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Raymond Evenor Lawler (23 May 1921 – 24 July 2024) was an Australian playwright and dramatist, actor, theatre producer and director. Lawler's most notable play was his tenth, '' Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' (1953), which had its premiere in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
in 1955. The play was notable for changing the direction of Australian drama, considered one of the greatest of the 20th century, it was adapted to a film in 1959, starring
Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American actress, producer, and singer. In a career spanning 80 years, she played various roles on stage and screen. Among her numerous accolades wer ...
and
Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine ( ; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perf ...
. The story of ''The Doll'' is preceded by ''Kid's Stakes'', set in 1937, when the characters of ''The Doll'' are young adults, and then ''Other Times'', which is set in 1945 and includes most of the same characters.


Early life

Lawler was born in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray on 23 May 1921, second of eight children of a council worker. He left school at 13 to work in a factory and attended evening acting classes. He wrote his first play at 19, and his play ''Hal's Belles'' had good notices in early 1946. It was described as "...easy to stage and is a slick, finished work", then being offered by J. and N. Tait in London and New York.


Career

He first attracted attention as a writer in 1952 when his play ''Cradle of Thunder'' was presented by the National Theatre Competition. In 1955, ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' gained first prize in the Playwright Advisory Board Competition with
Oriel Gray Oriel Holland Bennett (26 March 1920 – 30 June 2003) known by pen name Oriel Gray, was an Australian dramatist, playwright and screenwriter who wrote from the 1940s to 1990s. The major themes of her work were gender equality and "social and po ...
’s '' The Torrents'' and was subsequently presented by the Union Theatre. Lawler played the role of Barney at the premiere of ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' in 1955. The play was taken up by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust and presented in all Australian states as well as London and New York. It won the
Evening Standard Award The ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are the oldest theatrical awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. They are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre, and are organised by the ''Evening Standa ...
for the best new play on the London stage in 1957. Since then it has been translated into many languages and performed in many countries. It was also filmed in 1959. Lawler went to London with the cast and lived in Denmark, England, and Ireland. ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' was followed by '' The Piccadilly Bushman'' (1959), presented in Australia by J. C. Williamson’s and published by
Angus & Robertson Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature.Alison, Jennifer (2001). "Publishers and editors: A ...
(1961); ''The Unshaven Cheek'', presented at the 1963
Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially european classical music, classical music) and ...
; and ''A Breach in the Wall'', about St
Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...
(televised in 1967, produced at Canterbury in 1970). In 1969, he adapted and dramatised the short story " Before the Party" by
Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...
, for a television series, which was produced by
Verity Lambert Verity Ann Lambert (27 November 1935 – 22 November 2007) was an English television and film producer. Lambert began working in television in the 1950s. She began her career as a producer at the BBC by becoming the founding producer of t ...
. A second 13-part series was aired in 1970. In 1972, he visited Australia for the
Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre com ...
’s production of '' The Man Who Shot the Albatross'', a version of the Governor Bligh story. In 1975, Lawler returned to settle in Australia as associate director of the
Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre com ...
, with an agreement to complete a trilogy based on ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll''. The first play, ''Kid's Stakes'', opened in December 1975 and the second, ''Other Times'', in December 1976. ''The Doll Trilogy'' had its first full performance at the Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, on 12 February 1977.


Personal life and death

Lawler married Jacklyn Kelleher, an actress, in 1956. They had twin sons, Adam and Martin, born in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in May 1957, and subsequently a daughter, Kylie. He turned 100 in May 2021 and died in Melbourne on 24 July 2024, at the age of 103.


Honours and legacy

Lawler was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE) in the
1981 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1981 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countrie ...
for services to the performing arts. He was appointed
Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
(AO) in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours "for distinguished service to the performing arts as an actor, playwright and director." The smaller theatre space, the Lawler, in the Melbourne Theatre Company's
Southbank Theatre Southbank Theatre is a performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to ...
is named after him.


Works


Stage

* ''Cradle of Thunder'' (1949) * ''The Bluff and the Fair'' (1952 – a reworked version of ''Hal's Belles'', 1945) * ''The Adventures of Ginger Meggs'' (1952, children's musical) * ''Tram Stop 10!'' (1954, co-writer of revue) * '' Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' (1955) * ''Return Fare'' (1955, co-writer of revue) * '' The Piccadilly Bushman'' (1959) * '' The Unshaven Cheek'' (1963) * '' A Breach in the Wall'' (1970) * ''The Man Who Shot the Albatross'' (1971) * ''Kid's Stakes'' (1975) * ''Other Times'' (1976) * ''Godsend'' (1982)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawler, Ray 1921 births 2024 deaths 20th-century Australian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Australian male writers Australian men centenarians Australian male dramatists and playwrights Australian male stage actors Australian male writers Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire Officers of the Order of Australia Male actors from Melbourne Writers from Melbourne People from Footscray, Victoria