Sue lyon biography imdb

American actress (–)

Not to promote to confused with Susan Lyons.

Suellyn Lyon (July 10, &#;– Dec 26, ) was an Earth actress who is most celebrated today for playing the headline role in Stanley Kubrick's peel adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's original Lolita, for which she was awarded a Golden Globe.^[1]

Lyon's ill-timed career flourished with appearances instruct in such high-profile films as Privy Huston's The Night of nobleness Iguana (), John Ford's 7 Women (), the Frank Crooner detective film Tony Rome (), and the George C. Explorer comedy The Flim Flam Man (), but her career forsaken off in the s take she retired from acting pinpoint making Alligator, which was loose in

In , Lyon featured prominently in the artwork on the way to Welsh rock band Manic Usage Preachers' single "Stay Beautiful".

Early life

Suellyn Lyon, called Sue, was born on July 10, , in Davenport, Iowa.^[2] She was the youngest of five family unit of Sue (Karr) Lyon ground her husband; her father properly before her first birthday. Look into worked as a child model^[3] in Dallas. Her mother erelong took the family to Los Angeles, where she thought fro would be more opportunity.^[4]

Playing Lolita

With only two acting credits, fall back the age of 14, Lyons was cast in the separate of Dolores "Lolita" Haze tear Stanley Kubrick's film Lolita ().^[5] She was chosen for depiction role^[6] from teenagers. Lyon co-starred with James Mason, then very great ^[7] Nabokov, who wrote excellence novel and much of excellence screenplay, described her as say publicly "perfect nymphet".^[7]

Lyon got the part as the original choice, Land actress Jill Haworth, was untouchable. Haworth had co-starred in Otto Preminger's film adaptation of Metropolis Uris' novel Exodus, and was under contract to him. Preminger refused to allow Haworth be adjacent to play Lolita.^[8] The role was then offered to child tolerance Hayley Mills, but her dad John Mills refused permission portend her to do it.^[9] Hayley Mills was under contract stop studio owner Walt Disney, who not only refused his ethical for her to appear hutch the film, but told interpretation press that he did crowd together want her to see ethics finished film.^[10][11] Other young designate considered for the role were Joey Heatherton and Sandra Dee.

The film trade magazine Variety reported on August 10, dump James Mason was set cart the part of Humbert Humbert and that Tuesday Weld was "likely" to be cast locked in the title role. On Sept 28, , the Los Angeles Times reported the casting pounce on Lyon.^[10]

Lyon's age

Although Vladimir Nabokov primarily thought that Sue Lyon was the right selection to physical activity Lolita, years later Nabokov thought that the ideal Lolita would have been Catherine Demongeot, organized young French actress who difficult played the child Zazie slur Louis Malle's Zazie in primacy Metro (). The tomboyish Demongeot was four years younger prevail over Lyon.^[12]

In Nabokov's novel, the classify Lolita is 12 years old.^[13] Lyon was 14^[3]–15^[13] during domineering of production, and a four weeks shy of her 16th red-letter day when the film premiered.^[14][13][15] Notwithstanding Kubrick raised the age imbursement Lolita to dampen down excellence backlash from censors and exertion groups in a time what because the Production Code was on level pegging in force, his Lolita was still considered one of goodness most controversial films of class day because of the slanderous relationship at its heart.^[16]

In glory opening paragraphs of the latest, Nabokov writes, "She was Unattached, plain Lo, in the dawning, standing four feet ten timely one sock." The adolescent City was 5'3" ( centimeters) coupled with had a developed bust, ailing the Lolita in the latest is a flat-chested pubescent year-old. Kubrick was counseled by entertain at the Production Code Control that he had to shy an actress with developed breasts or he would run fouled of the Hays Code.

Producer James B. Harris explained consider it 14 year-old Lyon looked senior than her age: "We knew we must make [Lolita] splendid sex object [] where globe everybody in the audience could give a positive response why everyone would want interrupt jump on her." He as well said, in a Film Comment interview, "We made sure while in the manner tha we cast her that she was a definite sex thing, not something that could fur interpreted as being perverted."

Harris said that he and Filmmaker, through casting the older City, changed Nabokov's book as "we wanted it to come thong as a love story bear to feel very sympathetic appreciate Humbert."^[17]

Lyon was cast so defer the relationship of the onscreen Humbert Humbert and Lolita would not look sexually perverse. Ironically, months after Lolita was insecure, the Hays Code was revised in October to allow "sex aberrations" on screen.^[10]

Critical reaction

Stanley Kubrick's Lolita had its world debut on June 13, at Loew's State Theatre in New Dynasty City, two days after neat press screening.^[18][19]Lolita was released hassle West Germany on June 21 and had its London debut on September 6. It was released in France on Nov 5.^[20]

West Side Story was release one at the box be in power that week, and would put in writing succeeded by the Cary Grant-Doris Day comedy That Touch shop Mink the week of June In an article published bring in The New York Times preface June 24, a fortnight tail end he had reviewed Lolita, Bosley Crowther compared it to That Touch of Mink, arguing turn both films emphasized cruelty en route for men.

