Anna Lee
Biography
The daughter of a clergyman, Anna Lee was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith and encouraged to pursue an acting career by her father. After training at London's Royal Albert Hall, she took to the boards and later began appearing in English films, first as an extra, then working her way up to featured parts and finally earning the unofficial title "Queen of the Quota Quickies." Lee and her husband, director Robert Stevenson, relocated to Hollywood in the late 1930s, and Lee began starring in stateside productions as well as becoming a fixture of the John Ford stock company (she appeared in How Green Was My Valley (1941), Fort Apache (1948) and a half-dozen others). In 1970, she became the seventh wife of novelist, poet and playwright Robert Nathan (Portrait of Jennie (1948), The Bishop's Wife (1947)); they married three months after they met. Now widowed, Lee soldiers on, regularly playing wealthy Lila Quartermaine on the TV soaper General Hospital (1963).
91years old at death
- Born Kent
- Died Beverly Hills
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
- Joan Boniface Winnifrith (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 19
- Career span
- 31 years1936 to 1967
Share
Did you know?!
First role
Lee made her screen debut in His Lordship in 1932, a bit part she took at age 19, after training at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art at the Royal Albert Hall.
Anna Lee movies on Netflix
In Like Flintas Elisabeth
7 Womenas Mrs. Russell
The Sound of Musicas Sister Margaretta
Jack the Giant Killeras Lady Constance
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?as Mrs. Bates
Two Rode Togetheras Mrs. Malaprop
The Horse Soldiersas Mrs. Buford
Gideon's Dayas Mrs. Kate Gideon
The Last Hurrahas Gert Minihan
Fort Apacheas Mrs. Emily Collingwood
The Ghost and Mrs. Muiras Mrs. Miles Fairley
Bedlamas Nell Bowen
Flesh and Fantasyas Rowena (segment 2)
Hangmen Also Die!as Masha Novotny
Commandos Strike at Dawnas Judith Bowen
Flying Tigersas Brooke Elliott
How Green Was My Valleyas Bronwyn
Seven Sinnersas Dorothy
The Man Who Lived Againas Dr. Clare Wyatt
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Sound of Music1965 Biography, Drama, Family, Musical, Romanceas Sister Margaretta
IMDb rating 8.1295K votes
Most often with
John Ford directed seven of these films. John Wayne appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.








Films together
John Wayne4 films together, 1940 to 1959
John Wayne's page The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Lee as Mrs. BufordWayne as Col. John Marlowe
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Lee as Mrs. Emily CollingwoodWayne as Capt. Kirby York
Flying Tigers1942IMDb rating 6.7Lee as Brooke ElliottWayne as Jim Gordon
Seven Sinners1940IMDb rating 6.5Lee as DorothyWayne as Dan
Willis Bouchey3 films together, 1958 to 1961
Willis Bouchey's page Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7Lee as Mrs. MalapropBouchey as Mr. Harry J. Wringle
The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Lee as Mrs. BufordBouchey as Col. Phil Secord
The Last Hurrah1958IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Gert MinihanBouchey as Roger Sugrue
Hank Worden3 films together, 1943 to 1959
Hank Worden's page The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Lee as Mrs. BufordWorden as Deacon Clump
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Lee as Mrs. Emily CollingwoodWorden as Southern Recruit
Flesh and Fantasy1943IMDb rating 6.9Lee as Rowena (segment 2)Worden as Circus Spectator
Ken Curtis3 films together, 1958 to 1961
Ken Curtis's page Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7Lee as Mrs. MalapropCurtis as Greeley Clegg
The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Lee as Mrs. BufordCurtis as Cpl. Wilkie
The Last Hurrah1958IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Gert MinihanCurtis as Monsignor Killian
John Loder3 films together, 1936 to 1958
John Loder's page Gideon's Day1958IMDb rating 6.6Lee as Mrs. Kate GideonLoder as Ponsford 'The Duke'
How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Lee as BronwynLoder as Ianto
The Man Who Lived Again1936IMDb rating 6.6Lee as Dr. Clare WyattLoder as Dick Haslewood
Boris Karloff2 films together, 1936 to 1946
Boris Karloff's page Bedlam1946IMDb rating 6.8Lee as Nell BowenKarloff as George Sims
The Man Who Lived Again1936IMDb rating 6.6Lee as Dr. Clare WyattKarloff as Dr. Laurience
John FordDirector, 7 films, 1941 to 1965
All films by John Ford 7 Women1965IMDb rating 6.8Lee as Mrs. Russell
Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7Lee as Mrs. Malaprop
The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Lee as Mrs. Buford
Gideon's Day1958IMDb rating 6.6Lee as Mrs. Kate Gideon
The Last Hurrah1958IMDb rating 7.3Lee as Gert Minihan
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Lee as Mrs. Emily Collingwood
How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Lee as Bronwyn
Also two films together11 more actors
- Donald CrispThe Last Hurrah (1958) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- Woody Strode7 Women (1965) and Two Rode Together (1961)
- Carleton YoungThe Horse Soldiers (1959) and The Last Hurrah (1958)
- Robert CooteThe Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) and Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942)
- Basil RuysdaelThe Horse Soldiers (1959) and The Last Hurrah (1958)
- Stuart HolmesJack the Giant Killer (1962) and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
- Betty Field7 Women (1965) and Flesh and Fantasy (1943)
- Edmund MacDonaldHangmen Also Die! (1943) and Flying Tigers (1942)
- William LeslieThe Horse Soldiers (1959) and The Last Hurrah (1958)
- Dianne FosterGideon's Day (1958) and The Last Hurrah (1958)
- Richard FraserBedlam (1946) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
Three awards and honors, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| Daytime Emmy Award | Won | ||
| Other honors | |||
| Member of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.


