Duke R. Lee

{{short description|American actor}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Duke R. Lee

| image = Duke R. Lee - In the Days of Buffalo Bill (1922).jpg

| caption = Lee in In the Days of Buffalo Bill (1922)

| birth_date = {{birth date|1881|5|13}}

| birth_place = Prince Henry County, Virginia

| death_date = {{death date and age|1959|4|1|1881|5|13}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California

| years_active = 1913–1946

| occupation = Actor

}}

Duke R. Lee (May 13, 1881 – April 1, 1959) was an American actor.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-HTgAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Duke+R.+Lee%22+actor|title=Will Rogers' Weekly Articles: The Hoover years, 1929–1931|first1=Will|last1=Rogers|first2=James|last2=Smallwood|first3=Steven K.|last3=Gragert|date=May 26, 1982|publisher=Oklahoma State University Press|isbn=9780914956211|access-date=May 26, 2019|via=Google Books}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jWZbAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Duke+R.+Lee%22+actor|title=Will Rogers Weekly Articles (The Roosevelt Years 1933-1935)|date=May 26, 1982|isbn=9780914956211|access-date=May 26, 2019|via=Google Books|last1=Rogers|first1=Will|publisher=Oklahoma State University Press }}

Lee's career began when he performed in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and he later played Buffalo Bill on film.{{cite news |title=Veteran Character Actor Dies at 78 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82193068/duke-r-lee/ |access-date=July 26, 2021 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |agency=United Press International |date=April 3, 1959 |page=24|via = Newspapers.com}} He appeared in more than 90 films between 1913 and 1946.{{Citation needed |date=July 2021}} In the mid-1910s, he had a vaudeville company, The Duke R. Lee Road Show, that played throughout the western United States.{{cite news |title=Duke R. Lee's Road Show pleases play lovers at Bradley, remains tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82192450/duke-r-lee/ |access-date=July 26, 2021 |work=Elko Independent |date=June 20, 1916 |location=Nevada, Elko |page=4}}

In 1935, Lee was announcer and master of ceremonies for Tom Mix's traveling show. He also had a radio program that was broadcast on NBC and CBS.{{cite magazine |title=Gossip of the Dressing Rooms: Tom Mix |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/30s/1935/Billboard-1935-06-01-OCR.pdf#page=41 |access-date=July 26, 2021 |magazine=Billboard |date=June 1, 1935 |page=41}}

He was born in Virginia and died in Los Angeles, California.