Mary Lee

Mary Lee

Mary Lee was born on October 24, 1924 in Centralia, Illinois, USA as Mary Lee Wooters. She was an actress, known for Ridin' on a Rainbow (1941), Nancy Drew... Reporter(1939) and Three Little Sisters (1944). She was married to Harry J. Banan. She died on June 6, 1996 in Sacramento, California, USA. Interred at Sierra Hills Memorial Park in Sacramento, California. Appeared in a few short features for Republic in 1941, including one entitled Meet the Stars #5: Hollywood Meets the Navy (1941). Frequent sagebrush co-star for Gene Autry in the 40s. A CD of her rare soundtrack performances was issued by Varese Sarabande and is available from the Gene Autry Museum. Mary Lee had two sisters, Vera and Norma Jean, who were also performers. Ted Weems saw them perform together and hired Mary Lee to sing with the Ted Weems Orchestra for two years in the late '30s. Later, Vera worked as a secretary in Gene Autry's office, and Norma Jean also became an actress in Westerns. Republic Studios promoted Mary as "America's Little Sweetheart". The middle of three daughters born to an Illinois barber. The three girls did a singing sister act for local events. Mary quickly went solo as a teenager and was later signed up for Ted Weems Orchestra. Appeared in nine Gene Autry westerns as a teenager in which she sang and provided mild comedy relief. The singing cowboy heard her on a Ted Weems radio broadcast and influenced Republic to sign her up. She later appeared on Autry's radio show "Melody Ranch" and when Autry went off to war duty, appeared in a couple of Roy Rogers westerns. One sister, Vera, later worked as a secretary for Autry's Flying "A" Productions. The other, Norma Jean, also acted in westerns. Had two children, Harry Philip and Laura L., with husband Harry J. Banan. She retired from films not long after they married. In later years she worked at Bank of America.

  • Title: Mary Lee
  • Popularity: 2.321
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1924-10-24
  • Place of Birth: Centralia, Illinois, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Mary Lee Wooters
img

Mary Lee Movies

  • 1939
    imgMovies

    Nancy Drew... Reporter

    Nancy Drew... Reporter

    6.2 1939 HD

    While participating in a contest at a local newspaper in which school children are asked to submit a news story, local attorney Carson Drew's...

    img
  • 1944
    imgMovies

    Cowboy and the Senorita

    Cowboy and the Senorita

    5 1944 HD

    Chip has inherited a supposedly worthless gold mine from her father and Craig Allen is about to buy it. Roy suspects the mine may be valuable and...

    img
  • 1939
    imgMovies

    South of the Border

    South of the Border

    5 1939 HD

    A federal agent and his partner hang out in Mexico to check a revolution.

    img
  • 1944
    imgMovies

    Song of Nevada

    Song of Nevada

    6 1944 HD

    When John Barrabbee's plane makes an emergency landing, he wanders off and joins Roy's cattle drive. Later he learns he was killed when his plane...

    img
  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Back in the Saddle

    Back in the Saddle

    5.5 1941 HD

    Gene returns from the East with new ranch owner Tom Bennett to find everyone's cattle dying. Blaine has reopened the copper mine and the waste is...

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Rancho Grande

    Rancho Grande

    1 1940 HD

    A ranch foreman (Gene Autry) helps three youngsters protect their inheritance from foreclosure.

    img
  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Angels with Broken Wings

    Angels with Broken Wings

    3.7 1941 HD

    Charlotte Lord, a widow in her early forties and owner of Manhattan's smartest modiste shop, is about to marry Guy Barton, a wealthy businessman. But...

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Carolina Moon

    Carolina Moon

    5 1940 HD

    A singing cowboy and his sidekick encounter misunderstandings and rodeo havoc as they try and save a man and daughter from con men.

    img
  • 1941
    imgMovies

    The Singing Hill

    The Singing Hill

    1 1941 HD

    If a young lady gives up her inheritance the local ranchers will lose their free grazing land.

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

    Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

    4 1940 HD

    Gene inherits a meat-packing plant, then faces stiff competition from snooty Ann Randolph, rival owner determined to do him in.

    img
  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Nobody's Darling

    Nobody's Darling

    1 1943 HD

    Ugly duckling Janie Farnsworth is a student at Pennington High School, and has a crush on Charles Grant, Jr., who is the writer and producer of the...

    img
  • 1944
    imgMovies

    Three Little Sisters

    Three Little Sisters

    1 1944 HD

    The three Scott sisters, Susie, Hallie and Lily, live in the small town of Riverdale with their father Tom, a handyman whose laziness is legendary....

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Barnyard Follies

    Barnyard Follies

    5 1940 HD

    A country orphanage puts on a show with some musicians to save their 4H club from being shut down by greedy politicians.

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Melody and Moonlight

    Melody and Moonlight

    5 1940 HD

    Jane Frazee made her starring film debut in the Republic B-plus musical Melody and Moonlight. The plot is motivated by the show-biz aspirations of...

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Gaucho Serenade

    Gaucho Serenade

    1 1940 HD

    Gene Autry and sidekick Frog Millhouse depart Madison Square Garden and NYC heading west for home in their car and a horse trailer carrying Gene's...

    img
  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Shantytown

    Shantytown

    6 1943 HD

    Liz lives with her mother and stepfather in a boarding house on the "wrong side of the tracks"

    img
  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Melody Ranch

    Melody Ranch

    5.5 1940 HD

    His Arizona hometown of Torpedo invites Gene back to be the honorary sheriff of the Frontier Days Celebration.

    img
  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Ridin' on a Rainbow

    Ridin' on a Rainbow

    5 1941 HD

    When the showboat hits town, two men use the parade as a distraction to rob the bank. Their accomplice is Pop, the clown from the showboat. He leaves...

    img