Mary Jane Lee (September 4, 1848 – August 5, 1925), known professionally as Jennie Lee, was an American actress of the stage and screen. Lee appeared in more than 50 films between 1912 and 1924, working especially in character parts under the directors

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

and D. W. Griffith. She began her stage career at age nine and went on to support such actors as

John Edward McCullough John Edward McCullough (November 2, 1832 – November 8, 1885) was an Irish-born American actor. Biography John Edward McCullough was born in Coleraine, Ireland (today part of Northern Ireland). He went to America at the age of 16, and made ...

Joseph Jefferson Joseph Jefferson III, commonly known as Joe Jefferson (February 20, 1829 – April 23, 1905), was an American actor. He was the third actor of this name in a family of actors and managers, and one of the most famous 19th century American comedia ...

Edwin Booth Edwin Thomas Booth (November 13, 1833 – June 7, 1893) was an American actor who toured throughout the United States and the major capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he founded Booth's Theatre in New York. Some theatri ...

, and Helena Modjeska.Motion Picture Studio Directory, 1921, p. 146 She and her husband, actor

William Courtright William Courtright (February 10, 1848 – March 6, 1933) was an American film actor. Early years He was born Theodore Courtright in New Milford, Illinois, and was educated in the public schools of Ione, California. When he was 16, he ran ...

, appeared together in Griffith's ''

Intolerance Intolerance may refer to: * Hypersensitivity Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction or intolerance) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity. They are usual ...

'' (1916). Lee portrayed Mammy in ''

The Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Cla ...

'' (1915). Another notable performance of the actress occurs in

Lloyd Ingraham Lloyd Chauncey Ingraham (November 30, 1874 – April 4, 1956) was an American film actor and director. Biography Born in Rochelle, Illinois, Ingraham appeared in more than 280 films between 1912 and 1950, as well as directing more than 100 f ...

's ''A Child of the Paris Streets'', in which she portrays Madame Dufrane.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Mothering Heart ''The Mothering Heart'' is a 1913 American short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art. Plot The film opens by showing a young woman (Lillian Gish) in a garden. She ...

'' (Griffith, 1913, Short) - The Wash Customer * ''

The Sorrowful Shore ''The Sorrowful Shore'' is a 1913 American drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Harry Carey as The Widowed Father * W. Christy Cabanne as The Son * Olive Carey as The Orphan (as Olive Fuller Golden) * Frank Opperman as The Orphan's ...

'' (Griffith, 1913, Short) - On Shore (uncredited) * '' Two Men of the Desert'' (Griffith, 1913, Short) - Old Indian Woman * ''

The Battle at Elderbush Gulch ''The Battle at Elderbush Gulch'' (also known as ''The Battle of Elderbush Gulch'') is a 1913 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by D. W. Griffith and featuring Mae Marsh, Lillian Gish, and Alfred Paget. Plot S ...

'' (Griffith, 1913, Short) - The Waifs' Guardian * ''

Judith of Bethulia ''Judith of Bethulia'' (1914 in film, 1914) is an American film starring Blanche Sweet and Henry B. Walthall, and produced and directed by D. W. Griffith, based on the play "Judith and the Holofernes" (1896) by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, which itself ...

'' (Griffith, 1913) - Bethulian * ''

The Yaqui Cur ''The Yaqui Cur'' is a 1913 American silent Western black and white film directed by D. W. Griffith, written by Stanner E.V. Taylor and starring Robert Harron, Kate Bruce, Walter Miller, Charles Hill Mailes and Victoria Forde. Griffith direc ...

'' (1913) as Yaqui Woman * ''

Almost a Wild Man ''Almost a Wild Man'' is a 1913 Canadian silent short black and white film directed by Dell Henderson, written by William Beaudine and starring Dorothy Gish. Cast * Charles Murray as McDoo * Gus Pixley as The Wild Man * Edward Dillon as Rooly, ...

