Bernard Lee
Biography
Bernard Lee was an English actor whose screen career ran from 1934 to 1979, and he was best known for playing M, the head of MI6, in the first eleven Eon-produced James Bond films. His father, an actor, brought him to the stage at six, and he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before working in repertory theater in Cardiff and Manchester. He made his screen debut in The Double Event (1934) and built a reputation for authority figures, among them policemen and officers, in films that included The Third Man and The Battle of the River Plate. Cast as M in Dr. No (1962), he stayed with the role through the series. His other work took in television productions such as The Baron and Danger Man, the spoof O.K. Connery, and the Hammer horror Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, released in 1974.
73years old at death
- Born Brentford
- Died London
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Movie Career
- Films
- 34
- Career span
- 31 years1948 to 1979
Genres
First and latest
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Big break
Bernard Lee was cast in 1962 as M, the head of MI6 and James Bond's superior, in the first Eon Productions Bond film, Dr. No, the role he became best remembered for.
Early training
To cover the cost of his training, Lee took a job as a fruit porter while he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
A change of course
During the Second World War, Lee was with the British Army. He became a second lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment on 13 September 1941.
Big break
While he was waiting to be demobbed, Lee went to a golfing ladies' night and met a producer there. That meeting later led to him getting a part in the play Stage Door.
Beyond film
In the 1950s, Lee had a long stage run as Able Seaman Turner in Seagulls Over Sorrento. He later played that same role in the film version, which starred Gene Kelly.
Bernard Lee movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Guy Hamilton directed four of these films, Terence Young three and Lewis Gilbert three. Lois Maxwell appears in twelve 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
Lois Maxwell's page
Desmond Llewelyn's page
Sean Connery's page
Roger Moore's page
Geoffrey Keen's page
Christopher Lee's page
Guy HamiltonDirector, 4 films, 1964 to 1974
All films by Guy Hamilton
All films by Terence Young
All films by Lewis Gilbert
Also three films together7 more actors
- Clifton JamesFrom Hong Kong with Love (1975), The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) and Live and Let Die (1973)
- Walter GotellMoonraker (1979), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and From Russia with Love (1963)
- Gerald SimThe Raging Moon (1971), The L-Shaped Room (1962) and Whistle Down the Wind (1961)
- Norman BirdThe Raging Moon (1971), Whistle Down the Wind (1961) and The Angry Silence (1960)
- Peter van EyckThe Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965), The Brain (1962) and Sailor of the King (1953)
- Dora BryanGift Horse (1952), The Blue Lamp (1950) and The Fallen Idol (1948)
- Edward UnderdownDr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), Thunderball (1965) and Beat the Devil (1953)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Bernard Lee's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.3 billion
14 of the 34 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 34 films: 14 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 18 figure not found.
- 14Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 18Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 83% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$210M15.7% of the total
- 2$185M13.8% of the total
- 3$141M10.5% of the total
- 4$126M9.4% of the total
- 5$125M9.3% of the total
- 6$116M8.6% of the total
- 7$112M8.3% of the total
- 8$98M7.3% of the total
$229 millionfrom the other 6 films with a worldwide figure, 17% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.