In 1972, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in the revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum which he also produced.

Blyden was born to Adolph and Marian (née Davidson) Blieden in Houston, Texas,[1][2] and raised in the Jewish faith.

"[citation needed] Blyden became interested in acting at a young age and made his stage debut in a production headed by Margo Jones when he was 14 years old.

[4] After graduating from Lamar High School, Blyden attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute for a year before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II,[2] rising to the rank of second lieutenant.

[7] While starring in a showcase of The Importance of Being Earnest, he was spotted by director Joshua Logan who cast him in a small role in the Broadway production of Mister Roberts.

In 1958, Blyden replaced Larry Storch as "Sammy Fong" in the out-of-town tryouts for the musical Flower Drum Song.

[8] In November 1962, Blyden tried his hand at stage directing in the Broadway production of Harold, starring Anthony Perkins and Don Adams.

[13] In March 1972, he portrayed the role of "Hysterium" in the revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, starring Phil Silvers, which Blyden also produced.

[citation needed] After the cancellation of Joe and Mabel, Blyden returned to stage work (replacing Ray Walston in the Philadelphia and Broadway runs of Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?

The two-part special aired on the NBC Sunday Showcase on September 27 and October 4, 1959, and also starred John Forsythe, Dina Merrill and Barbara Rush.

Produced by MGM Television, the series was an adaptation of the Robert E. Sherwood play Idiot's Delight, with Blyden starring as Harry, a vaudeville style performer constantly getting into trouble and falling in love.

[21] For the remainder of the decade, Blyden continued with guest roles on television including spots on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Defenders, The Fugitive, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

In the late 1960s, Blyden began working as a game show host and master of ceremonies starting with Personality in June 1967.

[25] On May 2, Blyden reprised his role as Ensign Pulver opposite Henry Fonda at a gala tribute to director Joshua Logan at Broadway's Imperial Theatre (which was recorded and eventually released on a privately distributed LP album).

[6] During their marriage, Blyden and Haney purchased the historic Achenbach House in Saddle River, New Jersey, which they believed to be haunted by the spirit of its builder.

Although he was brilliantly funny in the murderously demanding part of Sidney in Absurd Person Singular, he really hated the cliquey bickering of the all-star cast.

"[30] On May 6, 1975, Blyden left the production of Absurd Person Singular after he was hired to host a new game show entitled Showoffs,[31] a video version of the parlor-game charades.

[33] Before production was set to begin on Showoffs, Blyden was granted a two-week vacation and decided to fly to Marrakesh, Morocco.