Anthony Lee (actor)  Anthony Dwain Lee (July 17, 1961 – October 28, 2000) was an American actor and playwright. He began his career in the 1980s appearing in numerous stage productions, and in guest roles on television and in films. While attending a Halloween party in October 2000, Lee was fatally shot by a Los Angeles Police Department officer. Lee's death, and the circumstances surrounding it, garnered significant national and international media attention. Lee was born in Redding, California and grew up in a middle-class family in Sacramento where he attended Valley High School. Lee began acting at the age of 20 in a community acting class that performed productions at retirement and assisted living homes. His first professional productions were at The Sacramento Theater Company. In 1986, he traveled to Ashland, Oregon and auditioned at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) a nationally and internationally known Regional Equity theater. He was cast the following season at OSF with a ten month contract. Lee starred in "Master Harold and the Boys", playing Willie, and a had a lead role in a Carson McCullers' play. Lee met his future wife, Serena Scholl, also an actress, at OSF. They moved to Sacramento then to Seattle in 1988 where they married on August 8, 1988. The move was precipitated by Lee being cast by Tim Bond in, "The Colored Museum", at The Empty Space Theater. Lee continued working in stage productions at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. He appeared in "The Cider House Rules" as Mr. Rose, as Sweet Back in "Spunk" and in a role in "A Raisin in the Sun". He also acted in "The Kentucky Cycle" at the Intiman Theatre, and appeared in productions of "The Colored Museum", "Uncle Vanya", "The Meeting" as Malcolm X, and as the lead character in "Othello". He won the 1995 LAWeekly award for "Best Actor" in Mitch Hale's "Buffalo Soldier" at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood. Lee's last onscreen appearance was on the Season 7 "ER" episode "Rescue Me" in which he portrayed a homeless man. The episode, which aired on November 23, 2000, is dedicated to him. Lee was raised a Baptist, but began practicing Nichiren Buddhism with the Soka Gakkai International in 1986 in Sacramento. He and his wife, Serena Scholl, both practiced Buddhism with the SGI-USA and were active members and leaders, supporting other practitioners.