Name	Michele Lee
Height	5' 8"
Naionality	American
Date of Birth	24 June 1942
Place of Birth	Los Angeles, California, USA
Famous for

Although she is most notably known as the face of Knots Landing’s Karen Mackenzie, where she starred along side Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark, her expertise spreads far and wide in the field of television as a singer, dancer, actress, producer and director.

Michele Lee was born, Michelle, with two ‘L’s, Lee Dusick in Los Angeles, California on June 24th 1942 to Sylvia and Jack Dusick, a make up artist who worked for MGM Studios in the 50’s and 60’s. Michele grew up, with her younger brother, in Los Angeles and attended Alexander Hamilton High School where she first auditioned as a singer for a band and became their lead singer. Such was Michele’s love for performing that after graduating from high school she decided to follow a career in show business and it was at that time she also changed the double LL in her name to a simple L.
Lee’s career was almost instant with her role in the 1950’s sitcom, ‘The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis’ which saw her starring with a young Warren Beatty. By the age of eighteen she was busy carving out a career on Broadway appearing in musicals and plays such as ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ ‘Parade’ where she starred with Tony Roberts and the Tony Award nominated ‘Bravo Giovanni’. Michele’s success in life was completed when she met her husband to be, actor James Farentino who she married in 1974 and with whom she had a son.

Lee’s love of performing led her to make singing appearances on The Danny Kaye Show and The Carol Burnett Show. Such was her popularity and talent that she was signed with Columbia Records from 1967 through 1968. Michele’s success in ‘How to Succeed…….’ Led to her film roles in ‘The Love Bug’ with Dean Jones and ‘The Comic’ with Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney.

In 1969 NBC released a television production of ‘Roberta’ which was presented by Bob Hope, who reprised his original stage role and in which Michele starred and sang the old Platters song, ‘Smoke Gets in your Eyes’. However, after this she retreated from acting until 1974 when she accepted a role in the Broadway production of ‘Seesaw’ which saw her being Tony nominated and appearing with Ken Howard.

Later in the 1970’s Michele revived her career and became a much sought after actress and made appearances in ‘Marcus Welby, MD’ with James Brolin and Sharon Gless, ‘Fantasy Island’ with Ricardo Montalban and ‘The Love Boat’ which also starred Sonny Bono, Barbi Benton and Lisa Hartman.

Throughout the 1970’s, so great was Michele’s talent that she was frequently seen on numerous game shows such as ‘Hollywood Squares’, ‘This is your Life’, ‘What’s My Line’ and ‘The Gong Show’. But it was 1979 that really saw Michele entering the households of both the United States and the United Kingdom’s homes when she took on the role of Karen Mackenzie in the long running ‘Knots Landing’. The well received spin-off of the much loved ‘Dallas’ which starred Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and their errant brother Gary Ewing played by Ted Shackelford. Ted was the main linking character between the two shows where his screen wife was played by Joan Van Ark and her best friend was Michele Lee’s character, Karen.

It was during her period on ‘Knots Landing’ that her marriage failed and she and James Farentino divorced leaving Michele a single parent which mirrored her role in ‘Knots Landing’. Following the folding of ‘Knots Landing’ Michele returned to movies when she was offered the role of Dottie West, country singer, in ‘Big Dreams and Broken Hearts’ which saw Michele starring and singing with Kenny Rogers.

With increasing years, it was only natural that Michele should begin to take on the less glamorous, romantic roles when she accepted the part of Ben Stiller’s mother in ‘Along Came Polly’ which also starred Jennifer Aniston as Ben’s love interest.

Michele and her son now live in New York.