Linda Lawson | |
|---|---|
 Lawson in Adventures in Paradise. | |
| Born | Linda Gloria Spaziani January 14, 1936 |
| Died | May 18, 2022 (aged 86) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1955–2005 |
| Spouse(s) | John Foreman (m. 1961; died 1992) |
| Children | 2, including Amanda Foreman |
Linda Lawson (born Linda Gloria Spaziani;[2] January 14, 1936 – May 18, 2022) was an American actress and singer.[3]
The first of three children born to Italian immigrants Maria Cataldi and Edward Spaziani, she was five years old when her family moved from Michigan to Fontana, California. After graduating from Chaffey High School,[1] she began her 50-year acting career in 1955 with a short film for the U.S. government. On May 5, 1955, Lawson was dubbed "Miss Cue"[4][5] in reference to a series of nuclear tests conducted by the US military under "Operation Teapot," and publicized as "Operation Cue" in a short film distributed by the US Federal Civil Defense Administration.[6]
She appeared in several television series, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Maverick starring James Garner, as Clint Eastwood's "other woman" in the episode "Duel at Sundown"; James Michener's Adventures in Paradise, as recurring character "Renee" in six episodes; Don't Call Me Charlie!, in which she portrayed "Pat Perry" for eighteen episodes; Ben Casey, seen as "Laura Fremont" for nine episodes; M Squad; Overland Trail, and Wagon Train, co-starring with Raymond Massey as the princess of a lost Aztec settlement.
Lawson also appeared in two episodes of Bonanza, It Takes a Thief, ER; The Virginian, Mr. Lucky, Perry Mason, The Real McCoys, The Aquanauts, Sea Hunt; Tales of Wells Fargo, 77 Sunset Strip; Hawaiian Eye; Border Patrol, Colt .45, Peter Gunn, Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer and The Tall Man among many others.
She also appeared in several movies, including Sometimes a Great Notion. She co-starred opposite Dennis Hopper in Night Tide (1961).
She was married to film producer John Foreman. Amanda Foreman and Julie Foreman, both actresses, are their daughters. She died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles on May 18, 2022, at the age of 86. Her death was announced 2 weeks later.[7][8]
In 1960, Lawson recorded Introducing Linda Lawson. The music was conducted and arranged by Marty Paich.[9]
Tracks:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | The Threat | Gerri | |
| 1961 | Night Tide | Mora | |
| 1964 | Apache Rifles | Dawn Gillis | |
| 1966 | Let's Kill Uncle | Justine | |
| 1970 | Sometimes a Great Notion | Jan Stamper | |
| 2005 | The Tenants | Anna |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Kathy Dean | "Wedding Mourning" |
| 1958 | Tales of the Texas Rangers | Dolores | "Edge of Danger" |
| 1958 | Peter Gunn | Lynn Martel | "Lynn's Blues" |
| 1958 | Man with a Camera | Carmen | "Six Faces of Satan" |
| 1959 | Maverick | Lily | "Duel at Sundown" |
| 1959 | Five Fingers | Princess Tucomcari | "The Moment of Truth" |
| 1959 | Border Patrol | Anna | "Hare and Hounds" |
| 1959 | The Millionaire | Marcia Littleton | "Millionaire Sergeant Matthew Brogan" |
| 1959-61 | Adventures in Paradise | Renee | Recurring role |
| 1960 | 77 Sunset Strip | Jeanne | "Ten Cents a Death" |
| 1960 | Colt .45 | Barbara | "Impasse" |
| 1960 | Tombstone Territory | Jeannie Magraw | "The Bride" |
| 1960 | Mr. Lucky | Angie | "The Parolee" |
| 1960 | Overland Trail | Ruby | "The High Bridge" |
| 1960 | M Squad | Delores Faye | "Man with the Ice" |
| 1960 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Georgia | Season 5 Episode 31: "I Can Take Care of Myself" |
| 1960 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Nola Carter | "And Whose Little Baby Are You?" |
| 1960 | Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | Joyce Chapman | "Moment of Hate" |
| 1960 | Wagon Train | Princess Lia of the Aztecs | "Princess of a Lost Tribe" |
| 1960 | Hawaiian Eye | Tiki Mona Lynn |
"Fatal Cruise" "Girl on a String" |
| 1960 | Tales of Wells Fargo | Kate Fallon | "Escort to Santa Fe" |
| 1960 | Bonanza | Melinda Bowers | "The Trail Gang" |
| 1960 | Sea Hunt | Nancy Stewart Rita Julien |
"Counterfeit" "The Living Fossil" |
| 1961 | Sea Hunt | Jill Marzack | Season 4, Episode 2, "River Treasure" |
| 1961 | Stagecoach West | Stella Smith | "The Root of Evil" |
| 1961 | The Aquanauts | Wilva | "The Defective Tank Adventure", "The Jeremiah Adventure" |
| 1961 | The Rifleman | Vashti Croxton | "Assault" |
| 1961 | Perry Mason | Erin Mooney | "The Case of the Injured Innocent" |
| 1962 | Target: The Corruptors! | Carolyn | "One for the Road" |
| 1962-63 | Don't Call Me Charlie! | Pat Perry | Main role |
| 1963 | The Real McCoys | Betty Lockwood | "Luke in the Ivy League", "Luke Grows a Beard" |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Gracia Hernandez | "Threepersons" |
| 1964 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Lucille Brown | Season 2 Episode 12: "Three Wives Too Many" |
| 1965 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Fiona McNiece | Season 3 Episode 25: "The World's Oldest Motive" |
| 1965 | Bonanza | Maria Hackett | "To Own the World" |
| 1965 | Ben Casey | Laura Fremont | Recurring role |
| 1966 | The Virginian | Becky Ellis | "Chaff in the Wind" |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief | Jean | "Glass Riddle" |
| 1994 | Saved by the Bell: The New Class | Mrs. Farrel | "All Play and No Work" |
| 2000 | Another Woman's Husband | Agnes | TV film |
| 2000-01 | That's Life | Mrs. Paganini | Recurring role |
| 2002 | Without a Trace | Mrs. Janey | "In Extremis" |
| 2005 | Dr. Vegas | Flossie | "Babe in the Woods" |
| 2005 | ER | Aunt Eileen | "You Are Here" |
