Christian Lyon

Just got off our latest call regarding my TV show and I have to say, it gets better every time! Everyone loves the pitch and the agents/managers said they’ve never seen anything like what we have put together. And to top it off, Eddie Cibrian offered up a song that his wife, the great LeAnn Rimes wrote that is perfect for this! We’ve been secretly hoping that would happen and tonight it did.

We will be rehearsing our pitch over the holidays as we already have 10 places lined up with 10 more in the works.

The package we’ve put together, coupled with the timing of things in the universe, I don’t see how we can miss!

A few screen grabs sent to me by a friend /fan of my work on 9-1-1 opposite the great Angela Bassett.

Someone had sent me this screenshot from an episode of 9-1-1 that I was in (thanks) and it brought back a memory I thought I’d share. If you’re not in EMS or a medical professional in an emergency room or critical care unit you probably wouldn’t have caught it.

In this scene I’m using a bag valve mask (BVM), sometimes known by the proprietary name Ambu bag or generically as a manual resuscitator. Being left handed I originally had the bag rotated to the opposite side, using my other hand to compress the bag and my right hand to secure the mask on the patient’s face for a proper seal.

The director and DP were setting up the shot while Angela Bassett and I were rehearsing our dialogue. They asked me if the bag rotated. I said yes and flipped it around, grabbing the mask with my left hand now. They said that’s not going to work as Angela will be coming in for a closeup and my hand would be in the way. I told them it would defeat the purpose of the BVM but obviously the star/closeup overrides all and that’s what was scene when the episode aired.

The night it aired we were doing a Facebook live stream, chatting with fans of the show. The audience had its share of real firefighters who were quite critical of my BVM handling, as I was touted as a former firefighter myself. I tried my best to share the behind the scenes experience and that it was “Hollywood” after all...
👩🏼‍🚒 🚒 😎

11 years ago today I was involved in a cool staged reading of a new play that had a talented group of actors. It was directed by an old friend and talented actor in his own right.

Looking back there were many readings I was involved in, some saw the light of day, many didn’t, but all were great experiences surrounded by huge talent!

“Flashback Friday” to 2012 at my first born’s 1st birthday party. My dad flew in from NY, as well as numerous other family and friends to help celebrate. My dear friend Doris Roberts was there to party and a good time was had by all!

This makes me sad…

R.I.P. Gregory Itzin 😢🙏🏻

I had the great pleasure of acting opposite this powerhouse of an actor and it will always be a highlight of my career.

I first saw Greg on stage in the early 1990’s shortly after arriving in Los Angeles. He stood out to me and for whatever reason I remembered his name and over the years I would follow his career. He would go on to star on Broadway being nominated for a Tony and TV where he was Emmy nominated for his role on 24. He also acted in film opposite some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

In 2013 I received an email from the producer of this new play to come in and read for a part. I did, nailed it and the next day we had our first table read and who should walk in but… Greg Itzin! I was beside myself but played it cool. I would be starring opposite him where we were both FBI agents but I would be his boss, much to his chagrin.

During the first few rehearsals I wanted to impress him by knowing all my lines but I kept failing miserably. He said something that has resonated with me ever since, “Brick by Brick. Don’t try to build the whole thing tonight.” That took so much pressure, that I had put on myself, off and it progressed so much easier that way.

One point during the 2nd week of the show everything clicked. Greg and I were on stage and I put a little “mustard” on my line and gave him a zinger. He stopped ever so briefly and looked at me like “you little sh*t!” Being the pro he is I saw the twinkle in his eye and “Wham!” He spiked that ball right back to me and we were off to the races over the next few months. That interaction took all of 5 seconds but it let Greg know I was able to play with the big dogs and he appreciated that.

During the run of the show I invited my friend Harry Hamlin to see a performance. He told me he was college roommates with Greg and hadn’t seen him in many years. I was glad they were able to reconnect.

We would go on to an extended run, nominated for an Ovation Award for excellence in theatre and ended up one of the top 10 plays in Los Angeles for 2013.

While I’m sad for his passing please keep his family in your prayers, not me. 🙏🏻

Love hearing from friends, family or fans when they happen to catch a movie or tv show I was on like this screenshot that was sent to me last night from The Replacements. I have a handful of people who still watch this any time it’s on and message me when they do, including my dad! ❤️🙏🏻

Getting ready to fly “home” for the Violet Festival in Dolgeville, NY next weekend.

Twenty years ago I was there as the “kid drummer” with David Carradine & The Cosmic Rescue Team. That band featured not only Hollywood legend Carradine but also John York of The Byrds and Carrie Park of Bruce Hornsby & The Range. What a treat to play in my hometown on the same stage I played numerous band concerts, school plays and walked across when I graduated high school. After that concert David gave me a big hug and kiss and said, “Thank you, I finally got to hear my music they way I had envisioned it!”

Six months earlier after a concert in Los Angeles I asked David if he would do me a favor and play in my hometown during the festival. Without hesitation he said yes. I got to work organizing the event with publicity, promotions and ticket sales. Fast forward a few months and David calls, asking me to come over to his house. When I arrived he said he has good news and not so good news. He informed me that he booked the starring role in Quentin Tarantino’s new film, Kill Bill and that it starts shooting in Beijing the week before the festival. While I was thrilled for him my heart sank for our scheduled concerts in NY that my family and I had worked so hard to organize.

To make a long story short David flew to Beijing to begin filming Kill Bill. He told the producers and director of his commitment in Dolgeville and they reorganized his schedule. He jumped on a flight and 14 hours later he arrived in NYC before hoping on one more to Albany. A limo picked him up and a little after midnight, 20 hours from leaving China, David made it to Dolgeville. I was at a local establishment dancing and listening to the live music when someone came up to me saying they just saw a huge white limo driving through town.

I headed to the bed and breakfast inn that he was staying at and for the next few hours he would play the piano and sing, still wired from his very long trip.

A few hours later and David would be seated on the back of a convertible waving to the massive crowds along the parade route, the band and I right behind on our own float. Later that night was the first of our two concerts. They went off great and everyone there enjoyed the experience. While greeting the crowd and signing autographs it became emotional for me and I had to excuse myself, walking back behind the curtain where my dad met me and gave me a big hug.

David left on Monday morning to head back to China. While it’s been 20 years since, it’s a memory I’ll cherish as long as I live. Cheers…

Nice hearing from friends who are just catching up with 9-1-1 on Fox and letting me know they saw me. 🙏🏻😎

Tune in today to find out who survives... 🎭🚒 You never know who you’ll see. 😉

It’s a great day when a bunch of acting residual checks arrive and I received the first check for the TV show I created!
While it’s not the end all, I’ve never been more confident that there is more to come! 🙏🏻❤️