Frances Dade

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Frances Dade, also known early in her career as Lorelei Lee, (February 14th, 1910-January 21st, 1968) was an American film actress of the late 1920s and 1930s.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dade moved to Hollywood, California in the late 1920s to pursue an acting career. Described as a "cool looking blonde", Dade was originally billed as "Lorelei Lee". She first caught the attention of film makers as a member of the touring company "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Her first film role was in 1928, when she had an uncredited role alongside stars Dorothy Boyd and Mabel Poulton in The Constant Nymph. In 1930 she would have four roles, one of which was uncredited.

In 1931, however, she would receive her biggest role of her career, when she portrayed "Lucy Weston" in Dracula, which starred Bela Lugosi and Helen Chandler. She has often since been referred to as "Dracula's most memorable victim", and the scene with Bela Lugosi hovering over her prostrate body remains an indelible part of pop culture. That role would catupult her to brief notoriety, and would result in her being selected as one of thirteen girls chosen as "WAMPAS Baby Stars" that same year. The thirteen girls selected that year would also include actresses Marian Marsh, Karen Morley, and Marion Shilling.

However, as with many young women who were selected to that elite organization of actresses from its beginnings in 1922 up to its final year of 1934, Dade was at the peak of her career. Despite her performance in Dracula, her film role offers would dwindle. She starred in six films in 1931, three of which were horror films. In 1932 she would star in only one film, Big Town.

She starred that same year in the Broadway play Collision, which was semi-successful. Shortly thereafter, however, she retired from acting and married wealthy socialite Brock Van Avery. She eventually moved back home to Philadelphia, and went into nursing. She died there in 1968.