Family Affair (1954)

Ben, Bebe and family move into a new house, but are faced with a problematic landlord.

Director:

Val Guest

Writers:

Bob Block (radio series), Bebe Daniels (radio series)

Stars:

Bebe Daniels, Ben Lyon, Richard Lyon

Cast

Cast overview:
Bebe Daniels	...	Herself (as Bebe Daniels Lyon)
Ben Lyon	...	Himself
Richard Lyon	...	Himself
Barbara Lyon	...	Herself
Hugh Morton	...	Mr. Hemingway
Horace Percival	...	Mr. Wimple
Molly Weir	...	Aggie
Doris Rogers	...	Florrie Wainwright
Gwen Lewis	...	Mrs. Wimple
Arthur Hill	...	Slim Cassidy
Belinda Lee	...	Violet Hemingway

Storyline

Ben, Bebe and family move into a new house, but are faced with a problematic landlord.

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Plot Keywords:

character name in title | actor shares first name with character | 

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Taglines:

The LYONS come roaring to the screen... in a brand new laff-riot!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 1956 (UK)

Also Known As:

Family Affair

Filming Locations:

Southall Studios, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Made its New York TV debut (as "Family Affair") on 10 September 1956 on WRCA (Channel 4).

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Connections

Referenced in Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood! (1987)

User Reviews

Ben and Bebe Do the Ozzie and Harriet Thing

Based on their hit radio show, Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon starred in this British "Ozzie and Harriet" type show about "Life with the Lyons" with their two children, Barbara and Richard. On radio and TV, this series ran from 1950-61.

Mild situation comedy with the family trying to move into a new house in London amid eccentric servants, crabby landlord, and the teenaged kids' friends.

The real fun here is seeing the charming Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels 20 years after they left Hollywood (after making hundreds of silent films and talkies). They're funny and have great chemistry. Lots of little inside jokes about their Hollywood careers and their years in England. At one point Bebe is dragging a trunk into the house when she asks Ben what's in it? Fourteen reels of HELL'S ANGELS he quips as she rolls her eyes. Of course that was Lyon's biggest talkie hit, a 1930 film in which he starred with Jean Harlow and James Hall.

The kids aren't bad either. Barbara plays a dim 19-year-old who's always in love and always stating, "I'll die! I'll just die!" when her parents don't do as she wants. Richard plays the younger, geeky brother, a game partner for his dad's loopy ideas like building a fish pond in the back yard.

Followed by a sequel: THE LYONS IN Paris.