Anderson Lawler

Born: 1902-05-05

From Wikipedia, the free encycloped Anderson Lawler (May 5, 1902 – April 6, 1959) was an American film and stage actor and producer, 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 talking picture era. After the end of his acting career, Lawler would move to the production end of the film industry, as well as becoming a producer of legitimate theater in the late 1940s and 1950s. Life and career Lawler was born Sidney Lawler on May 5, 1902 in Russellville, Alabama to Earnest H. and Dona C. Lawler. Prior to 1927, Lawler would move to New York City, and change his professional name to Anderson. In 1927 he would have a featured role in the Broadway production Her First Affaire, which premiered at the Nora Bayes Theatre in August 1927. In 1929 he would move to Los Angeles, where he would begin his career in the film industry. His first role would be 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 luminaries, such as William Haines, George Cukor, Gary Cooper and Katharine Hepburn. Lawler was a homosexual, although he was frequently linked with women. In 1935 he accompanied Kay Francis on a trip to Europe, ostensibly sent by the studios to keep her out of trouble. At one point, Walter Winchell started a rumor that the two were engaged. He produced the 1946 film, Somewhere in the Night, which was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and starred John Hodiak, Nancy Guild, and Lloyd Nolan. Lee Strasberg 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. Lawler and Strasberg had a close friendship, Lawler becoming the Godfather of Strasberg's daughter, Susan Strasberg. 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. On April 6, 1959, Lawler would die suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack.


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The Invisible Menace

as Pvt. Abbott
Released: 1938-01-11

Army Private Eddie Pratt smuggles his new bride into camp in hopes of having a happy wedding...

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Public Hero Number 1

as Higgins - Federal Agent (uncredited)
Released: 1935-05-31

G-Man Jeff Crane poses as a crook to infiltrate the notorious Purple Gang, a band of hoodlums...

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American Madness

as Charlie (uncredited)
Released: 1932-08-15

Socially-conscious banker Thomas Dickson faces a crisis when his protégé is wrongly accused of...

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Born to Love

as Wounded Soldier in Hospital (uncredited)
Released: 1931-04-17

A pregnant American nurse living in London during WWI, believing her soldier-fiance has been...

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Beloved

as Tom Rountree
Released: 1934-01-22

Story about four generations in a family of musicians.

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Alcatraz Island

as 'Whitey' Edwards
Released: 1937-10-13

A man who has been railroaded into prison is framed for the murder of a fellow inmate and must...

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Confession

as Reporter (uncredited)
Released: 1937-08-19

Vera Kowalska is put on trial for murdering concert pianist Michael Michailow. In court it is...

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Over the Wall

as Convict
Released: 1938-04-02

When a singing, song-writing prizefighter is framed for murder and sent to the state pen, his...

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Empty Holsters

as Buck McGovern
Released: 1937-07-10

Ace owns just about everything around except for the Bank, which is owned by John Ware. Ace also...

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Night After Night

as Lonely Drunk (uncredited)
Released: 1932-10-29

A former boxer purchases a classy speakeasy and falls in love with a wealthy society girl.

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Sinners in the Sun

as Gigolo
Released: 1932-05-13

A New York fashion model finds herself being pursued by a poor but honest garage mechanic and a...

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Mystery House

as Joe Page
Released: 1938-05-21

When a banker is found shot dead with a gun in his hand, his daughter refuses to believe it is a...

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River of Romance

as Joe Patterson
Released: 1929-06-28

Mississippi, 1830's. Tom Rumsford comes back to Magnolia Landing, his parents'estate. Having...

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Ever Since Eve

as Monteray Tavern Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Released: 1937-07-15

Madge Winton (Marion Davies), a beautiful secretary, makes herself look homely in order to avoid...

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Mr. Dodd Takes the Air

as First Production Manager (uncredited)
Released: 1937-08-11

A country bumpkin becomes a singing sensation on the radio.

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The Daredevil Drivers

as Mr. Bounty
Released: 1938-02-12

To spite his girlfriend, the owner of a successful bus company, an auto racer goes to work for...

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Men Must Fight

as Mr. Siebert
Released: 1933-02-17

Prophetic tale of a mother in 1940 trying to keep her son out of war.

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The Adventurous Blonde

as Hugo Brand
Released: 1937-11-13

The third of nine Torchy Blane movies. Angry that police detective Steve McBride (Barton...

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Torchy Blane in Chinatown

as Allan Fitzhugh
Released: 1939-02-02

Torchy Blane joins her police-detective fiance to solve a series of murders involving a set of...

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Girls About Town

as Alex Howard
Released: 1931-11-07

A dynamic duo in silk and ermine entertain hick businessmen looking for a good time while in...

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Heart of the North

as Constable Burgoon
Released: 1938-12-10

A two-fisted Canadian Mountie leads lawmen in pursuit of the thieves who stole an Edmonton-bound...

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Let's Talk It Over

as Peter
Released: 1934-06-01

A young sailor saves a woman from drowning. The woman turns out to be a rich heiress;...

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Ace of Aces

as Tim 'Tombstone' Terry
Released: 1933-10-20

A sculptor who doesn't want to have any part of World War I is shamed by his girlfriend into...

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A Lady to Love

as Doctor
Released: 1930-02-28

Middle-aged Napa Valley grape-grower Tony posts a marriage proposal to San Francisco waitress...

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Accidents Will Happen

as F.R. Dawson
Released: 1938-04-09

A married insurance claims adjuster investigates a gang of accident-fraud racketeers, but they...

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The Cheyenne Kid

as Tate
Released: 1933-01-20

Chasing a gambler that stole money, Tom Larkin gets his horse shot out from under him. Meeting...

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The Road to Reno

as Alec
Released: 1931-09-25

Jackie is the perpetually adolescent mother of two grown children - daughter Lee and son Jeff -...

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Half Marriage

as Tom Stribbling
Released: 1929-10-12

A young couple marries in secret. Judy's afraid her parents won't approve of Dick and she'll...

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Fly Away Baby

as Alexander L. Torey
Released: 1937-06-19

Torchy Blane solves a murder and smuggling case during a round-the-world flight.

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Maid's Night Out

as Police Car 29 Driver (uncredited)
Released: 1938-03-03

A millionaire's son works as a milkman for a month to win a bet with his father. While...

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Hollywood Speaks

as Joe Hammond
Released: 1932-06-25

The darkest side of Tinseltown is depicted in this drama that centers upon a Hollywood columnist...

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Let's Fall in Love

as Allen Foster
Released: 1933-12-26

A carnival girl pretends to be Swedish in order to win a movie role.

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Only Saps Work

as Horace Baldwin
Released: 1930-12-05

Rubber-legged comedian Leon Errol made his talkie starring bow in Paramount's Only Saps Work....

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