Peter Lawford
Biography
Peter Lawford was an English-American actor who started as a child performer in the English film Poor Old Bill around 1930. Born in London in 1923, he was spotted by a talent scout while traveling through Hollywood in 1938 and was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1943. MGM cast him as handsome romantic leads and second male leads, and he took his first lead in Son of Lassie (1945). He appeared in films including Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), Flesh and Fantasy (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), Cluny Brown (1946), It Happened in Brooklyn (1947), and On an Island with You (1948). Later he worked in television, starring in Dear Phoebe and The Thin Man, and Frank Sinatra brought him into the Rat Pack and cast him in Never So Few (1959). He also appeared in Ocean's Eleven (1960), Advise & Consent (1962), and Salt and Pepper (1968). His last role was in Where Is Parsifal? He died in 1984.
61years old at death
- Born London
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen (birth name)Also credited as Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford
Movie Career
- Films
- 30
- Career span
- 41 years1943 to 1984
Genres
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Behind the camera
Lawford learned the basic story of Ocean's 11 from director Gilbert Kay, who had picked up the idea from a gas station attendant. In 1958 Lawford bought the rights, picturing William Holden as the lead.
First role
Lawford was seven when he first acted, in the English film Poor Old Bill around 1930. He later had an uncredited bit part in A Gentleman of Paris in 1931.
First role
In A Yank at Eton (1942), starring Mickey Rooney, Lawford took his first featured part in a major film production, playing a snobbish bully. The movie proved very popular at the box office.
First role
In 1945, Lawford took on his first leading role, playing the part in Son of Lassie. The film went on to become a big hit.
A first
In 1946, readers of Modern Screen magazine chose Lawford as Hollywood's most popular actor in a poll. The amount of fan mail he received then rose to thousands of letters each week.
Peter Lawford movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Otto Preminger directed three of these films, Lewis Milestone two and Charles Walters two. Frank Sinatra appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Frank Sinatra's page
Fred Astaire's page
C. Aubrey Smith's page
Whit Bissell's page
Charles Boyer's page
Connie Gilchrist's page
All films by Otto Preminger
Lewis MilestoneDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1960
All films by Lewis Milestone
All films by Charles Walters
Also three films together1 more actor
- June AllysonThat's Entertainment! (1974), Little Women (1949) and Good News (1947)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Peter Lawford's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$36.8 million
6 of the 30 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 30 films: 6 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 19 figure not found.
- 6Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 1Never in cinemas
- 19Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$20M54.4% of the total
- 2$5.9M16.1% of the total
- 3$3.9M10.6% of the total
- 4$2.8M7.6% of the total
- 5$2.2M5.9% of the total
- 6$2.0M5.4% of the total
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.