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Frances Dee

Frances Dee

Actor · Died March 6, 2004, aged 94 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Frances Marion Dee (November 26, 1909 – March 6, 2004) was an American screen and television actress. She starred opposite Maurice Chevalier in the early talkie musical Playboy of Paris (1930). She starred in the film An American Tragedy (1931) in a role later recreated by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1951 re-titled remake A Place in the Sun. She also had a prominent role in the classic 1943 Val Lewton psychological horror film I Walked With a Zombie. Dee was the wife of Hollywood star Joel McCrea.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 26, 1909
Died
March 6, 2004 (aged 94)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 51 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 9% in 30 days

What are Frances Dee's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
34%
Bonds
21%
Morality
19%
Power
19%
Survival
5%
Society
2%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 4 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 7 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 5 of 10 analyzed roles.

Ally
5 of 10
Shapeshifter
3 of 10
Hero
2 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Melancholic
8
Warm
4
Romantic
5
Joyful
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Frances Dee's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Frances Dee's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

51 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Gypsy Colt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Em MacWade

  • Mister Scoutmaster(1953)

    as Helen Jordan

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Because of You(1952)

    as Susan Arnold

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Rhoda Stroude

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Reunion in Reno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Mrs. Doris Linaker

  • Payment on Demand(1951)

    as Eileen Benson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Louise

  • Four Faces West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Fay Hollister

  • The Private Affairs of Bel Ami(1947)

    as Marie de Varenne

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Patrick the Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Lynn Andrews

  • Happy Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Agnes Marsh

  • I Walked with a Zombie(1943)

    as Betsy Connell

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Meet the Stewarts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Candace "Candy" Goodwin

  • A Man Betrayed(1941)

    as Sabra Cameron

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • So Ends Our Night(1941)

    as Marie Steiner

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Coast Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Nancy Bliss

  • If I Were King(1938)

    as Katherine de Vaucelles

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Wells Fargo(1937)

    as Justine Pryor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Souls at Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Margaret Tarryton

  • Half Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Allison Lang

  • The Gay Deception(1935)

    as Mirabel

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Becky Sharp(1935)

    as Amelia Sedley

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Of Human Bondage(1934)

    as Sally Athelny

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Finishing School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Virginia Radcliffe

  • Coming Out Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Joyce 'Joy' Stanhope

  • Keep 'Em Rolling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Marjorie Deane

  • Little Women(1933)

    as Meg

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Blood Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Elaine Talbart

  • One Man's Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Joan Stockton

  • Headline Shooter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Jane Mallory

  • The Silver Cord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Hester

  • King of the Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Ann Rogers

  • The Crime of the Century(1933)

    as Doris Brandt

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • If I Had a Million(1932)

    as Mary Wallace

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Night of June 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Ginger Blake

  • Love is a Racket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Mary Wodehouse

  • The Strange Case of Clara Deane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Nancy Deane

  • This Reckless Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Lois Ingals

  • Working Girls(1931)

    as Louise Adams

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Nice Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Jerry Girard

  • Rich Man's Folly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Ann Trumbull

  • An American Tragedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Sondra Finchley

  • Caught (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Kate Winslow

  • June Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Edna Baker

  • Along Came Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Elinor

  • Playboy of Paris(1930)

    as Yvonne Philibert

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Follow Thru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Woman in Ladies' Locker Room (uncredited)

  • Monte Carlo(1930)

    as Receptionist (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • A Man from Wyoming(1930)

    as Nurse (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • True to the Navy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Girl at Table (uncredited)

  • Words and Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Co-Ed (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 51 titles from 1929 to 1954.

Highest rated

Little Women (1933)

Midcredits 83rd

Film career

  • 1932Screen debut· If I Had a Million

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting51 of 51: 51 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

1920s1 · acting1930s35 · acting1940s8 · acting1950s7 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Frances Dee's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th4

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Playboy of Paris (1930)

51st percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Little Women (1933)

Midcredits 83rd · 74% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Frances Dee work with?

People who share at least 2 of Frances Dee's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Stuart Erwin shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles