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.

Early life Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey, on May 30, 1923, the fifth of nine children. His family was of Irish heritage. He was raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey. He had six brothers and two sisters, and his father was a railroad statistician. After eight years at St. John's in Bergenfield, New Jersey, he studied photography at Professional Children's School in New York.

Career Before Lydon tried acting, he worked as a model for the Powers Agency for two years, appearing on magazine covers and in advertisements.

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.

Lydon performed in two plays before he performed in his first film, Two Thoroughbreds (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".

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. After completing the Aldrich series, the 21-year-old Lydon signed a contract in 1944 with Republic Pictures.

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".

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.

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 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". In 1956 he appeared in the episode "One Minute from Broadway" in the series Sneak Preview.

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. He also appeared in the premiere episode of the anthology series New Comedy Showcase in 1960.

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.

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!"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

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

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

Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1939Back Door to HeavenFrankie RogersThe Middleton Family at the New York World's FairBudTwo ThoroughbredsDavid Carey1940Tom Brown's School DaysTom BrownLittle MenDanBowery BoySock Dolan1941Naval AcademyTommy BlakeHenry Aldrich for PresidentHenry Aldrich1942Cadets on ParadeJoe NovakThe Mad MartindalesBobby Bruce TurnerHenry and DizzyHenry AldrichHenry Aldrich, EditorStar Spangled RhythmJimmy LydonUncredited1943Aerial GunnerPvt. Sanford 'Sandy' LuntHenry Aldrich Gets GlamourHenry AldrichHenry Aldrich Swings ItHenry Aldrich Haunts a House1944Henry Aldrich, Boy ScoutMy Best GalJohnny McCloudHenry Aldrich Plays CupidHenry AldrichHenry Aldrich's Little SecretWhen the Lights Go On AgainTed BensonThe Town Went WildBob Harrison1945Strange IllusionPaul CartwrightTwice BlessedMickey Pringle1946Affairs of GeraldineWilly Briggs1947Life with FatherClarence Day, Jr.CynthiaRicky LathamSweet GenevieveBill KennedyGood NewsTommy's classmateUncredited1948The Time of Your LifeDudley Raoul BostwickOut of the StormDonald LewisJoan of ArcPierre d'Arc1949An Old-Fashioned GirlTom ShawMiss Mink of 1949Joe ForresterBad BoyTed HendryTucsonAndy Bryant1950When Willie Comes Marching HomeCharles FettlesTarnishedJunior BunkerDestination Big HouseFreddy BrooksSeptember AffairJohnny WilsonHot Rod David LanghamThe Magnificent YankeeClinton1951Gasoline AlleySkeezixOh! SusannaTrumpeter BentonCorky of Gasoline AlleySkeezix Wallet1953Island in the SkyMurray1954The DesperadoTom Cameron1955Rage at DawnDedrick - Fisher's ClerkUncredited1956Battle StationsSquawk Hewitt1957Chain of EvidenceSteve Nordstrom1960The Hypnotic EyeEmergency doctorI Passed for WhiteJay Morgan1961The Last Time I Saw ArchiePvt. Billy Simpson1969Death of a GunfighterLuke Mills1971Scandalous JohnGrotch1973Bonnie's KidsMotel Manager1976Vigilante ForceTom 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

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