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The actor Ben Lyon belonged to the stars of the second row for many
years who never really managed the great jump into the awareness of the
audience.
But still he took part in many well-known movies of the 20's and 30's
and was equally successful in the USA as well as in England.
He made his first acting experiences as a teenager for amateur productions.
Later he appeared on Broadway where he finally was spotted for the film.
As a charming youth he played together with many famous silent movie
actresses. Among others he played with Pola Negri
in "Lily of the Dust" (24), with Gloria Swanson
in "The Wages of Virtue" (24), with Mary Astor
in "The Pace That Thrills" (25) and with Claudette Colbert in "For the
Love of Mike" (27). Other well-known silent movies are "Open Your Eyes"
(19), "Flaming Youth" (23), "So Big" (24), "Bluebeard's Seven Wives" (26)
and "The Savage" (26).
The transition to the talkies was no problem. He really enjoyed his
role in "Hell's Angels" (30), directed by Howard Hughes, where he impersonated
a peppy hero and where he could fly plane by himself.
He got married with the famous actress Bebe
Daniels in the same year and they lived together till her death in
1971.
Ben Lyon took part in a whole string of movies in the 30's, so in "Misbehaving
Ladies" (31), "Indiscreet" (31), "Weekends Only" (32) and "Crimson Romance"
(34), after that in England in "I Spy" (34), "Stardust" (37) and "Confidential
Lady" (39).
Afterwards the role offers declined. To his last cinematic works belong
"The Dark Tower" (42) and "The Lyons in Paris" (55).
Ben Lyons was among others also working for the English casting division
of Twentieth Century Fox where he signed on the actress Norma Jean Baker
and gave her the name Marilyn Monroe.
When the career of Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels faded they worked up a
husband-and-wife act and achieved a huge success at the London Palladium.
During World War II he served for the British Royal Air Force as a
combat pilot and continued living there after the war.
When Bebe Daniels died in 1971, Ben Lyon got married with the former
actress Marian Nixon, with whom he already worked
together in the silent movie era. They spent their old age in Westwood,
California.
Other movies with Ben Lyon:
The Transgressor (18) The Heart
of Maryland (21) Custard Cup (23) Potash and Perlmutter (23) Painted People
(24) The White Moth (24) Wine of Youth (24) One Way Street (25) The Necessary
Evil (25) Winds of Chance (25) The New Commandment (25) The Reckless Lady
(26) The Great Deception (26) Prince of Tempters (26) The Perfect Sap (27)
High Hat (27) The Tender Hour (27) Dance Magic (27) Das tanzende Wien (27)
The Air Legion (29) The Quitter (29) The Flying Marine (29) Lummox (30)
Alias French Gertie (30) What Men Want (30) A Soldier's Plaything (30)
The Hot Heiress (31) Aloha (31) My Past (31) West of the Rockies (31) Night
Nurse (31) Compromised (31) Bought (31) Her Majesty, Love (31) Lady with
a Past (32) The Big Timer (32) By Whose Hand? (32) The Crooked Circle (32)
Hat Check Girl (32) Girl Missing (33) I Cover the Waterfront (33) Women
in His Life (33) Lightning Strikes Twice (34) Navy Wife (35) Together We
Live (35) Frisco Waterfront (35) Dancing Feet (36) Down to the Sea (36)
Treachery on the High Seas (36) I Killes the Count (39) Hi Gang! (41) This
Was Paris (42) Serie "Life with the Lyons" (55) |
