Biography
James J. Lydon (born May 30, 1923) is an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s.
Known For
Complete Filmography
The World of Tomorrow
1984
as Bud Middleton (archive footage)
Documentary featuring original materials from the 1939 New York World's Fair. Includes film images of Jason Robards Jr. as a child at the World's Fai...
Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion
1977
as Muggeridge
A teenage boy gets a job as a Pony Express rider in the Nebraska Territory not long before the Civil War breaks out.
Vigilante Force
1976
as Tom Cousy
In a small town in California, the quiet citizens find their lives disrupted by boisterous, lawless oil-field workers who have infested their communit...
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
1976
as Jim Pickett
Three young women who posed as the daughters of an elderly homesteader find out that he has been falsely accused of murder, convicted, and sentenced t...
Ellery Queen: Too Many Suspects
1975
as Actor
When a famous fashion designer is found murdered, Inspector Richard Queen of the NYPD is baffled by her dying clue, prompting him to bring in his son,...
Bonnie's Kids
1973
as Motel Manager
After killing their repulsive stepfather, emboldened sisters Myra and Ellie set out to become career criminals. While enjoying the freedom of being ba...
Michael O'Hara the Fourth
1972
as John Stevens
The name Michael O'Hara has become synonymous with law enforcement. There have been three generations of Michael O'Haras and all have been exemplary p...
The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove
1971
as Jim Durden
Three kids think they see a sea monster in the calm waters of Strawberry Cove, and set out to find what's behind the mystery.
Scandalous John
1971
as Grotch
A crotchety old ranch owner fights to be able to live his life the way he wants to, and not the way other people--and the law--tell him he has to.
Cannon
1971
as Betting Clerk
In this pilot film to the TV series, Cannon investigates the murder of a war buddy to clear the man's wife of suspicion in his death.
The Learning Tree
1969
Associate Producer
The story, set in Kansas during the 1920's, covers less than a year in the life of a black teenager, and documents the veritable deluge of events whic...
Death of a Gunfighter
1969
as Luke Mills
In the turn-of-the century Texas town of Cottownwood Springs, marshal Frank Patch is an old-style lawman in a town determined to become modern. When h...
Assignment to Kill
1968
Producer
A private eye is hired by an insurance company to investigate a shipping magnate suspected of deliberately sinking his own ships for the insurance mon...
Countdown
1967
Producer
Desperate to land a man on the moon before Russia does, NASA hastily preps a would-be spaceman for a mission that would leave him alone in a lunar she...
An American Dream
1966
Producer
Stephen Rojack is a decorated war vet who has now found success as an outspoken television personality. During a vicious argument with his wife, Debor...
The Last Time I Saw Archie
1961
as Pvt. Billy Simpson (as James Lydon)
Two Air Force friends have fun during their enlistment.
I Passed for White
1960
as Jay Morgan
A young woman falls in love and marries, but withholds from her husband information about her family.
The Hypnotic Eye
1960
as Emergency Doctor (as James Lydon)
A mysterious hypnotist is suspected by the police of being responsible for a wave of young, attractive women committing various forms of self-mutilati...
Chain of Evidence
1957
as Steve Nordstrom (as James Lydon)
A police lieutenant fights to prove a boy's innocence after he's accused of murder. The fourth of five Ben Schwab productions that starred Bill Elliot...
Battle Stations
1956
as Squawk Hewitt
The crew of a U.S. Navy ship in World War II goes into battle against the Japanese fleet.
Rage at Dawn
1955
as Dedrick
In this film's version of the story, four of the Reno Brothers are corrupt robbers and killers while a fifth, Clint is a respected Indiana farmer. A s...
The Desperado
1954
as Tom Cameron
"Only a fool sticks his neck out for somebody else. Don't get in the habit of it." Outlaw gunslinger Sam Garrett offers that sage wisdom to fellow fug...
Island in the Sky
1953
as Murray, Dooley's navigator
A C-47 transport plane, named the Corsair, makes a forced landing in the frozen wastelands of Labrador, and the plane's pilot, Captain Dooley, must ke...
Corky of Gasoline Alley
1951
as Skeezix Wallet
A small town family discovers an unwanted houseguest is harder to eject than they expected. Comedy.
Oh! Susanna
1951
as Benton
Unable to keep peace between frontier Indians and the US Cavalry, a heroic Captain risks court-martial to prevent bloodshed.
Gasoline Alley
1951
as Skeezix
A young man tries to get rich by opening a diner. Comedy based on the popular comic strip.
The Magnificent Yankee
1950
as Clinton
Biography of celebrated American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Hot Rod
1950
as David Langham Jr.
A young man builds a hot rod despite the disapproval of his father, a Juvenile Court judge. Circumstantial evidence points to the innocent teenager wh...
September Affair
1950
as Johnny Wilson
An industrialist and a pianist meet on a trip and fall in love. Through a quirk of fate, they are reported dead in a crash though they weren't on the ...
Destination Big House
1950
as Freddy Brooks
A teacher (Dorothy Patrick) weekends at her fiance's (Robert Rockwell) cabin, where a fugitive hides his loot.
Tarnished
1950
as Junior Bunker
Bud Dolliver, a former WWII hero, and an ex-convict, returns to his home town in an effort to make a new life for himself but, even with the help of L...
When Willie Comes Marching Home
1950
as Charles 'Charlie' Fettles
When Willie leaves home to join the war effort he is all ready to become a hero, but he is only frustrated when his posting ends up to be in his home ...
Tucson
1949
as Andy Bryant
The story of Andy Bryant, a University of Arizona student whose grades suffer because of his preoccupation with an upcoming intercollegiate rodeo. And...
Bad Boy
1949
as Ted Hendry (as James Lydon)
A lawman tries to find the source of a juvenile delinquent's bad behavior.
Miss Mink of 1949
1949
as Joe Forrester
Winning a mink coat brings nothing but trouble to a couple on a budget.
An Old-Fashioned Girl
1949
as Tom Shaw
A music teacher in 1870s Boston works hard to succeed, while her wealthy distant relatives find their fortunes turning.
Joan of Arc
1948
as Pierre d'Arc, Joan's younger brother
In the 15th Century, France is a defeated and ruined nation after the One Hundred Years War against England. The fourteen-year-old farm girl Joan of A...
Out of the Storm
1948
as Donald Lewis
Donald Lewis is a low-paid clerk in a high-profile shipbuilding firm. When the company is robbed in broad daylight, Lewis gathers up $100,000 on his o...
The Time of Your Life
1948
as Dudley Bostwick
Joe spends a lot of his time at Nick's Pacific Street Saloon. Tom, who credits Joe with once saving his life, stops by regularly to run errands for Jo...
Good News
1947
as Jimmy's Classmate (uncredited)
At fictitious Tait University in the Roaring '20s, co-ed and school librarian Connie Lane falls for football hero Tommy Marlowe. Unfortunately, he has...
Sweet Genevieve
1947
as Bill Kennedy
The biggest town problem is worrying whether the high school basketball team will win the championship...until racketeers move into town and the kids ...
Life with Father
1947
as Clarence Day Jr.
A straitlaced turn-of-the-century father presides over a family of boys and the mother who really rules the roost.
Cynthia
1947
as Ricky Latham
Sheltered by her conservative parents, a small-town teenager finally goes out on a date.
Affairs of Geraldine
1946
as Willy Briggs
When the wealthy Mrs. Cooper passes away, she divides her estate between her sons, Henry and Wayne, and her only daughter, the tomboyish Geraldine.
Time to Kill
1945
as Lou
A group of sailors kid their shipmate Frank about his constant reading, when they would all rather play cards. But each of them has a dream for the fu...
Twice Blessed
1945
as Mickey Pringle
Stephanie and Terry are identical twins who have been raised separately since their parents divorced seven years earlier. Each envies the lifestyle of...
Strange Illusion
1945
as Paul Cartwright
An adolescent believes that his widowed mother's suitor may have murdered his father.
