Bernard Lee (10 January 1908 – 16 January 1981) was a British actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven James Bond films. Born in London, he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. During the 1930s he acted mostly on stage, but after WWII developed a successful film career, including The Third Man (1949), Beat the Devil (1953), The Battle of the River Plate (1956), Dunkirk (1958) and Whistle Down the Wind (1961).