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 A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

and early

sound film A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

eras.

Early life

The daughter of Augusta Fredericka Appel and Carl Appel, Lee was born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel on July 25, 1905, in Union Hill, New Jersey (now part of Union City), into a middle-class family of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

immigrants who relocated to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. She had an older sister, Pauline ("Peggy"), who was born in Hamburg, Germany. Searching for a hobby for their gregarious young daughter, the Appels enrolled Lila in Gus Edwards' kiddie review shows where she was given the nickname of "Cuddles"; a name that she would be known by for the rest of her acting career. Her stagework became so popular with the public that her parents had her educated with private tutors. Edwards would become Lee's long-term manager. Lillian Edwards, wife of Gus Edwards, was Lee's guardian. When Lee was 15 years old, she went to court seeking an injunction to prevent Mrs. Edwards "from collecting any money for Lila's services." Mrs. Edwards countered that she had spent 10 years helping to shape Lee's career and had invested money in her.

Career

Lee performed in vaudeville for eight years. In 1918, she was chosen for a film contract by Hollywood film mogul

Jesse Lasky Jesse Louis Lasky (September 13, 1880 – January 13, 1958) was an American pioneer Film producer, motion picture producer who was a key founder of what was to become Paramount Pictures, and father of screenwriter Jesse L. Lasky Jr. Early life ...

for

Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

, which later became

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. Her first feature ''The Cruise of the Make-Believes'' garnered the thirteen-year-old starlet much public acclaim and Lasky quickly sent Lee on an arduous publicity campaign. Critics lauded Lila for her wholesome persona and

sympathetic character A sympathetic character is a fictional character in a story whom the writer expects the reader to identify with and care about, if not admire. Protagonists, almost by definition, fit into the category of a sympathetic character; so, however, do ma ...

parts. Lee quickly rose to the ranks of leading lady and often starred opposite such matinee heavies as

Conrad Nagel John Conrad Nagel (March 16, 1897 – February 24, 1970) was an American film, stage, television and radio actor. He was considered a famous matinée idol and leading man of the 1920s and 1930s. He was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1940 and ...

Gloria Swanson Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...

Wallace Reid William Wallace Halleck Reid (April 15, 1891 – January 18, 1923) was an American actor in silent film, referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover". He also had a brief career as a racing driver. Early life Reid was born in St. Louis, M ...

Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked w ...

, and

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...

. Lee bore more than a slight resemblance to

Ann Little Ann Little (born Mary Hankins Brooks; February 7, 1891 – May 21, 1984), also known as Anna Little, was an American film actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the early 1910s through the early 1920s. Today, mos ...

, 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 Helen Marguerite Clark (February 22, 1883 – September 25, 1940) was an American theatre, stage and silent film actress. As a movie actress, at one time, Clark was second only to Mary Pickford in popularity. All but five of her films are co ...

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 Nita Naldi (born Mary Nonna Dooley; In this reference Naldi's birth name Nonna is mistakenly cited “Donna”. Naldi's birthname in this reference is also incorrectly cited as “Donna”. November 13, 1894 – February 17, 1961) was an Ameri ...

; Lee subsequently won the first

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

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 The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the U ...

'' 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 The Unholy Three can refer to the following: * ''The Unholy Three'', a 1917 novel by Tod Robbins * ''The Unholy Three'' (1925 film), directed by Tod Browning * ''The Unholy Three'' (1930 film), a remake of the 1925 film directed by Jack Conway * ...

'', in 1930, opposite

Lon Chaney Sr. Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

in his only talkie. However, a series of bad career choices and bouts of recurring

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

and alcoholism hindered further projects and Lee was relegated to taking parts in mostly grade

B-movies A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...

. After the Reid Russell scandal in 1936, Lee's career was completely over. She would not act in another film until 1967's

Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers ''Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers'' is a 1967 American film made by Southeastern Pictures Corporation whose cast includes some major country music performers. It was the final feature film of silent movie great Lila Lee and of 1940s Hollywood leadi ...

, which was also her final film.

