Cliff Lyons
Cliff Lyons was an American actor, stuntman and second-unit director, primarily of Westerns, particularly the films of John Ford and John Wayne. Lyons, the son of Garrett Thomas Lyons and Wilhamena Johnson Lyons, was raised on a South Dakota farm, though his family lived for a time in Memphis, TN, where he attended business school. An expert horseman, he gave up the notion of a business career and opted for the rodeo arena instead, touring the country;y and eventually reaching Los Angeles at the age of 21. With accomplished cowboys in great demand, Lyons quickly became involved in movies, working both as a stuntman and an actor. After only a couple of bit parts, he was signed by producer Bud Barsky to do seven inexpensive Westerns directed by Paul Hurst, with Lyons and Al Hoxie alternating as the hero and the heavy. Lyons and Hoxie alternated in another Western series produced by Morris R. Schlank, and, as Cliff 'Tex' Lyons, he seemed headed for minor stardom as a B-Western lead. However, Lyons' voice was not well-suited for sound and the talkie revolution confined him to small roles. As his small shot at stardom faded, however, his career as a stunt double for stars big and small was on the rise. He doubled such cowboy stars as Tom Mix, Ken Maynard, Buck Jones and Johnny Mack Brown. In 1936 he worked with John Wayne for the first and struck up a personal and business relationship that would remain strong for three decades. Wayne was influential in getting Lyons his first work as a second-unit director and in introducing Lyons to John Ford, for whom Lyons would do some of his finest work. Lyons' reputation as a stunt coordinator is comparable to that of acknowledged master Yakima Canutt, with whom Lyons partnered on numerous occasions. Perhaps Lyons' most impressive work was the massive and dynamic battle sequences of Wayne's The Alamo (1960). He was married from 1938 to 1955 to actress Beth Marion, with whom he had two sons. Cliff Lyons died in 1974 at 72, not long after coordinating stunts for Wayne's The Train Robbers (1973). Date of Birth 4 July 1901, near Clarno Township, Lake County, South Dakota Date of Death 6 January 1974, Los Angeles, California
Known for
ActingBirthday
July 5, 1901Deathday
January 6, 1974Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
122Place of birth
Clarno Township, Lake County, South Dakota, USAAlso known as
Clifford William Lyons, Tex, Cliff "Tex" Lyons![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/pIY0P7eeSGtPcsdRM4YAqT4VEvj.jpg)
Cast credits
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/1RMUXKkFimEWfGSenop5Gd7Buo4.jpg)
7 Men from Now
Henchman![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/6yVHAtXoSe2FOQP2fePuR6nnFLr.jpg)
Wagon Master
Marshal of Crystal City![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/tXbCaOO4LZieLSuIZ0xNER3hYpq.jpg)
The Lawless Nineties
Henchman Davis![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/OBy4SFrOfm5V2d0CUCKOpykx6k.jpg)
The Night Rider
Bert Logan![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/jYn1FxsgjVXsjuj0D1QgDAyWxjj.jpg)
The Road Agent
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/lRY1ZflH2CNUR5HSWMEGILwzLpV.jpg)
The Last of the Duanes
Henchman![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/2pOjl7uFiAg3frPJsMzu0TkxvdB.jpg)
Blue Streak O'Neil
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/cyoArkR687ukarBQ86tg4lPP23Q.jpg)
Hollywood Round-Up
Saloon Set Brawler![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/oaYN6pEnSXVUnd5L56vTb8cqwvA.jpg)
Canyon Hawks
Tom Hardy![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/8FhB1ynwB9KqzMX6G14S6d7phUH.jpg)
The Last Roundup
Jimmy Blyth![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/heSGWTQOVtyNy9dajdEkc8P9Jli.jpg)
Code of the West
Leary Henchman![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/sfBafWsaC2UNNfqgCR1EIzbGSjJ.jpg)
The Young Land
Jury Foreman![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/wR0t0o3vCPg6U7sVGUAxF1kJ1Kj.jpg)
Riders of the Purple Sage
Jed![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/fCKlelepGlgn6wu2nd3vz93j1un.jpg)
Gordon of Ghost City
Rider![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/kFazDcbWxz8rYzRRN10U7Tqd7ls.jpg)
Wagon Tracks West
Henchman Matt![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/xLPpQlFWE12cbqNJQ5Vf4eJU8ij.jpg)
Spartacus
Soldier (uncredited)![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/m4WQ1dBIrEIHZNCoAjdpxwSKWyH.jpg)
Ben-Hur
The Lubian (uncredited)![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/bDCXdhQJdJnKyhFJ3bK2KLciT2Q.jpg)
Black Aces
Rider![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/698rNf4CF8phVDYMpD6reMg83gm.jpg)
Renegade Trail
Henchman![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/gAMnm7LWAuOx5Pz7A36NQ1OACYC.jpg)
The Eagle's Brood
Cowhand![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/ewFH7Og7RdAeGbjNW4uf5mZUY5j.jpg)
North of the Rio Grande
BarflyCrew credits
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/x4IElntJYCz3Wlh6DF7CvXqnKcQ.jpg)
Fighting Thru
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/3h5QjmdQoiaG6CpgbZ1TSVmuVQ6.jpg)
The Vanishing Legion
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/67SNeBozPmacOJX2awhVrYVRTAk.jpg)
The Miracle Rider
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/xijuWpwgYAoWO5dYttQbrKNi2Mm.jpg)
The Red Rider
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/7vkARD94rx4OJOTpHUUwE7ru3f4.jpg)
The Purple Monster Strikes
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/ws2xZ3lqAkdnzWZmclsVP9DGPlO.jpg)
Winners of the West
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/g42BaU6guw18Nu61H5TGksE5C9B.jpg)
The Phantom Rider
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/7GwQtTUTIGJXbiqNmTbQ2j0b1eW.jpg)
The Phantom Rider
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/uXB24zCoI3cjYQmemcneDRNj4co.jpg)
The Man from Tumbleweeds
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/hd9vh6sZWTi7WKWbldekEtmElml.jpg)
The Border Sheriff
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/p1MVaemmubv6q23Qx932gbowAbz.jpg)
Death Valley Manhunt
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/iySSQEAlvr87OYLA5aLzBU8q9lJ.jpg)
Dodge City
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/l8f6g2DL1AaqgE7GZWcdIA8E3nO.jpg)
The Missouri Traveler
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/inVZzNrhZ8W8csZuvTTF86Sfs3j.jpg)
Riders of Death Valley
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/698rNf4CF8phVDYMpD6reMg83gm.jpg)
Renegade Trail
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/pkQ9fW42CwZ0PmkcRnfEwT9l5d9.jpg)
The Devil Horse
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/ewFH7Og7RdAeGbjNW4uf5mZUY5j.jpg)
North of the Rio Grande
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/49l2JAUOuBN7CpZr6s7RcWV0VQP.jpg)
Cassidy of Bar 20
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/74Lj91pYSOUDtFQat78kcNK90Bo.jpg)
The Singing Vagabond
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/d3RcomDzj4xRLSojteH9OlGVcI.jpg)
Three on the Trail
Stunts![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/o7PiA0s34evn8P2Gos0Rqf3bmnF.jpg)
Bar 20 Rides Again
Stunts