Vaudeville singer and actor who composed the music for the old standard song, The Sidewalks of New York, in 1894, with lyricist
James W. Blake. In 1924, blind and in poor health, Lawlor told the New York Times that he and Blake had sold the publishing rights to the song for $5,000 and received no residuals. It was used by Al Smith as his campaign song in three failed runs for Governor of New York during the 1920's.