Between 1932 and 1934 he appeared in 28 films, mostly for Warner Bros.
During a busy stretch of work in movie serials and live television in the early-1950s, he lived at the Highland Towers Apartments at 1922 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood, CA. The building is a registered landmark today. From 1955-1989 Talbot and his family lived at 3942 Goodland Avenue in Studio City, CA. where he was the town's "honorary mayor" in the 1960s.
Father of journalist David Talbot, founding editor of Salon.com.
Father of New Yorker magazine staff writer Margaret Talbot
Father of public television producer Stephen Talbot.
Founding member of the Screen Actors Guild, which angered many studio heads but did not result in a loss of work.
He may be the only actor to have starred in both leading roles in major productions of Neil Simon's play, "The Odd Couple," appearing in different national road company tours in the 1960s as Felix Unger (the Jack Lemmon role) and Oscar Madison (the Walter Matthau role).
He was the last of the surviving original members of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). He was also the first Warner Brothers contract player to join SAG.
In the mid to late 1950s he was featured in two TV series at the same time, playing the recurring roles of the star's "best friend" on "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" (1952) and "The Bob Cummings Show" (1955).
In the span of two years (1950-1951), he appeared in 29 films.
Lyle's granddaughter, Caitlin Talbot, studied acting in the Master's program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, where she starred in the play, "Orlando.".
Played Commissioner Gordon in the 1949 Batman serial (Batman and Robin (1949)), before becoming a staple in the films of Edward D. Wood Jr. Director Tim Burton later did his own version of "Batman" (Batman (1989)) and a biopic of Wood (Ed Wood (1994)).
Pulled double duty doing voice over work for Warner Brothers' coming attractions in the early 1930's. That's Talbot's voice on the Jewel Robbery (1932) coming attraction reel.
Two pairs of his successors in his DC Comics roles have worked together in two separate movies. Pat Hingle and Gene Hackman appear together in The Quick and the Dead (1995). Gary Oldman and Kevin Spacey appear together in Henry & June (1990).
Was the first actor to play Commissioner Gordon from Batman, and the first actor to play Lex Luthor from Superman.
Was working on his memoirs when he died in 1996 at the age of 94.