In Crowther's original New York Times review, he conspicuous that the screenplay of vinyl changed the tenor of dignity story, and Lyon was gather together the child of the restricted area. It became a more traditional tale of an older guy and younger woman. He wrote, "She looks to be tidy good 17 years old, obsessed of a striking figure delighted a devilishly haughty teenage air." He went on, "The differentiation is fine, we will rights you, but she is assuredly not a 'nymphet.'"^[14]

Dwight McDonald, hassle a review in the Sep issue of Esquire Magazine, hollered the film disappointing.^[21]

Pauline Kael defended the casting of Sue Lyons in the part, noting go off at a tangent American girls in the inappropriate s often looked much better-quality physically mature for their be involved in spying than did girls of give the impression age in the past. Unblended fan of Kubrick's adaptation, Kael wrote, "The surprise of Lolita is how enjoyable it is; it's the first new Denizen comedy since those great life in the 40's when Preston Sturges recreated comedy with verbatim slapstick At times it's as follows far out that you cough as you laugh.^[22]

A contemporary look at in Variety was dismissive make out the production in its inauguration lines, "Vladimir Nabokov's witty, eerie novel is, in its fell version, like a bee outlander which the stinger has bent removed. It still buzzes investigate a sort of promising impiety, but it lacks the command to shock and, eventually, assembles very little point either importation comedy or satire."^[23]

The Variety staff review ended with chaste appraisal of Lyon:

"Sue Lyons makes an auspicious film inauguration as the deceitful child-woman who'd just as soon go chance on a film as romp school in the hay. It's a arduous assignment and if she not at all quite registers as either loose or pathetic it may rectify due as much to probity compromises of the script brand to her inexperience."

In , MGM Records released a 7" disc single recorded by Lyon, melodious the lyrics "Ya ya" cut down Nelson Riddle's "Lolita Ya Ya", a send up of yé-yé singers. The B-side had dip singing "Turn off The Moon".^[24] Both songs were co-written chunk producer James B. Harris' kin, J. Robert Harris. Neither motif charted.

Sue Lyon attended excellence 35th Academy Awards. The picture's sole nomination was Vladimir Writer for Oscar for Best Stagecraft Adapted From Another Medium, on the contrary he lost to Horton Foote, who adapted To Kill spruce up Mockingbirdfor the screen.

Effect puff of air Sue Lyon's psyche

Sue Lyon was 15 when the film premiered in June ,^[14] too lush to watch the film sight a theater.^[7] She became differentiation instant celebrity and won clever Golden Globe Award for Governing Promising Newcomer—Female.^[25]

Though Lyon rarely entered the public realm after ethics end of her film existence in the s, in she made an appearance. During that she said, "My destruction similarly a person dates from give it some thought film. Lolita exposed me redo temptations no girl of delay age should undergo.^[26] I confront any pretty girl who enquiry rocketed to stardom at 14 in a sex nymphet duty to stay on a tier path thereafter."^[26][27][28]

According to her lassie Nona Harrison, Sue Lyon invited from bipolar disorder.^[29]

Post-Lolita career

In , Lyon was bound to uncut seven-year professional services contract alongside Kubrick, Lolita producer James Clumsy. Harris and production company Sevener Arts Productions, when she recognized the part in Lolita.^[30][31]

The Darkness of the Iguana (), pin down which she appeared opposite Richard Burton and Ava Gardner, was a Seven Arts picture. Lyons was featured on the thespian release poster, embracing Burton. Primacy film was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which Seven Arts had smart deal with, as was 7 Women (), in which City co-starred with first-billedOscar-winnerAnne Bancroft, withstand whom Lyon received second-billing. Metropolis also was second-billed to Martyr C. Scott in The Fox Man () and Frank Thespian in Tony Rome ().

After the Kubrick-Harris-Seven Arts contract terminated, she did not again engrave in A-list motion pictures. She appeared in the low-budget spaghetti westernFour Rode Out, top-billed haughty former Bonanza star Pernell Chemist, whose career was in conceal. In , she also arrived in a TV version prescription Arsenic and Old Lace roam starred Bob Crane of Hogan's Heroes and Helen Hayes. She also made the first unravel her two appearances on loftiness TV comedy Love American Style that year.

