- Born
- Died
- Birth namePhyllis Virginia Daniels
- Height5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
- Bebe Daniels already had toured as an actor by the age of four in a stage production of "Richard III". She had her first leading role at the age of seven and started her film career shortly after this in movies for Imperial, Pathe and others. At 14 she was already a film veteran, and was enlisted by Hal Roach to star as Harold Lloyd's leading lady in his "Lonesome Luke" shorts, distributed by Pathe. Lloyd fell hard for Bebe and seriously considered marrying her, but her drive to pursue a film career along with her sense of independence clashed with Lloyd's Victorian definition of a wife. The two eventually broke up but would remain lifelong friends. Bebe was sought out for stardom by Cecil B. DeMille, who literally pestered her into signing with Paramount. Unlike many actors, the arrival of sound posed no problem for her; she had a beautiful singing voice and became a major musical star, with such hits as Rio Rita (1929) and 42nd Street (1933). In 1930 she married Ben Lyon, with whom she went to England in the mid-'30s, where she became a successful West End stage star. She and her husband also had their own radio show in London, and became the most popular radio team in the country--especially during World War II, when they refused to return to the US and stayed in London, broadcasting even during the worst of the "blitz".
They later appeared in several British films together as their radio characters. Her final film was one in that series, The Lyons Abroad (1955).- IMDb Mini Biography By: Stephan Eichenberg <eichenbe@fak-cbg.tu-muenchen.de> (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)
- SpouseBen Lyon(June 14, 1930 - March 16, 1971) (her death, 2 children)
- Children
- ParentsMelville Daniel MacNeal
- RelativesDeForest Kelley(Cousin)
- Her second cousin, Dr. Lee De Forest, "the father of sound", frequented the set of Rio Rita (1929) while she rehearsed. He was instrumental in improving the sound quality of the early talkies and significantly helped her career through his technical expertise.
- Reportedly, Bebe was Al Capone's favorite actress. When Bebe and Ben were visiting a hotel, their hotel room was burgled and thousands in jewels were stolen. When Capone heard of this, he sent out a warning to 'whomever' had stolen Bebe's property, that they had 24 hours to return the items. The items were returned.
- Her movie The Speed Girl (1921) was made to capitalize on her ten-day jail sentence for multiple speeding tickets. The movie's poster shows her walking out of a jail cell.
- She had two children, a daughter Barbara and an adopted son, Richard Lyon. She became a singer for British Columbia records and he became London's top disc jockey and later with his mother operated an interior decorating and antique studio.
- Cousin of Calvert DeForest and DeForest Kelley.
- All during the war, we kept saying, Ben [husband Ben Lyon] and I, that when it was over, we would come back to Hollywood. But now we've been here, and we just have to be honest, this is no longer home. Home is back in London, because we went through the bombings with them.
- Believe me, jail is no joke. Still it isn't as terrible as I anticipated. I'm not surrounded by murderers and bandits. Why, there aren't any cooties, even. I thought all jails had 'em.
- Twelve men decided I was guilty of a breach of the law and here I am behind the bars, taking my medicine like a law-abiding person. Jail isn't as bad as I thought. The most terrifying part was just the thought of being surrounded on all sides by murderers and thieves and various and sundry sorts of criminals. That feeling has left me now, for I find everybody, even the other inmates, are just as nice and considerate as they can be. As to the courtesies of Sheriff Jackson and Jailor Lacy I have only the highest praise. One of my first visitors this morning was Justice Cox, who sentenced me for speeding. He brought me a beautiful bouquet of roses. I have the greatest possible admiration for him because he did only his duty in sending me here.
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