Wilfrid Lawson (born Wilfrid Lawson Worsnop; 14 January 1900 – 10 October 1966) was an English character actor of screen and stage.
Life and career Lawson was born Wilfrid Lawson Worsnop in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire. He was educated at Hanson Boys' Grammar School, Bradford, and entered the theatre in his late teens, appearing on both the British and American stage throughout his career.
He made his film début in East Lynne on the Western Front (1931) and appeared in supporting roles until he took the lead in The Terror (1938). In arguably his most celebrated film role, he played dustman-turned-lecturer Alfred P. Doolittle in the film version of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion (1938), alongside Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller.
He also had memorable leading roles in Pastor Hall (1940), as a German village clergyman who denounces the new Nazi regime in 1934; Tower of Terror (1941) as the wild-eyed maniacal lighthouse keeper Wolfe Kristen; and the title role in 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 the United States, beginning with Ladies in Love (1936) and including John Ford's The Long Voyage Home (1940) alongside John Wayne. His last leading role was in The Turners of Prospect Road (1947).
As a result of bouts of alcoholism, 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 King Vidor's War and Peace (1956), Ed in Hell Drivers (1957) and Uncle Nat in Room at the Top (1958), filmed in Lawson's home town of Bradford.
The 1960s saw something of a career resurgence, beginning with his turn as Black George in Tony Richardson's Tom Jones (1963) and culminating in two of his most notable latter day performances: the decrepit butler Peacock in The Wrong Box and the Dormouse in Jonathan Miller's television adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (both 1966). That same year saw his death, in London, from a heart attack.
His brother was the supporting player Gerald Lawson (born Bernard Worsnop, 30 April 1897 – 6 December 1973) and a nephew was actor Bernard Fox (born Bernard Lawson, 11 May 1927 – 14 December 2016).
Theatre +YearTitleRoleNotes1928 – 1929Getting Married Princes Theatre, BristolMajor BarbaraMrs Warren’s ProfessionPygmalionAlfred Dolittle13 – 18 January 1930The Doctor’s DilemmaSir Patrick CullenRoyal Court TheatreMarch 1930MisallianceJohn TarletonKing’s Theatre, Portsmouth and Royal Court Theatre21 March – 9 April 1932 CaravanMembelQueen’s Theatre, London and Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh25 April – 4 June 1932Heartbreak HouseBoss ManganQueen's Theatre30 June – 31 December 1932Evensong Arthur Kober24 August – 7 October 1933The AceUnter Offizer KellerLyric Theatre, London1934 – 1935Antony and CleopatraThe Old Vic22 January 1935The Barretts of Wimpole StreetEdward Moulton-BarrettPiccadilly Theatre31 July – 19 August 1935Fanny’s First PlayMalvern Theatre, Worcestershire2 – 20 August 1935Misalliance30 July – 22 August 1935Volpone22 September 1937 – March 1938I Have Been Here BeforeWalter OrmundRoyalty Theatre, Dean Street, London13th – ? October 1938Guild Theatre19 – 24 March 1951The ParagonSir Robert RawleyBaths Theatre, Wellington, Somerset26 February 1953The FatherArts Theatre17 August – 28 November 1953The Devil’s GeneralKorrianke (Harras's driver)Savoy Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, and other locations15 March – 5 June 1954The PrisonerThe Cell WarderGlobe Theatre, Olympia Theatre, Dublin, and other locations12 July – 11 September 1954The Wooden DishLon (Pop) DennisonPhoenix Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne, and other locations13 September 1954 – 21 January 1956Bell, Book and CandleSidney RedlitchPhoenix Theatre, London, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, and other locations5 March – 15 December 1956The RainmakerH. C. CurrySt Martin's Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Brighton, and other locations30 September – ? 1958Live Like PigsSailor SawneyRoyal Court Theatre9 May 1962 (press night)The Lower DepthsLukaNew Arts Theatre26 September 1962 – May 1963Peer GyntButton MoulderThe Old Vic
Filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1931East Lynne on the Western FrontDick Webb / Carlyle1933Strike It RichRaikes1935Turn of the TideLuke Fosdyck1936Ladies in Love Ben HorvathWhite HunterMichael Varek1937The Man Who Made Diamonds Gallanie1938Bank Holiday Police Sergt.The TerrorMr. GoodmanYellow Sands Richard VarwellPygmalion Alfred DoolittleThe Gaunt Stranger Maurice Meister1939Stolen Life Thomas E. LawrenceAllegheny Uprising"Mac" MacDougall1940Dead Man's Shoes Lucien SarrouPastor HallPastor Frederick HallThe Long Voyage Home CaptainIt Happened to One Man Felton Quair1941The Farmer's Wife Churdles AshThe Ghost Train Minor RoleUncreditedThe Man at the Gate Henry FoleyDanny BoyJack NewtonJeannie James McLeanTower of TerrorWolfe Kristan1942Hard Steel Walter HaddonThe Night Has Eyes Jim SturrockThe Great Mr. Handel George Frideric Handel1943Thursday's Child Frank Wilson1944Fanny by Gaslight Chunks1947The Turners of Prospect RoadWill Turner1955The PrisonerThe JailerMake Me an OfferCharlie's FatherAn Alligator Named Daisy IrishmanUncredited1956Now and ForeverGossageWar and Peace Prince Bolkonsky1957Doctor at Large Dustman. with CystUncreditedMiracle in Soho Mr. MorganHell DriversEdThe Naked Truth WalterUncredited1958Tread Softly StrangerHolroyd 1959Room at the Top Uncle NatExpresso BongoMr. Rudge1961The Naked EdgeMr. PomNothing Barred AlbertOver the OddsWillie Summers1962Postman's Knock PostmanGo to Blazes Scrap Dealer1963Tom JonesBlack George1964Becket Old SoldierUncredited1966The Wrong Box Peacock1967The Viking QueenKing Priam
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1953–1958BBC Sunday-Night TheatreVarious6 episodes1956Tales from SohoBarrel BinacreEpisode: "The Message"1958Saturday PlayhouseRafe CromptonEpisode: "My Flesh, My Blood"Television PlaywrightCharles BroderickEpisode: "In a Backward Country"1958-1961Armchair TheatreVarious2 episodes1959Tales of the Vikings Old SaxonEpisode: "Pedigree"1959-1960ITV Play of the WeekVarious2 episodes1960ITV Television PlayhouseSamEpisode: "Think of the Day"1963Hancock The Paper ManEpisode: "The Man on the Corner"1964Espionage Lunatic - King George III (uncredited)Episode: "The Frantick Rebel"Cluff BatesonEpisode: "The Daughter-In-Law"1965Z Cars TowserEpisode: "A Matter of Give and Take"Theatre 625Mr. BourneEpisode: "The Siege of Manchester"1966Danger ManCorriganEpisode: "Not So Jolly Roger"The Hunchback of Notre DameKing of the Beggars3 episodesAlice in WonderlandDormouseTV film
Radio +YearTitleNotes1957The Stone Faces1965Three SistersBBC Home Service Radio
References
External links Stage performances by Wilfred Lawson listed in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol