Christopher Kennedy Lawford was born in Malibu, California, the first-born child of President John F. Kennedy’s sister, Patricia, and famous Rat Pack actor, Peter Lawford. He grew up on both coasts and experienced the high life of Hollywood and the powerful world of politics....from a front row seat. After JFK’s assassination, his parents divorced and he moved with his mother to New York City where he spent his early teen years experimenting with drugs and getting into all kinds of trouble, culminating in an
addiction to heroin. Sober now for 22 years, Lawford shared his personal story in his memoir Symptoms of Withdrawal with others in hopes of making a difference.
Lawford holds a B.A. from Tufts University, a J.D. from Boston College Law School,
and a Masters Certification in Clinical Psychology from Harvard Medical School, where
he gained an academic appointment as a lecturer on Psychiatry. He has worked
extensively in politics, government, and business as well as in Hollywood. His political
career includes executive staff positions with The Democratic National Committee, The
Community Action for Legal Services Agency, and in the Washington office of Senator
Edward M. Kennedy. In addition, he held staff positions on numerous national, state, and
local political campaigns.
Lawford spent over fifteen years in the film and television industry as an actor, lawyer,
executive, and producer. He began in Universal Studios’ Independent Film Acquisition
Unit. He also worked in the entertainment law office of Mitchell, Silverberg, and Knupp.
His acting credits include Terminator 3, Thirteen Days, The Sixth Day, Blankman, The
Doors, Russia House, The World’s Fastest Indian and Slipstream. In addition, he spent
three years on All My Children.
Mr. Lawford has also focused much of his life on public service in the non-profit sector,
working for The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation, The Special Olympics, and The
Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and Caron Treatment
Centers. He currently spends much of his time speaking throughout the US on public
policy issues concerning Mental Health, Addiction and Hepatitis C
He is the author of Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption
(William Morrow 2005), a book illuminating the extraordinary circumstances of his life
and bringing a cohesive message of survival, hope and finding one's integrity.The book
received praise from critics and writers.
