Ben Lyon

Ben Lyon (February 6, 1901 – March 22, 1979) was a notable American actor and influential studio executive at 20th Century Fox. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Lyon began his film career in 1918 after a standout performance on Broadway alongside Jeanne Eagels. He gained prominence with the hit film *Flaming Youth* in 1923, quickly establishing himself as a leading man in Hollywood, sharing the screen with iconic silent film actresses such as Pola Negri, Gloria Swanson, and Mary Astor.

One of the highlights of Lyon's career came with the 1930 film *Hell's Angels*, where he portrayed a heroic World War I aviator, earning critical acclaim. Although his star power began to diminish in the early 1940s, he found a new calling at 20th Century Fox. It was here that he discovered a young aspiring actress named Norma Jeane Dougherty, later known as Marilyn Monroe. Lyon recognized her potential and facilitated her screen test, ultimately signing her to her first studio contract.

During World War II, Lyon and his wife, actress Bebe Daniels, relocated to London, where they starred in the popular radio series *Hi, Gang!* and later *Life with the Lyons*. Lyon married Daniels in 1930, and the couple had two children. After Daniels' passing in 1971, Lyon married actress Marian Nixon in 1974. He passed away from a heart attack on March 22, 1979, while on a cruise in Hawaii and is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, alongside his first wife. Lyon's legacy in the film industry is commemorated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.