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| {{Short description|English actor}}
| | #REDIRECT [[w:Wilfrid Lawson (actor)]] |
| {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
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| {{Infobox person
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| | name = Wilfrid Lawson
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| | image = Wilfrid Lawson.jpg
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| | caption =
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| | birth_name = Wilfrid Lawson Worsnop
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| | birth_date = {{birth date|1900|01|14|df=y}}
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| | birth_place = [[w:Bradford|Bradford]], [[w:West Riding of Yorkshire|Yorkshire]], England
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| | death_date = {{death date and age|1966|10|10|1900|01|14|df=y}}
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| | death_place = [[w:London|London]], England
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| | othername =
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| | occupation = Actor
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| | yearsactive = 1918–1966
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| | spouse = Lillian (née Fenn)
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| }}
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| '''Wilfrid Lawson ''' (born '''Wilfrid Lawson Worsnop'''; 14 January 1900 – 10 October 1966) was an English [[w:character actor|character actor]] of screen and stage.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=YUbbAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA126 Rosamond Gilder, "The actor as biographer", in Laurence Senelick (ed), ''Theatre Arts on Acting'', p126]</ref>
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| ==Life and career==
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| Lawson was born '''Wilfrid Lawson Worsnop''' in [[w:Bradford|Bradford]], [[w:West Riding of Yorkshire|West Riding of Yorkshire]]. He was educated at [[w:Hanson Academy|Hanson Boys' Grammar School]], Bradford, and entered the theatre in his late teens, appearing on both the British and American stage throughout his career.
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| He made his film début in ''[[w:East Lynne on the Western Front|East Lynne on the Western Front]]'' (1931) and appeared in supporting roles until he took the lead in ''[[w:The Terror (1938 film)|The Terror]]'' (1938). In arguably his most celebrated film role, he played dustman-turned-lecturer Alfred P. Doolittle in the film version of [[w:George Bernard Shaw|George Bernard Shaw]]'s ''[[w:Pygmalion (1938 film)|Pygmalion]]'' (1938), alongside [[w:Leslie Howard (actor)|Leslie Howard]] and [[w:Wendy Hiller|Wendy Hiller]].
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| He also had memorable leading roles in ''[[w:Pastor Hall|Pastor Hall]]'' (1940), as a German village clergyman who denounces the new Nazi regime in 1934; ''[[w:Tower of Terror (1941 film)|Tower of Terror]]'' (1941) as the wild-eyed maniacal lighthouse keeper Wolfe Kristen; and the title role in ''[[w:The Great Mr. Handel|The Great Mr. Handel]]'' (1942), a biopic of the 18th century composer, all three showing his broad range. He also made a number of films in America beginning with ''[[w:Ladies in Love|Ladies in Love]]'' (1936) and including [[w:John Ford|John Ford]]'s ''[[w:The Long Voyage Home|The Long Voyage Home]]'' (1940) alongside [[w:John Wayne|John Wayne]]. His last leading role was in ''[[w:The Turners of Prospect Road|The Turners of Prospect Road]]'' (1947).
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| As a result of bouts of alcoholism,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://movieline.com/1994/05/01/why-do-actors-drink/|title=Why Do Actors Drink?|website=Movieline|date=1 May 1994|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> Lawson became difficult to work with, and throughout the 1950s his roles became increasingly small—even uncredited in some cases. Despite this he still gave memorable performances such as Prince Andrei Bolkonsky's father in [[w:King Vidor|King Vidor]]'s ''[[w:War and Peace (1956 film)|War and Peace]]'' (1956), Ed in ''[[w:Hell Drivers (film)|Hell Drivers]]'' (1957) and Uncle Nat in ''[[w:Room at the Top (1959 film)|Room at the Top]]'' (1958), filmed in Lawson's home town of Bradford.
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| The 1960s saw something of a career resurgence, beginning with his turn as Black George in [[w:Tony Richardson|Tony Richardson]]'s ''[[w:Tom Jones (1963 film)|Tom Jones]]'' (1963) and culminating in two of his most notable latter day performances: the decrepit butler Peacock in ''[[w:The Wrong Box|The Wrong Box]]'' and the Dormouse in [[w:Jonathan Miller|Jonathan Miller]]'s television adaptation of ''[[w:Alice in Wonderland (1966 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (both 1966). That same year saw his death, in London, from a heart attack.
