Anna Lee
Deceased
Port Charles Presence
Lila Quartermaine (1978 to November 2003 [on contract]; November 2003 to Ju;y 2004[recurring]) )
At a Glance
Anna Lee was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith on January 2,
1913, in the village of Ightham, Kent, England, where her father
was Rector of St. Peter's Church. At the age of 17, Miss Lee
began to study with Elsie Fogarty at the famed Central School
of Speech Training and Dramatic Art at the Royal Albert Hall in
London. The alumni of this academy include Laurence Olivier,
Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud. From there she joined the
London Repertory Theatre and toured in such plays as The
Constant Nymph and Jane Eyre.
In 1935, Miss Lee was signed by Gaumont British and
appeared in over a dozen films during the next four years,
including King Solomon's Mines (with Paul Robeson), The
Camels Are Coming, Passing of the Third Floor Back, Young
Man's Fancy, Return to Yesterday and Non-Stop New York. In
1939, she came to the United States to star opposite Ronald
Colman in My Life With Caroline. The following year she
appeared as Bronwen in the Academy Award-winning How
Green Was My Valley, thus beginning an association with the
great director John Ford, which would span 25 years and eight
pictures.
During World War II, besides starring in Seven Sinners and
Flying Tigers (both with John Wayne), Commandos Strike at
Dawn (with Paul Muni), Flesh and Fantasy (with Edward G.
Robinson and Charles Boyer) and Hangmen Also Die (directed
by Fritz Lang); she volunteered for overseas duty with the
U.S.O. and entertained Allied troops in North, Central and East
Africa, Iran and Sicily, first with Jack Benny and then with
Adolphe Menjou. Then, under special orders from General
George Patton (who made her an honorary private in the Sixth
Army), she spent several months visiting field hospitals
throughout the Mediterranean area.
During the years following the war, she made Bedlam, The
Ghost and Mrs. Muir, G.I. War Brides, High Conquest and Fort
Apache. In 1950, she moved to New York to appear in the new
medium of television. For four years, she played in the ABC live
weekly series, A Date With Judy; while also appearing every
Thursday evening as "anchorman" in a panel show for CBS
called It's News to Me, with John Daly, and during the fifth year,
with Walter Cronkite. During the early fifties in New York, she
also appeared in numerous live shows such as Pulitzer Prize
Playhouse, Kraft Theatre, Studio One, Robert Montgomery
Presents and Ford Theatre.
In 1957, Miss Lee returned to films, appearing opposite Jack
Hawkins in John Ford's Gideon of Scotland Yard, which was
followed by The Last Hurrah, Horse Soldiers, This Earth is
Mine, The Prize, The Crimson Kimono, Whatever Happened to
Baby Jane, In Like Flint, The Sound of Music and Seven
Women. She has appeared in the television shows, Eleanor
and Franklin, Scruples and The Night Rider, and guest-starred
in such series as Maverick, Dr. Kildare, The F.B.I., Mr. Novak,
Mission: Impossible, Perry Mason, Mannix, Family Affair and
Glitter.
Since 1978, Miss Lee has appeared as Lila Quartermaine in
General Hospital. She enjoys the role greatly, both for the
diversity of the character of Lila, a challenge to her comedic
skills, and because she feels so close to her television "family."
In real life, Miss Lee was happily married to Robert Nathan, the
well-known novelist and poet, author of over 40 novels,
including Portrait of Jennie, The Bishop's Wife and One More
Spring. She suffered the loss of her husband in 1985, followed
by the death of her eldest son the following year. She now has
four children and five grandchildren. Her hobbies include
gardening, embroidery and collecting antiques. She is
Chairman of the Royal Oak Foundation of California, an affiliate
of the National Trust of Great Britain, a charitable organization
dedicated to the preservation of places of historical interest and
natural beauty throughout the United Kingdom.
In 1982, Anna Lee was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). She went to
England to receive the award from Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. She has won three Soap
Opera Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress -- the first in
1982, followed by one in 1983 and a third in 1988.
Having been active in show business for more than 60 years,
Anna Lee had begun writing her autobiography. In January,
1993, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
celebrating her extraordinary career.
Acting Portfolio
TELEVISION
General Hospital
Lila Quartermaine
1978 to November 2003 [on contract]; November 2003 to July 2004 [recurring])
Awards & Acclaim
Daytime Emmys Winner, Lifetime Acheivement Award (2005; Awarded posthumously)
Soap Opera Digest Award Favorite Mature Actress (1982)
Soap Opera Digest Award Favorite Actress in a Mature Role (1983)
Soap Opera Digest Award Nominee, Outstanding Actress in a Mature Role (1985)
Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Supporting Actress (1988)
Vital Statistics
BIRTHPLACE: Ightham, Kent, England
BIRTHDATE: January 2nd, 1913
DIED: May 14th, 2004
HAIR: White
EYES: Brown
News Archives
News Archive: 35-year veteran Lee taken off contract. [Nov 4th, 2003]
News Archive: Lee's son blasts GH for firing his mom. [Nov 10th, 2003]
News Archive: Anna Lee dead at age 91. [May 14th, 2004]
