Leonard Lyons
Encyclopedia
Leonard Lyons was an American newspaper columnist.
Leonard Sucher grew up in a large family of Jewish immigrants from the town of Horodenka
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father Moses, a tailor, died when he was six. His mother sold cigarettes and candy on the Lower East Side. He graduated from the High School of Commerce, where his classmates included Lou Gehrig
. He graduated from the City College of New York
and was in the first class of graduates from St. John's University School of Law
. He was admitted to the New York State bar in 1929, and practiced law for five years.
As a side activity, Leonard Sucher began a weekly column for the English-language page of the Jewish Daily Forward
, called "East of Broadway". He applied for a post as a Broadway columnist with the New York Post
, and won the job. The editor of the Post gave Sucher an alternative last name, Lyons, for professional use, and thus he became "Leonard Lyons", an alliterative name reminiscent of Walter Winchell
, another noted newspaper columnist of the day. Lyons' first column appeared May 20, 1934, under the banner of "The Lyons Den", a name devised by Walter Winchell
. Lyons worked on "The Lyons Den" 6 days per week, producing as many columns per week, covering theater, movies, politics and art, a total of approximately 12,000 columns. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Carl Sandburg
once said of Lyons:
He travelled the world and sent back daily columns, sometimes giving his column to New York-bound travelers with a request they contact the paper upon arrival. He avoided writing about scandal in his column, and thus earned the trust of the many figures he met. One characterisation of his column was as follows:
The column became a New York institution, and was syndicated nationally first by King Features Syndicate
. In 1941, the McNaught Syndicate
took over syndication of the column. Lyons received an honorary degree from Wilberforce University and was a Pulitzer Prize nominee.
By 1974, the circulation of "The Lyons Den" had diminished to 18 columns, and Lyons retired with his last column on the exact 40th anniversary of the column, 20 May 1974. New York Mayor John V. Lindsay invited him to City Hall and presented him with a medal and a proclamation honoring him. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
issued another proclamation in his name.
Lyons and his wife Sylvia were married in November 1934. Their marriage lasted until Lyons' death, and produced four sons: George, a stock broker, Warren, a theatrical producer and singing coach, Jeffrey
, a film and theatre critic, and Douglas, a criminal defense attorney. Leonard Lyons' grandson and Jeffrey Lyons' son is the television personality Ben Lyons. Both Jeffrey Lyons and Ben Lyons have continued to use the name "The Lyons Den" in their respective media outlets for their work.
Leonard Sucher grew up in a large family of Jewish immigrants from the town of Horodenka
Horodenka
Horodenka is a city located in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, in western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Horodenka Raion .The current estimated population is around 9,800 .-History:...
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father Moses, a tailor, died when he was six. His mother sold cigarettes and candy on the Lower East Side. He graduated from the High School of Commerce, where his classmates included Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
. He graduated from the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
and was in the first class of graduates from St. John's University School of Law
St. John's University School of Law
St. John's University School of Law is a Roman Catholic law school in Queens, New York City, affiliated with St. John's University. The School of Law was founded in 1925, and confers Juris Doctor degrees and degrees for Master of Laws in Bankruptcy and Master of Laws in U.S. Studies. Over 13,000 St...
. He was admitted to the New York State bar in 1929, and practiced law for five years.
As a side activity, Leonard Sucher began a weekly column for the English-language page of the Jewish Daily Forward
The Forward
The Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
, called "East of Broadway". He applied for a post as a Broadway columnist with the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, and won the job. The editor of the Post gave Sucher an alternative last name, Lyons, for professional use, and thus he became "Leonard Lyons", an alliterative name reminiscent of Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
, another noted newspaper columnist of the day. Lyons' first column appeared May 20, 1934, under the banner of "The Lyons Den", a name devised by Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
. Lyons worked on "The Lyons Den" 6 days per week, producing as many columns per week, covering theater, movies, politics and art, a total of approximately 12,000 columns. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."-Biography:Sandburg was born in Galesburg,...
once said of Lyons:
"Imagine how much richer American history would have been had there been a Leonard Lyons in Lincoln's time.."
He travelled the world and sent back daily columns, sometimes giving his column to New York-bound travelers with a request they contact the paper upon arrival. He avoided writing about scandal in his column, and thus earned the trust of the many figures he met. One characterisation of his column was as follows:
"Lyons.....never breaks a confidence, and except for a few personal feuds, notably with Walter Winchell and Bennett Cerf, never spits venom in his column.
The column became a New York institution, and was syndicated nationally first by King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
. In 1941, the McNaught Syndicate
McNaught Syndicate
The McNaught Syndicate was an American newspaper syndicate founded in 1922. It was established by Virgil Venice McNitt and Charles V. McAdam. Its best known contents were the columns by Will Rogers and O. O. McIntyre, the Dear Abby letters section and comic strips, including Joe Palooka and...
took over syndication of the column. Lyons received an honorary degree from Wilberforce University and was a Pulitzer Prize nominee.
By 1974, the circulation of "The Lyons Den" had diminished to 18 columns, and Lyons retired with his last column on the exact 40th anniversary of the column, 20 May 1974. New York Mayor John V. Lindsay invited him to City Hall and presented him with a medal and a proclamation honoring him. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
issued another proclamation in his name.
Lyons and his wife Sylvia were married in November 1934. Their marriage lasted until Lyons' death, and produced four sons: George, a stock broker, Warren, a theatrical producer and singing coach, Jeffrey
Jeffrey Lyons (television critic)
Jeffrey Lyons is an American television and film critic.-Life and career:Lyons was born in New York City, one of the four sons of Sylvia and Leonard Lyons...
, a film and theatre critic, and Douglas, a criminal defense attorney. Leonard Lyons' grandson and Jeffrey Lyons' son is the television personality Ben Lyons. Both Jeffrey Lyons and Ben Lyons have continued to use the name "The Lyons Den" in their respective media outlets for their work.