 |
| Aida Mayo, Mayo Communications, A.C. Lyles, Julian Myers and Geo. McQuade |
When a Hollywood legend passes everyone stops what they're doing to see, who it was. I was lucky enough to meet
A.C. Lyles, who volunteered to speak to Legendary Publicist and studio executive Julian Myers film publicity class.
 |
| Two Legends Julian Myers & A.C. Lyles |
I spoke to students before Lyles did, but Myers asked me to stick around to hear his legendary friend talk about his career spanning more than seven decades. I was so impressed with
A.C. Lyles I waited until after the evening PR class ( 11:00 p.m.) to interview him about his life story. He was amazing and said the movie, "Wings" inspired him at age 10.
"Mr Paramount" as he was referred to often had his own personal parking
space and building named after him on the studio lot. Lyles, who started
out in the mail room, just like his friend Julian Myers (Twentieth
Century Fox) did, produced some 40 movies and became the studio
president's right hand man.
 |
| A.C. Lyles in action inspiring film publicity students at Layola Marymount U. |
Lyles was so amazing that he called his old friend
Ronald Reaganand told him, "You should run for governor and later for president." Lyles predicted Reagan's victory long before the media did, too.
 |
| Julian Myers, A.C. Lyles and a film publicity student. |
Ronald Reagan
appointed Lyles to the President's Advisory Council on Private Sector
Initiatives in 1983, and in January of 1986 he was sworn onto the board.
He regularly attended White House meetings with Reagan and his staff
and attended conferences overseas. During the Reagan and
George Bush
administrations he also functioned as Hollywood liaison, getting
celebrities to entertain at the White House and other presidential
functions.
 |
| A.C. Lyles talks to more students about film careers. |
In 1984 Lyles received the George Washington Award of the Freedoms Foundation, presented to him in the Oval Office by President
Ronald Reagan.
Employee of Paramount Pictures since 1928.
Former publicist, who became a producer of Paramount B-westerns starring veteran Hollywood actors. Lyles has left a big hole in Hollywood history and a huge vacancy at Paramount Studios. His memorial was appropriately on Veterans Day and he passed away in late September. His legacy lives on, R.I.P.
 |
For the A.C. Lyles Photo album by
George McQuade III visit:Photos (more) |
|
Date of Death27 September 2013, Los Angeles, California, USA
Birth Name Andrew Craddock Lyles Jr.
Spouse
MAYO PR - "We don't guarantee media, we just get it!"
