Born in
Jacksonville, Florida, Lyles began working for Paramount Studios after high school. He began as an office boy, worked in the publicity department of
Pine-Thomas Productions, the
second feature unit of Paramount, and eventually became assistant to the producer on
The Mountain, released in 1954. His first role as full producer was on
James Cagney's sole directorial effort, the 1957
Short Cut to Hell (a remake of the 1941 noir classic
This Gun for Hire). He also produced nine episodes of the television show
Rawhide then the
Korean War film
The Young and the Brave for
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In an interview with Alex Simon and Donald Keith, Lyles recalled he was approached by Paramount to do a Western when they realized they had none on their schedule of releases. When
Law of the Lawless did well at the box office, Paramount asked him how many more he could do a year. Lyles replied "five" and he was given the go ahead to produce more
second features for the studio. Lyles filled his casts with many older, experienced actors who were his friends, such as
Lon Chaney Jr. and Scott Brady, etc. Film director
Joe Dante commented on the Westerns being "guilty pleasures" of his, stating that "Their total absence of style or substance makes for prototypical filmgoing, where the reward lies in the simple appreciation of basic craftsmanship and Hollywood myth-making." Lyles continued to produce a variety of low-budget traditional Westerns for Paramount in the 1960s, as well as other movies in other genres, such as the detective drama ''
Rogue's Gallery in 1968, and the science-fiction film Night of the Lepus'', for MGM, that featured the
American Southwest menaced by giant mutant rabbits. On March 3, 1988, Lyles was awarded a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6840
Hollywood Blvd. Lyles' last work was as consulting producer on the
HBO television series
Deadwood, created by
David Milch. ==Personal==