Anna Lee, born Joan Boniface Winnifrith, was the daughter of a clergyman who encouraged her to pursue an acting career. After training at London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall, she began her journey in the performing arts, initially taking on extra roles in English films before gradually working her way up to featured parts and earning the nickname "The Queen of the Quota Quickies". Lee and her director husband, Robert Stevenson, relocated to Hollywood in the late 1930s, where she continued to thrive in the film industry, becoming a staple of the John Ford stock company, appearing in notable productions such as How Green Was My Valley (1941) and Fort Apache (1948),among others.
In 1970, Lee tied the knot with novelist, poet, and playwright Robert Nathan, whom she met just three months prior, becoming his seventh wife. After Nathan's passing, Lee persevered and continued to act, landing the iconic role of wealthy Lila Quartermaine on the long-running soap opera General Hospital in 1963.
Lee's dedication to her craft was recognized with a prestigious honor, as she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire at the 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours for her outstanding contributions to the world of drama.
Tragically, Lee's life came to a close on May 14, 2004, at the age of 91, due to complications from pneumonia, at her home in Beverly Hills, California.
