On graduating, Lawrence undertook work with George Dare's touring company in
Norfolk, learning and acting in 36 plays over eight weeks. After the company returned to
Bacton, she left the company with another actress and started working at the local sanitorium to earn enough money to afford the train fare to London. After leaving the hospital on finding out that most of the staff had
TB, her former landlady introduced her to
Lady Rawlinson, wife of Sir Alfred Rawlinson, 4th Baronet, at
North Walsham, who employed her as a cook. Unable to cook, Marjie stayed for the summer of 1953 as the children's nanny.
Film and TV career By 1972, Lawrence had given birth to the couple's three children, and was returning to work across theatre, film and television. Through her working relationship with
Peter Sellers and
Eric Sykes, she had the same agent and worked regularly from then until her death in 2010. Her works included: • Film:
After the Ball (1957),
Only Two Can Play (1962),
Design for Loving (1962),
A Place to Go (1963),
The Early Bird (1965),
Stranger in the House (1967),
Inspector Clouseau (1968),
Tell Me Lies (1968),
Carry On Henry (1971),
Hands of the Ripper (1971),
I, Monster (1971),
Bless This House (1972),
The Squeeze (1977),
Shiner (2000) • Television drama:
The Sweeney (1974)
The Rainbow (1988) • Television comedy:
The Benny Hill Show,
The Arthur Haynes Show (with Eric Sykes) • Television series:
Coronation Street,
Crossroads,
Danger UXB,
Public Eye,
Unnatural Causes,
Weavers Green,
Z-Cars • Theatre:
The Bed Sitting Room (
Mermaid Theatre),
The Three Sisters (
Royal Court Theatre) She had been ill since 2004 with
rheumatoid arthritis, but managed to continue working, latterly appearing in a bed-bound role in the BBC soap opera
Doctors. ==Personal life==