John Bernard Lee Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
John Bernard Lee (10 January 1908 – 16 January 1981), known as Bernard Lee, was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven Eon-produced James Bond films. Lee's film career spanned 1934 to 1979, though he had appeared on stage from the age of six. He was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Lee appeared in over one hundred films, as well as on stage and television dramatisations. He was known for his roles as authority figures, often playing military characters or policemen, and highlights in his career include The Third Man, The Blue Lamp, The Battle of the River Plate and Whistle Down the Wind.He died of stomach cancer on 16 January 1981, aged 73.
Dr. No, Goldfinger, From Russia with Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Moonraker, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Spy Who Loved Me, Diamonds Are Forever, The Man with the Golden Gun, Live and Let Die, The Third Man, Whistle Down the Wind, The Purple Plain, The Battle of the River Plate, T...
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Edgar Wallace Mysteries, King of the River, Vienna 1900
After losing his wife Gladys in a house fire and most of his money in a mugging, he became suicidally depressed and took to drinking. By chance, he met Richard Burton in a pub shortly thereafter. After hearing of his troubles, Burton wrote Lee a check for $6,000 on the spot. Lee snapped out of his depression, cleared his debts, remarried and continued working up till his death in 1981.
7
Was preparing to reprise the role of "M" in For Your Eyes Only (1981) at the time of his death. As a sign of respect, the script was changed to say that "M" was on leave, rather than recast the role with another actor (which did not occur until Octopussy (1983) in 1983), and scenes originally meant to include "M" were rewritten with other characters, such as "Q" for the confession booth meeting with James Bond (Roger Moore).
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He and Desmond Llewelyn were the only actors in the James Bond series who never retired or were fired from their roles. Their respective roles of M and Q were only recast because of their deaths.
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He was seriously ill during the filming of Live and Let Die (1973), causing the producers to consider replacing him with Kenneth More. However Lee recovered sufficiently to play the character M until Moonraker (1979), the last Bond film made before his death from stomach cancer in 1981.
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While making On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), George Lazenby, who portrayed Bond in the film, was fooling around on horseback and caused Lee to fall into a fence and tear his leg open. As no doctor was available, the local vet stitched the gash up.
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He was notorious for enjoying a drink, but never let this affect his work. During filming of The Third Man (1949), Lee went missing and the director sent crew to trawl the local bars to find him.
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A portrait of him (in the character of "M") can be seen briefly in the background of the MI6 castle in the 007 film The World Is Not Enough (1999).
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He worked as a fruit porter to fund his drama studies.
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Most famous for playing 'M' in the first 11 James Bond films.
$14 Million
