Alma Lawton

Alma Drucilla Fleetwood Lawton (April 1921 – 24 February 1982) was a Hollywood-based, Argentine-born actress who performed in films, on television, and on old-time radio. Early life and career Born in Buenos Aires to English parents, Lawton appears to have spent her formative years divided primarily between Argentina and Chile. She was the younger of two children born to Alfred Edward Fleetwood L...

Alma Drucilla Fleetwood Lawton (April 1921 – 24 February 1982) was a Hollywood-based, Argentine-born actress who performed in films, on television, and on old-time radio. Early life and career Born in Buenos Aires to English parents, Lawton appears to have spent her formative years divided primarily between Argentina and Chile. She was the younger of two children born to Alfred Edward Fleetwood Lawton, general manager of Cable & Wireless plc, and Alma Drucilla Fleetwood Lawton Sr. (aka the former Alma Drucilla Harris), herself a onetime music hall comedienne. Prior to beginning her radio career, Lawton reportedly performed in Great Britain, Australia and South America. Evidently, the younger Lawton inherited her mother's diminutive stature, the latter having been described in 1912 as "the little British singing comedienne," while the former, at age 31, was dubbed "a diminutive redhead," who, aside from her "stage background in England and Australia," was "distinguished by her height of five feet [and] weigh[t of] 92 pounds." On the other hand, Joe Hyams of the Citizen-News, while likewise documenting Lawton's modest dimensions, adds that "[w]hat she lacks in size, Alma makes up for in talent, proving again that good things come in small packages." On November 3, 1947, Lawton made her American radio debut on Lux Radio Theatre, in "Singapore," an original radio drama starring Fred MacMurray and Ava Gardner. Later that month, she costarred with Wally Maher in "Body Off Billingsgate" on The Whistler, and on December 8, she did another Lux episode, as part of a large ensemble supporting Robert Montgomery, Wanda Hendrix and Thomas Gomez, reprising their starring roles in Ride the Pink Horse. The following spring, Lawton was tasked by Samuel Goldwyn with helping Teresa Wright achieve a reasonably authentic English accent. Radio Film and television Personal life As of no later than April 1950, Lawton was married to fellow actor Donald Morrison. In May 1951, the couple had their names legally changed; hers, from Morrison back to Lawton, and his from Ivan Donald Morrison—which was, in fact, the Americanized version of his birth name, Isaac Morduchovitch—to Donald Albert Fleetwood Lawton. Donald Lawton died on October 18, 1990. For a period, Lawton supported her parents financially. In 1953, she appeared with her parents in court in Los Angeles, California, as they sued her estranged brother Fleetwood Lawton, a news commentator, for financial support. References Further reading "Telechatter: Hollywood". The Hollywood Reporter. September 21, 1949. p. 37. ProQuest 1286041441. KECA-TV will audition IMPPRO-Cascade Pictures live video package, 'Everybody's Theatre,' next week. Donald Morrison, Alma Lawton and Jack Nestle have lead roles. Feeder, Bill (June 21, 1950). "Radio Reviews: Presenting Charles Boyer". The Hollywood. ProQuest 2322726317. The principal character of the series, Baron Michel, a debonair French rogue, is skillfully projected by Boyer. Hanley Stafford, the only other regular casting in the series, gives the show excellent dramatic-comedy dressing. Top performances also were turned in by Viola Von, Alma Lawton, Joe Kearns, Don Morrison, John Stephenson, Fritz Feld and Alec Harford. External links Alma Lawton at IMDb Alma Lawton at Old Time Radio Researchers