Robert Edwin Lee (October 15, 1918 – July 8, 1994) was an American playwright and lyricist. In the early years of World War II, Lee partnered with Jerome Lawrence to create Armed Forces Radio while serving together in the U.S. Army. Lawrence and Lee became the most prolific writing partnership in radio, with such long-running series as Favorite Story among others.

Life and career

Lee was born in Elyria, Ohio, the son of Elvira (née Taft), a teacher, and C. Melvin Lee, an engineer. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University.

The Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, a theater research facility and archive was dedicated in Lawrence and Lee's honor at the Ohio State University in 1986.

Personal life

Lee was married to actress Janet Waldo (the voice of many well-known cartoon characters, including Judy Jetson) from 1948 until his death in 1994. Together they had two children, Jonathan Barlow Lee, the production manager for Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and Lucy Lee, who teaches Clinical Management Communication at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, in Los Angeles.