Sue Lyon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sue Lyon
Sue Lyon in the film Tony Rome (1967)
Born	Suellyn Lyon (1946-07-10)July 10, 1946 Davenport, Iowa, U.S.
Died	December 26, 2019(2019-12-26) (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Los Angeles City College Santa Monica College
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1959–1980
Spouse(s)	Hampton Fancher (1963–1965) Roland Harrison (1971–1972) Cotton Adamson (1973–1974) Edward Weathers (1983–1984) Richard Rudman (1985–2002)
Children	1

Suellyn Lyon (born July 10, 1946 – died December 26, 2019), known as Sue Lyon, was an American actress. She started her career as a model when she was 13 years old. She became very famous and won a Golden Globe Award for her main role in the movie Lolita (1962). She also appeared in other films like The Night of the Iguana (1964) and Tony Rome (1967).

Early Life and Acting Career

Sue Lyon was born on July 10, 1946, in Davenport, Iowa. She was the youngest of five children. Her father passed away before her first birthday.

Sue worked as a child model in Dallas. Her mother then moved the family to Los Angeles. She believed there would be more chances for Sue there.

When Sue was 14, she was chosen for a big role. She played Dolores "Lolita" Haze in Stanley Kubrick's movie Lolita (1962). She acted alongside James Mason.

The character Lolita in the original book was 12 years old. However, Sue Lyon was 14 and 15 during the filming. She was 15 when the movie first came out. The filmmakers made the character older to fit movie rules at the time.

Sue was chosen from 800 other teenagers for the part. She said in an interview that her mother and a teacher were with her while she filmed in England. She also continued her schoolwork.

When the movie premiered in June 1962, Sue was 15. She was too young to watch her own movie in a theater. She quickly became a well-known star. She won a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer—Female.

Personal Connections

In California, Sue Lyon was a childhood friend of Michelle Phillips. Michelle Phillips later became famous as a singer with the Mamas and Papas band.

Sue Lyon was married five times. Her first husband was actor and filmmaker Hampton Fancher. She also married photographer Roland Harrison, and they had a daughter together. Her other husbands were Cotton Adamson, Edward Weathers, and engineer Richard Rudman. Her marriage to Richard Rudman ended in 2002.

Her daughter, Nona Merrill Harrison, was born in Los Angeles in 1972.

Later Years and Passing

Sue Lyon passed away in West Hollywood on December 26, 2019. She was 73 years old. She had been in poor health for some time before her death.

Sue Lyon once shared some thoughts in 1967:

"To be pretty and to stay pretty are two different things. You can’t take anything for granted, and it’s foolish to think you can. You have to think ahead of how to build health and happiness. You have to learn to avoid what is going to hurt you or someone else." — Sue Lyon, 1967

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Sue Lyon para niños