- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJames Joseph Lydon
- Height5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
- Born to a large Irish Catholic family (the fifth of nine children) and raised in New York City, Lydon overcame a birth defect and alcoholic father to begin a Broadway career in 1937, acting opposite Van Heflin, Sidney Lumet and Uta Hagen in separate productions. After a number of films with Paramount and RKO, Lydon hit his stride in the "Henry Aldrich" B movie series of the early 1940s. After working increasingly in television in the early 1950s, Lydon turned to production roles, helping to create M*A*S*H (1972) and 77 Sunset Strip (1958). He is still active as a producer and writer.- IMDb Mini Biography By: <anthony-adam@tamu.edu>
- SpousesBetty Lou Nedell(May 1, 1952 - January 1, 2022) (her death, 2 children)Patricia Jane Pernetti(April 14, 1945 - August 11, 1948) (divorced)
- ParentsLuke Stanislaus LydonMary Cecilia Doran
- Gave a 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor her first screen kiss in Cynthia (1947).
- Did not enjoy the Hollywood experience as a juvenile. He appeared on Broadway and films initially to help support an alcoholic father and family of nine children. He had practically no education as a result.
- Lydon is a licensed pilot.
- Real-life son-in-law of actress Olive Blakeney, who played his mother in all but the first of the "Henry Aldrich" film series.
- Was directed in "Joan of Arc" by Victor Fleming, but told film critic Leonard Maltin in an interview that he (Lydon) did not have a high opinion of Fleming's working method as a director.
- I don't like to see any kids on stage or screen. It's unnatural.
- [on John Wayne] Duke was just a private citizen and he kept his beliefs private. Now, Ward Bond was a thickheaded loudmouth ... He was the one screaming all sorts of things that nobody else cared about.
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