Toni Lamond

Toni Lamond AM (birth name Patricia Lamond Lawman, born 29 March 1932 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian cabaret singer, stage actor, dancer and comedienne. [imdb name|0483628] She was given the nickname of "Lolly-Legs Lamond" by fellow veteran performer Noel Ferrier after being voted as having the second-best pair of legs in television while doing 'In Melbourne Tonight'.

Lamond began her professional career at the age of 10 when she sang on the radio while touring with her vaudevillian parents in variety shows. Her first stage performances were at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney. Her first performances as a leading lady were with English comedian Tommy Trinder in "The Tommy Trinder Show" in 1952.cite web|url=http://assets.theartscentre.net.au/VirtualGalleries/leadingladies/tonibio.htm|title=Toni Lamond|work=The Arts Centre, Melbourne|date=May 2003|accessdate=2008-04-23] She has starred in Australian productions of "Oliver!", "Annie Get Your Gun", "The Pajama Game" and "" and was a regular in a number of 1970s television shows such as "Number 96" and Graham Kennedy's "In Melbourne Tonight".cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/talkingheads/txt/s1482097.htm|title=Toni Lamond|work=Talking Heads (transcript of interview with Peter Thompson|date=17/10/2005] She later compered her own "IMT", becoming the first woman in the world to compere a variety television show.

She travelled to the United Kingdom where she appeared in the British night club circuit as well as on BBC-TV and BBC Radio. She also recorded two singles for Philips in London.cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/toni-lamond/person/12609/biography.html|title=Toni Lamond|work=tv.com] In the mid 1970s Lamond moved to Los Angeles where she appeared in musicals and television shows. She debuted on the New York stage with "Cabaret" at the age of 67. On her return to Australia in the mid 1990s she performed in shows including "42nd Street", "Pirates of Penzance" and "My Fair Lady".

In 2007 Lamond featured in Australian film "". In April-May 2008 she appeared in an autobiographical one-woman show, "Times of My Life" (co-written with her son Tony Sheldon), at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. [cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/home-to-meet-the-parents/2008/04/18/1208025469602.html?page=2|title=Hear 'em roar: 'We're sisters, not rivals'|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=18 April, 2008]

Lamond has written several autobiographical books including, "First Half" (1990), "Along the Way" (2002) and "Still a Gypsy" (2007). The first book went to the top of the best-seller list in eight days. [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/lm/stories/s601593.htm|title=Toni Lamond - A Great Entertainer|work=ABC Radio National|date=9 July, 2002]

Awards

In 1993 was presented with the Key to the City of Melbourne and in 2000 was included in the 'Honours List of Women Shaping the Nation'. In 2003 she was awarded The Centenary of Federation Medal for "Services To The Community Through The Arts."

In 2007 she was inducted into the AussieTheatre Hall of Fame. [cite web|url=http://www.aussietheatre.com/halloffame.htm|title=2007 Inductee: Toni Lamond|work=ausietheatre.com] She is a recipient of two Logie Awards, including the 1962 most popular Victorian Personality. She has received a Variety Club of Australia Award and a Mo Award. [cite web|url=http://cafe.showbuzz.com.au/CafePG/actsanda.nsf/49c9b06b96902214862567aa007f48de/7996d5765f18a9a7862567ab000eca03?OpenDocument|title=Toni Lamond|work=School of Arts Cafe]

She was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2003.

Personal life and family

Lamond has a significant pedigree within the Australian performing arts. Her son is writer Tony Sheldon ("Sons and Daughters") and she is the daughter of Stella Lamond ("Homicide" and "Bellbird") and Joe Lawman, both vaudeville entertainers. Her parents divorced when she was seven and Stella remarried Max Reddy ("Homicide"). She is a half sister to singer Helen Reddy who she raised as a surrogate mother while their parents were performing.

She married Frank Sheldon in 1954, however, in 1966 shortly after a separation, he committed suicide. An addiction to prescription drugs followed which she overcame and publicly discussed in an episode of "The Mike Walsh Show", becoming one of the first Australian media personalities to do so.

References