He and his brother Larry attended the same school as comedian and actor Don Adams, who remained lifelong friends with him and Storch.

Lawrence first got his start in show business alongside his more famous brother Larry as a stand-up comic in New York City in the 1940 while in his teens.

In the early 1960s, he fronted for and performed at a then-popular New York nightclub (The Crystal Room) on East 54th Street in Manhattan.

Also as a film actor, Jay Lawrence performed in movies such as The Big Chase (1954), in which he portrayed Jim Bellows, Train Ride to Hollywood (1975), and The Halliday Brand (1957), and a prominent supporting role as Sgt.

Bagradian who gave brilliant, dead-on impressions of leading film actors in the critically acclaimed Billy Wilder directed war/German POW prison camp dramedy Stalag 17 (1953).