy Hartigan
| [[George Archainbaud]]<
|
|-
| 1930
| ''[[Hell's Angels (film)|Hell's Angels]]''
| Monte Rutledge
| [[Howard Hughes]]<br />[[James Whale]] {{small|(dialogue)}}
|
|-
| 1930
| ''[[What Men Want (1930 film)|What Men Want]]''
| Kendall James
| ''[[Ernst Laemmle]]''
|
|-
| 1930
| ''[[A Soldier's Plaything]]''
| Georgie
| ''[[Michael Curtiz]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[The Hot Heiress]]''
| 'Hap' Harrigan
| ''[[Clarence G. Badger]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Misbehaving Ladies]]''
| Phil Hunter
| ''[[William Beaudine]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Indiscreet (1931 film)|Indiscreet]]''
| Tony Blake
| ''[[Leo McCarey]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Aloha (1931 film)|Aloha]]''
| Jimmy Bradford
| ''[[Albert S. Rogell]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[My Past]]''
| Robert 'Bob' Byrne
| ''[[Roy Del Ruth]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Night Nurse (1931 film)|Night Nurse]]''
| Mortie
| ''[[William A. Wellman]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Bought!]]''
| Nick Amory
| ''[[Archie Mayo]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Her Majesty, Love]]''
| Fred von Wellingen
| ''[[William Dieterle]]''
|
|-
| 1931
| ''[[Compromised (1931 film)|Compromised]]''
| Sidney Brock
| ''[[Ben Silvey]]''
|
|-
| 1932
| ''[[Lady with a Past]]''
| Guy Bryson
| ''[[E._J._Babille|E. J. Babille (assistant)]]''
|
|-
| 1932
| ''[[The Big Timer]]''
| Cooky Bradford
| ''[[Edward Buzzell]]''
|
|-
| 1932
| ''[[Week Ends Only]]''
| Jack Williams
| ''[[Alan Crosland]]''
|
|-
| 1932
| ''[[By Whose Hand? (1932 film)|By Whose Hand?]]''
| Jimmy
|
|
|-
| 1932
| ''[[The Crooked Circle (1932 film)|The Crooked Circle]]''
| Brand Osborne
| ''[[H. Bruce Humberstone]]''
|
|-
| 1932
| ''[[Hat Check Girl]]''
| Buster Collins
| ''[[Sidney Lanfield]]''
|
|-
| 1933
| ''[[Girl Missing]]''
| Henry Gibson
| ''[[Robert Florey]]''
|
|-
| 1933
| ''[[I Cover the Waterfront]]''
| H. Joseph 'Joe' Miller
| ''[[James Cruze]]''
|
|-
| 1933
| ''[[The Women in His Life]]''
| Roger McKane
| ''[[George B. Seitz]]''
|
|-
| 1934
| ''[[I Spy (1934 film)|I Spy]]''
| Wally Sawyer
|
|
|-
| 1934
| ''[[Crimson Romance]]''
| Bob Wilson
| ''[[David_Howard_(director)|David Howard]]''
|
|-
| 1934
| ''[[Lightning Strikes Twice (1934 film)|Lightning Strikes Twice]]''
| Steven 'Steve' Brewster
| ''[[Ben Holmes]]''
|
|-
| 1935
| ''[[Together We Live]]''
| Max
| ''[[Willard Mack]]''
|
|-
| 1935
| ''[[Navy Wife (1935 film)|Navy Wife]]''
| Dr. Peter Milford
| ''[[Allan Dwan]]''
|
|-
| 1936
| ''[[Dancing Feet (film)|Dancing Feet]]''
| Peyton Wells
| ''[[Joseph Santley]]''
|
|-
| 1936
| ''[[Down to the Sea]]''
| Steve Londos
| ''[[Lewis D. Collins]]''
|
|-
| 1936
| ''[[Treachery on the High Seas]]''
| Johnny Hammond
|
|
|-
| 1939
| ''[[I Killed the Count (film)|I Killed the Count]]''
| Bernard Froy
| ''[[Frederic Zelnik]]''
|
|-
| 1939
| ''[[Confidential Lady]]''
| Jim Brent
| ''[[Arthur B. Woods]]''
|
|-
| 1941
| ''[[Hi Gang! (film)|Hi Gang!]]''
| Her Other Half
| ''[[Marcel Varnel]]''
|
|-
| 1942
| ''[[This Was Paris]]''
| Butch, Sydney Chronicle Reporter
| ''[[John_Harlow_(director)|John Harlow]]''
|
|-
| 1943
| ''[[The Dark Tower (1943 film)|The Dark Tower]]''
| Phil Danton
| ''[[John_Harlow_(director)|John Harlow]]''
|
|-
| 1954
| ''[[Life with the Lyons (film)|Life with the Lyons]]''
| Himself
| ''[[Val Guest]]''
|
|-
| 1955
| ''[[The Lyons in Paris]]''
| Ben
| ''[[Val Guest]]''
| final film role
|-
|}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite book | last = Allgood | first = Jill | title = Bebe and Ben | year = 1975 | publisher = Robert Hale & Co. | isbn = 0-709-14942-5 }}
* {{Cite book | last1=Daniels | first1= Bebe | last2= Lyons | first2= Ben | title = Life with the Lyons, the Autobiography of Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon | year = 1953 | publisher = Odhams Press | asin = B0000CIGNZ}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Commons}}
* {{IMDb name|0528908}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=809 Photographs of Ben Lyon and bibliography]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/4db2569b#p009y8g0 BBC Desert Island Discs]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Ben}}
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[[Category:American male silent film actors]]
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