Lila Lee

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel, July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. In 1918, she was chosen for a film contract by Hollywood film mogul Jesse Lasky for Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, which later became Paramount Pictures. Her first feature, The Cruise of the Make-Believes, garnered the teenaged starlet much public acclaim and Lasky quickly sent Lee on an arduous publicity campaign. Critics lauded Lila for her wholesome persona and sympathetic character parts. Lee quickly rose to the ranks of leading lady and often starred opposite such matinee heavies as Conrad Nagel, Gloria Swanson, Wallace Reid, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, and Rudolph Valentino. Lee bore more than a slight resemblance to Ann Little, a former Paramount star and frequent Reid co-star who was leaving the film business and at this stage in her career an even stronger resemblance to Marguerite Clark. In 1922 Lee was cast as Carmen in the enormously popular film Blood and Sand, opposite matinee idol Rudolph Valentino and silent screen vamp Nita Naldi; Lee subsequently won the first WAMPAS Baby Stars award that year. Lee continued to be a highly popular leading lady throughout the 1920s and made scores of critically praised and widely watched films. As the Roaring Twenties drew to a close, Lee's popularity began to wane and Lee positioned herself for the transition to talkies. She is one of the few leading ladies of the silent screen whose popularity did not nosedive with the coming of sound. She went back to working with the major studios and appeared, most notably, in The Unholy Three, in 1930, opposite Lon Chaney Sr. in his only talkie. However, a series of bad career choices and bouts of recurring tuberculosis and alcoholism hindered further projects and Lee was relegated to taking parts in mostly grade B movies.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

1967
Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers
Movie Viola Zickafoose
1966
The Emperor's New Clothes
Movie Wringmouth
1961
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
Movie Self (archive footage)
1957
Panic!
TV show
1950
Lux Video Theatre
TV show Mrs. McLean
1937
Nation Aflame
Movie Mona Franklin Burtis
1937
Two Wise Maids
Movie Ethel Harriman
1936
Country Gentlemen
Movie Louise Heath
1936
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Movie Miss Prentiss, Bradford's Receptionist
1935
Champagne for Breakfast
Movie Natalie Morton
1935
The People's Enemy
Movie Katherine Carr
1935
The Marriage Bargain
Movie Helen Stanhope
1934
I Can't Escape
Movie Mae Nichols
1934
In Love with Life
Movie Sharon
1934
Stand Up and Cheer!
Movie Zelda
1934
Whirlpool
Movie Helen

More credits

1933
Lone Cowboy
Movie Eleanor Jones
1933
The Intruder
Movie Connie Wayne
1933
The Iron Master
Movie Janet Stillman
1933
Face in the Sky
Movie Sharon Hadley
1932
Officer Thirteen
Movie Doris Dane
1932
False Faces
Movie Georgia Rand
1932
The Night of June 13
Movie Trudie Morrow
1932
Exposure
Movie Doris Corbin
1932
War Correspondent
Movie Julie March
1932
Unholy Love
Movie Jane Bradford
1932
Radio Patrol
Movie Sue Kennedy
1931
Misbehaving Ladies
Movie Princess Ellen
1931
Woman Hungry
Movie Judith Temple
1930
The Gorilla
Movie Alice Denby
1930
The Unholy Three
Movie Rosie O'Grady
1930
Double Cross Roads
Movie Mary Carlyle
1930
Those Who Dance
Movie Nora Brady
1930
Murder Will Out
Movie Jeanne Baldwin
1930
Second Wife
Movie Florence Wendell Fairchild
1929
The Sacred Flame
Movie Stella Taylor
1929
The Show of Shows
Movie Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number
1929
Love, Live & Laugh
Movie Margharita
1929
Flight
Movie Elinor
1929
Honky Tonk
Movie Beth