Personal life

Lee was married and divorced three times. Her first husband, almost 30 years her senior, was actor James Kirkwood, Sr., whom she married on July 26, 1923. They had met on the set of

Ebb Tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tabl ...

in 1922. Kirkwood filed for divorce in May 1930 on grounds of her desertion; the divorce was finalized in August 1931. Lee and Kirkwood had a son in 1924,

James Kirkwood, Jr. James Kirkwood Jr. (August 22, 1924 – April 21, 1989) was an American playwright, author and actor. In 1976 he received the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the Broadway ...

("Jimmy"), whose custody was granted to his father; he became a highly regarded playwright and screenwriter whose works include ''

A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...

'' and ''

P.S. Your Cat Is Dead ''P.S. Your Cat Is Dead'' is a novel by James Kirkwood Jr., originally published in 1972, adapted from his play. The book and play later were adapted to film in 2002. Synopsis Abandoned by his girlfriend on New Year's Eve, and still unaware tha ...

''. Kirkwood Jr. was primarily raised by Lee's family in

Elyria, Ohio Elyria ( ) is a city in the Greater Cleveland metropolitan statistical area and the county seat of Lorain County, Ohio, United States, located at the forks of the Black River in Northeast Ohio 23 miles southwest of Cleveland. As of the 2020 cen ...

. In her autobiography, Lee revealed she lost her virginity to Kirkwood before they were married and she fell pregnant as a result. Kirkwood ultimately arranged an abortion for her, and their relationship continued after this only because Kirkwood threatened to tell Lee's mother of their premarital relations. In June 1928, Lee began an affair with

John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

while Kirkwood was in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Lee wrote Kirkwood stating she wanted a divorce, and in late September of that year, the two formally separated. Lee decided not to fight for custody of their son because Kirkwood threatened to kill Farrow, Lee, their son, and himself. After their divorce, Lee traveled to Arizona and stayed in a sanitarium. Lee also became engaged to John Farrow, but they separated in 1933 after Lee discovered he was being unfaithful to her. He would go on to marry

Maureen O'Sullivan Maureen O'Sullivan (17 May 1911 – 23 June 1998) was an Irish-American actress, who played Jane in the ''Tarzan'' series of films during the era of Johnny Weissmuller. She performed with such actors as Laurence Olivier, Greta Garbo, William ...

in 1936. At the beginning of her career, Lee dated

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

Leatrice Joy Leatrice Joy (born Leatrice Johanna Zeidler; November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985) was an American actress most prolific during the silent film era. Early life Joy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to dentist Edward Joseph Zeidler, who was o ...

claimed Lee had an affair with John Gilbert while they were married. Her second husband was broker Jack R. Peine, who she married on December 8, 1934. In August 1934, Lee, Peine, and chauffeur George Morrison had been sued for $110,000 by Italian opera singer and voice teacher Emilio Staine, who claimed he had been struck by their car when crossing a street in Santa Monica, California. By July 2, 1935, the two had divorced. Lee claimed Peine was a drunk, a gambler, and a cheater. Shortly into their marriage, with Lee looking for a house for the two, Peine took off to

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and didn't return for a month. In 1935, Lee began a relationship with car salesman Reid Russell. In 1936, Lee was living in California with her son James Jr, novelist Gouverneur Morris, and his wife Ruth. Lee became engaged to Russell and planned to marry him once he obtained a divorce. On September 25, 1936, Russell's dead body was discovered outside on the hammock by Kirkwood Jr., and a scandal that would ultimately end Lee's career ensued. Her third husband was broker John E. Murphy. According to author Sean Egan in the James Kirkwood biography ''Ponies & Rainbows'' (2011), Murphy's will left Lee at the financial mercy of his second wife, who consequently became the manipulative character Aunt Claire in ''P.S. Your Cat Is Dead'', written by Lee's son, James Kirkwood, Jr.

