Christopher Lee Dead: Actor's Most Iconic Roles | Hollywood Reporter Arno Burgi/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Christopher Lee The British star, who died this week aged 93, played on-screen villians from Dracula and Frankenstein to Fu Manchu, Scaramanga, Saruman and Count Dooku. Christopher Lee's 1977 autobiography was titled Tall, Dark and Gruesome, and the British actor, who died this past weekend at age 93, will be remembered most for his iconic movie villains. Sir Lee (he was knighted in 2009) did them all: from the lurching Frankenstein's monster, Mummy and Dracula monsters of the Hammer Films franchises of the 1950s, to the racially insensitive “evil Oriental” Fu Manchu in the 1960s and James Bond nemesis Scaramanga in the 1970s to his late-career revival as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel films.

Johnny Depp cited Lee as one of his main influences (the two appeared together in Tim Burton's films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow and Dark Shadows), and the British actor looms large over the world of horror and genre movies. Here's a look at some of his most iconic roles. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), The Horror of Dracula (1958), The Mummy (1959) Lee and Britain's Hammer Films jolted the horror genre back to life with this trio of monster movies. He played Dracula in a total of 10 films and is arguably the actor most closely associated with the Prince of Darkness. But Lee disliked being called a “horror legend.” The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) The same year that Lee stumbled across the screen as the Mummy, he starred as the new owner of Baskerville Hall in the remake of the The Hound of the Baskervilles. Lee's best friend and frequent co-star Peter Cushing played Sherlock Holmes in that version, but Lee appeared as the legendary detective three times on screen.

He also starred as the London detective's smarter brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s spoof The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes in 1970. The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) Lee's yellowface performance as Sax Rohmer’s Asian evil genius with the distinctive drooping mustache is the role most likely to cause cringing on re-viewing. But at the time, in the 1960s, Lee's Fu Manchu was a hit, and the actor reprised the role in five films. The Wicker Man (1973), The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) Two of Lee's most iconic performances are on opposite sides of the cinematic scale: as the wild-haired neo-pagan Lord Summerisle in the 1973 horror classic The Wicker Man (ill-advisedly remade with Nicolas Cage in 2006); and as the one-shot assassin Scaramanga in 1974 Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun (1974). Interesting, James Bond creator Ian Fleming was Lee's cousin, and the author had originally wanted the British actor to play the title villain in the first 007 film, Dr.

No (1962). The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005) The autumn of Lee's career saw him acting in the biggest film franchises of the new century, playing white wizard Saruman in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Sith Lord Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel films. The actor also voiced the same characters in LOTR and Star Wars video game spinoffs. The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) But for all his onscreen evil, Sir Lee retained a sense of humor about himself and his career. He had a sharp, self-deprecating wit and a love of the offbeat. This was clear in his second career — in music. Lee appeared in operas, recorded two heavy metal concept albums and, in this cult clip, sang a tribute to the glories of alcohol in the otherwise forgettable The Return of Captain Invincible (1983).

Christopher Lee's Most Iconic Roles Christopher Lee's Most Iconic Roles Tweet Share Christopher Lee's 1977 autobiography was titled Tall, Dark and Gruesome, and the British actor, who died this past weekend at age 93, will be remembered most for his iconic movie villains. Sir Lee (he was knighted in 2009) did them all: from the lurching Frankenstein's monster, Mummy and Dracula monsters of the Hammer Films franchises of the 1950s, to the racially insensitive “evil Oriental” Fu Manchu in the 1960s and James Bond nemesis Scaramanga in the 1970s to his late-career revival as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel films. Johnny Depp cited Lee as one of his main influences (the two appeared together in Tim Burton's films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow and Dark Shadows), and the British actor looms large over the world of horror and genre movies. Here's a look at some of his most iconic roles.

Read MoreHollywood's Notable Deaths of 2015 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), The Horror of Dracula (1958), The Mummy (1959) Lee and Britain's Hammer Films jolted the horror genre back to life with this trio of monster movies. He played Dracula in a total of 10 films and is arguably the actor most closely associated with the Prince of Darkness. But Lee disliked being called a “horror legend.” The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) The same year that Lee stumbled across the screen as the Mummy, he starred as the new owner of Baskerville Hall in the remake of the The Hound of the Baskervilles. Lee's best friend and frequent co-star Peter Cushing played Sherlock Holmes in that version, but Lee appeared as the legendary detective three times on screen. He also starred as the London detective's smarter brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s spoof The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes in 1970.

