Christopher Lawford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christopher Lawford
Lawford in September 2008
Born	Christopher Kennedy Lawford (1955-03-29)March 29, 1955 Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Died	September 4, 2018(2018-09-04) (aged 63) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Education	Tufts University (BA) Boston College (JD) Harvard University
Occupation	Author actor activist
Years active	1988–2008
Spouse(s)	Jeannie Olsson ​ ​ (m. 1984; div. 2000)​ Lana Antonova ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2009)​ Mercedes Miller ​ ​ (m. 2014; div. 2016)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Peter Lawford Patricia Kennedy Lawford
Relatives	See Kennedy family
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Christopher Kennedy Lawford (born March 29, 1955 – died September 4, 2018) was an American author, actor, and activist. He was part of the famous Kennedy family. His father was the English actor Peter Lawford, and his mother was Patricia "Pat" Kennedy Lawford. Patricia was the sister of President John F. Kennedy.

Christopher Lawford went to Tufts University and earned a law degree from Boston College. He also studied at Harvard University. He worked as a public health campaigner, helping organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN). He also worked for the U.S. government.

Early Life and Education

Christopher Lawford was born on March 29, 1955, in Santa Monica, California. He was named after Saint Christopher. He was the oldest child and only son of actor Peter Lawford and Patricia Kennedy Lawford. His mother was President John F. Kennedy's sister.

He had three younger sisters: Sydney, Victoria, and Robin. Christopher often felt like a "second-string Kennedy" because his cousins got more attention. His parents divorced in 1966. After that, his mother moved to New York City with her children.

Before his parents divorced, Christopher went to St. Martin of Tours Elementary School in Los Angeles. In New York, he attended the Middlesex School. He graduated from Tufts University in 1977. He earned a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1983. Later, he earned a special certificate in Clinical Psychology from Harvard University. He also gave talks at Harvard, Columbia University, and other colleges.

His Career and Work

Becoming an Actor

In the mid-1980s, Christopher Lawford decided to become an actor, like his father. He realized that a career in law was not for him. He first worked in commercials in Boston for two years. In 1988, he moved to Southern California to act in movies and TV shows.

He worked in film and television for over 20 years. He appeared in TV shows like Frasier and The O.C.. In 2003, he was on the soap opera General Hospital. He was best known for playing Philip “Charlie” Brent, Jr. on All My Children from 1992 to 1995.

Lawford had small parts in movies such as The Russia House (1990). He was also in The Doors (1991), directed by Oliver Stone. In 2000, he played a Navy officer in Thirteen Days. This movie was about the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. He also had a role in the comedy Kiss Me Guido (1997). In Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, he worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger was married to Lawford's cousin Maria Shriver at the time. In 2005, Lawford appeared in The World's Fastest Indian.

Writing Books

Cover of Lawford's first book, Symptoms of Withdrawal (2005), with a picture of Lawford at the age of 5, with his uncle, President John F. Kennedy

In 2005, Christopher Lawford published his first book, a memoir called Symptoms of Withdrawal. A memoir is a book about a person's own life experiences. In 2009, he wrote Moments of Clarity. This book was dedicated to his cousin David Kennedy. Another cousin, Patrick J. Kennedy, wrote the introduction.

In 2013, Lawford published Recover to Live: Kick Any Habit, Manage Any Addiction. For this book, he talked to 100 experts. He described ways to help people with various challenges, like unhealthy eating or smoking. In 2014, he published What Addicts Know: 10 Lessons From Recovery To Benefit Everyone.

Lawford also wrote a book about dealing with hepatitis C. It was called Healing Hepatitis C. He wrote it with Diana Sylvestre in 2009.

Helping Others and Activism

Christopher Lawford was a public health campaigner. He worked with the World Health Organization (WHO). He also worked with the United Nations (UN). He helped the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. He was also a consultant for Caron Treatment Centers, which helps people with health challenges.

In 2001, Lawford started the Global Recovery Initiative. This group helps people overcome difficulties and find new opportunities.

In March 2010, he traveled to Ukraine for the UN. He talked with health officials about preventing hepatitis C. In 2011, he became a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime. He worked to raise awareness and support for people's well-being.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Christopher Lawford was married and divorced three times. He had three children with his first wife, Jeannie Olsson. Their names are David Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Savannah Rose Lawford, and Matthew Peter Valentine Lawford. They divorced in 2000.

In 2005, he married Russian actress Lana Antonova. They divorced in 2009. In 2014, Lawford married yoga instructor Mercedes Miller in Hawaii. At the time of his death in 2018, he was in a relationship with his girlfriend, Kyla Resch.

His Passing

On September 4, 2018, Christopher Lawford passed away from a heart attack. This happened in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was living there with his girlfriend and working to open a new wellness center. He had a medical emergency at a yoga studio.

His cousin, Patrick Kennedy, told the Associated Press that Lawford often did "hot yoga." Patrick said the effort "must have been too much for him at that point." After his death, his cousins Maria Shriver, Patrick Kennedy, and Kerry Kennedy shared tributes on Twitter. They honored his work in the community that helps people live healthy lives.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

See also

• Kennedy family tree
• Kennedy curse