Reid Russell Scandal

Lila Lee began a relationship with car salesman Reid Russell in 1935. On September 25, 1936, Reid Russell's dead body was discovered outside on the hammock by Kirkwood Jr. (Ruth Morris would later claim it was she who discovered Russell's body). He had been shot in the head with a

.32 caliber .32 caliber is a size of ammunition, fitted to firearms with a bore diameter of . .32 in caliber variations include: * .32 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), a pistol cartridge * .32-40 Ballard, an American rifle cartridge * .32 H&R Magnum, a rimmed ...

one or two days prior. The bullet had penetrated Russell's head and passed through; neither it nor its empty shell were ever found. The gun found in his hand was one he kept in his bureau drawer at home. Following the discovery of Russell's body, his death was investigated and treated as a suicide, and Mr. and Mrs. Morris both said that he was suicidal and had made suicidal remarks after losing his job. Lee would later confirm he had threatened suicide on multiple occasions and that he talked about it incessantly. On November 11, the

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

reported that a woman had made a telephone threat towards Russell's mother, Victoria, urging her to stop pushing the investigation into her son's death. The case had recently been reopened after Victoria had a conference with the investigators. Ruth told Lila that Reid had left a

suicide note A suicide note or death note is a message left behind by a person who dies or intends to die by suicide. A study examining Japanese suicide notes estimated that 25–30% of suicides are accompanied by a note. However, incidence rates may depe ...

, but that she wasn't going to tell anyone about it. Lee went to the District Attorney's office to say that there was no suicide note; however, Morris backtracked and said that there was. Lee herself never read the note, but Morris read it to her and then burned it in an ashtray. Later in life, James Kirkwood Jr. would confide to a friend, William Russo, that there had been three suicide notes – one in Ruth Morris' jewel box and two within a

newel post A newel, also called a central pole or support column, is the central supporting pillar of a staircase. It can also refer to an upright post that supports and/or terminates the handrail of a stair banister (the "newel post"). In stairs having str ...

on the handrail of a set of stairs in the house. The two other notes were found after the case was closed. Gouverneur Morris, his wife Ruth, and Lila Lee were questioned by authorities about the destruction of the suicide note. Mrs. Morris claimed she found the suicide note in a box on her dresser drawer two or three days after Russell's body was discovered. Because his death had already been declared a suicide, Morris decided to burn it. Gouverneur Morris added that neither he nor his wife heard the report of a gunshot neighbors recalled coming from the Morris home at about 9 P.M. on September 24, and that there had been no argument prior to Russell's death. On November 17, the ''Los Angeles Times'' reported that Russell's body may be exhumed depending on the report of a ballistic expert who was trying to determine if the .32 caliber revolver found in his hand had been fired recently. The following day, it was reported that the exhumation would go ahead (as it could not be determined if the rusty gun had been fired recently). During this time, investigators began to doubt the suicide hypothesis, but still were not considering murder; rather, they questioned whether his death had occurred somewhere other than the outside

hammock A hammock (from Spanish , borrowed from Taíno and Arawak ) is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two or more points, used for swing (seat), swinging, sleeping, or Human relaxation, resting. It normally consists of one ...

. Also on the 18th, the

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...

reported that Russell's mother Victoria claimed that four days before Russell's body was found, a woman had telephoned repeatedly asking for Russell and demanding to know where he was. Investigators were beginning to consider a "love slaying" theory. However, on November 19, his ex-wife told the ''Los Angeles Times'' that she believed Russell had killed himself. An entirely new theory was also introduced that day by The Examiner, which ran a story headed "Racketeering Ring Linked to Russell Case." The source for the information was Detective Lieutenant Harry Leslie Hansen of the Georgia Street Division, who was an old friend of Russell. The ''Los Angeles Times'' on the 20th reported that Hansen had told the District Attorney's office that Russell had said he was going to quit his automobile salesman's job to smuggle arms and ammunition to a foreign country (and that Russell had told Hansen this when the two had gone on a weekend party five days before his death). The same paper reported that a county autopsy on Russell's corpse confirmed the first autopsy's findings: the wound on Russell's temple was powder-marked and seared, indicating a

self-inflicted wound A self-inflicted wound (SIW), is the act of harming oneself where there are no underlying psychological problems related to the self-injury, but where the injurer wanted to take advantage of being injured. Reasons to self-wound Most self-infl ...

and that the wound was too small to have been made by either .45 or .38 caliber weapons and too big for a

.22 .22 caliber, or 5.6 mm caliber, refers to a common firearms bore diameter of 0.22 inch (5.6 mm). Cartridges in this caliber include the very widely used .22 Long Rifle and .223 Remington / 5.56×45mm NATO. .22 inch is also a popular ...