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| His brother was the supporting player Gerald Lawson (born Bernard Worsnop, 30 April 1897 – 6 December 1973) and a nephew was actor [[w:Bernard Fox (actor)|Bernard Fox]] (born Bernard Lawson, 10 May 1927 – 14 December 2016).
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| ==Selected stage performances==
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| {{div col}}
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| * ''[[Evensong (play)|Evensong]]'' (1932)
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| * ''[[Peer Gynt]]''
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| * ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]''
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| * [[The Father (Strindberg)|''The Father'' (Strindberg play)]]
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| * ''[[The Lower Depths]]'' (1962)
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| {{div col end}}
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| ==Filmography==
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| {{div col}}
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| * ''[[East Lynne on the Western Front]]'' (1931) - Dick Webb / Carlyle
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| * ''[[Strike It Rich (1933 film)|Strike It Rich]]'' (1933) - Raikes
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| * ''[[Turn of the Tide]]'' (1935) - Luke Fosdyck
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| * ''[[Ladies in Love]]'' (1936) - Ben Horvath
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| * ''[[White Hunter (film)|White Hunter]]'' (1936) - Michael Varek
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| * ''[[The Man Who Made Diamonds]]'' (1937) - Gallanie
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| * ''[[Bank Holiday (film)|Bank Holiday]]'' (1938) - Police Sergt.
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| * ''[[The Terror (1938 film)|The Terror]]'' (1938) - Mr. Goodman
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| * ''[[Yellow Sands (film)|Yellow Sands]]'' (1938) - Richard Varwell
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| * ''[[Pygmalion (1938 film)|Pygmalion]]'' (1938) - Alfred Doolittle
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| * ''[[The Gaunt Stranger]]'' (1938) - Maurice Meister
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| * ''[[Stolen Life (1939 film)|Stolen Life]]'' (1939) - Thomas E. Lawrence
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| * ''[[Allegheny Uprising]]'' (1939) - "Mac" MacDougall
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| * ''[[Dead Man's Shoes (1940 film)|Dead Man's Shoes]]'' (1940) - Lucien Sarrou
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| * ''[[Pastor Hall]]'' (1940) - Pastor Frederick Hall
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| * ''[[The Long Voyage Home]]'' (1940) - Captain
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| * ''[[It Happened to One Man]]'' (1940) - Felton Quair
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| * ''[[The Farmer's Wife (1941 film)|The Farmer's Wife]]'' (1941) - Churdles Ash
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| * ''[[The Ghost Train (1941 film)|The Ghost Train]]'' (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited)
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| * ''[[The Man at the Gate]]'' (1941) - Henry Foley
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| * ''[[Danny Boy (1941 film)|Danny Boy]]'' (1941) - Jack Newton
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| * ''[[Jeannie (film)|Jeannie]]'' (1941) - James McLean
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| * ''[[Tower of Terror (1941 film)|Tower of Terror]]'' (1941) - Wolfe Kristan
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| * ''[[Hard Steel]]'' (1942) - Walter Haddon
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| * ''[[The Night Has Eyes]]'' (1942) - Jim Sturrock
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| * ''[[The Great Mr. Handel]]'' (1942) - George Frideric Handel
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| * ''[[Thursday's Child (1943 film)|Thursday's Child]]'' (1943) - Frank Wilson
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| * ''[[Fanny by Gaslight (film)|Fanny by Gaslight]]'' (1944) - Chunks
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| * ''[[The Turners of Prospect Road]]'' (1947) - Will Turner
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| * ''[[The Prisoner (1955 film)|The Prisoner]]'' (1955) - The Jailer
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| * ''[[Make Me an Offer]]'' (1955) - Charlie's Father
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| * ''[[An Alligator Named Daisy]]'' (1955) - Irishman (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Now and Forever (1956 film)|Now and Forever]]'' (1956) - Gossage
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| * ''[[War and Peace (1956 film)|War and Peace]]'' (1956) - Prince Bolkonsky
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| * ''[[Doctor at Large (film)|Doctor at Large]]'' (1957) - Dustman. with Cyst (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Miracle in Soho]]'' (1957) - Mr. Morgan (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Hell Drivers (film)|Hell Drivers]]'' (1957) - Ed
