Career
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Lyles began working for Paramount studios after high school. He began as an office boy, worked in the publicity department of Pine-Thomas Productions the second feature unit of Paramount, and eventually became assistant to the producer on The Mountain, released in 1954. His first role as full producer was on Short Cut to Hell, released in 1957 that was a remake of This Gun for Hire and directed by James Cagney. He also produced nine episodes of the TV show Rawhide.
In an interview with Alex Simon and Donald Keith, Lyles recalled he was approached by Paramount to do a Western when they realised they had none on their schedule of releases. When Law of the Lawless did well at the box office, Paramount asked him how many more he could do a year. Lyles replied "five" and he was given the go ahead to produce more second features for the studio. Lyles filled his cast with many older experienced actors who were his friends.
Lyles contiuned to produce a variety of low budget traditional westerns for Paramount in the 1960s, as well as other movies in other genres like the Korean War film The Young and the Brave the detective drama Rogue's Gallery, and the science-fiction film Night of the Lepus for MGM that featured the American Southwest menaced by giant mutant rabbits.
Lyles' most recent work was as consulting producer on the HBO TV series Deadwood, created by David Milch.
Read more about this topic: A. C. Lyles
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