, thus indicating that the .32 found in Russell's hand was indeed the cause of death. On November 21, it was reported Russell's financial affairs were being looked into and that other authorities were beginning a search of automobiles used by Russell and a number of his friends for blood stains. The next day, the paper announced that the clothes Russell had been wearing when he died had been retrieved from his

undertaker A funeral director, also known as an undertaker (British English) or mortician (American English), is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as w ...

and that an important announcement may be made as a result of examining it. No such announcement was made, however, and on the 24th Gouverneur Morris said to the ''Times'' and the ''Chronicle'' that the entire investigation was ridiculous and foolish and that, "No matter how much they investigate they'll learn one thing – that is that the unfortunate young man killed himself. We have given officers the names of five people to whom Russell had declared he intended to commit suicide. I'm sick and tired of being hauled out of bed at all hours to answer questions I've already answered and if this thing continues I'll take legal action to stop the District Attorney's office from making a public show of me." The 25th saw the ''Times'' carry a story titled "New Mystery Angles Enter Russell Death Case"; however, the article gave out very little information aside from the fact that law enforcement was looking at the status of Russell's bank account and the reason for his termination from his job. In addition, the gun was due to undergo tests to find out the atmospheric conditions to which it had been subjected. On December 12, 1936, DA

Buron Fitts Buron Rogers Fitts (March 22, 1895 – March 29, 1973) was the 29th lieutenant governor of California, from 1927 to 1928, and Los Angeles County district attorney thereafter until 1940. Early life Born in Belcherville, Texas, Fitts received h ...

closed the case on the grounds that "blood tests" had ruled out foul play. Fitts had been accused of accepting movie studio payoffs. Before the Reid Russell case, he had helped cover up the reasons for the death of

Paul Bern Paul Bern (born Paul Levy; December 3, 1889September 5, 1932) was a German-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he became the assistant to Irving Thalberg. He helped launch the career of Jean Harlo ...

, had allegedly been involved in dropping a

statutory rape In common law jurisdictions, statutory rape is nonforcible sexual activity in which one of the individuals is below the age of consent (the age required to legally consent to the behavior). Although it usually refers to adults engaging in sexual ...

charge against a wealthy man (involving bribery), and had closed the murder case of

William Desmond Taylor William Desmond Taylor (born William Cunningham Deane-Tanner, 26 April 1872 – 1 February 1922) was an Anglo-Irish-American film director and actor. A popular figure in the growing Hollywood motion picture colony of the 1910s and early 1920s, ...

in 1922. In the aftermath of the investigation, Gouverneur Morris got into a car accident (although he recovered and lived until 1953). Ruth Morris committed suicide in 1939. In her autobiography, Lila Lee wrote, "They started digging around the place and they had found that our gardener had had relations with a sheep, had buried it. It was too silly to make the papers. The gardener had made a pass at Jimmy when he was alone in the house in the afternoon. He was gotten rid of but fast." She further wrote, "I think he

eid Russell Eid as a name may refer to: Islamic holidays An Eid is a Muslim religious festival: * ''Eid Milad un Nabi'', alternate name for Mawlid (, "Birth of the Prophet"), the date of observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad * Eid al ...

committed suicide." However, Evan Rhodes wrote in his handwritten notes that Lee had said to him, "Do you want to know about the killing?...not the killing – the suicide."

Health

In the 1930s, Lee was diagnosed with tuberculosis and briefly stayed at a sanitarium in

Prescott, Arizona Prescott ( ) is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the city's population was 45,827. The city is the county seat of Yavapai County. In 1864, Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona T ...

in 1933. She then moved to Saranac Lake, New York for treatment at the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital. Lee made several uneventful appearances in stage plays in the 1940s and starred in early television soap operas in the 1950s.

Death

In 1973 Lee died of a stroke at Saranac Lake. She is buried at Brookdale Cemetery in

Recognition

For her contribution as an actress in motion pictures, she was awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

at 1716 Vine Street. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Cruise of the Make-Believes ''The Cruise of the Make-Believes'' is a lost 1918 American silent dramatic feature film starring Lila Lee in her first motion picture. It was directed by George Melford and is based on a 1907 novel by Tom Gallon. Famous Players-Lasky produced a ...

