Jeffrey Lyons

Jeffrey Lyons is the co-host of NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution’s weekly movie review show, “Lyons & Bailes Reel Talk,” which debuts in national syndication on the weekend of September 29-30, 2007. Lyons shares hosting duties with Alison Bailes.

“Reel Talk” takes viewers behind the velvet rope and provides an insider’s perspective on the weekend’s movies. On each show, the two critics share their different perspectives on the latest film and DVD releases and report on industry trends. “Reel Talk” also features casting hits and misses as well as interviews with the stars, who drop by to chat.

In addition to co-hosting the weekend film and DVD review program, Lyons reports on behalf of various WNBC newscasts, including “Live at Five.” He joined the station in October 1996 as the film and theater critic.

Lyons co-hosted the PBS series “Sneak Previews” from 1982-1996 and has interviewed nearly every major movie and Broadway star over the past four decades. He was also the film critic for “ABC World News Now” and served as the entertainment editor for CNBC from 1989-1994. He has also provided film critiques for a WPIX-TV/New York, WFSB-TV/Hartford, WMAR-TV/Baltimore as well as CBS Radio, “Inside Edition,” “A&E Review” and CBC Radio Canada.

Lyons has also hosted numerous radio programs including the “Lyons Den” on 200 Mutual Radio stations and CBC Radio, Canada. He has been the film critic for Video Review and Rock magazines, and served on the Metropolitan Desk of The New York Times. He got his start in radio on the famed NBC weekend show "Monitor." In 2000 he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Communications from Hofstra University where he gave the commencement speech and in 2002, he received another honorary degree from St. Mary’s College.

Among his varied interests, Lyons studied acting with Lee Strasberg and has portrayed himself in several motion pictures including “The French Connection,” “Death Trap,” and the TV series “Wiseguy.” He has attended the Julliard School of Music, trained with the New York Giants, studied bullfighting in Spain, and has been a guest play-by-play announcer for the Boston Red Sox Radio Network in English and Spanish. Lyons is also the co-author of three baseball trivia books, Out of Left Field; Over 1,134 Newly Discovered Amazing Baseball Records, Connections, Coincidences and More! and its sequels, Curveballs and Screwballs and Short Hops and Foul Tips. He is also the author of Jeffrey Lyons’ 101 Great Movies for Kids.

Lyons grew up one of four sons of Leonard Lyons, the well-known Broadway columnist who wrote “The Lyons Den” in the New York Post from 1934-74. He thus grew up with family friends like Ernest Hemingway, Adlai Stevenson, Marlena Dietrich, Ira Gershwyn, Orson Welles, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Richard Burton, Milton Berle, Sofia Loren, Joe DiMaggio, among many others. His son, Ben Lyons, is currently the film critic at E! Channel.