Peter Lawford

Life & family

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, Scottish

Peter Lawford was a British actor, producer, and socialite. He spent his childhood partly in France, and lived in the U.S. for most of his life. He was part of the “Rat Pack” of entertainers, along with Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra.

He was the biological son of May Cooper (Somerville) Bunny and Sydney/Sidney Turing Barlow Lawford, a British Army officer. He was born under the surname of his mother’s then-husband, Ernest Vaughn Aylen.

Peter was married to Patricia Seaton, until his death. He had four children with his former wife, Patricia Kennedy Lawford, a socialite, and the sister of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and politicians Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. Among their children was Christopher Lawford, an actor, author, and activist.

Peter’s paternal grandfather was Thomas Acland Lawford (the son of Samuel Lawford and Margaret Sarah Acland). Samuel was the son of Samuel Lawford and Anne Wright.

Peter’s paternal grandmother was named Janet Turing Bruce.