'' (1918) as Bessie Meggison * ''

Such a Little Pirate ''Such a Little Pirate'' is a lost 1918 American silent Pirate adventure film directed by George Melford and starring Lila Lee as a young sea-going heroine and Theodore Roberts as her grandfather. It was produced by Adolph Zukor and Jesse Lasky. ...

'' (1918) as Patricia Wolf * ''

Jane Goes A-Wooing ''Jane Goes A-Wooing'' is a lostProgressive Silent Fil ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in '' The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is one of Burnett's most popular novels an ...

'' (1919) as Mary Lennox * ''

Puppy Love Puppy love, also known as a crush, is an informal term for feelings of romantic love, often felt during childhood and early adolescence. It is an infatuation usually developed by someone's looks and attractiveness at first sight. Such feelings f ...

'' (1919) as Gloria O'Connell * ''

Rustling a Bride ''Rustling A Bride'' is a lost 1919 silent film comedy-Western directed by Irvin Willat and starring Lila Lee. Plot As described in a film magazine, cowboy Nick McCredie (Blue) discovers the name and address of a Kentucky girl on the fly leaf ...

'' (1919) as Emily * ''

A Daughter of the Wolf ''A Daughter of the Wolf'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Irvin Willat and written by Marion Fairfax and Hugh Pendexter. The film stars Lila Lee, Elliott Dexter, Clarence Geldart, Raymond Hatton, Richard Wayne, and Minnie Deve ...

'' (1919) as Annette Ainsworth * '' Rose o' the River'' (1919, unknown/presumably lost) as Rose Wiley * ''

The Heart of Youth ''The Heart of Youth'' is a lost 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Robert G. Vignola and written by Beulah Marie Dix. The film stars Lila Lee, Tom Forman, Buster Irving, Charles Ogle, Fanny Midgley, Guy Oliver, and Lydia Knott. The f ...

'' (1919) as Josephine Darchat * '' The Lottery Man'' (1919, lost film) as Polly * ''

Hawthorne of the U.S.A. ''Hawthorne of the U.S.A.'' is a 1919 American silent film, silent comedy film, comedy adventure film directed by James Cruze and starring Wallace Reid and Lila Lee.Male and Female ''Male and Female'' is a 1919 American silent adventure/drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Gloria Swanson and Thomas Meighan. Its main themes are gender relations and social class. The film is based on the 1902 J. M. Barrie ...

'' (1919) as Tweeny – the Scullery Maid * '' Terror Island'' (1920, incomplete, two reels missing) as Beverly West * ''

The Soul of Youth ''The Soul of Youth'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by William Desmond Taylor, produced and distributed by Realart Pictures. Produced under the working title ''The Boy'', it stars Lewis Sargent and Lila Lee. The film has been p ...

'' (1920, extant; Library of Congress; on DVD) as Vera Hamilton * ''

The Prince Chap ''The Prince Chap'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by William C. deMille and written by Olga Printzlau based upon the play of the same name by Edward Peple. The film stars Thomas Meighan, Charles Ogle, Kathlyn Williams, Casson ...

'' (1920, unknown/presumably lost) as Claudia (age 18) * '' Midsummer Madness'' (1921) as Daisy Osborne * '' The Charm School'' (1921, lost film) as Elsie * ''

The Easy Road ''The Easy Road'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Tom Forman and written by Beulah Marie Dix. The film is based upon a story by Blair Hall. ''The Easy Road'' stars Thomas Meighan, Gladys George, Grace Goodall, Arthur Edmund ...

'' (1921, lost film) as Ella Klotz * ''

The Dollar-a-Year Man ''The Dollar-a-Year Man'' is a 1921 American comedy film starring Fatty Arbuckle.Gasoline Gus ''Gasoline Gus'' is a 1921 American comedy film directed by James Cruze and starring Fatty Arbuckle. Prints of ''Gasoline Gus'' held at the Gosfilmofond archive in Russia and Cinematheque Belgique. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as Gasoline Gu ...

'' (1921) as Sal Jo Banty * ''

Crazy to Marry ''Crazy to Marry'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by James Cruze and starring Fatty Arbuckle. Prints are held by Cinematheque Royale de Belgique, Brussels and Gosfilmofond, Russian State Archive, Moscow. Synopsis Dr. Hobart H ...

