Billy Lee (actor)
| Billy Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born |
William Lee Schlensker March 12, 1929 Nelson, Indiana/West Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died |
November 17, 1989 (aged 60) Beaumont, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Years active | 1937–1943 |
Billy Lee (William Lee Schlensker) (March 12, 1929 – November 17, 1989) was a child actor who appeared in many films from the mid-1930s through the early 1940s.
Lee's first role was in the Our Gang comedy Mike Fright as a tap dancer in a sailor suit. His first significant role was in Wagon Wheels when he was just four years old, though he is probably best remembered for his performance in The Biscuit Eater. He also did the voice of "The Boy" character in the animated portion of the Disney film, The Reluctant Dragon.[1] In addition to being an actor, he was also a singer and dancer, appearing and singing with Bobby Breen in Make A Wish. Lee continued acting throughout the 1930s, appearing in a number of movies and working alongside some of Hollywood's finest, including, Lon Chaney Jr., Roy Rogers, Charles Boyer, Randolph Scott, Olivia de Havilland, John Boles, and Broderick Crawford. In the 1941 film, Reg'lar Fellers, he starred with co-star Carl Switzer. Lee retired from film in 1943.
Lee died on November 17, 1989, of a sudden heart attack.
References
Bibliography
- Holmstrom, John (1996). The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995. Norwich, Michael Russell, p. 165-166.
- Best, Marc (1971). Those Endearing Young Charms: Child Performers of the Screen. South Brunswick and New York: Barnes & Co., p. 144-147.
- Willson, Dixie (1935). Little Hollywood Stars. Akron, OH, e New York: Saalfield Pub. Co.