Anna Lee, the English born actress who whose 70-year career in movies and television saw her develop from a vivacious blonde leading lady of British cinema to a 25-year stint as the matriarch Lila Quartermaine on the daytime serial General Hospital, died on May 14 of pneumonia at her home in Beverly Hills. She was 91.

The daughter of a clergyman, Anna Lee was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith on January 2, 1913 in Kent, England. After training at London's Royal Albert Hall, she did some stage work before getting her start in films as an extra in 1932. Lee's perky charm and classic beauty saw her move up the ranks quickly from the status to leading lady. By the mid-'30s, Lee hit her stride with some fine and varied roles: she held her own against Conrad Veidt in the compelling boarding house drama, The Passing of the Third Floor Back; offered fine support to Jessie Matthews in the cult, gender-bending musical, First a Girl (both 1935); was an effective foil to Boris Karloff in the chiller, The Man Who Changed His Mind (1936); proved herself a game action heroine in King Solomon's Mines (1937); and displayed fine comic chops in the slick, Hitchcockian caper, Non-Stop New York (both 1937).

Lee relocated to Hollywood in the late-'30s, and after a few minor films, struck gold in John Ford's How Green Was My Valley (1941). Although never a front rank leading lady in American cinema, she still worked steadily in a score of well received hits in the '40s: Flesh and Fantasy (1943), Bedlam (1946), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir(1947), and for Ford again in Fort Apache (1948).

When the film offers dried up, television came calling. In the '50s, Lee had guest spots in numerous programs: Wagon Train, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Perry Mason, and 77 Sunset Strip. Lee would occasionally return to films, particularly for John Ford: The Horse Soldiers (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and Seven Women (1965). She was also memorable as Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music (1965).

It was back to television in the '70s for Lee, playing supporting parts in numerous television movies and guest appearances in show like Mission Impossible and The Streets of San Francisco, before she snatched the part of Lila Quartermaine in 1978 on the soap opera General Hospital. She remained with the serial until her death.

Among her honors, Lee received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993. She is survived by a sister, Ruth, two sons, two daughters, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.