Lila Lee

Lila Lee (July 25, 1901 - November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress of the early silent film era.

Related Topics:
July 25 - 1901 - November 13 - 1973 - Actress - Silent film

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Lila Lee was born Augusta Appel in Union Hill, New Jersey into a middle-class family who relocated to New York City when Lila was quite young. Searching for a hobby for their gregarious young daughter, the Appels enrolled Lila in Gus Edwards' kiddie review shows where she was given the nicknamed "Cuddles"; a name that she would be referred to by for the rest of her acting career. Her stagework became so popular with the public that her parents had her educated with private tutors.

Related Topics:
Union Hill, New Jersey - New York City

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In 1918 she was chosen for a film contract by Hollywood film mogul Jesse Lasky for Famous Players Lasky, which later became Paramount Pictures. Her first feature The Cruise of the Make-Believes garnered the seventeen year old starlet much public acclaim and Lassky quickly sent Lee on an arduous publicity campaign. Critics lauded Lila for her wholesome persona and sympathetic character parts. Lee quickly rose to the ranks of leading lady and often starred opposite such matinee heavies as Conrad Nagel, Gloria Swanson, Wallace Reid and Rudolph Valentino.

Related Topics:
1918 - Hollywood - Jesse Lasky - Famous Players Lasky - Paramount Pictures - Conrad Nagel - Gloria Swanson - Wallace Reid - Rudolph Valentino

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In 1922 Lee was cast as Carmen in the enormously popular film Blood and Sand, opposite matinee idol Rudolph Valentino and silent screen vamp Nita Naldi; Lee subsequently won the first WAMPAS Baby Stars award that year. Lee continued to be a highly popular leading lady throughout the 1920's and made scores of critcally praised and widely watched films.

Related Topics:
1922 - Blood and Sand - Rudolph Valentino - Nita Naldi - WAMPAS Baby Stars

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Lila was married and divorced three times, including a marriage to actor James Kirkwood which ended in divorce in 1931. Lee and Kirkwood had a son in 1930 named James Kirkwood Jr. who became a highly regarded playwright and screenwriter whose works include A Chorus Line and P.S. Your Cat Is Dead.

Related Topics:
James Kirkwood - 1931 - 1930 - James Kirkwood Jr. - A Chorus Line - P.S. Your Cat Is Dead

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As the Roaring Twenties drew to a close, Lee's popularity began to wane and Lee positioned herself for the transition to talkies. However, a series of bad career choices and bouts of recurring tuberculosis hindered further projects and Lee was relegated to taking parts in mostly grade B-movies.

Related Topics:
Roaring Twenties - Tuberculosis - B-movies

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Lee made several uneventful stage plays in the 1940s and starred in early television soap operas in the 1950s. In 1973 Lee died of a stroke at Saranac Lake, New York. For her contribution as an actress in motion pictures, she was awarded a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1716 Vine Street, in Hollywood, California.

Related Topics:
1940s - 1950s - Saranac Lake - New York - Hollywood Walk of Fame - California

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