LESLIE LAWTON Started his career as a child actor in television and films. He started in the theatre after leaving school and has acted with all the major U.K. national companies and in many of London’s West End theatres. He has also starred in dozens of TV series and plays in the U.K., U.S.A. and Canada.
At the age of 19 he was the youngest television director ever and since then he has divided his career between both acting and directing. He was Artistic Director of 5 major U.K. theatres including Liverpool and Edinburgh, has directed and produced in London's West End (2 Olivier Awards) and for television in several countries.
Among his BBC credits is the award-winning production of "HAY FEVER" starring Dame Judi Dench and comedy series with Sir Norman Wisdom and Dame Thora Hird.
As a freelance journalist he has written for many UK newspapers and magazines and wrote the book of a West End musical, adapted the works of Strindberg and Sobol and contributed to two best-selling books on the history of British theatre and the early days of British live television. He is currently working on a book about his directing work overseas and he has just completed STRAIGHT MAN, a new comedy.
He has served on the Arts Council of Great Britain, on the executive Committee of the British Actors Union and as a Trustee of a charity to provide funding for young arts students and performers in the north of England.
He was one of the 30 major British artists to join the writer Ray Cooney in forming the legendary Theatre of Comedy in London and directed many hit shows for the company and played starring roles in the West End productions of "TWO INTO ONE", "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE", "OUT OF ORDER" and "IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY". He was the first British actor to play in the Broadway musicals "CABARET"(Emcee) and "CHICAGO" (Billy Flynn). In London he starred in his own musical show "SONG & DANCE MAN" and in the revue "REGARDS TO BROADWAY".
He has now acted and directed in 26 countries around the World including Australia, Scandinavia, India, China the USA and in many different languages.
To date Leslie has either directed or played in more than 400 productions worldwide.
In Israel he has directed more than 20 productions (Habima, Cameri, Beit Lessin, Beersheba and for several private companies) and is the only non-Israeli to have received the Milo Director of the year Award.
His major productions in the UK and around the World include CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF by Tennessee Williams, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? and A DELICATE BALANCE by Edward Albee, THE ODD COUPLE, THE SUNSHINE BOYS and PLAZA SUITE by Neil Simon, Strindberg’s DANCE OF DEATH, Ibsen’s THE MASTER BUILDER, STREAMERS by David Rabe, SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO by David Mamet, THE WINSLOW BOY by Terence Rattigan, THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE, PYGMALION and CANDIDA by George Bernard Shaw and everything from Shakespeare’s tragedies to French farce and Broadway musicals.
