Biography for
Sue Lyon More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

10 July 1946, Davenport, Iowa, USA

Birth Name

Suellyn Lyon

Height

5' 3" (1.60 m)

Mini Biography

Sue Lyon was born July 10, 1946, in Davenport, Iowa, the last of five children to Sue Karr Lyon. Her mother was 56 when her husband died and Sue was 10 months old. Her mother had to work as a hospital house mother to take care of her children and money was tight. Around this time, the Lyon family moved out to Los Angeles, hoping that Sue could help them out financially as a model. She got jobs modeling for JC Penny, and doing a commercial, which featured her dyed blonde hair. She also got small parts on "Dennis the Menace" (1959) and "Letter to Loretta" (1953). Director Stanley Kubrick saw Sue on the show and suggested to his partner that they should see her for the role of Lolita (1962). Sue had been signed by the Glenn Shaw agency, and Pat Holms, an agent, brought her down to Kubrick for audition. She duly won the part of Lolita.

In 1964 she married Hampton Fancher III but the marriage was a short one. She did other movies like 7 Women (1966), The Flim-Flam Man (1967) and Tony Rome (1967). She married Roland Harrison, a black photographer and football coach. The controversy over their marriage made them decide to move to Spain. She continued in movies like Evel Knievel (1971), Tarot (1973), and Una gota de sangre para morir amando (1973), but divorced Harrison, due to pressure over racism and other problems.

She met Gary "Cotton" Adamson at the Colorado State Penitentiary, where he was currently serving time for murder and robbery. She worked as a cocktail waitress and lived in an hotel in Denver nearby. She married him in 1973 and began working for prison reform and conjugal rights. Unfortunately this was another short-lived marriage as she divorced him after he committed yet another robbery. More films followed including Smash-Up on Interstate 5 (1976) (TV), Invisible Strangler (1976), Towing (1978), Crash! (1977), Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Ready (1977) (TV) and her final film, Alligator (1980). She married a radio engineer, Richard Rudman and they live together in Los Angeles. Sue has retired from acting and avoids interviews.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous

Spouse

Richard Rudman	(31 March 1985 - 2002) (divorced)
Edward Weathers	(11 February 1983 - 26 January 1984) (divorced)
Cotton Adamson	(4 November 1973 - 1974) (divorced)
Roland Harrison	(4 July 1971 - May 1972) (divorced) 1 child
Hampton Fancher	(22 December 1963 - 1965) (divorced)

Trivia

Met, married, and divorced Gary "Cotton" Adamson while he was a prison inmate convicted of murder.

She had a daughter by actor Bob Harris.

She retired from acting after her marriage to Richard Rudman.

As a child modeled for JC Penney catalogs.

Measurements: 34-22-35

Attended L.A. City College, while working in a men's clothing store.

She and her mother were in a bad car accident on the Pacific Coast Highway. She suffered head, neck and back injuries, leaving her in and out of a wheelchair for two years.

Was friends with Michelle Phillips at one time and the two of them rented a copy of the novel "Lolita" at the library, knowing it had been banned. Sue later stated that she couldn't finish the book because it was too complex for her, as she was only 12 at the time.

Was diagnosed as a manic-depressive and was prescribed lithium. She later said she had struggled on and off with this since she was 16.

Warren Beatty was about to cast her as Bonnie Parker in his film Bonnie and Clyde (1967) when he decided, at the last minute, to cast Faye Dunaway instead.

At the end of the shoot, Shelley Winters, her Lolita (1962) co-star, gave Sue Lyon two pink Persian kittens, which were originally Elizabeth Taylor's.

Personal Quotes

[On her The Night of the Iguana (1964) co-star Richard Burton] I wasn't very impressed by the relationship between him and Elizabeth. Richard was very domineering and Elizabeth meek. She would do whatever he wanted her to.

[On her The Night of the Iguana (1964) co-star Richard Burton] Richard Burton drank so much at night that the next morning the alcohol literally oozed out of his pores. He gave off a terrible odor-playing a scene with him could be most unpleasant.

[on her character in Lolita (1962)] I feel sorry for her. She's neurotic and pathetic and only interested in herself.

Salary

7 Women (1966)	150,000
The Night of the Iguana (1964)	$75,000
Lolita (1962)	25,000

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