Lee Stanley(I)
- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Lee got his first supporting role in Hotel (1967) after reading a scene
opposite a friend as a favor in an audition for the film. His first
screen test was a love scene with Karen Black which led him to become an
actor under contract with MGM Studios, where he co-starred in Ice Station Zebra (1968)
with Rock Hudson as well as various Aaron Spelling productions. After years of
acting, Lee found a passion for working behind the camera and, in 1971,
directed his first feature film, On the Line (1971). His son, Shane Stanley, was the
youngest to ever receive an Emmy Award when he was 16 years old for his
work on Desperate Passage (1987), which Lee directed and won two Emmys for. That special
launched The Desperate Passage Series, which was nominated for
thirty-three Emmys and won thirteen over a six year period. Daughter
Quinn Kaufman, from Lee's first marriage, is the granddaughter of legendary
songwriter Johnny Burke of the Burke & Van Heusen team, (Misty, Pennies From
Heaven, Swingin' on a Star). His film Street Pirates (1994) won him a CINE Golden
Eagle Award for Best Documentary. Lee received The Christopher Award as
well as many other top humanitarian honors for his work with America's
probated youth, which were the theme for many of his TV specials. Lee
wrote and directed Held for Ransom (2000) starring Dennis Hopper based on the novel by
Lois Duncan I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) as well as co-writing and directing Carman: The Champion (2001) which
starred Michael Nouri Patricia Manterola and long time friend Jed Allan.
Lee just completed working with his Emmy Award winning son, Shane Stanley on Break Even, a feature film to be
released in 2020.