Patricia Lamond Lawman

Toni 'Lolly-Legs' Lamond 

Born Patricia Lamond Lawman on 29 March 1932 in Sydney, Toni became a veteran cabaret singer and entertainer. She became known by the nickname "Lolly-Legs Lamond" after fellow performer Noel Ferrier dubbed her the second best pair of legs in television. Toni began her stage career at the age of 10 singing on radio whilst touring with her parents in vaudeville. Toni's first stage performance was at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney. At sixteen or seventeen she and a girlfriend were appearing at the Plaza Theatre in Northcote. A young turntable operator, Graham Kennedy, assisted them by selecting a record ‘Dearie’ at radio station 3UZ in 1950.

Her major stage break however came in a performance with English comedian Tommy Grinder in The Tommy Grinder Show in 1952.  After that she appeared in stage musicals such as Oliver!, Annie Get Your Gun, The Pyjama Game and Gypsy. In the 1970s she became the first female performer worldwide to compere her own variety television show. In 2007 Toni Lamond was conducted into the Aussie Theatre Hall of Fame. She has received two Logie Awards and made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2003. In 2011 she received the JC Williamson Award for her services to the Australian live performance industry.

Blundell, Graeme. (2003) King: the life and comedy of Graham Kennedy. Pan McMillan.

Who's Who in Australia (2007)