Gwen Lee

Gwen Lee (born Gwendolyn Lepinski; November 12, 1904 – August 20, 1961) was an American stage and film actress. Lee began her career as a model before being discovered and signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. She was typically cast in supporting roles. Lee appeared in over sixty films before retiring in 1938.

Gwen Lee
1927
Born	Gwendolyn Lepinski (1904-11-12)November 12, 1904 Hastings, Nebraska, U.S.
Died	August 20, 1961(1961-08-20) (aged 56) Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	Gwendolyn Lee
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1925–1938

Acting career

Born to Mriette (née Kennedy) and Frank B. Lepinski in Hastings, Nebraska, Lee began her career as a department store model. She was discovered by director Monta Bell while appearing in a stage production.[1] She signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925. That same year, she made her film debut in Lady of the Night, starring Norma Shearer. She followed with roles in Pretty Ladies, starring Zasu Pitts, His Secretary, and The Plastic Age, starring Clara Bow. In 1926, Lee was cast in The Lone Wolfe Returns, starring Bert Lytell and Billie Dove.[2]

In 1928, she was named a WAMPAS Baby Star.[3] Lee continued her career with supporting roles in Laugh, Clown, Laugh and The Actress (both 1928). Her career continued for almost a decade into the era of sound motion pictures. Lee played Marjory in Untamed (1929), with Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery. She appeared again with Crawford and Marie Prevost in the prison drama Paid (1930). In 1931, she was in The Galloping Ghost, with famed football running back Red Grange, and the crime drama, The Lawless Woman, with Vera Reynolds. In 1932, she appeared in the Western Broadway to Cheyenne (1932), with Rex Bell.

By the late 1930s, Lee was appearing in minor film roles most of which were uncredited. Her final film roles were in Man-Proof and Paroled from the Big House, both in 1938.

Personal life

Lee was sued by her mother, Etta Lepinski, in March 1932. Lee was charged in a petition for guardianship. The suit alleged that Lee was incompetent to handle her affairs, specifically she was incapable of managing her jewelry and personal property, valued in excess of $1,000 (about $17,208 in 2019). The case was filed in Los Angeles, California Superior Court.[4] Lee's mother dropped the suit in April, citing improvement in her daughter's health.[5] Later that same year, Lee was also sued by two clothiers for nonpayment.[6]

On May 4, 1943, she married George Mence, Jr.[7]

