Dorothy Lee
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Born Name:
Marjorie Elizabeth Millsap
Born Date: May 23, 1911
Born Place: Los Angeles, California
Died Date: June 24, 1999
Died Place: San Diego, California
Occupations: Actress, comedian
Brief Biography: Dorothy Lee was best known for her bubbly personality, vocal talents, and frequent collaborations with the slapstick comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey. She starred in over a dozen feature films during the early sound era.
Early Life and Vaudeville:
Born Marjorie Elizabeth Millsap in Los Angeles, California, Lee began her entertainment career as a dancer in stage shows. After a brief, early marriage, she moved to New York City and became a featured vocalist with Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. Her stage work caught the eye of studio executives, leading to her film debut in the musical Syncopation (1929).
The Wheeler & Woolsey Years:
Upon signing with RKO Radio Pictures at age 18, Lee was cast in the hit Rio Rita (1929) alongside comedy team Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. She quickly became the most frequent leading lady in their films, appearing as the effervescent, romantic interest in 13 of their 21 feature pictures, including:
Half Shot at Sunrise (1930)
Peach O'Reno (1931)
Hips, Hips, Hooray! (1934)
Standing at just five feet tall, Lee fearlessly performed her own stunts and slapstick routines. She notably left the Girl Crazy (1932) production due to a dispute with producer David O. Selznick, though she later returned to star in other successful features.
Personal Life and Later Years:
Outside of her film career, Dorothy Lee led a colorful personal life, marrying six times. Her husbands included the Hollywood gossip columnist Jimmie Fidler. After Robert Woolsey died in 1938 and Bert Wheeler struggled to find work, Lee selflessly interrupted her private life in the early 1940s to tour with Wheeler in vaudeville, helping him rebuild his act. She officially retired from the entertainment industry in 1941 to focus on family and charity work, living a long life until her passing in San Diego in 1999.
Born Date: May 23, 1911
Born Place: Los Angeles, California
Died Date: June 24, 1999
Died Place: San Diego, California
Occupations: Actress, comedian
Brief Biography: Dorothy Lee was best known for her bubbly personality, vocal talents, and frequent collaborations with the slapstick comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey. She starred in over a dozen feature films during the early sound era.
Early Life and Vaudeville:
Born Marjorie Elizabeth Millsap in Los Angeles, California, Lee began her entertainment career as a dancer in stage shows. After a brief, early marriage, she moved to New York City and became a featured vocalist with Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. Her stage work caught the eye of studio executives, leading to her film debut in the musical Syncopation (1929).
The Wheeler & Woolsey Years:
Upon signing with RKO Radio Pictures at age 18, Lee was cast in the hit Rio Rita (1929) alongside comedy team Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. She quickly became the most frequent leading lady in their films, appearing as the effervescent, romantic interest in 13 of their 21 feature pictures, including:
Half Shot at Sunrise (1930)
Peach O'Reno (1931)
Hips, Hips, Hooray! (1934)
Standing at just five feet tall, Lee fearlessly performed her own stunts and slapstick routines. She notably left the Girl Crazy (1932) production due to a dispute with producer David O. Selznick, though she later returned to star in other successful features.
Personal Life and Later Years:
Outside of her film career, Dorothy Lee led a colorful personal life, marrying six times. Her husbands included the Hollywood gossip columnist Jimmie Fidler. After Robert Woolsey died in 1938 and Bert Wheeler struggled to find work, Lee selflessly interrupted her private life in the early 1940s to tour with Wheeler in vaudeville, helping him rebuild his act. She officially retired from the entertainment industry in 1941 to focus on family and charity work, living a long life until her passing in San Diego in 1999.