Lee Phillip Bell is a former
talk show host and
soap opera creator.
Lee Phillip Bell is one of the most notable graduates from what is now known as Riverside-Brookfield High School in Riverside, Illinois. Ms. Bell received a degree in microbiology from
Northwestern University. While she worked part time in her family floral shop she accompanied her brother to the local television station where he worked on a local talk show demonstrating flower arrangement. After a time she took over this job from him and pursued other positions at the station (
WBBM-TV Chicago) before being given her own show
The Lee Phillip Show. This show is notable in that it was the first to show an on air self breast examination. She was a popular host and received 16 local
Emmy Awards, her show ran from 1952 to 1986.
She married
William J. Bell in 1954, which lasted until his
death in 2005. During the early days of their marriage he was writing soap operas like
Guiding Light,
As the World Turns and
Another World with
Irna Phillips. Lee would learn about important issue via her television show and pass them along to her husband who in turn weaved them into his storylines.