Anna Lee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Lee MBE
Anna Lee on the cover of Picturegoer in 1936
Born	Joan Boniface Winnifrith (1913-01-02)2 January 1913 Ightham, Kent, England
Died	14 May 2004(2004-05-14) (aged 91) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Resting place	Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Other names	Joanna Boniface Stafford
Citizenship	United Kingdom United States
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1932–2003
Spouse(s)	Robert Stevenson ​ ​ (m. 1934; div. 1944)​ George Stafford ​ ​ (m. 1944; div. 1964)​ Robert Nathan ​ ​ (m. 1970; died 1985)​
Children	5, including Venetia Stevenson and Jeffrey Byron
Awards	1983 Soapy Awards for Favorite Woman in a Mature Role in General Hospital 1998 Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in General Hospital

Anna Lee, who was also known as MBE (born Joan Boniface Winnifrith; 2 January 1913 – 14 May 2004), was a famous British actress. Studios often called her "The British Bombshell" because of her energetic personality.

Early Life and Family

Anna Lee was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith in a place called Ightham (pronounced 'Item') in Kent, England. Her father, Bertram Thomas Winnifrith, was a headmaster and a church leader. He fully supported Anna's dream of becoming an actress.

An interesting fact about Anna Lee is that she was the goddaughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous writer who created Sherlock Holmes! She remained lifelong friends with his daughter, Dame Jean Conan Doyle.

Acting Career

Starting in Britain

Anna Lee studied acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She got her very first small role in a film called His Lordship in 1932 when she was 19. For a few years, she played many small parts, sometimes without even being named in the credits.

Soon, she started getting bigger roles. This was partly because of a law in Britain that wanted to help the British film industry grow. Anna Lee became known for playing characters in movies about wealthy people, like in Chelsea Life (1933).

In 1934, Anna Lee signed a contract with Gainsborough Pictures, which was a very big film company in Britain at the time. She played the main female character, or "leading lady," in many different types of movies. These included the comedy-thriller The Camels Are Coming, the drama The Passing of the Third Floor Back, the horror film The Man Who Changed His Mind, and the war film OHMS. She also appeared in the musical First a Girl in 1935 and the adventure film King Solomon's Mines in 1937.

In 1933, Anna Lee met director Robert Stevenson while filming in Egypt. He later became her first husband. She starred in his movie Non-Stop New York in 1937. In 1939, Anna and Robert moved to Ealing Studios. Her last film in Britain was Return to Yesterday.

Moving to the United States

After moving to Hollywood, Anna Lee worked with the famous director John Ford on several films. These included How Green Was My Valley, Two Rode Together, and Fort Apache. She also acted alongside John Wayne in Flying Tigers (1942).

Anna Lee also appeared in the horror film Bedlam (1946) and the wartime thriller Hangmen Also Die! (1943). She was a frequent guest star on many television shows in the 1940s and 1950s, such as Robert Montgomery Presents and Perry Mason.

In 1965, she had a small but memorable role as Sister Margaretta in the beloved musical film The Sound of Music. She was one of the two nuns who helped the Von Trapp family escape the Nazis by removing parts from their car engine. She also appeared in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

In her later years, Anna Lee became very well-known for playing the character Lila Quartermaine on the popular TV soap opera General Hospital. She played this role for many years until 2003.

Personal Life

Anna Lee married her first husband, director Robert Stevenson, in 1933. They had two daughters, Venetia and Caroline. They divorced in 1944.

She then married George Stafford in 1944. He was a pilot she met during her USO tour, which entertained soldiers during World War II. They had three sons: John, Stephen, and Tim. Her son Tim Stafford became an actor known as Jeffrey Byron. Anna and George divorced in 1964.

Her last marriage was to the novelist Robert Nathan in 1970. They were married until his death in 1985. In 1945, Anna Lee became a citizen of the United States.

In 1981, Anna Lee was in a car accident that caused her to be unable to move her legs.

Awards and Recognition

In 1982, Anna Lee was awarded an MBE by the British government. This honor recognized her efforts in raising money for important places like the White Cliffs at Dover.

In 1995, Anna Lee received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, a special honor for people who have made a big impact in entertainment.

She was scheduled to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2004, but she sadly passed away from pneumonia at age 91 before she could receive it. Her son, Jeffrey Byron, accepted the award for her. Later that year, General Hospital aired a special tribute to her character, Lila Quartermaine.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Anna Lee para niños