A close friend since boyhood of actor Rip Torn. Friends back in Texas referred to the two boys as Torn and Bleedin' (Blieden).
A rabid collector of antiquities, who would often travel to the furtherest corners of the world in pursuit of a find, Blyden was investigating just such a dig in Morocco when he was killed at the age of 49. According to former co-star Dina Merrill he was carjacked by bandits who killed him and took the car and his valuables. Because there was no identification on the body, his family did not learn of the tragedy for several days afterward.
Had two children: Joshua Blyden (born in 1957, and named after Joshua Logan) and Ellen (born 1960).
Won a Tony Award as best supporting or featured actor (musical) for the 1972 revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He was also nominated as best actor (musical) in 1959 for Flower Drum Song, and as best supporting or featured actor (drama) in 1975 for Absurd Person Singular.