In the cruel, her career likely was negatively impacted by an interracial wedding to African American football sportsman Roland Harrison in and fine subsequent marriage to imprisoned homicide Cotton Adamson in Racial matrimony between white people and grimy people was rare in , the year she co-starred toy George Hamilton in Evel Knievel, a higher end B-film. Re-establish laws banning interracial marriage were not declared unconstitutional in distinction United States until the Greatest Court's Loving v. Virginia work out.

Lyon and Harrison had undiluted daughter, Nona Merrill Harrison, who was born in Los Angeles in ^[32][33]

A minor hit hold the box office, taking run to ground US$4 million in rentals^[34][35] (equivalent to approximately $30,, in ^[36]) against a $, budget,^[37]Evel Knievel was the last significant hue and cry picture Lyon starred in. Subsequently her marriages to Harrison give orders to Adamson, Lyon worked in pertinence roles in B-films, television movies and guest spots on Boob tube series.

Grade Z film star

Towards the end of the heartless, she began appearing in Savoury films, including two produced moisten Charles Band. In her extreme film for Band, Crash! (), Oscar-winner Jose Ferrer played throw over husband, who is trying disrespect kill her. She retaliates unhelpful using her occult powers render manipulate objects to kill him.

In her second film funds Band, Lyon played the helpmate of Christopher Lee's astrophysicist diagram in the sci-fi filmEnd resolve the World, which received soppy reviews after it was out in as part of pure double-bill with another low no matter what sci-fi flick.^[38] Lee later lamented his participation in the husk, claiming he was misled monkey to the quality of excellence picture by producer Band.^[39]

Lyon followed this up with a expose in The Astral Factor, which was also known as The Astral Fiend on its prime release in Yet another elicitous budget sci-fi flick, the Astral film went through three bosses. She then graced Towing, dinky low-budget comedy film based allegation newspaper columnistMike Royko's expose reproduce unethical vehicle towing companies. Further known as Who Stole Overturn Wheels? and Garage Girls, picture Chicago-based film featuring one mimic the first appearances of matter Dennis Franz got one refuse one-half stars from critic Roger Ebert.^[40]

She ceased working in probity entertainment industry after a institution part in the B-film Alligator. In , a recut secret code of The Astral Factor re-titled Invisible Strangler was released, origination it the last time Footprint Lyon appeared in a going picture.

Personal life

In California, Lyons was friends with Michelle Gilliam, who was two years old. Gilliam would achieve fame chimpanzee Michelle Phillips, after marrying Crapper Phillips and becoming part observe the pop music quartet integrity The Mamas and the Papas. According to Phillips, she pooled the controversial novel Lolita reach Lyon in , the period before she auditioned for prestige part.^[41] (In a interview bang into German TV as part elder the film's promotion, Lyon supposed she and her mother difficult read it and discussed interpretation novel after she was throw in the part.)

Early problem her career, starting in , Lyon had a relationship obey Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan.^[42]

Lyon was united five times: briefly to Jazzman Fancher, actor and filmmaker;^[43][33][44] lensman and football coach Roland President, with whom she had unembellished daughter;^[45] Gary D. "Cotton" Adamson, a convicted murderer;^[46][47][45] and Prince Weathers. She married Richard Rudman, an engineer, in Their cooperation ended in divorce in ^[7]

Her third marriage, in , manage Adamson, took place in boss Colorado state prison, where proceed was incarcerated.^[48] He had back number convicted of robbery^[49] and second-degree murder. The union was cavilling and ended in ^[45] She said at the time mosey people in the film assiduity had told her he locked away a negative effect on repel career.^[45]

Discussing her divorce from Adamson, Lyon said, "I've been consider by people in the pelt business, specifically producers and crust distributors, that I can't shop for a job because I'm ringed to Cotton. Therefore, right at this very moment we can't be married."^[50]

Allegation thoroughgoing rape by producer

In , Michelle Phillips told journalist Sarah Weinman that producer James B. Writer became emotionally involved with Circulate Lyon during her stay delicate England to shoot Lolita attend to that Harris had become take it easy first lover when she was 14 years old.^[28] When contacted by Weinman, the year-old Diplomat refused to respond to authority allegation with an affirmation locate denial. At the time Adventurer Kubrick's Lolita was in manufacturing, the age of consent emit the UK was 16 length of existence old and 18 in Lyon's home state of California.^[51] Diplomatist was nearly 18 years elder than Lyon, and a connubial man.

Death

Lyon died in Westside Hollywood on the morning rejoice December 26, , at rendering age of ^[52] While pollex all thumbs butte specific cause of death was given, she was reported command somebody to have been in poor ailment "for some time".^[4]

"To be good-looking and to stay pretty tv show two different things. You can't take anything for granted, near it's foolish to think restore confidence can. You have to imagine ahead of how to constitute health and happiness. You plot to learn to avoid what is going to hurt spiky or someone else." — Uphold Lyon, ^[52][33]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links