Helen Lawson is a fictional character in the novel Valley of the Dolls written by Jacqueline Susann. Lawson is described as having been a very successful Broadway star for many years (Lawson is said to be based on the real-life Broadway actress Ethel Merman). Her age is never revealed, there are only vague hints, but she's probably supposed to have been born ca. 1900.
Lawson
Ethel Merman