Gertrude Lawrence (July 4 1898 - September 6, 1952) was an actress and musical comedy performer popular from the 1920s to the 1950s, appearing on stage in London, on Broadway and in several films. She is often remembered for performing the light comedy of Noel Coward. She also sang risque songs by Cole Porter and played characters that dealt with the controversial topics of race relations, atheism and psychoanalysis. Early life She was born Gertrude Alexandria Dagmar Lawrence-Klasen, of English and Danish extraction, in London, England, and was a professional performer by the age of ten. She had one Jewish grandparent. She was sent to Catholic convent schools and attended the Italia Conti Academy. She understudied Beatrice Lillie in the Andre Charlot London revues in the 1920s. Along with Jack Buchanan, she introduced Furber and Braham's song "Limehouse Blues" in the 1921 revue "A to Z." S

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