Allure: Frances Lee

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Frances Lee

Frances Lee was born Myrna Tibbetts in Iowa in 1906. Schooling in dance ultimately led her to Broadway, where she became a Ziegfeld Follies performer in 1923. Ziegfeld liked her and gave her a solo spot in the show as a toe dancer. She was then spotted by a talent scout from Al Christie Comedies and offered a contract. Frances became the top female lead at Christie Comedies, making over three dozen two-reelers with Bobby Vernon. The comedies were screened coast to coast. Al Christie claimed, "Christie comedies are bound for a highway of laughs across America." Virtually all of these films are lost or unavailable.

An outgoing personality, Frances was often a guest at the home of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, and developed a close relationship with Rudolph Valentino. In 1927, she had roles in five films, including the comedy Tie That Bull and the western Good As Gold opposite Buck Jones. Frances was also named a 1927 WAMPAS Baby Star.

1928 saw her in nine films, including the popular Sweeties with Bobby Vernon. Frances sang in Warner Brothers 1929 The Show of Shows, and that year married Alexander Bennett, brother to actress Enid Bennett. Their wedding was attended by Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo, Rod La Rocque and John Gilbert among others.

Her first real talkie was Down with Husbands (1930), followed by The Stronger Sex, both again comedy shorts. She auditioned for the female lead role in King Kong, and was in the last two, losing the role to Faye Wray, who the director said had a better scream. Being a star in two-reel comedies and westerns is probably not the best path to stardom and Frances made only a few pictures, including Phantom Thunderbolt (1933) between 1931 and her retirement in 1935 after 44 films.

Frances and her husband eventually moved to the Washington DC area. Interestingly, she instructed Tricia Nixon in societal demeanor and etiquette during her father's presidency. In the mid-1970's, she moved back to California, devoting most of her time to charity work. Frances died on November 5, 2000.

Click on the pictures for a larger image.