- Priscilla Lawson
Priscilla Lawson (March 8, 1914 in
Indianapolis, Indiana , d. August 27, 1958 inLos Angeles, California ), born Priscilla Shortridge, was an American actress known for her role asPrincess Aura in the original "Flash Gordon" serial (1936).She was a professional model by her early twenties and was crowned Miss Miami Beach in 1935. She then received a contract with
Universal Pictures , which led to her role in Flash Gordon as the daughter ofMing the Merciless . Princess Aura's rivalry withDale Arden forFlash Gordon 's affections was one of the centerpieces of the serial. The role brought hercult figure status.Following "Flash Gordon", Priscilla Lawson married actor Alan Curtis and joined the armed forces in World War II under her married name. It is undocumented, but some people believe that she lost a leg in an accident while serving in the
Women's Army Corps . Another report claims that she lost her right leg in a 1937 automobile accident. Lawson and Curtis eventually divorced, and she later managed a stationery shop in Los Angeles.Her untimely death at the young age of 44 resulted from upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a duodenal ulcer. She is interred at Live Oak Memorial Park in Los Angeles County,
California .External links
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8426786 Priscilla Lawson] at
Findagrave.com
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