Anderson Lawler (May 5, 1902 – April 6, 1959) was an American actor and producer in film and theatre who had a career lasting from the 1920s through the 1950s. He began on Broadway before moving to featured and supporting roles in Hollywood over a ten-year career at the very beginning of the

sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

era. After the end of his acting career, Lawler moved to the production end of the film industry as well as becoming a producer of legitimate theater in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Early life

Lawler was born Sidney Lawler on May 5, 1902, in

Russellville, Alabama Russellville is a city in Franklin County in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 10,855, up from 9,830 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Franklin County. History After the War of 1812, ...

. Prior to 1927, Lawler moved to New York City and changed his professional name to Anderson Lawler.

Career

In 1927 he had a featured role in the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

production ''Her First Affaire'', which premiered at the

Nora Bayes Theatre The 44th Street Theatre was a Broadway theater at 216 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City from 1912 to 1945. It was originally named Weber and Fields' Music Hall when it opened in November 1912 as a resident ve ...

in August 1927. In 1929 he moved to Los Angeles, where he began his career in the film industry. His first role was in 1929's ''River of Romance''. While in Hollywood, he appeared in almost thirty films during this time, mostly in supporting roles, before moving behind the scenes in 1939. Aside from his professional career, he was also popular with many Hollywood actors, including

William Haines Charles William Haines (January 2, 1900 – December 26, 1973) was an American actor and interior designer. Haines was discovered by a talent scout and signed with Goldwyn Pictures in 1922. His career gained momentum when he received favo ...

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor ( ; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer, producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO Pictures, RKO when David O. Selzn ...

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

, and

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...

. Lawler produced the 1946 film '' Somewhere in the Night'', which was directed by

Joseph L. Mankiewicz Joseph Leo Mankiewicz (; February 11, 1909 – February 5, 1993) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. A four-time Academy Award winner, he is best known for his witty and literate dialogue and his preference for voice-over ...

and starred

John Hodiak John Hodiak ( ; April 16, 1914 – October 19, 1955) was an American actor who worked in radio, stage and film. Early life Hodiak was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Anna (Pogorzelec) and Walter Hodiak. He was of Ukrainian and ...

Nancy Guild Nancy Gertrude Guild (October 11, 1925 – August 16, 1999) was an American film actress of the 1940s and 1950s. She appeared in '' Somewhere in the Night'' (1946), '' The Brasher Doubloon'' (1947), and the comedy ''Abbott and Costello Meet t ...

, and

Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American stage, film and television actor who rose from a supporting player and B-movie lead early in his career to featured player status after creating the role of Captain Qu ...

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American acting coach and actor. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed ...

adapted the screenplay and was an assistant director on the project. Shortly after this, both Lawler and Strasberg were transferred to the New York office of

Twentieth Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film production and distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Com ...

. Lawler and Strasberg had a close friendship, Lawler becoming the godfather of Strasberg's daughter,

Susan Strasberg Susan Elizabeth Strasberg (May 22, 1938 – January 21, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Thought to be the next Audrey Hepburn, Hepburn-type Ingénue, ingenue, she was nominated for a Tony Award at age 18, playing the ti ...

. In New York, Lawler worked in Fox's talent department, but he also began a second career as a producer of legitimate theater. At least one of those plays, ''Oh Men, Oh Women'', would be turned into a film by Fox in 1957.

Personal life and death

Lawler was gay, although he was frequently linked with women. In 1935, he accompanied

Kay Francis Kay Francis (born Katharine Edwina Gibbs; January 13, 1905 – August 26, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. After a brief period on Broadway in the late 1920s, she moved to film and achieved her greatest success between 1930 an ...

on a trip to Europe, ostensibly sent by the studios to keep her out of trouble. At one point,

Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and c ...

started a rumor that the two were engaged. Lawler purchased Donald L. Linder's house in

West Hollywood, California West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. History Most historical writing ...

, designed in the

Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by Aerodynamics, aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In indu ...

style by architect Edward B. Rust. When he moved to New York City, he rented it to actors

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

and

Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer, and Pin-up model, pin-up girl. She achieved fame in the 1940s as one of the top stars of the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of ...

. On April 6, 1959, Lawler died unexpectedly from a heart attack.

Filmography

(Per

AFI AFI may refer to: * Actual flip-angle imaging, a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) * ''Address-family identifier'', a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol * AFI (band), an American rock band ** ''AFI'' (2017 album), the tenth ...

database) *'' Half Marriage'' (1929) *''

River of Romance ''River of Romance'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by Richard Wallace and written by Ethel Doherty, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Dan Totheroh and John V.A. Weaver. The film stars Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Mary Brian, June Collyer, Henry B. ...

