---
name: "John Lyons"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-lyons"
fi1m_id: "john-lyons"
imdb_id: "nm0529090"
tmdb_id: 1217111
wikidata_id: "Q2035240"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 January 1943"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-07T12:17:15.539283+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# John Lyons

## Identity

John Lyons

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-lyons
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** john-lyons
- **IMDb ID:** nm0529090
- **TMDB ID:** 1217111
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2035240
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lyons_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2035240, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0529090/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1217111

Actor. Born 1 January 1943 in London.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 January 1943, London
- **Active:** 1971–1992
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 83 (1), 1990s 76 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lyons_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2035240, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0529090/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1217111

## Streaming the US now

- **BritBox:** [*A Touch of Frost*](https://film.one/tv/a-touch-of-frost.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

John Lyons is an English stage and screen actor. Born on 14 September 1943 in Whitechapel, London, he trained at East 15 Acting School and began his career in the 1960s with early television appearances in series such as UFO and On the Buses.

He is best known for playing Detective Sergeant George Toolan, the loyal colleague of David Jason's DI Jack Frost, in the ITV series *A Touch of Frost* (1992–2010), appearing in 39 episodes. Lyons has also appeared in films including *Blues Brothers 2000* (1998) and *Sweeney 2* (1978), and in other television roles such as in *Shameless*, *The Bill* and *Mind Your Language*.

Lyons has maintained an active theatre career, including a West End run in *The Mousetrap* and UK tours in adaptations of *Father Brown*, as well as regular pantomime performances.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *A Touch of Frost* (1992), Fi1m 76, as DS George Toolan — [page](https://film.one/tv/a-touch-of-frost.md)
- *Upstairs, Downstairs* (1971), Fi1m 83, as Charlie — [page](https://film.one/tv/upstairs-downstairs.md)

## Complete filmography (36)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Drama Trails* (2010), series, Actor
- *Shameless* (2004), series, as Delivery Guy — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/tv/shameless.md)
- *Blues Brothers 2000* (1998), as Russian Thug #5
- *A Touch of Frost* (1992), series, as DS George Toolan — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-touch-of-frost.md)
- *A Question of Identity* (1992), as Edwards
- *Gawain and the Green Knight* (1991), as Woodman
- *Bullseye!* (1990), as Train Guard
- *The Nineteenth Hole* (1989), series, as Dennis
- *The Case of the Hillside Stranglers* (1989), as Ex-Convict
- *The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket* (1986), Casting
- *The Bill* (1984), series, Actor
- *Bottle Boys* (1984), series, as Policeman
- *Spooner's Patch* (1979), series, as PC Killick
- *Sweeney 2* (1978), as Mead
- *Mind Your Language* (1977), series, as Police Constable
- *Target* (1977), series, as Smith
- *Spend Spend Spend* (1977), as Public Relations Man
- *The Fosters* (1976), series, as Arthur
- *Moss* (1975), as Phillip
- *The Sweeney* (1975), series, as Det. Sgt. Jim Huke — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sweeney.md)
- *Man About the House* (1973), series, as Dustman
- *Yellow Dog* (1973), as Homicidal Maniac
- *Sykes* (1972), series, as Newspaper Photographer, Detective Sergeant
- *Both Ends Meet* (1972), series, as Harry
- *Romany Jones* (1972), series, as Postman
- *Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde* (1971), as Sailor
- *The Onedin Line* (1971), series, as Crewman
- *Upstairs, Downstairs* (1971), series, as Charlie — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/upstairs-downstairs.md)
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as Phillip
- *UFO* (1970), series, as Studio Guard, SHADO Guard
- *On the Buses* (1969), series, Actor
- *The World of George Orwell: 1984* (1965), as Prole Youth
- *United!* (1965), series, as Alan Murdoch
- *Public Eye* (1965), series, as Lucas
- *Theatre 625* (1964), series, as Prole Youth
- *Z-Cars* (1962), series, Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-lyons