Bernard Lee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bernard Lee
Lee in Beat the Devil (1953)
Born	John Bernard Lee (1908-01-10)10 January 1908 Brentford, Middlesex, England or County Cork, Ireland
Died	16 January 1981(1981-01-16) (aged 73) London, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1924 – 1981
Spouse(s)	Gladys Merredew ​ ​ (m. 1934; died 1972)​ Ursula McHale ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	1
Family	Jonny Lee Miller (grandson)

John Bernard Lee (born January 10, 1908 – died January 16, 1981) was an English actor. He is best known for playing the character of M in the first eleven James Bond films made by Eon Productions. Bernard Lee's acting career on screen lasted from 1934 to 1979. However, he started acting on stage when he was only six years old. He studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Lee appeared in over one hundred films, as well as many plays and TV shows. He was often chosen to play characters in charge, like military officers or police officers. Some of his famous films include The Third Man, The Blue Lamp, and The Battle of the River Plate. He passed away in 1981 at the age of 73.

Early Life and Start in Acting

Bernard Lee was born on January 10, 1908. His father, Edmund James Lee, was also an actor. Edmund introduced his son to the stage in 1914 when Bernard was just six years old. This first performance was in a show called "The Double Event" in London.

Lee later attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) to train as an actor. To help pay for his studies, he worked as a fruit porter. After finishing his training in the 1930s, Lee began working in local theaters. He performed in plays in cities like Cardiff and Manchester. Soon, he started acting on the famous West End stage in London. He appeared in thrillers and also showed his talent in comedies.

Acting Career in Films and on Stage

Bernard Lee served in the Royal Sussex Regiment during World War II from 1940 to 1946. Even with his military service, he managed to act in several films that were released during the war years.

After the war, Lee returned to acting on stage and also built a very successful film career. He became known for playing "solid, dependable characters." These often included policemen, military officers, or government officials. He appeared in many popular films during the 1940s and 1950s. Some of these were The Fallen Idol (1948), The Third Man (1949), and The Blue Lamp (1950).

In the 1950s, Lee also had a long run on stage in a play called Seagulls Over Sorrento. He later played the same role in the film version. He acted alongside famous stars like Gregory Peck in The Purple Plain (1954). He also played Captain Patrick Dove in the war film The Battle of the River Plate (1956). This movie was based on a real naval battle. Overall, Bernard Lee appeared in more than one hundred films during his career.

Playing M in the James Bond Series

Lee as M in The Man with the Golden Gun

In 1962, Bernard Lee got the role he is most remembered for: M. M is the head of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and James Bond's boss. Lee played M in the very first James Bond film, Dr. No.

Many people who wrote about the James Bond books and films felt that Lee's portrayal of M was very similar to how the character was described in the original books by Ian Fleming. They said Lee played M as a serious, efficient, and no-nonsense authority figure. One newspaper even called him "a real roast-beef-and-Yorkshire-pudding type of British actor," meaning he was very typically British and strong. Lee was seen as a "paternal actor" in this role, like a father figure.

An expert on British film actors, Terence Pettigrew, described Lee as a "gruff, reliable, no-nonsense" actor. He noted Lee's "kindly eyes, droll manner and expressly Anglo-Saxon level-headedness." Lee continued to play M in ten more James Bond films, becoming a familiar face to fans around the world.

Personal Life

Bernard Lee's first wife, Gladys Merredew, sadly passed away in a fire at their home in 1972. Lee himself was also hospitalized after the fire. A short time later, in February 1972, Lee was robbed by two young people.

After these difficult events, Lee faced a very challenging time. He struggled for a couple of years and had financial difficulties. By chance, Lee met the famous actor Richard Burton. When Burton heard about Lee's problems, he kindly gave him a large sum of money to help him pay his debts. This generous gift helped Lee get through his difficult period.

In 1975, three years after the fire, Lee married Ursula McHale. Bernard Lee had a daughter named Ann, who also became an actress. Ann later married Alan Miller, and their son is the well-known British actor Jonny Lee Miller. Bernard Lee enjoyed hobbies like golf, fishing, reading, music, and sailing.

Death

In November 1980, Bernard Lee was admitted to a hospital in London because he was suffering from stomach cancer. He passed away there on January 16, 1981, just six days after his 73rd birthday. His wife, Ursula, was with him.

Lee died after filming had already started for the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only. However, he had not yet filmed his scenes as M. Out of respect for Bernard Lee, the filmmakers decided not to replace him for that movie. Instead, they rewrote the script so that M was said to be on leave. A year after Lee's death, his acting work was remembered as that of a "Gruff, reliable, no-nonsense role character actor, whose many credits include policemen, servicemen, father figures, and spy chiefs." Lee was later replaced in the role of M by Robert Brown, who had acted with Lee in an earlier Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me.

James Bond Films

From 1962 to 1979, Bernard Lee appeared in eleven James Bond films as M, Bond's boss:

See also

In Spanish: Bernard Lee para niños