Annabelle Lee

Biography

Annabelle Lee was an American silent film actress born in New Jersey. Daughter of Thomas Morris and Annabelle Morris (also an early vaudeville actress), Annabelle Lee moved with her family to California during the early black and white, silent film era. Born as Toma Annabelle Morris, she later went by Annabelle Maurese, and then assumed her final stage name of Annabelle Lee. Annabelle Lee acted during the 1910s and 1920s alongside the likes of Yakima Canutt, Lorraine Eason, Lester Cuneo and Jack Mower, all who went on to have lengthy film careers and would be later considered among the pioneers of the early western film era. Annabelle Lee was mainly cast in comedy, drama and western 5-reel shorts made by the 'Little Three' or other independent companies during the development of the studio era. Annabelle Lee retired from acting after her last film in 1926 to marry and start a family. She remained a resident of the Los Angeles area until her death in 1989 in Santa Monica, at the age of 85. Annabelle Lee's 4 known titles include: * 1916, The Good Woman (short, drama), Annabelle Maurese cast as "Molly" * 1924, Ridin Mad (silent western), Annabelle Lee cast as "Beth Carson" * 1925, Heart o' the West (silent western), Annabelle Lee cast as 'unk' * 1926, Shadows of Broadway (comedy-drama, part of the 'Casey the Cop' series), Annabelle Lee cast as 'the Shoemaker's Daughter"