Connie Lee (born 1918) was an American screenwriter and songwriter known for her work on the Blondie films, as well as a number of B-Westerns (one of few women working in the genre at the time).
Biography
Lee came out of the
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...
school of songwriting, and was given a contract by Ambassador Pictures to write songs for a few of its films. By the time she was 19, she began writing screenplays; her first feature, ''
Swing It, Professor
''Swing It, Professor'' (also known as ''Swing It, Buddy'') is an independently produced 1937 musical comedy directed by Marshall Neilan and starring Pinky Tomlin, Paula Stone and Milburn Stone. The musical numbers were written by Connie Lee, Al ...
'', was released in 1937. She often collaborated on scripts with
Karen DeWolf
Karen DeWolf (1904–1989), sometimes known as Gypsy Wells, was an American screenwriter and novelist credited on over 50 films during her 20+ years in Hollywood. She's best known for her work on Columbia's ''Blondie'' films, in addition to movi ...
: As a duo, the two penned ''
Nine Girls
''Nine Girls'' is a 1944 American mystery film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Ann Harding, Evelyn Keyes and Jinx Falkenburg.Blottner p.167 Karen DeWolf, Connie Lee, and Al Martin wrote the script, which was based on a play by Wilfred H. Peti ...
'' and many of the Blondie titles.
Lee married screenwriter Seymour Bennett (born Seymour Berkowitz) at some point in the early 1950s; the pair collaborated on the story for 1953's ''
The Last Posse
''The Last Posse'' is a 1953 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Broderick Crawford, John Derek, Charles Bickford and Wanda Hendrix.Hollywood blacklist
The Hollywood blacklist was an entertainment industry blacklist, broader than just Hollywood, put in effect in the mid-20th century in the United States during the early years of the Cold War. The blacklist involved the practice of denying emplo ...
for alleged Communist ties. Lee and Bennett were named in 1953 by fellow screenwriter David Lang.
Screenwriting credits
*''
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
''Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki'' is a 1955 American comedy film directed by Lee Sholem. It is the seventh installment of Universal-International's ''Ma and Pa Kettle'' series starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride in his final starring role.
Pl ...
'' (1953) (credited as Connie Lee Bennett)
*''
The Last Posse
''The Last Posse'' is a 1953 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Broderick Crawford, John Derek, Charles Bickford and Wanda Hendrix.The Lady from Texas'' (story) 1951) (credited as Connie Lee Bennett)
*''
The Return of October
''The Return of October'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and starring Glenn Ford
Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men ...
'' (story) (1948)
* ''
Blondie's Holiday
''Blondie's Holiday'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and starring Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake. The film is based on the comic strip of the same name. The screenplay was written by Chic Young and Connie Lee.
The fil ...
'' (1947)
* ''
Blondie's Big Moment
''Blondie's Big Moment'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the 19th of the 28 Blondie films.
Plot
Dagwood is eager to make a good imp ...
'' (1947)
* ''
Blondie's Lucky Day
''Blondie's Lucky Day'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the 17th of the 28 Blondie films.
Plot summary
While his boss, Mr. Dithers, is o ...
Leave It to Blondie
''Leave It to Blondie'' is a 1945 black-and-white comedy film and the 15th of the 28 Blondie films.
Plot summary
Cast
* Penny Singleton as Blondie
* Arthur Lake as Dagwood
* Larry Simms as Baby Dumpling
* Marjorie Ann Mutchie as Cookie
* Daisy ...
'' (1945)
* ''
Footlight Glamour
''Footlight Glamour'' is a 1943 black-and-white film and the 14th of the 28 Blondie films. It is one of only two movies in the series that did not feature "Blondie" in the title (the other, '' It's a Great Life'', was released earlier that year) ...
The Daring Young Man
''The Daring Young Man'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and written by Sam Hellman, William Hurlbut and Glenn Tryon. The film stars James Dunn, Mae Clarke, Neil Hamilton, Sidney Toler, Warren Hymer and Stanley Fi ...
Blondie's Blessed Event
''Blondie's Blessed Event'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, and Larry Simms. It is the 11th of the Blondie films. It was the first to feature the character of Cookie.
Plot
...
'' (1942)
* ''
Zis Boom Bah
''Zis Boom Bah'', also known as ''College Sweethearts'', is a 1941 American musical comedy film directed by William Nigh, and starring Grace Hayes, Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy. The plot concerns a vaudeville singer who comes to a flounderin ...
Ghost Valley Raiders
''Ghost Valley Raiders'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by George Sherman and written by Bennett Cohen. The film stars Don "Red" Barry, Lona Andre, LeRoy Mason, Tom London, Jack Ingram and Ralph Peters. The film was released on March ...
Swing It, Professor
''Swing It, Professor'' (also known as ''Swing It, Buddy'') is an independently produced 1937 musical comedy directed by Marshall Neilan and starring Pinky Tomlin, Paula Stone and Milburn Stone. The musical numbers were written by Connie Lee, Al ...