She was educated at Barnard College, studied dance and worked on stage and TV before making her film debut as a sexy Southern majorette in Elia Kazan's A Face in the Crowd. Her next role was also southern: Eula Varner in The Long, Hot Summer. She emerged as a real star in the role of an apparent rape victim in Anatomy of a Murder. And she won an Academy Award nomination for her role as the alcoholic wife of Jack Lemmon in Days of Wine and Roses. After more work in TV and movies, she moved to England in 1970, making more movies there. In 1988 she formed a production company with partners James Garner and Peter K. Duchow.



Mother of Matt Colleran (born 1961) and Kate Sullivan (born January 1st 1959) with Bill Colleran. Her son, Matt Colleran, was a founding member of Los Angeles rock band Mary's Danish. He wrote (with Gretchen Seager) the band's biggest hit, "Don't Crash the Car Tonight." Measurements: 34-21-34 (in 1959), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) In 1962, Lee, who was with 20th Century Fox, briefly replaced the excessively tardy Marilyn Monroe on the film Something's Got to Give (1962). Lee never got past a few wardrobe fittings. Dean Martin, the film's co-star, refused to work with anyone but Marilyn and threatened to quit. As a result, Marilyn was brought back. The project was eventually scrapped. She was cremated at Westwood Memorial Park and services held at a later date. Elizabeth Taylor attended and eulogies were delivered by good friends Jack Lemmon and Gregory Peck. Her children, Kate and Matt Colleran, sang the title song from one of her Broadway musical shows "Anyone Can Whistle." Was nominated for Broadway's 1966 Tony Award as Best Actress (Dramatic) for "Wait Until Dark." Lee and her husband, Bill Colleran, were good friends of Robert F. Kennedy and John F. Kennedy and frequent visitors to the White House. Lee was also an avid spokesperson for the Democratic Party.