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Gertrude Lawrence: A Biography
The first fully researched biography of the Broadway star chronicles her life, detailing the hard route she took in rising above her lower-class English background and finding international fame on the stage
- GenresBiography
228 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1984
10 people want to read
About the author
Sheridan Morley
84 books1 followerSheridan A. Morley (5 December 1941 − 16 February 2007) was an English author, biographer, critic and broadcaster. He was the official biographer of Sir John Gielgud and wrote biographies of many other theatrical figures he had known, including Noël Coward.
Morley was the eldest son of actor Robert Morley and grandson, via his mother Joan Buckmaster, of the actress Dame Gladys Cooper.
Morley was the eldest son of actor Robert Morley and grandson, via his mother Joan Buckmaster, of the actress Dame Gladys Cooper.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 26, 2020
Lawrence's performances is the template for her life story on the stage beautifully written by
Sheridan Morley. I really enjoyed reading about famous composers : Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Rogers and Hammerstein just to name a few. Famous performer/ writer Noel Coward: they were both child stars and had a life long friendship. Ms. Lawrence's father was himself a actor/singer; however, her parents separated and she did not have a close relationship with her father, but her mother was ambitious for her only child and encouraged her affinity to perform. She started out as a dancer and grew to become a stager actor adept at comedy. She had a daughter, Pamela whom her grandmother raised for a time until she came to live with her mother but they saw very little of each other because Ms. Lawrence was so focused on her career.
Ms. Lawrence was married twice and had relationships with Philip Astley, Douglas Fairbanks among others. She died at age 52 from cancer during what would be her last play, "The King and I" with Yul Brynner.
Sheridan Morley. I really enjoyed reading about famous composers : Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Rogers and Hammerstein just to name a few. Famous performer/ writer Noel Coward: they were both child stars and had a life long friendship. Ms. Lawrence's father was himself a actor/singer; however, her parents separated and she did not have a close relationship with her father, but her mother was ambitious for her only child and encouraged her affinity to perform. She started out as a dancer and grew to become a stager actor adept at comedy. She had a daughter, Pamela whom her grandmother raised for a time until she came to live with her mother but they saw very little of each other because Ms. Lawrence was so focused on her career.
Ms. Lawrence was married twice and had relationships with Philip Astley, Douglas Fairbanks among others. She died at age 52 from cancer during what would be her last play, "The King and I" with Yul Brynner.
October 18, 2025
a good concise read about the star.telling of her ups and downs of her life off stage,her friendship with noel cowerd.of her total absorption in the theatre world at the expense of everything else.
April 21, 2009
Please see my detailed review at Amazon Graceann's "Gertrude Lawrence" Review"
Please click that the review was helpful to you at Amazon so that my rating continues to climb!
It would have been very easy to do a hatchet-job on the eminently spoofable Gertrude Lawrence. She was a veddy "theatrical" actress, and was occasionally lampooned in her own time. However, all who were fortunate to see her perform (now an increasingly dwindling number) agree that while she was onstage, there was pure magic to be seen. Morley manages to capture this, along with the downside of her fame once the spotlight went out.
Please click that the review was helpful to you at Amazon so that my rating continues to climb!
It would have been very easy to do a hatchet-job on the eminently spoofable Gertrude Lawrence. She was a veddy "theatrical" actress, and was occasionally lampooned in her own time. However, all who were fortunate to see her perform (now an increasingly dwindling number) agree that while she was onstage, there was pure magic to be seen. Morley manages to capture this, along with the downside of her fame once the spotlight went out.
February 22, 2012
Fascinating, but should be re-categorized as fantasy fiction!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews