Jeffrey Lyons

Five-time New York Emmy Award winner Jeffrey Lyons has reviewed more than 15,000 movies, 900 Broadway and off-Broadway plays, and interviewed nearly 500 actors. He has authored or co-authored eight books, including the recent "HEMINGWAY AND ME; STORIES, LETTERS AND ANECDOTES FROM A LIFE-CHANGING FAMILY FRIENDSHIP" and "The Boston Red Sox All-Time All-Stars." Lyons has co-hosted three national movie review shows on PBS, MSNBC, and the NBC stations, and received two honorary degrees. He’s lectured on journalism and television techniques at colleges and civic groups across the country, and on baseball trivia at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and four times at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, among other venues.

After earning a Dr. of Jurisprudence degree from Syracuse Law School in 1969, Lyons launched his journalism career by working summers for the Newhouse Newspapers, then at the Metropolitan desk at the New York Times in 1967, and at Westinghouse Radio (WINS in New York), covering both national political conventions in 1968. He joined New York’s WPIX-TV in 1970, reviewing movies and conducting interviews for 21 years. He gained national visibility on “The Independent Network News” via Tribune Broadcasting and in 1982, became a co-host on “SNEAK PREVIEWS” on PBS. During his tenure (1982-1992, 1994-1996), the program often out-rated more publicized competing shows.

In the mid-1990s, Lyons joined WNBC as their film and theater critic, continuing to bring high-profile movie stars to his studio for interviews. His ability to converse in multiple languages, including Spanish, allowed him to interview international stars such as Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. In 2003, he reviewed movies with his son, Ben Lyons, on MSNBC’s “At The Movies,” and in 2004, created and co-hosted “REEL TALK,” a ratings winner on all 154 NBC stations, for five seasons. More recently, he co-hosted on MSG-TV's "The Lineup," discussing movies about sports and New York, and won five Emmys for this work.

Lyons has hosted multiple film festivals including in San Diego, Vero Beach, the Bahamas, and Breckenridge, Colorado, often bringing his deep knowledge of film history to these events. He continues to review movies on WCBS radio in New York and through national syndication on “Lyons Den” radio. Additionally, he was a keynote speaker at the 16th annual Hemingway Colloquium in Havana in June 2017.

Lyons maintains a diverse portfolio of interests outside journalism. He trained as a field goal kicker with the New York Football Giants, studied bullfighting in Spain, sang in the Boys’ Chorus at the Metropolitan Opera, and studied acting with Lee Strasberg. He also portrayed himself in movies such as "The French Connection" and "Deathtrap," and on TV’s "Wiseguy." His continued involvement in sports includes broadcasting Boston Red Sox games on their radio network in both English and Spanish. His dedication to film and sports trivia continues to engage audiences on both radio and television.