James Lydon

James Lydon or Jimmy Lydon may refer to:

See also

Jimmy Lydon

Jimmy Lydon (born May 30, 1923) is an American film and television actor and a television producer, whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s.

Biography

James J. Lydon was born in Harrington Park in Bergen County in northeastern New Jersey, the fifth of nine children. His family was of Irish heritage. He was raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey.

In 1932, Lydon's father, who was an alcoholic, decided to retire from working. This decision forced all of the other family members to seek employment in the depths of the Great Depression. In 1937, Jimmy Lydon, not knowing what he wanted to do, tried his hand at acting. His first role was Danny in the Broadway play Western Waters. He had been allowed to audition for the part after fabricating a list of roles he had previously portrayed. In the next couple of years, he learned the acting craft while performing in plays such as Sunup to Sundown, Prologue to Glory, Sing Out the News, and The Happiest Days. In 1939, he moved with his family to Hollywood to seek film roles.

James Lydon (historian)

James Francis Lydon, (1928 - 25 June 2013), was an Irish educator and historian. He served as the Lecky Professor of History at Trinity College, Dublin, from 1980 to 1993, and authored numerous works, particularly on the medieval history of Ireland.

Early life and education

Lydon was born to a large Catholic family in Connemara in 1928, the son of a local baker. His mother raised him to be fluent in Irish language.

Lydon studied both English and History at University College Galway (NUI), graduating in 1950 and staying on to undertake research for a master's degree. His teacher, history department professor Mary Donovan O'Sullivan, suggested to him that "Ireland's contribution to the military activities of the English crown in the thirteenth century might be a subject that would repay investigation." Lydon moved to England to attend the University of London and studied under the influential medievalist Sir Maurice Powicke.

Career

In 1955, he completed his thesis, Ireland's participation in the military activities of English kings in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and it became the first of many published writings about the era. Having a full year left on his Travelling Fellowship, he was advised by his mentor Powicke to "use the residue of the funding to travel on the continent, ... stay clear of archives ... read, visit galleries, listen to music, meet people and generally lift his eyes beyond the confines of the Record Office in Chancery lane." This experience "gave him an appreciation of European 'culture' in its broadest sense..." and enabled "... Lydon to bring the historiography of late medieval Ireland to maturity." Returning to Galway in 1956 he taught history via Irish and English and in 1959 moved to Dublin to lecture at Trinity College. He became a full lecturer in 1962, a fellow in 1965, and an associate professor in 1969.