Men Of Character Character Actors
Gene Lyons
Ironside (TV)/ Commissioner Dennis Randall
Kiss Her Goodbye/ Corey Sherman
The Young Don't Cry/ Max Cole
Gene Lyons was an American character actor who basically appeared on television.
He was born in 1921 at Pittsburgh, PA.
His career ran from 1950 until 1974 with 68 credits in the mediums of film and television.
Lyons was best known as Chief Robert T. Ironsides boss, Dennis Randall, on the Ironside TV series.
He was a life member of The Actors Studio.
The few film roles of Gene Lyons were:
The Young Don't Cry (1957) as Max Cole
Kiss Her Goodbye (1959) as Corey Sherman
Sylvia (1968) as Gavin Cullen
Ironside (1967-TV) as Commissioner Dennis Randall
Daddy's Gone A Hunting (1969) as Dr. Blanker
On television he starred on Ironside as Commissioner Randall from 1967-1974.
Other television programs that he appeared on were Suspense, Crime Syndicated, Danger, Treasury Men In Action, Robert Montgomery Presents, You Are There, Armstrong Circle Theater, Eye Witness, The Philco Goodyear Theater, The Web, Woman With A Past, Studio One In Hollywood, Ponds Theater, Appointment With Adventure, The Alcoa Hour, Goodyear Playhouse, Kraft Theater, Rendezvous, Deadline, The Twilight Zone, The Untouchables, The DuPont Show, Naked City, One Step Beyond, Shotgun Slade, Hong Kong, The Americans, Have Gun Will Travel, Stoney Burke, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Virginian, Alcoa Premiere, The Dakotas, Wide Country, The Great Adventure, Gunsmoke, The Fugitive, Profiles In Courage, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Death Valley Days, Perry Mason, Slattery's People, Ben Casey, I Spy, Bonanza, Star Trek, Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theater, Judd For The Defense, The Invaders and The FBI.
In addition to Ironside, Lyons also acted with Raymond Burr on one episode of Perry Mason entitled "The Case Of The Wrathful Wraith" as murdered Ralph Balfour.
Lyons was a close friend of Raymond Burr.
At one time he was romantically involved with Grace Kelly.
Gene Lyons passed away in 1974. He had a long standing problem with alcoholism which may have contributed to his early death.
He is buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pittsburgh, PA.
I always enjoyed this actor in his many television appearances but I really liked him as Commissioner Randall in the Ironside TV series.
Louie The Movie Buff