[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4615]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       ARTHUR LYONS: IN MEMORIAM

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to honor and share with my 
colleagues the memory of a very special man, Arthur Lyons of Palm 
Springs, who died March 21, 2008. He was 62 years old.
  Arthur Lyons was a man of many talents and will be fondly remembered 
for his groundbreaking work with film noir cinema, his success as an 
author, his dedication to the city of Palm Springs, and his love for 
the environment.
  Arthur was born on January 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, CA. His family 
moved to Palm Springs when Arthur was 11. After graduating from the 
University of California at Santa Barbara in 1967, Arthur tapped into 
his lifelong passion for film noir and began writing as a novelist, a 
screenwriter for Universal Studios, and as a cofounder of the Writers 
Conference, among other projects.
  Arthur wrote his first novel, ``The Dead Are Discreet'', in 1974 and 
went on to author 23 more books, many of them mystery novels, including 
the successful Jacob Ashe detective series. His nonfiction sensation, 
``Death on the Cheap: The Lost B Movies of Film Noir'', reflected his 
interest in film noir cinema, the traditional Hollywood crime dramas of 
the 1940s and 1950s. After writing crime novels for over 25 years, 
Arthur partnered with Craig Prater in 2001 to launch the Palm Springs 
Film Noir Festival--one of the first such festivals in the Nation. A 
man of unbridled enthusiasm for the film noir style, Arthur would 
encourage attendees to dress up in mobster-style clothing that was 
typical of that Hollywood era.
  A member of the Palm Springs City Council from 1992 to 1995, Arthur 
was an advocate of energy deregulation in California and helped create 
Palm Springs Energy Services. During his time on the city council, 
Arthur also helped to create Palm Springs Villagefest, a street fair 
held every Thursday that hosts food booths, a certified farmer's 
market, and craft and artisan booths. In recognition of his positive 
contributions to the Palm Springs community, Arthur was honored with 
the 287th Golden Palm Star on May 30, 2007.
  Those who knew Arthur Lyons recognized him as a uniquely passionate 
and brilliant man. He took pride in promoting causes that he held close 
to his heart. His work as an author, screenwriter, director, and 
elected official will be remembered fondly by all those whose lives he 
touched. He will be deeply missed.
  Arthur is survived by his wife Barbara Lyons and his uncle David 
Lyons.

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