'' (1913) as In Audience * '' Brute Force'' (Griffith, 1914, Short) - Cavewoman * ''

'' (Griffith, 1915) - Mammy - The Faithful Servant * '' The Slave Girl'' (Browning, 1915, Short) * ''Her Shattered Idol'' (1915) - Ben's Mother * ''A Child of the Paris Streets'' (1916) - Madame Dufrane * ''

An Innocent Magdalene ''An Innocent Magdalene'' is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan. It is considered to be a lost film. Cast * Lillian Gish as Dorothy Raleigh * Spottiswoode Aitken as Col. Raleigh * Sam De Grasse as Forbes Stewart * Mary ...

'' (Dwan, 1916) - Mammy * ''Pillars of Society'' (1916) - Nurse (uncredited) * ''

'' (1916) - Woman at Jenkins Employees Dance (uncredited) * ''The Little Liar'' (1916) - Boardinghouse Keeper * ''

The Children Pay ''The Children Pay'' is a surviving 1916 American silent drama film directed by Lloyd Ingraham and starring Lillian Gish. Cast * Lillian Gish as Millicent * Violet Wilkey as Jean, her sister * Keith Armour as Horace Craig * Ralph Lewis as The ...

'' (Ingraham, 1916) - Susan - the Girls' Governess * '' Nina, the Flower Girl'' (Ingraham, 1917) - Nina's grandmother * '' Stage Struck'' (Morrissey, 1917) - Mrs. Teedles * '' A Woman's Awakening'' (1917) - Mammie * ''

Her Official Fathers ''Her Official Fathers'' is a 1917 American silent film that was co-directed by Elmer Clifton and Joseph Henabery. It was produced as a starring vehicle for Dorothy Gish, and she may have directed some parts of the film. ''Her Official Fathers'' ...

'' (1917) - Aunt Lydia * ''

Souls Triumphant ''Souls Triumphant'' is a 1917 American drama film directed by John B. O'Brien and starring Lillian Gish. This is considered to be a lost film. Cast * Lillian Gish as Lillian Vale * Wilfred Lucas as Robert Powers * Spottiswoode Aitken as Jos ...

'' (O'Brien, 1917) * ''

Madame Bo-Peep ''Madame Bo-Peep'' is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Chester Withey and starring Seena Owen, Allan Sears, and F.A. Turner. It is based on the short story "Madame Bo-Peep of the Ranches" by O. Henry William Sydney Porter (Se ...

'' (1917) - Housekeeper * '' The Innocent Sinner'' (1917) - Mother Ellis * '' The Clever Mrs. Carfax'' (1917) - Mrs. Mary Keyes * '' Sandy'' (1918) - Aunt Melvy * ''

Riders of Vengeance ''Riders of Vengeance'' is a 1919 American Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. The film is considered to be lost. Plot Harry's bride is murdered at their wedding along with Harry's mother and father, and the good-heart ...

'' (Ford, 1919) - Harry's Mother * '' Bill Henry'' (Storm, 1919) - Aunt Martha Jenkins * ''

Rider of the Law ''Rider of the Law'' is a 1919 American Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Harry Carey as Jim Kyneton * Vester Pegg as Nick Kyneton (as Vesta Pegg) * Ted Brooks as The Kid ...

'' (Ford, 1919) - Jim's Mother * ''The Secret Gift'' (1920) - Aunt Soiphie * ''

The Big Punch ''The Big Punch'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by John Ford. No copy of the film is known to survive in either a public repository or private collection, so it is currently presumed to be a lost film. In France, the film was ...

'' (Ford, 1921) - Buck's Mother * '' One Man in a Million'' (1921) - Mrs. Koppel * ''

North of Hudson Bay ''North of Hudson Bay'' is a 1923 American silent action film directed by John Ford starring Tom Mix and Kathleen Key. It was released as ''North of the Yukon'' in Great Britain. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Peter Dane is assa ...

'' (Ford, 1923) - Mother Dane * ''

Young Ideas ''Young Ideas'' is a 1943 American romantic comedy film directed by Jules Dassin and starring Susan Peters, Herbert Marshall and Mary Astor Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American ...

'' (1924) - Grandma * '' Hearts of Oak'' (Ford, 1924) - Grandma Dunnivan

Resources

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Jennie 1848 births 1925 deaths 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses 20th-century American actresses American film actresses American silent film actresses Actresses from Sacramento, California