The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) Lee's yellowface performance as Sax Rohmer’s Asian evil genius with the distinctive drooping mustache is the role most likely to cause cringing on re-viewing. But at the time, in the 1960s, Lee's Fu Manchu was a hit, and the actor reprised the role in five films. The Wicker Man (1973), The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) Two of Lee's most iconic performances are on opposite sides of the cinematic scale: as the wild-haired neo-pagan Lord Summerisle in the 1973 horror classic The Wicker Man (ill-advisedly remade with Nicolas Cage in 2006); and as the one-shot assassin Scaramanga in 1974 Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun (1974). Interesting, James Bond creator Ian Fleming was Lee's cousin, and the author had originally wanted the British actor to play the title villain in the first 007 film, Dr. No (1962).

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005) The autumn of Lee's career saw him acting in the biggest film franchises of the new century, playing white wizard Saruman in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Sith Lord Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel films. The actor also voiced the same characters in LOTR and Star Wars video game spinoffs. The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) But for all his onscreen evil, Sir Lee retained a sense of humor about himself and his career. He had a sharp, self-deprecating wit and a love of the offbeat. This was clear in his second career — in music. Lee appeared in operas, recorded two heavy metal concept albums and, in this cult clip, sang a tribute to the glories of alcohol in the otherwise forgettable The Return of Captain Invincible (1983).

Twitter:@sroxborough Christopher Lee Biography (Actor) Best known as: Saruman in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy Name at birth: Christopher Frank Caradini Lee After a long and distinguished career as one of the biggest stars of horror and fantasy films, Christopher Lee gained fresh fame with movie audiences as Saruman the White in the Lord of the Rings trilogy of films, and as Darth Tyranus in the Star Wars epics Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). Christopher Lee began making movies in 1947. Lean and brooding, with a face that carried a bit of a cruel streak, Lee for many years played mostly villains and monsters, thanks in part to a long association with the United Kingdom's Hammer Films. His best-known role was the vampire Dracula, which he played in 10 films ranging from Dracula (1958) to Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) to Dracula and Son (1976).

But his remarkable filmography included more than 250 films, including The Mummy (1959); The Hands of Orlac (1961); The Gorgon (1964); The Face of Fu Manchu (1962); The Devil Rides Out (1968); The Wicker Man (1973); The Three Musketeers (1973, co-starring Faye Dunaway ); The Man With The Golden Gun (1974, with Roger Moore as Bond and Lee playing the titular assassin, Scaramanga); Airport '77 (1977, starring Jack Lemmon ); and Sleepy Hollow (1999, with Johnny Depp ). In 1977 he published his autobiography, Tall, Dark and Gruesome, and his career seemed to be on the wane. But in the 21st century he was introduced to a new generation of fans in the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings films.

In the latter he played the villainous wizard Saruman in The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003). He reprised the role for the prequels The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 2001 and then knighted in 2009. Extra credit: Christopher Lee was 6’5″ tall according to most sources, although others list him as 6’4″… Christopher Lee made nearly two dozen movies with his friend and fellow horror star Peter Cushing. Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved. Advertisement Advertisement Christopher Lee's Most Iconic Roles - YouTube Christopher Lee's Most Iconic Roles Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now.

Please try again later. Published on Jun 11, 2015 Christopher Lee's 1977 autobiography was titled Tall, Dark and Gruesome, and the British actor, will be remembered most for his iconic movie villains.Lee who died this weekend at age 93 Sir Lee was knighted in 2009. He played a long list of villians during his long career. From the lurching Frankenstein, Mummy and Dracula monsters of the Hammer Films franchises of the 1950s, to the so-called “evil Oriental” Fu Manchu in the 1960s and James Bond nemesis Scaramanga in the 1970s to his late-career revival as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel films. There weren't many bad guy roles that Lee missed. And he will be missed by his legions of fans. Christopher Lee | Television Academy Television Academy Date of passing: June 07, 2015 Christopher Lee was a British actor best known for playing villains in a wide variety of films and television series.

With more than 275 credits to his name, Lee had many career highlights, including recurring roles in the Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Star Wars franchises. He also appeared as Scaramanga, the villain in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, and had roles as Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Fu Manchu. In Lord of the Rings he appeared as Saruman, the white wizard, and the most powerful one of the five Istari sent to Middle-Earth. Lee was also the only member of the Lord of the Rings cast to boast having actually met the author of the series, J.R.R. Tolkien. In the Star Wars franchise Lee played Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyranus. He also appeared in four of director Tim Burton’s films: Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Dark Shadows. After serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II, Lee got his start in acting after landing a contract with the British entertainment company, the Rank Organisation. His big break came in 1957, when he scored the title role in The Curse of Frankenstein.

