Andrea Leeds(1913-1984)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
She made only a handful of films within a span of four years
(1936-1940), but gentle, soulful-eyed Andrea Leeds touched hearts with
those few, culminating in an Oscar-nomination for Best Supporting
Actress as the sensitive, aspiring young actress who doesn't survive
the school of hard knocks in the 1937 movie version of
Edna Ferber-George S. Kaufman's
serio-comic play Stage Door (1937).
Andrea was born in Butte, Montana. As her father was
a British-born mining engineer, the family traveled quite extensively
during her "wonder years". Following graduation from UCLA with the
intentions of being a screenwriter, she pursued acting instead and
apprenticed in bit roles under her given name, Antoinette Lees. She
appeared in Hal Roach comedy shorts
with comedian Charley Chase at
this same time before landing better parts in better pictures. She
portrayed another actress hopeful in the fine film
Letter of Introduction (1938),
and gave equally affecting turns in the sentimental drama
The Goldwyn Follies (1938),
Swanee River (1939) (as Mrs. Stephen
Foster), The Real Glory (1939) and
Earthbound (1940), all blessed with
her trademark gentleness, grace and humanity. Personal tragedy struck,
however, when her fiancé, Jack Dunn, then an ice skating partner of
Sonja Henie, died suddenly of a rare disease
in July of 1938, and her once strong interest in her career began to
wane dramatically. More than a year later, Andrea married wealthy
sportsman Robert Stewart Howard, heir to father Charles S. Howard's
racing stables, and gave up her profession completely to raise a
family.
Devoutly religious, Andrea and her husband eventually settled in the
Palm Springs area with their two children, Robert Jr. and Leann, the
latter dying of cancer in 1971. Her life and interests would include
owning and breeding horses. After her husband's death in 1962, she
operated and owned a modest jewelry shop in the Palm Springs area,
designing many of her own pieces. Andrea died of cancer in 1984 at age
70.
(1936-1940), but gentle, soulful-eyed Andrea Leeds touched hearts with
those few, culminating in an Oscar-nomination for Best Supporting
Actress as the sensitive, aspiring young actress who doesn't survive
the school of hard knocks in the 1937 movie version of
Edna Ferber-George S. Kaufman's
serio-comic play Stage Door (1937).
Andrea was born in Butte, Montana. As her father was
a British-born mining engineer, the family traveled quite extensively
during her "wonder years". Following graduation from UCLA with the
intentions of being a screenwriter, she pursued acting instead and
apprenticed in bit roles under her given name, Antoinette Lees. She
appeared in Hal Roach comedy shorts
with comedian Charley Chase at
this same time before landing better parts in better pictures. She
portrayed another actress hopeful in the fine film
Letter of Introduction (1938),
and gave equally affecting turns in the sentimental drama
The Goldwyn Follies (1938),
Swanee River (1939) (as Mrs. Stephen
Foster), The Real Glory (1939) and
Earthbound (1940), all blessed with
her trademark gentleness, grace and humanity. Personal tragedy struck,
however, when her fiancé, Jack Dunn, then an ice skating partner of
Sonja Henie, died suddenly of a rare disease
in July of 1938, and her once strong interest in her career began to
wane dramatically. More than a year later, Andrea married wealthy
sportsman Robert Stewart Howard, heir to father Charles S. Howard's
racing stables, and gave up her profession completely to raise a
family.
Devoutly religious, Andrea and her husband eventually settled in the
Palm Springs area with their two children, Robert Jr. and Leann, the
latter dying of cancer in 1971. Her life and interests would include
owning and breeding horses. After her husband's death in 1962, she
operated and owned a modest jewelry shop in the Palm Springs area,
designing many of her own pieces. Andrea died of cancer in 1984 at age
70.