Gene Lyons was an American television actor, born on February 9, 1921, in Pittsburgh, who gained widespread recognition for his iconic role as police commissioner Dennis Randall on the NBC detective series Ironside, starring the renowned actor Raymond Burr.
As a life member of The Actors Studio, Lyons showcased his impressive acting skills on Broadway, starring in productions such as Witness for the Prosecution, where he performed for two years, as well as Masquerade, The Trip to Bountiful, Harriet, and This Rock, in 1942.
In addition to his Broadway credits, Lyons had a successful career in television, with notable roles on the CBS drama series Pentagon U.S.A. in 1953, playing a police detective, and on the CBS daytime drama Woman with a Past in 1954, where he portrayed Steve Rockwell. Prior to joining Ironside, Lyons made a memorable appearance on Perry Mason in 1965 as murderer Ralph Balfour in "The Case of the Wrathful Wraith."
Throughout his illustrious career, Lyons made guest appearances on nearly two dozen other television series, including The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gunsmoke, Have Gun, Will Travel, The Fugitive, Ben Casey, Star Trek ("A Taste of Armageddon"),The Twilight Zone ("King Nine Will Not Return"),The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and The Untouchables. He also appeared in several films, such as Kiss Her Goodbye and The Young Don't Cry.
Sadly, Gene Lyons passed away on July 8, 1974, in Los Angeles, California, and was laid to rest at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