The Town Went Wild
1944
as Bob Harrison
Comedy concerning two feuding fathers dealing with the shocking news that their sons were switched at birth, meaning that one of their daughters is ab...
When the Lights Go On Again
1944
as Ted Benson
The hometown life of a young soldier suffering from shellshock amnesia is revealed in flashback.
Henry Aldrich's Little Secret
1944
as Henry Aldrich
Teenager Henry Aldrich and his pal Dizzy decide to try and earn extra money by starting a babysitting service.
The Road to Victory
1944
as Danny Ames (uncredited)
Documentary short film intended to drum up support for the Fifth War Loan Campaign. It shows a happy family in the future of 1960 enjoying the prosper...
The Shining Future
1944
as Danny Ames
Documentary short film intended to drum up support for the Fifth War Loan Campaign. It shows a happy family in the future of 1960 enjoying the prosper...
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
1944
as Henry Aldrich
High-school student Henry Aldrich hopes to improve his grades by finding a sweetheart for his unmarried teacher.
My Best Gal
1944
as Johnny McCloud
A girl from a show-business family seeks a backer for her boyfriend's musical.
Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout
1944
as Henry Aldrich
Henry and his pal Dizzy become Boy Scout leaders, but a spoiled brat in their troop quickly proves to cause them no end of trouble.
Henry Aldrich Haunts a House
1943
as Henry Aldrich
Henry Aldrich and his high-school pals investigate a local haunted house.
Henry Aldrich Swings It
1943
as Henry Aldrich
Teenager Henry Aldrich decides to take matters into his own hands when his high school principal forbids the student band from playing swing music.
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour
1943
as Henry Aldrich
Teenager Henry Aldrich becomes a hometown celebrity when he wins a date with a sexy movie star. The sixth entry in the "Henry Aldrich" series of eleve...
Aerial Gunner
1943
as Sandy Lunt
Old rivals are pitted against each other in basic training and fight for the same woman.
A Letter From Bataan
1942
as Chuck Lewis
An American soldier pleads to the folks at home to conserve scarce wartime resources.
Henry Aldrich, Editor
1942
as Henry Aldrich
Appointed editor of his high school newspaper, hapless Henry becomes intrigued by a series of mysterious fires. A mild, timid little fellow named Nero...
Henry and Dizzy
1942
as Henry Aldrich
After accidentally sinking a borrowed motorboat, teenager Henry Aldrich scrambles to raise the replacement cash the boat's owner demands. The catch: H...
The Mad Martindales
1942
as Bobby Bruce Turner
A girl tries to pay the mortgage on a Nob Hill home and gets involved in selling her father's art treasures.
Cadets on Parade
1942
as Joe Novak
A military school cadet runs away after failing to fit in at sports or school life. He's befriended by a newsboy and they tutor each other, but soon ...
Henry Aldrich for President
1941
as Henry Aldrich
Henry Aldrich finds himself in a heated election for high-school class president.
Naval Academy
1941
as Tommy Blake
Bowery Boy
1940
as Sock Dolan
Dr. Tom O'Hara takes over a public clinic in New York's desperately poor Bowery section. Boy gangleader Sock Dolan resents Tom's interference in movin...
Little Men
1940
as Daniel "Danny" Burdle
Jo March and her husband Professor Bhaer operate the Plumfield School for poor boys. When Dan, a tough street kid, comes to the school, he wins Jo's h...
Tom Brown's School Days
1940
as Tom Brown
When private tutor Thomas Arnold (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) becomes headmaster at Rugby, a boy's preparatory school in England, he puts into place a polic...
Two Thoroughbreds
1939
as David Carey
A farm boy trains a wild colt on his own.
Home Early
1939
as Junior Doakes
A businessman goes home early to surprise his family and is treated with suspicion, mostly by his wife's bridge club.
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
1939
as Bud
"An average American family", the Middletons, visit the 1939 World's Fair and witnesses the advent of future technology, encountering robots and dishw...
Back Door to Heaven
1939
as Young Frankie Rogers
The life of a young kid, who starts stealing small things to fit in with the "cool crowd".