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 America 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, 10 May 1927 – 14 December 2016).
Selected stage performances
Evensong (1932) Peer Gynt Richard III The Father (Strindberg play) The Lower Depths (1962)
Filmography
East Lynne on the Western Front (1931) - Dick Webb / Carlyle
Strike It Rich (1933) - Raikes
Turn of the Tide (1935) - Luke Fosdyck
Ladies in Love (1936) - Ben Horvath
White Hunter (1936) - Michael Varek
The Man Who Made Diamonds (1937) - Gallanie
Bank Holiday (1938) - Police Sergt. The Terror (1938) - Mr. Goodman Yellow Sands (1938) - Richard Varwell Pygmalion (1938) - Alfred Doolittle The Gaunt Stranger (1938) - Maurice Meister Stolen Life (1939) - Thomas E. Lawrence Allegheny Uprising (1939) - "Mac" MacDougall Dead Man's Shoes (1940) - Lucien Sarrou Pastor Hall (1940) - Pastor Frederick Hall The Long Voyage Home (1940) - Captain It Happened to One Man (1940) - Felton Quair The Farmer's Wife (1941) - Churdles Ash The Ghost Train (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited) The Man at the Gate (1941) - Henry Foley Danny Boy (1941) - Jack Newton Jeannie (1941) - James McLean Tower of Terror (1941) - Wolfe Kristan Hard Steel (1942) - Walter Haddon The Night Has Eyes (1942) - Jim Sturrock The Great Mr. Handel (1942) - George Frideric Handel Thursday's Child (1943) - Frank Wilson Fanny by Gaslight (1944) - Chunks The Turners of Prospect Road (1947) - Will Turner The Prisoner (1955) - The Jailer Make Me an Offer (1955) - Charlie's Father An Alligator Named Daisy (1955) - Irishman (uncredited) Now and Forever (1956) - Gossage War and Peace (1956) - Prince Bolkonsky Doctor at Large (1957) - Dustman. with Cyst (uncredited) Miracle in Soho (1957) - Mr. Morgan (uncredited) Hell Drivers (1957) - Ed The Naked Truth (1957) - Walter - Contestant in T.V. Show (uncredited) Tread Softly Stranger (1958) - Holroyd (uncredited) Room at the Top (1959) - Uncle Nat (uncredited) Expresso Bongo (1959) - Mr. Rudge (uncredited) The Naked Edge (1961) - Mr. Pom Nothing Barred (1961) - Albert Over the Odds (1961) - Willie Summers Postman's Knock (1962) - Postman Go to Blazes (1962) - Scrap Dealer Becket (1962) - Old Soldier (uncredited) Tom Jones (1963) - Black George The Wrong Box (1966) - Peacock, the Butler The Viking Queen (1967) - King Priam (final film role)