Frances Dade

Born: 1907-02-14

From Wikipedia Frances Dade, also known early in her career as Lorelei Lee (February 14, 1910 – January 21, 1968), was an American film actress of the late 1920s and 1930s. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dade moved to Hollywood, California in the late 1920s to pursue an acting career. She first caught the attention of Samuel Goldwyn as a member of the touring company of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. He gave her a contract though she later went freelance. Her first film role was in 1928, when she had an uncredited role alongside stars Dorothy Boyd and Mabel Poulton in The Constant Nymph. In 1930 she appeared in four films, including Grumpy. In 1931 Dade was cast in the biggest role of her career, Lucy Weston in Dracula, which starred Bela Lugosi and Helen Chandler. The scene with Bela Lugosi hovering over her prostrate body remains an indelible part of pop culture. That role would catapult her to brief notoriety, and would result in her being selected one of thirteen WAMPAS Baby Stars, including Marian Marsh, Karen Morley, and Marion Shilling, that same year. Despite her performance in Dracula, Dade's film role offers dwindled. She starred in six films in 1931, three of which were horror films. In 1932, she was featured in only one film, Big Town, and she appeared on Broadway in the play Collision. Shortly thereafter, she retired from acting and married wealthy socialite Brock Van Avery. She eventually moved back home to Philadelphia, and went into nursing. She died there in 1968 at the age of 57.


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Dracula

as Lucy Weston
Released: 1931-02-12

British estate agent Renfield travels to Transylvania to meet with the mysterious Count Dracula,...

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Daughter of the Dragon

as Joan Marshall
Released: 1931-09-05

At her Chinese father's bidding, a woman goes to murder an enemy and meets a Scotland Yard...

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The Devil to Pay!

as Bidder for Bed (uncredited)
Released: 1930-12-18

Spendthrift Willie Hale again returns penniless to the family home in London. His father is none...

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Scandal for Sale

as uncredited
Released: 1932-04-01

A man is promised $25,000 if he can bring the circulation of a newspaper up to one million.

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Raffles

as Ethel Crowley
Released: 1930-07-11

A distinguished English gentleman has a secret life--he is the notorious jewel thief the press...

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The She-Wolf

as uncredited
Released: 1931-05-01

An unprincipled female financier tries to get even with a rival railroad buyer.

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Big Town

as Patricia Holman
Released: 1932-12-19

A newspaper owner discovers that his girlfriend's father is the head of the biggest racket in...

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Pleasure

as Joan Channing
Released: 1931-09-01

A novelist and his younger brother fall in love with the same woman.

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Grumpy

as Virginia Bullivant
Released: 1930-08-01

An exhaustingly cantankerous old man solves a jewel robbery.

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Range Law

as Ruth Warren
Released: 1931-10-10

Having escaped from prison, a cowboy looks for the man that framed him.

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Seed

as Nancy
Released: 1931-05-14

Bart is a clerk for a publishing company; he has written a novel. His wife Peggy and he have...

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