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| * ''[[The Naked Truth (1957 film)|The Naked Truth]]'' (1957) - Walter - Contestant in T.V. Show (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Tread Softly Stranger]]'' (1958) - Holroyd (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Room at the Top (1959 film)|Room at the Top]]'' (1959) - Uncle Nat (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Expresso Bongo]]'' (1959) - Mr. Rudge (uncredited)
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| * ''[[The Naked Edge]]'' (1961) - Mr. Pom
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| * ''[[Nothing Barred]]'' (1961) - Albert
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| * ''[[Over the Odds]]'' (1961) - Willie Summers
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| * ''[[Postman's Knock (film)|Postman's Knock]]'' (1962) - Postman
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| * ''[[Go to Blazes (1962 film)|Go to Blazes]]'' (1962) - Scrap Dealer
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| * ''[[Becket (1964 film)|Becket]]'' (1962) - Old Soldier (uncredited)
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| * ''[[Tom Jones (1963 film)|Tom Jones]]'' (1963) - Black George
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| * ''[[The Wrong Box]]'' (1966) - Peacock, the Butler
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| * ''[[The Viking Queen]]'' (1967) - King Priam (final film role)
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| {{div col end}}
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| ==Television and radio==
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| {{div col}}
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| * ''Tales from Dickens'' (1956) - Barrel Binacre
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| * ''BBC Sunday-Night Theatre'' (1953–1958) - Luka, a pilgrim / Stephen Flesser / Cornelius Rockley / Michel / Henslowe / Flambeau
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| * ''The Stone Faces'' by [[J. B. Priestley]] with [[Luise Rainer]] (broadcast 1957)
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| * ''[[Tales of the Vikings]]'' ("Pedigree", 1959) - Old Saxon
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| * ''ITV Play of the Week'' (1960) - Old man
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| * ''[[Armchair Theatre]]'' (1958–1961) - Satan
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| * ''[[Hancock (1963 TV series)|Hancock]]'' (ATV, 1963) - Paper Man
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| * ''[[Espionage (TV series)|Espionage]]'' ("The Frantick Rebel", 1964) Lunatic - King George III (uncredited)
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| * ''Cluff'' (1964) - Bateson
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| * ''[[Z Cars]]'' (1965) - Towser
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| * ''Theatre 625'' (1965) - Mr. Bourne
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| * ''[[Danger Man]]''/''Secret Agent'' ("Not So Jolly Roger", 1966) - Corrigan
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| * ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1966) - King of the Beggars
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| * ''[[The Likely Lads]]'' (1966) - Grandad
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| * ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1966 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (1966, TV Movie) - Dormouse
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| * ''[[Three Sisters (play)|Three Sisters]]'' (Chekhov) [[BBC Home Service]] Radio 1965. Directed by [[John Tydeman]]. Cast included [[Paul Scofield]], [[Ian McKellen]], [[Lynn Redgrave]] and [[Jill Bennett (British actress)|Jill Bennett]].
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| {{div col end}}
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| ==External links==
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| * [http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/search/people_sub_plays?forename=Wilfred&surname=LAWSON&job=Actor&pid=1705&image_view=Yes&x=19&y=17 Stage performances by Wilfred Lawson listed in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol]
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| * {{IMDb name|id=0493347|name=Wilfrid Lawson}}
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| {{Authority control}}
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| {{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
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| {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawson, Wilfrid}}
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| [[Category:1900 births]]
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| [[Category:1966 deaths]]
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| [[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
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| [[Category:Artists' Rifles soldiers]]
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| [[Category:English male film actors]]
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| [[Category:English male stage actors]]
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| [[Category:English male television actors]]
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| [[Category:Male actors from Bradford]]
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