Cliff Lyons
Acting
Cliff Lyons was an American actor, stuntman and second-unit director, primarily of Westerns, particularly the films of John Ford and John Wayne. Lyons, the son of Garrett Thomas Lyons and Wilhamena Johnson Lyons, was raised on a South Dakota farm, though his family lived for a time in Memphis, TN, where he attended business school. An expert horseman, he gave up the notion of a business career and opted for the rodeo arena instead, touring the country;y and eventually reaching Los Angeles at the age of 21. With accomplished cowboys in great demand, Lyons quickly became involved in movies, working both as a stuntman and an actor. After only a couple of bit parts, he was signed by producer Bud Barsky to do seven inexpensive Westerns directed by Paul Hurst, with Lyons and Al Hoxie alternating as the hero and the heavy. Lyons and Hoxie alternated in another Western series produced by Morris R. Schlank, and, as Cliff 'Tex' Lyons, he seemed headed for minor stardom as a B-Western lead. However, Lyons' voice was not well-suited for sound and the talkie revolution confined him to small roles. As his small shot at stardom faded, however, his career as a stunt double for stars big and small was on the rise. He doubled such cowboy stars as Tom Mix, Ken Maynard, Buck Jones and Johnny Mack Brown. In 1936 he worked with John Wayne for the first and struck up a personal and business relationship that would remain strong for three decades. Wayne was influential in getting Lyons his first work as a second-unit director and in introducing Lyons to John Ford, for whom Lyons would do some of his finest work. Lyons' reputation as a stunt coordinator is comparable to that of acknowledged master Yakima Canutt, with whom Lyons partnered on numerous occasions. Perhaps Lyons' most impressive work was the massive and dynamic battle sequences of Wayne's The Alamo (1960). He was married from 1938 to 1955 to actress Beth Marion, with whom he had two sons. Cliff Lyons died in 1974 at 72, not long after coordinating stunts for Wayne's The Train Robbers (1973). Date of Birth 4 July 1901, near Clarno Township, Lake County, South Dakota Date of Death 6 January 1974, Los Angeles, California
Known for
Acting86
movieChisum
1970
Wrangler (uncredited)
movieThe Green Berets
1968
Hugh Parkinson (uncredited)
movieThe War Wagon
1967
Outrider (uncredited)
movieMarco the Magnificent
1965
(uncredited)
movieGenghis Khan
1965
(uncredited)
movieMajor Dundee
1965
Trooper (uncredited)
movieTwo Rode Together
1961
William McCandless (uncredited)
movieThe Alamo
1960
Bowie's Man (uncredited)
movieSpartacus
1960
Soldier (uncredited)
movieSergeant Rutledge
1960
Sam Beecher (uncredited)
movieBen-Hur
1959
The Lubian (uncredited)
movieThe Horse Soldiers
1959
Union Sergeant (uncredited)
movieThe Young Land
1959
Reynolds - Jury Foreman (uncredited) / Jury Foreman
tvWagon Train
1957
Creel Weatherby
movieApache Warrior
1957
Trooper (uncredited)
movieThe Abductors
1957
Secret Service Agent
movieThe Wings of Eagles
1957
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
movie7 Men from Now
1956
Henchman
movieThe Prodigal
1955
Harun (uncredited)
movieThe Red Badge of Courage
1951
Soldier (uncredited)
movieRio Grande
1950
Soldier (uncredited)
movieWagon Master
1950
Marshal of Crystal City
movieWhen Willie Comes Marching Home
1950
Churchgoer (uncredited)
movieShe Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1949
Trooper Cliff (uncredited)
