Bernard Lee (1908–1981) was an English actor who performed in many light entertainment media, including film, television and theatre. His career spanned from 1934 to 1981, although he made his first appearance on the stage at the age of six. He is perhaps best known for playing M in the first eleven Eon-produced James Bond films.
Lee trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, before making his professional stage debut in 1924. He appeared on film for the first time in 1934 in the Leslie Howard Gordon-directed comedy The Double Event, where he played the part of Dennison. Although he was in wartime service with the Royal Sussex Regiment between 1940 and 1946, he had already been in several films, which were released between 1939 and 1943. He returned to acting after the war and was offered a role in the play Stage Door while awaiting his demob.
Lee appeared on stage and television dramatisations, as well as in more than 100 films. He was known for his roles as authority figures, often playing military characters, policemen or officials. Highlights in his career included The Third Man, The Blue Lamp, The Battle of the River Plate, Whistle Down the Wind and the James Bond series. Suffering from stomach cancer, Lee died in 1981; in his obituary The Guardian noted that Lee was a "solid and reliable character actor" who displayed "a rugged dependency".
Stage
+ Known stage credits of Bernard Lee Production Date Role Theatre White Cargo Longford UK tour – Hull Grand Theatre – Grand Theatre, Derby – — Rusholme Theatre, Manchester East Lynne – 31 May 1929 Regent Theatre – Regent Theatre Journey's End UK tour – — Alexandra Theatre, Harwich – — Alexandra Hall, Dovercourt On the Spot – Regent Theatre – Regent Theatre Appearances – Fortune Theatre Heritage – Fortune Theatre Love for Sale – Pip Fortune Theatre Tudor Wench – Embassy Theatre – Lyceum Theatre Take Heed! – Roman Piccadilly Theatre – Kingsway Theatre Without Witness – Saunders Duke of York's Theatre Murder in Motley – — Royalty Theatre Ten Minute Alibi – Phoenix Theatre Root of all Evil – — St Martin's Theatre Murder in Motley – Kingsway Theatre – Piccadilly Theatre – Arts Theatre Distinguished Gathering – Embassy Theatre Murder Gang – Embassy Theatre Red Night – Queen's Theatre, London – Ambassadors Theatre – Heartfree Embassy Theatre Young Madam Conti – Savoy Theatre And the Music Stopped – — Streatham Hill Theatre Night Sky – Savoy Theatre Tavern in the Town – — Embassy Theatre Young Madam Conti – — Music Box Theatre, New York And the Music Stopped – New Theatre – Clarence, the Dodger Prince's Theatre If I Were You – 1 February 1938 Arthur Blunt Mansfield Theatre, New York People of Our Class – Henry Hayes Manchester Opera House People of Our Class – Henry Hayes New Theatre Blind Man's Buff – Arts Theatre Number Six – Aldwych Theatre Without Motive? – Richmond Theatre – — Haymarket Theatre – Oxford Playhouse Penny Wise – Gordon Richmond Theatre Stage Door – Saville Theatre Fools Rush In – Paul UK tour Fools Rush In – Paul Fortune Theatre Peace in Our Time – Lyric Theatre Seagulls Over Sorrento – Apollo Theatre – Hippodrome Theatre Act of Violence – — St Martin's Theatre, and subsequent UK tour Norman – Charlie Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool Norman – Charlie Duchess Theatre – 27 October 1973 Royal Court Theatre – 8 December 1973 Mayfair Theatre Jingo – Bernard Aldwych Theatre There is no evidence available to help with end dates for the productions.
