Early Life and Career
Lee was born in Redding, California and grew up in a middle-class family in Sacramento where he attended Valley High School. As he teen, he got involved with the Crips and sold drugs. He turned to acting after being stabbed in the back at age 20 during a fight. Lee attending an acting course and later began performing in Sacramento theaters. He later joined the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he became interested in classic plays. In 1988, he moved to Seattle where he worked with the Seattle Repertory Theatre appearing in The Cider House Rules as Mr. Rose, Spunk as Sweet Back, and A Raisin in the Sun. He also acted in The Kentucky Cycle at the Intiman Theatre and appeared in productions of The Colored Museum, Uncle Vanya, The Meeting as Malcolm X, and as the lead character in Othello.
In 1989, Lee made his film debut in a bit part in short film At a Loose End?. In 1996, Lee guest starred on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and NYPD Blue. In 1997, he appeared in the comedy film Liar Liar, starring Jim Carrey and in the HBO film The Second Civil War. That same year, he also had a recurring role on the CBS crime drama series Brooklyn South. In 1998, he guest starred on Arliss, and in two episodes of Any Day Now.
Lee's last onscreen appearance was on the Season 7 ER episode "Rescue Me" in which he portrayed a drug addicted homeless man. The episode, which aired on November 23, 2000, is dedicated to him.
Read more about this topic: Anthony Dwain Lee
Famous quotes containing the words early, life and/or career:
“Pray be always in motion. Early in the morning go and see things; and the rest of the day go and see people. If you stay but a week at a place, and that an insignificant one, see, however, all that is to be seen there; know as many people, and get into as many houses as ever you can.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“Newspapermen are either drunkards or idealists, Miss Rutledge. I’m afraid I’m both. But however soiled his hands, the journalist goes staggering through life with a beacon raised.”
—Ben Hecht (1893–1964)
“The 19-year-old Diana ... decided to make her career that of wife. Today that can be a very, very iffy line of work.... And what sometimes happens to the women who pursue it is the best argument imaginable for teaching girls that they should always be able to take care of themselves.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)