movie3 Godfathers
1948
Guard at Mojave Tanks (uncredited)
movieWagon Tracks West
1943
Henchman Matt
movieColt Comrades
1943
Rancher
movieThe Silver Bullet
1942
Stage Driver / Barfly
movieWinners of the West
1940
Indian / Henchman
movieRenegade Trail
1939
Henchman
movieHollywood Round-Up
1937
Saloon Set Brawler
movieBlack Aces
1937
Rider
movieTrailin' West
1936
Gambler (uncredited)
movieThe Lawless Nineties
1936
Henchman Davis
movieThe Eagle's Brood
1935
Cowhand
movieStormy
1935
Cowhand (uncredited)
movieThe Last Days of Pompeii
1935
Ostorius - a Gladiator (uncredited)
movieThe Crimson Trail
1935
Barroom Cowhand
movieThe Devil Horse
1932
Cowhand (uncredited)
movieThe Night Rider
1932
Bert Logan
movieThe Rainbow Trail
1932
Horseman
movieThree Rogues
1931
Deputy (uncredited)
movieRed Fork Range
1931
'Skeeter' Beldon
movieUnder Texas Skies
1930
Mustang - Henchman (uncredited)
movieThe Last of the Duanes
1930
Henchman
movieCanyon Hawks
1930
Tom Hardy
movieThe Oklahoma Cyclone
1930
Henchman
movieThe Lone Rider
1930
Henchman
movieNear the Rainbow's End
1930
Lefty - Henchman
movieThe Canyon of Missing Men
1930
Brill Lonegran
movieThe Cheyenne Kid
1930
Cowhand (uncredited)
movieThe Hunted Men
1930
Henchman Red (uncredited)
movieCall of the Desert
1930
Nate Thomas
movieO'Malley Rides Alone
1930
Henchman
movieThe Voice from the Sky
1929
Henchman 'Humpy'
movieCode of the West
1929
Leary Henchman
movieThe Cowboy and the Outlaw
1929
Slim Saxon
movieThe Law of the Plains
1929
Henchman
movieThe Last Roundup
1929
Jimmy Blyth
movieHeadin' Westward
1929
Pat Carle
The Old Code
1928
Jacques de Long
movieManhattan Cowboy
1928
Tex Spaulding
movieAcross the Plains
1928
Chuck Lang
movieHell Hounds of the Plains
1927
Henchman (uncredited)
Western Courage
1927
Henchman Cliff
movieDesert Greed
1926
Gillis - Henchman (uncredited)
movieBen-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925
Charioteer (uncredited)
movieWild Horse Canyon
1925
Ranch Hand
Crew56
movieThe Train Robbers
1973
Stunt Coordinator
movieThe War Wagon
1967
Stunts
movieMajor Dundee
1965
Stunts
movieCheyenne Autumn
1964
Stunts
movieMcLintock!
1963
Stunt Coordinator, Technical Advisor
movieThe Alamo
1960
Stunts
movieThe Searchers
1956
Stunts
movieThe Conqueror
1956
Stunts
movieThe Prodigal
1955
Stunts
movieRio Grande
1950
Stunts
movieWagon Master
1950
Stunts
movieShe Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1949
Stunts, Technical Advisor
movie3 Godfathers
1948
Stunts
movieRed River
1948
Stunts
movieFort Apache
1948
Stunts
movieThe Old Chisholm Trail
1942
Stand In
movieThey Died with Their Boots On
1941
Stunt Double
movieRenegade Trail
1939
Stunts
movieDodge City
1939
Stunts
movieJesse James
1939
Stunt Double
movieLove Time
1934
Stunts
movieThe Red Rider
1934
Stunts
movieRobbers' Roost
1932
Stunt Double
movieThe Devil Horse
1932
Stunts
movieMystery Ranch
1932
Stunts
movieFighting Thru
1930
Stunts
Directing11
movieThe Train Robbers
1973
Second Unit Director
movieThe War Wagon
1967
Second Unit Director
movieGenghis Khan
1965
Second Unit Director
movieMajor Dundee
1965
Second Unit Director
movieTaras Bulba
1962
Second Unit Director
movieThe Alamo
1960
Second Unit Director
movieThe Conqueror
1956
Second Unit Director
movieRio Grande
1950
Second Unit Director
movieWagon Master
1950
Second Unit Director
movieShe Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1949
Second Unit Director
movieFort Apache
1948
Second Unit Director