'' (1929) *'' A Lady to Love'' (1930) *'' Only Saps Work'' (1930) *'' Girls About Town'' (1931) *''

American Madness ''American Madness'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Frank Capra and starring Walter Huston as a New York banker embroiled in scandal. Plot At the Union National Bank, the directors are concerned because they think that ba ...

'' (1932) *''

Hollywood Speaks ''Hollywood Speaks'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Genevieve Tobin, Pat O'Brien and Leni Stengel. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. Plot A despairing young actress is stop ...

'' (1932) *''

Let's Fall in Love "Let's Fall in Love" is a song written by Harold Arlen (music) and Ted Koehler (lyrics) for the film ''Let's Fall in Love (film), Let's Fall in Love'' and published in 1933. In the film, it is heard during the opening credits and later sung by ...

'' (1933) *''

Ace of Aces Ace of aces is an informal title for the top pilot in a branch of military service. It also may refer to: Books * ''Ace of Aces'', the title of several biographies of Dick Bong * ''Ace of Aces'', the title of Teddy Suhren's memoirs * ''Ace of A ...

'' (1933) *'' The Cheyenne Kid'' (1933) *'' Beloved'' (1934) *''

The Man Who Reclaimed His Head ''The Man Who Reclaimed His Head'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by Edward Ludwig and written by Jean Bart (writer), Jean Bart and Samuel Ornitz. The film stars Claude Rains, Joan Bennett, Lionel Atwill, Juanita Quigley, Henry O'Neill an ...

'' (1934) *''

Let's Talk It Over ''Let's Talk It Over'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Chester Morris, Mae Clarke and Frank Craven.Dick p.81 Plot summary A sailor rescues a young heiress who is apparently drowning. Little d ...

'' (1934) *''

Riptide A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal fl ...

'' (1934) *'' Public Hero No. 1'' (1935) *'' The Return of Sophie Lang'' (1936) *''

The Adventurous Blonde ''The Adventurous Blonde'' is a 1937 American comedy mystery film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane and Anne Nagel. It was written by Robertson White and David Diamond. It was released on November 13, 1937. ...

'' (1937) *''

Confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of people – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information that ...

'' (1937) *''

Back in Circulation ''Back in Circulation'' is a 1937 American comedy drama film directed by Ray Enright and starring Pat O'Brien and Joan Blondell. Based on the short story "Angle Shooter" by Adela Rogers St. Johns, Blondell plays a fast-moving newspaper repor ...

'' (1937) *''

Empty Holsters ''Empty Holsters'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by B. Reeves Eason and written by John T. Neville. The film stars Dick Foran, Patricia Walthall, Emmett Vogan, Glenn Strange, Anderson Lawler and Wilfred Lucas. The film was release ...

'' (1937) *'' Fly-Away Baby'' (1937) *''

Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island () is a small island about 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco in San Francisco Bay, California, near the Golden Gate, Golden Gate Strait. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a Alcatraz Isla ...

'' (1937) *''

Accidents Will Happen "Accidents Will Happen" is a song written by Elvis Costello and performed by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. It first appeared on the 1979 album ''Armed Forces''. Costello wrote the song about his many infidelities during this period of his ...

'' (1938) *''

Heart of the North ''Heart of the North'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Lewis Seiler and written by Lee Katz and Vincent Sherman. The film stars Dick Foran, Gloria Dickson, Gale Page, Allen Jenkins, Patric Knowles, and Janet Chapman. The film was re ...

'' (1938) *''

The Invisible Menace ''The Invisible Menace'' is a 1938 American mystery film directed by John Farrow and starring Boris Karloff. It was also known as ''Without Warning''. Plot An army private and his new bride are trying to honeymoon on an island occupied by the ...

'' (1938) *''

Daredevil Drivers ''Daredevil Drivers'' is a 1938 American crime film directed by B. Reeves Eason and written by Sherman L. Lowe. The film stars Beverly Roberts, Dick Purcell, Gloria Blondell, Gordon Oliver, Charley Foy and Donald Briggs. The film was released by ...

'' (1938) *''

Mystery House ''Mystery House'' is an adventure game released by On-Line Systems in 1980. It was designed, written and illustrated by Roberta Williams, and programmed by Ken Williams for the Apple II. ''Mystery House'' is the first Graphic adventure gam ...

'' (1938) *'' Over the Wall'' (1938) *'' Torchy Blane in Chinatown'' (1939) *'' Somewhere in the Night'' (1946)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawler, Anderson 1902 births 1959 deaths Male actors from Alabama American male stage actors American film producers American theatre managers and producers People from Russellville, Alabama People from West Hollywood, California 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American businesspeople American gay actors LGBTQ people from Alabama 20th-century American LGBTQ people Actors from Franklin County, Alabama