James Joseph Lydon (May 30, 1923 – March 9, 2022) was an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s.[1]

Jimmy Lydon
Born(1923-05-30)May 30, 1923
DiedMarch 9, 2022(2022-03-09) (aged 98)
Occupation(s)Actor, producer
Years active1937–1987
Spouses
Patricia Pernetti
(m. 1945, divorced)
Betty Lou Nedell
(m. 1952; died 2022)
Children2

Early life

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Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey on May 30, 1923, the fifth of nine children.[2] His family was of Irish heritage. He was raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey.[3]

Career

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In 1932, Lydon's father, who was an alcoholic, decided to retire from working. This decision forced all of the other family members to seek employment in the depths of the Great Depression.[4]

 
Jimmy Lydon in 1939

One of his first starring roles was the title character in the 1940 movie Tom Brown's School Days, also starring Cedric Hardwicke and Freddie Bartholomew. The film was well received by critics, with Variety praising it in a January 1940 review as "sympathetically and skillfully made, with many touching moments and an excellent cast". Lydon was called "believable and moving in the early portions, but too young for the final moments".[5]

Between 1941 and 1944, under contract to Paramount Pictures, Lydon starred as the screechy-voiced, adolescent Henry Aldrich in the movie series of that title.[4] After completing the Aldrich series, the 21-year-old Lydon signed a contract in 1944 with Republic Pictures.[6]

 
Lydon in Twice Blessed (1945)

He appeared in the acclaimed 1947 film Life with Father in the role of college-bound Clarence. Variety called Jimmy Lydon's portrayal "effective as the potential Yale man".[7]

He then appeared opposite James Cagney in the 1948 movie The Time of Your Life. From 1949 to 1950, he and Janet Waldo voiced the leading characters in the radio comedy Young Love.[citation needed]

Lydon easily gained roles in the new medium of television. He portrayed Chris Thayer on The First Hundred Years. The show was CBS's first daytime soap opera. It was performed live for three seasons of 300 episodes.

In 1953, he was cast as Murray in the aviation adventure film Island in the Sky, starring John Wayne. He also played Biffen Cardoza on the last six episodes of Rocky Jones, Space Ranger in 1954 and made appearances in Lux Video Theatre and The Christophers. In 1955, he appeared on Sergeant Preston of the Yukon as Johnny Lane, plagued by cabin fever, in the episode titled "The Williwaw".[citation needed] In 1956 he appeared in the episode "One Minute from Broadway" in the series Sneak Preview.[8]

 
Lydon in 2013

In 1958, Lydon played the role of Richard in Anne Jeffreys' and Robert Sterling's short-lived sitcom Love That Jill. Lydon appeared in guest roles on Crossroads, Casey Jones, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Wagon Train, Hennesey, The Twilight Zone, and Tales of the Texas Rangers, as Lt. Jared Evans in the 1958 episode "Warpath". A year later, he guest-starred on the television series Colt .45. Lydon played the role of Willy in the episode "Return to El Paso", with Paul Picerni cast as Jose.[citation needed] He also appeared in the premiere episode of the anthology series New Comedy Showcase in 1960.[citation needed]

After working increasingly in television in the 1950s, he turned to production and helped to create the detective series 77 Sunset Strip, as well as the sitcom M*A*S*H. He also produced the television adaptation of the film Mister Roberts in 1966 and Roll Out in 1973–1974. Lydon played Captain Henry Aldrich (a reference to his Aldrich movie series) on the latter show.[citation needed]

In 1963, Lydon worked on the Western series Temple Houston on the fall schedule. On orders from studio boss Jack Webb, episodes were put together in two or three days each, something previously thought impossible in television production. Work began on August 7, 1963, with the initial airing set for September 19. Lydon recalls that Webb told the staff: "Fellas, I just sold Temple Houston. We gotta be on the air in four weeks, we can't use the pilot, we have no scripts, no nothing—do it!"[9]

During the 1970s & 1980s, Lydon continued to act on television, with roles on episodes of Gunsmoke, Lou Grant, Simon & Simon, and St. Elsewhere.

Personal life

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Lydon married Patricia Pernetti in 1945. The union was dissolved after a brief period.[10] He was married to Betty Lou Nedell from 1952 until her death in January 2022. They had two daughters and two granddaughters.[11]

Lydon died at the age of 98 on March 9, 2022, at his home in San Diego, California.[11]

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Role Notes
1939 Back Door to Heaven Frankie Rogers
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair Bud
Two Thoroughbreds David Carey
1940 Tom Brown's School Days Tom Brown
Little Men Dan
Bowery Boy Sock Dolan
1941 Naval Academy Tommy Blake
Henry Aldrich for President Henry Aldrich
1942 Cadets on Parade Joe Novak
The Mad Martindales Bobby Bruce Turner
Henry and Dizzy Henry Aldrich
Henry Aldrich, Editor
Star Spangled Rhythm Jimmy Lydon Uncredited
1943 Aerial Gunner Pvt. Sanford 'Sandy' Lunt
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour Henry Aldrich
Henry Aldrich Swings It
Henry Aldrich Haunts a House
1944 Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout
My Best Gal Johnny McCloud
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid Henry Aldrich
Henry Aldrich's Little Secret
When the Lights Go On Again Ted Benson
The Town Went Wild Bob Harrison
1945 Strange Illusion Paul Cartwright
Twice Blessed Mickey Pringle
1946 Affairs of Geraldine Willy Briggs
1947 Life with Father Clarence Day, Jr.
Cynthia Ricky Latham
Sweet Genevieve Bill Kennedy
Good News Tommy's classmate Uncredited
1948 The Time of Your Life Dudley Raoul Bostwick
Out of the Storm Donald Lewis
Joan of Arc Pierre d'Arc
1949 An Old-Fashioned Girl Tom Shaw
Miss Mink of 1949 Joe Forrester
Bad Boy Ted Hendry
Tucson Andy Bryant
1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home Charles Fettles
Tarnished Junior Bunker
Destination Big House Freddy Brooks
September Affair Johnny Wilson
Hot Rod David Langham
The Magnificent Yankee Clinton
1951 Gasoline Alley Skeezix
Oh! Susanna Trumpeter Benton
Corky of Gasoline Alley Skeezix Wallet
1953 Island in the Sky Murray
1954 The Desperado Tom Cameron
1955 Rage at Dawn Dedrick - Fisher's Clerk Uncredited
1956 Battle Stations Squawk Hewitt
1957 Chain of Evidence Steve Nordstrom
1960 The Hypnotic Eye Emergency doctor
I Passed for White Jay Morgan
1961 The Last Time I Saw Archie Pvt. Billy Simpson
1969 Death of a Gunfighter Luke Mills
1971 Scandalous John Grotch
1973 Bonnie's Kids Motel Manager
1976 Vigilante Force Tom Crousy

Short subjects:

  • Home Early (1939) as Junior Doakes (uncredited)
  • A Letter from Bataan (1942) as Chuck Lewis
  • The Aldrich Family Gets in the Scrap (1943) as Henry Aldrich
  • Caribbean Romance (1943) as Peter Conway
  • The Shining Future (1944) as Danny Ames
  • Road to Victory (1944) as Danny Ames
  • Time to Kill (1945) as Lou

References

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  1. ^ Erickson, Hal (2012). "Jimmy Lydon biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  2. ^ "Jimmy Lydon, who starred as young Henry Aldrich, dies at 98". The Washington Post. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  3. ^ Feldberg, Robert. "HOW WE HAD FUN", The Record (Bergen County), May 7, 1995. Accessed October 25, 2009. "And Bergenfield-bred Jimmy Lydon, who played the eternal teenager Henry Aldrich on radio and in B movies, had married his high-school sweetheart."
  4. ^ a b "Jimmy Lydon; stage, film, television and behind the camera". The Milwaukee Journal. January 20, 1983. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
  5. ^ "Tom Brown's School Days; Adventures at Rugby". Variety. January 1, 1940. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  6. ^ "SCREEN NEWS; Jimmy Lydon Gets Term Contract With Republic" (PDF). The New York Times. December 23, 1944. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  7. ^ "Life with Father". Variety. January 1, 1947. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  8. ^ "Sneak Preview". ctva.com. CTVA – The Classic TV Archive. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  9. ^ Billy Hathorn, "Roy Bean, Temple Houston, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Buffalo Bill, Jr., and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 to 1967", West Texas Historical Review, Vol. 89 (2013), pp. 106-109
  10. ^ "Actor Jimmy Lydon To Be Wed Tomorrow". Tucson Daily Citizen. April 13, 1945. p. 9. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (19 March 2022). "Jimmy Lydon, William Powell's Oldest Son in 'Life With Father,' Dies at 98". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
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