Filmography + Filmography of Bernard Lee Film Year Role Notes Dennison Rhodes of Africa CartwrightLove from a Stranger Cast Member Uncredited William of Orange Murder in Soho Let George Do It! Oscar US title To Hell with Hitler Spare a Copper Jake Once a Crook Interviewing Officer Uncredited This Man Is Mine US title Kathy's Love AffairDusty Bates US title The Adventures of Dusty Bates Quartet (segment "The Kite") Elizabeth of Ladymead Morning Departure US title Operation Disaster Last Holiday Odette Jack Cage of Gold Jack O'Connell US title Fortune in Diamonds White Corridors Burgess Calling Bulldog Drummond Appointment with Venus Brigadier US title Island Rescue Mr. Denning Drives North Gift Horse US title Glory at Sea Single-Handed US title C.S. Forester's Sailor of the King Beat the Devil Racketeer Uncredited Father Brown US title The Detective Seagulls Over Sorrento US title Crest of the Wave Out of the Clouds Customs Officer US title PT Raiders US title Pursuit of the Graf Spee Fire Down Below Across the Bridge High Flight Dunkirk Nowhere to Go Kidnapped Danger Within US title Breakout Beyond This Place US title Web of EvidenceClue of the Twisted Candle Sink the Bismarck! Firing Officer Uncredited Cone of Silence US title Trouble in the Sky Partners in Crime Clue of the Silver Key Fury at Smugglers' Bay Black John The Secret Partner Whistle Down the Wind Dr. No M Charlie From Russia with Love M Ring of Spies US Title Ring of Treason Saturday Night Out Goldfinger M Dr. Terror's House of Horrors Hopkins (segment "Creeping Vine") Two Left Feet Patmore Jeremiah Landlord Uncredited Thunderball M O.K. Connery (Bond Parody) US title Operation Kid Brother You Only Live Twice M Journey to Midnight (episode 'Poor Butterfly') Crossplot Chilmore On Her Majesty's Secret Service M Uncle Bob US title Long Ago, Tomorrow Dulcima Diamonds Are Forever M Danger Point Captain Live and Let Die M Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell Tarmut Percy's Progress Barraclough US title It's Not the Size That Counts M Bons Baisers de Hong Kong (Bond Parody) Also known as From Hong Kong with Love M Moonraker M The 1958 British Film and Television Yearbook also lists Lee as appearing in an undated film The Outsider, although it does not say whether this uncredited role was in the 1931 or 1939 film of that name. The 1942 International Motion Picture Almanac claims Lee appeared in The Tunnel (for Gaumont-British), Secret Agent (for Gaumont-British) and The Terror (for Alliance); this last is almost certainly the 1940 U.S. release of the 1938 British film listed above.
Television + Bernard Lee's television appearances Programme Date Role Channel Notes Television Playhouse, "The Golden Fleece" ITV Television production of a J. B. Priestley play Theatre Royal, "The Stolen Pearl" ITV Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents, "A Borderline Case" ITV Playdate, "All Correct, Sir" Cast Member ITV Television Playhouse: Cornelius Cornelius ITV Television production of a J. B. Priestley play Armchair Theatre, "Ernie Barger is 50" Ernie Barger ITV Play of the Week, "Family on Trial" ITV Sunday Night Theatre, "Crime Passionnel" Hoederer BBC Television Television production of a Jean-Paul Sartre play Armchair Theatre, "Cold Fury" Aaronson ITV Armchair Theatre, "Nest of Four" Tom ITV BBC Television BBC Television Who Was Maddox? ITV Television production of an Edgar Wallace thriller Espionage, "Snow on Mount Kama" ITV Thursday Theatre, "Flowering Cherry" BBC Two Danger Man, "Whatever Happened To George Foster?" ITV ITV Thirty-Minute Theatre, "The Passenger" BBC Two Danger Man, "The Man with the Foot" Derringham ITV Armchair Theatre, "The Night Before the Morning After" ITV King of the River BBC One ITV Part 1 of a 2-part story: part 2 is called "The Killing" Talking to a Stranger — BBC Two Four-part series ITV Part 2 of a 2-part story: part 1 is called "Masquerade" Half-Hour Story, "Friends" Frank ITV Man in a Suitcase, "Girl Who Never Was" Kershaw ITV – Sir James BBC Two Television production of the Noël Coward play Post-Mortem Baxter ITV BBC One Journey to the Unknown: Poor Butterfly Loker ABC Also broadcast on ITV 19 May 1969 BBC Two ITV Air Vice-Marshal ITV Cast Member – First broadcast in the USA Once Upon a Time: Silver ITV Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson story Treasure Island Crime of Passion: Emile ITV Vienna 1900 Games With Love And Death: Story 1 Mother And Son BBC Two Play of the Month, "The Skin Game" Hornblower BBC One Television production of a John Galsworthy play Father Brown: The Quick One ITV Based on G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories Play of the Month, "The School for Scandal" Cast Member BBC One Based on The School for Scandal, by Richard Brinsley SheridanAffairs of the Heart: Kate ITV Against The Crowd: Murrain Beeley ITV What A Turn Up Cast Member ITV Warship, "Knight Errant" Yachtsman BBC One Killers: The Chalkpit Murder ITV Hallmark Hall of Fame, "Beauty and the Beast" Beaumont NBC US television production Cast Member ITV Nine-part television series Ghost of Christmas Present BBC TwoSaint Joan BBC One Television production of a George Bernard Shaw play Star Games On-screen Participant ITV Dangerous Davies – The Last Detective Sergeant Ben ITV Part of the Dangerous Davies series
References
Bibliography
External links
Bernard Lee at the British Film Institute