Who was Sue Lyon? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Suellyn Lyon

Died At Age: 73

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Cotton Adamson (1973-1974), Edward Weathers (1983-1984), Hampton Fancher (1963-1965), Richard Rudman (1985-2002), Roland Harrison (1971-1972)

children: Nona Harrison

Born Country: United States

Actresses American Women

Height: 5'3" (160 cm), 5'3" Females

Died on: December 26, 2019

place of death: West Hollywood, California, United States

Notable Alumni: Los Angeles City College, Santa Monica College

City: Davenport, Iowa

U.S. State: Iowa

More Facts

education: Los Angeles City College, Santa Monica College

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Career

Sue Lyon started her career with modelling projects and small parts in the TV shows ‘The Loretta Young Show’ and ‘Dennis the Menace’. In 1962, she was cast as Dolores "Lolita" Haze in the film ‘Lolita’ and eventually won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She also recorded two songs for the movie titled “Lolita Ya Ya" and "Turn off the Moon". After this, the actress again appeared as a seductive teen girl in ‘The Night of the Iguana’. In 1966, she had a role in John Ford's ‘7 Women’. A year later, Lyon starred as Bonnie Lee Packard in the comedy flick ‘The Flim-Flam Man’ alongside George C. Scott and Michael Sarrazin. In 1967, she also featured in ‘Tony Rome’, a film about the Miami private investigator Tony Rome and his quest to discover the lost diamond pin of a wealthy heiress.

In the year 1969, Lyon was cast in a recurring role in the comedy television series ‘Love, American Style’. In the ensuing years, she had guest appearances in the series ‘The Virginian’ and ‘Night Gallery’. In the 1970s, she also starred as Linda, the wife of the daredevil Evel Knievel in the movie ‘Evel Knievel’. The actress next played the lead role in the Spanish-French flick ‘Murder in a Blue World’, a story of a reputable nurse who seduces men, takes them to bed, and listens to their heart-beats before stabbing them to death. Following a role in the TV film ‘Smash-Up on Interstate 5’, Lyon appeared in the movie ‘End of the World’ in 1977. A year later, she featured in an episode each of ‘Police Story’ and ‘Fantasy Island.’ She had her final film role in the 1980 cult horror ‘Alligator’.

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Family & Personal Life

Sue Lyon was born on July 10, 1946, in Davenport, Iowa, USA, to Sue Karr Lyon and James M. Lyon. Her father died when she was only ten months old, following which she and her four siblings were raised by her mother. Lyon attended Santa Monica City College and Los Angeles City College.

She married actor, Hampton Fancher, in 1963 and divorced him two years later. On 4 July 1971, she married Roland Harrison. The couple had one daughter, Nona Merrill Harrison, and adopted a son, Robert Lyon Harrison, before divorcing a year later. Lyon later married men named Cotton Adamson, Edward Weathers, and Richard Rudman. Her last marriage ended in 2002.

Sue Lyon died on December 26, 2019. at the age of 73, in Studio City, California.

Sue Lyon Biography