John Lyons(IV)

For seventeen years, he played the part of George Toolan, David Jason's trusted offsider in the popular British detective series A Touch of Frost (1992). Sure enough, this became the signature role for John Lyons, who had already portrayed other police officers in shows like The Crezz (1976), Mind Your Language (1977), Spooner's Patch (1979) and Storyboard (1983). The actor was, however, equally adept as villains, notably essaying a corrupt copper, one of the titular 'bad apples', in an episode of The Sweeney (1975). Add to that an assortment of ex cons, gangsters, bank robbers and thugs, and even a small part in an obscure London-set kung fu action film (Yellow Dog (1973)) in which he was credited as 'homicidal maniac' (far removed from the perpetually placid and dependable George Toolan).

Lyons was born, one of three siblings, to working class parents in the Whitechapel district of London. His mother cleaned offices. His father, a dock worker, died almost penniless. With the family struggling financially and in the absence of any formal educational qualifications, Lyons made ends meet as a labourer for British Rail by the age of fifteen. In 1961, a journalist, with whom he happened to be on the same football team, handed him a business card promoting a newly opened drama school. Lyons auditioned, was accepted and went on to study acting for three years. He also took elocution lessons to get rid of his Cockney accent.

Three days of leaving drama school, Lyons made his screen debut in an episode of the BBC drama series Catch Hand (1964). He then acted in some fifty TV commercials under the direction of Ridley Scott (who had yet to achieve prominence). Steady job offers for supporting parts followed in series like Softly Softly: Task Force (1969), The Onedin Line (1971), UFO (1970) (as a SHADO guard), On the Buses (1969) and George & Mildred (1976). He also had a co-starring turn with Eric Sykes in the golfing sitcom The Nineteenth Hole (1989). In the early 90s, Lyons started a printing business to supplement his income from acting. Though the venture proved less than successful, his luck changed dramatically in 1992 after being cast as George Toolan in Frost.

For the theatre, he has acted in Agatha Christie's play The Mousetrap in London's West End and toured Britain with the Rumpus Theatre Company as Father Brown in stage adaptations The Curse of the Invisible Man (2016) and The Murderer in the Mirror (2021), based on G.K. Chesterton mysteries. He appeared in Dial M for Murder as Inspector Hubbard (Nottingham, 2017) and in the ensemble comedy Caught in the Net (Chesterfield, 2018). Lyons has also latterly worked as a guest speaker on P&O cruise liners.