A blog reader writes: "Just re-watched the BBC 1981 “Chelsea Hotel”, and was simultaneously searching as to the life stories of the main characters, some familiar, some not. One that I can find absolutely no trace of is the dancer Bernard Lyce. Anyone know his story during and after his Chelsea years? Even the IMDB listing for the cast omits his presence.
Found him I believe in a NYT 1990 obit, after looking at the BBC film documents, subtitles on the screen misspelled his name. Another lost much too soon. Every day is a gift.
Bernard Lias, a dancer and choreographer who toured with the Alvin Ailey company in the 1970's, died on Wednesday in Manhattan. The cause of death was not disclosed. He was 44 years old.
Mr. Lias was born in San Francisco and as a child attended the Anderson Sisters School of Dance there. He joined the Alvin Ailey dance company as a teen-ager and in 1974 became a principal dancer with the troupe. He also performed with Judith Jamison, a longtime principal dancer with the company, in independent productions and was a consulting choreographer for the movie ''The Wiz.''
He is survived by three sisters, Beverly Lias of Manhattan and Rene Lias and Betty Balnton of San Francisco.
There is very little else to be found about Lias - an appearance or two in dance program literature, and a brief mention in a blog by his grandniece. I thought there might be more, given he seemed so talented."
If you can help this reader learn more about Bernard Lias add a comment on send an email to the blog.
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