FRANCES DEE BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Frances Dee was born on November 26th, 1909 in Los Angeles, California with the birth name Frances Marion Dee.  Her father served in the United States Army and she spent some of her childhood in Chicago but later on her family relocated back to Los Angeles.  Living near Hollywood, she became exposed to the acting industry and began working as an extra in a number of films such as a small part in, "Words and Music" (1929).  In 1930, she had a decent role in, "Playboy of Paris"  followed by a role in, "An American Tragedy" (1931) which helped Dee gain the attention of film critics.
 
She was becoming known as one of the most beautiful women in the motion picture industry.  A couple years later she starred in the film, "The Silver Cord" (1933) where she also happened to meet her one and only husband on the set Joel McCrea.  The couple married and remained together for fifty seven years.  Some of her other earlier film roles were in, " Little Woman" (1933), "Of Human Bondage" (1934), "Becky Sharp" (1935) and "If I Were King" (1938) playing the lead character.
 
As her career progressed she starred in such films as, "So Ends Our Night" (1941) and her most memorable role in, "I Walked with a Zombie" (1943).  Even though she was stunningly gorgeous and a very talented actress, she never quite reached the level of stardom that other female actresses during her era managed to accomplish.  However, Dee did manage to have a decent career in the industry and in 1953 she decided to retire after she finished working in the film, "Gypsy Colt" (1954) and "Mister Scoutmaster" (1953).
 
Along with her husband, they cultivated their ranch in Thousand Oaks, California and even decided to donate 75 acres to be used as park lands in 1981.  On March 6th, 2004 she passed away at a hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut after suffering complications from a stroke.  She was survived by her three sons, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Filmography
 
1954 The Ford Television Theatre 
1954 Gypsy Colt 
1953 Lux Video Theatre
1953 Mister Scoutmaster
1953 Four Star Playhouse 
1952 Because of You
1951 Reunion in Reno 
1951 Cattle Drive 
1951 Payment on Demand
1950-1951 Fireside Theatre 
1948 Four Faces West 
1947 The Private Affairs of Bel Ami 
1945 Patrick the Great
1943 Happy Land
1943 I Walked with a Zombie
1942 Meet the Stewarts
1941 A Man Betrayed
1941 So Ends Our Night
1939 Coast Guard
1938 If I Were King
1937 Wells Fargo
1937 Souls at Sea
1936 Come and Get It 
1936 Half Angel 
1935 The Gay Deception 
1935 Becky Sharp 
1934 Of Human Bondage 
1934 Finishing School 
1934 Coming-Out Party 
1934 Keep 'Em Rolling
1933 Blood Money 
1933 Little Women
1933 Headline Shooter
1933 One Man's Journey 
1933 The Silver Cord
1933 King of the Jungle
1933 The Crime of the Century 
1932 If I Had a Million
1932 The Night of June 13th
1932 Love Is a Racket 
1932 The Strange Case of Clara Deane
1932 Sky Bride 
1932 This Reckless Age 
1931 Working Girls 
1931 Nice Women
1931 Rich Man's Folly 
1931 Caught
1931 An American Tragedy 
1931 June Moon
1930 Along Came Youth
1930 Playboy of Paris 
1930 Follow Thru 
1930 Monte Carlo 
1930 Manslaughter 
1930 A Man from Wyoming 
1930 True to the Navy 
1929 Words and Music