His parents were stage players Daisy May Collier and Frank Mokely Lawton.

However, Lawton never made his big breakthrough in Hollywood and returned to British film and theatre.

During World War II, he joined the British Army in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and rose to the rank of major.

He was assigned as a liaison officer to the U.S. Army and ultimately was awarded the Legion of Merit, Degree of Legionnaire for his service.

[2] In the West End, he appeared in Alex Atkinson's Four Winds (1953) and Ronald Miller's Waiting for Gillian (1954).