'' (1921) as Annabelle Landis * '' After the Show'' (1921, unknown/presumably lost) as Eileen * '' Rent Free'' (1922, lost film) as Barbara Teller * ''

One Glorious Day ''One Glorious Day'' is a lost 1922 American silent fantasy comedy film directed by James Cruze and written by Barry Barringer and Walter Woods. The film stars Will Rogers, Lila Lee, Alan Hale, Sr., Johnny Fox, George Nichols, and Emily Rait. ...

'' (1922, lost film) as Molly McIntyre * '' Is Matrimony a Failure?'' (1922, unknown/presumably lost) as Margaret Saxby * '' The Fast Freight'' (1922, lost film) as Elsie * '' The Dictator'' (1922, lost film) as Juanita * '' Blood and Sand'' (1922) as Carmen * '' The Ghost Breaker'' (1922, lost film) as Maria Theresa, a Spanish Heiress * ''

'' (1922, lost film) as Ruth Attwater * '' Back Home and Broke'' (1922) as Mary Thorne * ''

A Trip to Paramountown ''A Trip to Paramountown'' is a 1922 American short silent documentary film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released through Paramount Pictures, to celebrate 10 years of Paramount's founding. The film runs about 20 minutes and features m ...

'' (1922, Documentary short) as herself * ''

The Ne'er-Do-Well ''The Ne'er-Do-Well'' is a 1923 American comedy silent film directed by Alfred E. Green. The film stars Thomas Meighan, Lila Lee, Gertrude Astor, John Miltern, Gus Weinberg, and Sidney Smith. The screenplay by Rex Beach and Louis Stevens is ...

'' (1923, lost film) as Chiquita * '' Homeward Bound'' (1923, lost film) as Mary Brent * ''

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

'' (1923, lost film) as Herself (cameo) * '' Woman-Proof'' (1923, lost film) as Louise Halliday * '' Love's Whirlpool'' (1924) as Molly * '' Wandering Husbands'' (1924) as Diana Moreland * '' Another Man's Wife'' (1924) as Helen Brand * ''

The Midnight Girl ''The Midnight Girl'' is a 1925 American drama film directed by Wilfred Noy and starring Lila Lee and featuring Béla Lugosi.Coming Through ''Coming Through'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by A. Edward Sutherland starring Thomas Meighan and Lila Lee. The film was Sutherland's directorial debut. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Tom Blackford (Meigha ...

'' (1925, lost film) as Alice Rand * ''

Old Home Week Old Home Week or Old Home Day is a practice that originated in the New England region of the United States similar to a harvest holiday or festival. In its beginning in the 19th–20th century it involved a municipal effort to invite former resid ...

'' (1925, lost film) as Ethel Harmon * ''Broken Hearts'' (1926, held by Library of Congress) as Ruth Esterin * ''

The New Klondike ''The New Klondike'' is a 1926 black-and-white silent romantic comedy sports drama film directed by Lewis Milestone for Famous Players-Lasky. The film was set against the backdrop of the Florida land boom of the 1920s, and stands as Ben Hecht' ...

'' (1926, incomplete, one reel is missing) as Evelyn Lane * ''

Fascinating Youth ''Fascinating Youth'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Sam Wood. It starred Charles "Buddy" Rogers (in his feature debut), along with Thelma Todd and Josephine Dunn in supporting roles. Many well-known personalities ma ...

'' (1926, lost, only the trailer survives) as Lila Lee * ''

One Increasing Purpose ''One Increasing Purpose'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Harry Beaumont and written by Bradley King. It is based on the 1925 novel ''One Increasing Purpose'' by A. S. M. Hutchinson. The film stars Edmund Lowe, Lila Lee, Ho ...

'' (1927) as Elizabeth Glade * '' Million Dollar Mystery'' (1927) as Florence Grey * '' Top Sergeant Mulligan'' (1928) as The girl * ''

The Man in Hobbles ''The Man in Hobbles'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by George Archainbaud and starring John Harron, Lila Lee and Lucien Littlefield.Babington & Barr p.133 The film's sets were designed by the art director Hervey Libbert. Cast ...