Death

Lee died on August 20, 1961 in Reno, Nevada.[8]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1925	Lady of the Night	Molly's Friend
1925	Pretty Ladies	Fay
1925	His Secretary	Clara Bayne	Lost film
1925	The Plastic Age	Carl's girl	Uncredited
1925	Time Flies	An Adventuress	Short film Credited as Gwendolyn Lee
1926	The Boy Friend	Pettie Wilson	Lost film
1926	The Lone Wolf Returns	Liane De Lorme
1926	Upstage	Dixie Mason
1926	There You Are!	Anita Grant	Lost film
1927	Women Love Diamonds	Roberta Klein
1927	Heaven on Earth	Claire
1927	Orchids and Ermine	Ermintrude
1927	Twelve Miles Out	Hulda
1927	Adam and Evil	Gwen De Vere
1927	After Midnight	Maizie
1927	Her Wild Oat	Daisy
1928	Lucky Boy	Mrs. Ellis
1928	Sharp Shooters	Flossy
1928	Laugh, Clown, Laugh	Lucretia
1928	The Actress	Avonia	Lost film
1928	Diamond Handcuffs	Cecile
1928	A Thief in the Dark	Flo
1928	Show Girl	Nita Dugan
1928	The Baby Cyclone	Jessie
1928	A Lady of Chance	Gwen
1929	The Duke Steps Out		Uncredited
1929	The Man and the Moment	Viola
1929	Fast Company	Rosie La Clerq
1929	Untamed	Marjory
1929	The Hollywood Revue of 1929	Herself
1930	Chasing Rainbows	Peggy
1930	Lord Byron of Broadway	Bessie
1930	Free and Easy	Participant in Bedroom Scene	Alternative title: Easy Go
1930	Caught Short	Manicurist
1930	Estrellados	Herself
1930	Our Blushing Brides	A Mannequin
1930	Extravagance	Sally
1930	Paid	Bertha
1931	Inspiration	Gaby
1931	The Lawless Woman	Kitty Adams
1931	Traveling Husbands	Mabel
1931	The Galloping Ghost	Irene Courtland
1931	Julius Sizzer	Cleo	Short film
1931	The Pagan Lady	Gwen Willis
1931	West of Broadway	Maizie
1932	Alias Mary Smith	Blossom
1932	Midnight Morals	Dora Cobb
1932	Broadway to Cheyenne	Mrs. Myrna Wallace
1932	Boy Oh Boy!
1933	The Intruder	Daisy
1933	Song of the Eagle	Nails' Girl	Uncredited
1933	Corruption	Mae
1933	Meet the Baron	Small role	Uncredited
1934	City Park	Maizie, the Hooker
1935	$20 a Week	Ann Seymour
1935	One in a Million	Kitty Kennedy	Alternative title: Dangerous Appointment
1935	A Night at the Opera	Driftwood's Dining Companion	Uncredited
1936	Absolute Quiet	Western Union Operator	Uncredited
1936	How to Behave	Restaurant Gossip	Short film Uncredited
1936	Fury	Mrs. Fred Garrett	Uncredited
1936	Libeled Lady	Switchboard Operator	Uncredited
1936	My Dear Miss Aldrich	Hat Saleswoman	Uncredited
1937	Give Till It Hurts	Telephone Solicitor	Short film Uncredited
1937	Double Wedding	Woman in Crowd	Uncredited
1937	A Night at the Movies	Cashier	Short film Uncredited
1937	Candid Cameramaniacs	Drowzina, Otto's Wife	Short film Uncredited
1937	Mannequin	Flo	Uncredited
1938	Man-Proof	Blonde Woman at Fight	Uncredited
1938	Pete Smith Specialty: Penny's Party	Herself	Short film
1938	Paroled from the Big House	Binnie Bell	Alternative title: Main Street Girl

References

1. Shipman Springer, John; Hamilton, Jack D. (1974). They Had Faces Then: Super Stars, Stars, and Starlets Of the 1930's. Castle. p. 308. ISBN 0-890-09568-X.
2. "Gwen Lee Has Role In "Lone Wolf" Film". The Pittsburgh Press. August 1, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
3. "GWEN LEE IN STEADY UP CLIMB". The Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1928. p. C28.
4. "Mother Sues Film Actress". The Oakland Tribune. March 11, 1932. p. B7.
5. "Incompetency Charge Against Gwen Lee Drops". The Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1932. p. A12.
6. "Cloak and Suit House Action Names Gwen Lee". The Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1932. p. A2.
7. California Marriage Certificate, 5/4/1943.
8. Doyle, Billy H. (1999). The Ultimate Directory Of Silent and Sound Era Performers: A Necrology Of Actors and Actresses. Scarecrow Press. p. 321. ISBN 0-810-83547-9.

Additional sources

• The Los Angeles Times, Maytime Will Have Ensemble, August 19, 1923, Page III 37.
• The Los Angeles Times, Gwen Appears, August 14, 1925, Page A9.
• The Los Angeles Times, Another Discovery, August 30, 1925, Page D18.
• The Los Angeles Times, Quartet of Beauties Who Will Vie for Eastern Star Cup, Page B2.
• The Los Angeles Times, Film Displays Fashions, October 20, 1925, Page A11.
• The Los Angeles Times, Actress Sued On Clothes Account, May 24, 1932, Page A8.

External links

• Gwen Lee on IMDb
• Gwen Lee at Virtual History