Rowland V. Lee's journey in the entertainment industry began amidst a backdrop of show business royalty, as his parents were esteemed stage actors. As a child, he kicked off his career in the world of stock theatre and eventually made his way to the bright lights of Broadway. However, his initial foray into the stage was briefly interrupted by a stint as a Wall Street stockbroker, a profession he pursued for a span of two years before ultimately returning to his artistic roots.
After a brief hiatus, Lee's path converged with that of Thomas H. Ince, the renowned filmmaker, in 1915. Initially, Lee joined Ince's ranks as an actor, but his trajectory took a dramatic turn after his service in World War I. Upon his return, Lee traded in his acting boots for a director's chair, as he began his tenure as a filmmaker under Ince's guidance.
Throughout his extensive career, Lee's directing repertoire spanned a wide range of genres, defying categorization into a single specific style. Nevertheless, his lower-budget horror films, in particular, have been praised for their unflinching, gritty atmosphere, which added to their eerie and unsettling effect.
Lee's swan song, Captain Kidd (1945),co-starring the inimitable Charles Laughton, had the potential to be a thrilling adventure yarn, but ultimately, its limitations were largely attributed to its modest budget.