'' (1928, Library of Congress) as Ann Harris * ''You Can't Beat the Law'' (1928) as Patricia Berry * '' A Bit of Heaven'' (1928) as Fola Dale * '' Thundergod'' (1928, held at Library of Congress) as Enid Bryant * '' United States Smith'' (1928, BFI National Film & TV) as Molly Malone * ''

The Adorable Cheat ''The Adorable Cheat'' is a 1928 silent film starring Lila Lee and distributed by an independent film company, Chesterfield Motion Pictures. It was directed by Burton L. King with a copy being long held by The Library of Congress. Summary The da ...

'' (1928, held at Library of Congress) as Marion Dorsey * ''

Just Married ''Just Married'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed by Shawn Levy, written by Sam Harper, and stars Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy. Produced by Robert Simonds, the film was successful at the box office despite generally negative ...

'' (1928) as Victoire * '' Black Butterflies'' (1928) as Norma davis * ''

The Little Wild Girl ''The Little Wild Girl'' is a 1928 American drama film directed by Frank S. Mattison and featuring Boris Karloff. Prints of this film are held at UCLA Film & TV and the Library of Congress. Cast * Lila Lee as Marie Cleste * Cullen Landis as Jul ...

'' (1928) as Marie Cleste * '' The Black Pearl'' (1928) as Eugenie Bromley * ''

Queen of the Night Clubs ''Queen of the Night Clubs'' is a 1929 American Pre-Code musical drama film produced and directed by Bryan Foy, distributed by Warner Bros., and starred legendary nightclub hostess Texas Guinan. The picture, which featured appearances by Eddi ...

'' (1929, lost, only the trailer exists) as Bea Walters * ''

Honky Tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ( tack piano) ...

'' (1929) as Beth Leonard * '' Drag'' (1929) as Dot * '' Dark Streets'' (1929, lost film) as Katie Dean * '' The Argyle Case'' (1929) as Mary Morgan * ''

Flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...

'' (1929) as Elinor Baring * ''

Love, Live and Laugh ''Love, Live and Laugh'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by William K. Howard and written by Edwin J. Burke, Dana Burnet, and George Jessel. It is based on the 1922 play ''The Hurdy-Gurdy Man'' by Leroy Clemens and John B. Hymer. The f ...

'' (1929) as Margharita * '' Show of Shows'' (1929, black and white version exists, technicolor version is lost) as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number * '' The Sacred Flame'' (1929, lost film) as Stella Taylor * '' Second Wife'' (1930, held at Library of Congress) as Florence Wendell Fairchild * '' Murder Will Out'' (1930, lost film, soundtrack may exist) as Jeanne Baldwin * ''

Those Who Dance ''Those Who Dance'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code crime film produced and distributed by Warner Bros., directed by William Beaudine, and starring Monte Blue, Lila Lee, William "Stage" Boyd and Betty Compson. It is a remake of the 1924 silent fil ...

'' (1930, held at Library of Congress) as Nora Brady * ''

Double Cross Roads ''Double Cross Roads'' is a 1930 pre-Code American crime drama film directed by George E. Middleton and Alfred L. Werker and starring Robert Ames, Lila Lee and Edythe Chapman.Goble, p. 742 It was produced and distributed by Fox Film, recorded ...

'' (1930) as Mary Carlyle * ''

'' (1930) as Rosie * '' The Gorilla'' (1930, lost, soundtrack may exist) as Alice Denby * ''

Woman Hungry ''Woman Hungry'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film with music photographed entirely in Technicolor. The film was based on the play '' The Great Divide'' (from 1906) which was written by William Vaughn Moody. The story was filmed as a sil ...

'' (1931) as Judith Temple * ''

Misbehaving Ladies ''Misbehaving Ladies'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Lila Lee, Ben Lyon and Louise Fazenda. It is also known as ''The Queen of Main Street''. Cast * Lila Lee as Princess Ellen * Ben Lyon as ...

'' (1931, held at Library of Congress) as Princess Ellen * '' Unholy Love'' (1932) as Jane Bradford * ''

Radio Patrol ''Radio Patrol'' is a police comic strip carried in newspapers from August 7, 1933 to December 16, 1950 in the dailies, with a Sunday strip that ran from November 25, 1934 to October 20, 1946. It was created by artist Charles Schmidt and writer E ...

'' (1932) as Sue Kennedy * '' War Correspondent'' (1932) as Julie March * '' Exposure'' (1932) as Doris Corbin * ''

The Night of June 13 ''The Night of June 13'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Stephen Roberts. The film stars Clive Brook, Frances Dee, Charlie Ruggles, Gene Raymond, Lila Lee, Mary Boland and Adrianne Allen. The film was released on September 23 ...

'' (1932) as Trudie Morrow * ''False Faces'' (1932) as Georgia Rand * '' Officer Thirteen'' (1932) as Doris Dane * ''

Face in the Sky ''Face in the Sky'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code comedy film. Plot The film concerns two sign painters (Spencer Tracy and Stuart Erwin) who find themselves blackmailed by a beautiful woman (Marian Nixon) determined to force Tracy's character in ...

'' (1933) as Sharon Hadley * '' The Iron Master'' (1933) as Janet Stillman * '' The Intruder'' (1932) as Connie Wayne * ''

Lone Cowboy ''Lone Cowboy: Live & Solo'' is the twenty-ninth album by American singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey, his first solo album, and his third live album. The album was recorded live in October 2008 at the Western Jubilee Warehouse Theater in C ...

'' (1933) as Eleanor Jones * ''

Whirlpool A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). ''Vo ...

'' (1934) as Helen Rankin Morrison * ''

Stand Up and Cheer! ''Stand Up and Cheer!'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The screenplay by Lew Brown and Ralph Spence was based upon a story idea by Will Rogers and Philip Klein. The film is about efforts undertaken dur ...

'' (1934) as Zelda (uncredited) * ''

In Love with Life ''In Love with Life'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film directed by Frank R. Strayer. Plot summary Sharon is a penniless widow, forced to seek help from her father, Morley, a wealthy financier, who didn't approve of her marriage. Morley agrees t ...

'' (1934) as Sharon * ''

I Can't Escape ''I Can't Escape'' is a 1934 American film directed by Otto Brower. The film is also known as ''The Magic Vault'' (American alternative title). Cast *Onslow Stevens as Steve Nichols, alias Steve Cummings *Lila Lee as Mae Nichols *Russell Glea ...

'' (1934) as Mae Nichols * '' The Marriage Bargain'' (1935) as Helen Stanhope * ''

The People's Enemy ''The People's Enemy'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by Crane Wilbur, from a screenplay by Gordon Kahn and Edward Dean Sullivan, based on Sullivan's story. The film stars Preston Foster, Melvyn Douglas, and Charles Coburn Charl ...

'' (1935) as Catherine Carr * ''

Champagne for Breakfast ''Champagne for Breakfast'' is a 1935 American comedy-drama film, directed by Melville Brown. It stars Mary Carlisle, Hardie Albright, and Joan Marsh, and was released on June 18, 1935. Cast list * Mary Carlisle as Edie Reach * Hardie Albright ...

'' (1935) as Natalie Morton * '' The Ex-Mrs. Bradford'' (1936) as Miss Prentiss, Bradford's Receptionist * '' Country Gentlemen'' (1936) as Mrs. Louise Heath * ''

Two Wise Maids ''Two Wise Maids'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Phil Rosen, written by Samuel Ornitz, and starring Alison Skipworth, Polly Moran, Irene Manning, Donald Cook, Jackie Searl, and Lila Lee. It was released on February 15, 1937, by Repub ...

'' (1937) as Ethel Harriman * ''

Nation Aflame ''Nation Aflame'' is a 1937 American drama film. Directed by Victor Halperin, the film stars Noel Madison, Norma Trelvar, and Lila Lee. It was released on October 16, 1937. Cast list * Noel Madison as Frank Sandino, aka Sands * Norma Trelvar as ...

'' (1937) as Mona Franklin Burtis * '' Oh Boy!'' (1938) * ''

'' (1967) as Viola Zickafoose (final film role)

References

External links

*
Photoplay: The Aristocrat of Motion Picture MagazinesPhotoplay: The Aristocrat of Motion Picture Magazines Virtual Film History
at Wild About Harry
Kirkwood and Lee with their baby 1924
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Lila 1905 births 1973 deaths American film actresses American silent film actresses American child actresses American people of German descent People from Union City, New Jersey Vaudeville performers 20th-century American actresses Paramount Pictures contract players Warner Bros. contract players