With a slim 6’5” frame and deep voice, Lee was perfectly cast, and continued to find success with evil, murderous characters, especially Dracula, whom he would play 10 times. He recounted the trials of his height and villainous association in his 1977 autobiography, Tall, Dark and Gruesome. Although most of his credits came in British productions, he did appear in some American television productions, including Chevron Hall of Stars, Rheingold Theatre (presented by Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), Tales of the Vikings, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Charlie’s Angels, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Street Gear and The New Adventures of Robin Hood. In 1978 he hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live with musical guest Meat Loaf. Christopher Lee was a British actor best known for playing villains in a wide variety of films and television series. With more than 275 credits to his name, Lee had many career highlights, including recurring roles in the Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Star Wars franchises.

He also appeared as Scaramanga, the villain in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, and had roles as Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Fu Manchu. In Lord of the Rings he appeared as Saruman, the white wizard, and the most powerful one of the five Istari sent to Middle-Earth. Lee was also the only member of the Lord of the Rings cast to boast having actually met the author of the series, J.R.R. Tolkien. In the Star Wars franchise Lee played Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyranus. He also appeared in four of director Tim Burton’s films: Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Dark Shadows. After serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II, Lee got his start in acting after landing a contract with the British entertainment company, the Rank Organisation. His big break came in 1957, when he scored the title role in The Curse of Frankenstein.

With a slim 6’5” frame and deep voice, Lee was perfectly cast, and continued to find success with evil, murderous characters, especially Dracula, whom he would play 10 times. He recounted the trials of his height and villainous association in his 1977 autobiography, Tall, Dark and Gruesome. Although most of his credits came in British productions, he did appear in some American television productions, including Chevron Hall of Stars, Rheingold Theatre (presented by Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), Tales of the Vikings, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Charlie’s Angels, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Street Gear and The New Adventures of Robin Hood. In 1978 he hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live with musical guest Meat Loaf. Lee, who did most of his own stunts, was an expert swordsman and golfer; he even appeared in operas. He was knighted in 2009, recorded a heavy-metal concept album in 2010 (Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross) and he received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2011 for his career in film.

Lee died June 7, 2015, in Chelsea, London, England. He was 93. Christopher Lee Fast Facts - CNN.com Christopher Lee Fast Facts CNN Library Updated 1:49 PM ET, Thu April 28, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. JUST WATCHED Horror master, legendary villain Christopher Lee 02:33 Here's a look at British actor Christopher Lee.

Personal: Birth date: May 27, 1922 Death date: June 7, 2015 Birthplace: London, England Birth name: Christopher Frank Carandini Lee Read More Father: Geoffrey Lee, a professional soldier Mother: Contessa Estelle Marie Carandini di Sarzano Marriage: Birgit "Gitte" Kroencke Lee (March 17, 1961 - June 7, 2015, his death) Children: Christina Ericka, November 23, 1963 Military Service: Royal Air Force and Special Forces, 1941-1946, Flight Lieutenant Other Facts: Worked with British Intelligence in World War II. Only member of the cast of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy who met author J.R.R. Tolkien. Lee is a distant relative by his mother's second marriage, to Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond. Timeline: 1939-1941 - Works as an office clerk until joining the RAF during World War II. 1947 - Joins the Rank Organization acting school, often called "The Charm School," a British program that groomed new acting talent.

1948 - First movie "Corridor of Mirrors" is released. 1957 - Begins working with Hammer Film Productions, the start of his horror film career. "The Curse of Frankenstein" is released that same year. 1958 - "Horror of Dracula" is released, the first time Lee portrays Count Dracula. 1965 - The first of Dr. Fu Manchu movies, "The Face of Fu Manchu," is released. 1974 - Appears as James Bond's nemesis in "The Man with the Golden Gun". 1977 - His autobiography, "Tall, Dark and Gruesome," is published. 2001 - In recognition of his contributions to film, he receives the Commander of the Order of the British Empire award. 2002 - Stars in two of the year's top grossing movies, "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers." 2003 - His autobiography is re-released with a new title, "Lord of Misrule: The Autobiography of Christopher Lee." 2009 - Is made a Knight of the British Empire .

February 2011 - Receives the Academy Fellowship, the highest honor, at the Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). 2012 - Reprises his role as Saruman from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in part one of "The Hobbit" trilogy, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." May 27, 2013 - Releases his "100 percent heavy metal" album, "Charlemagne: The Omens of Death", a follow-up to the more symphonic "Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross from 2010. December 2013 - Releases a second heavy metal Christmas album, "A Heavy Metal Christmas Too," a follow-up to his 2012 "A Heavy Metal Christmas." June 7, 2015 - Christopher Lee passes away after being hospitalized for respiratory issues and heart failure.

Tall Dark And Gruesome: Amazon.co.uk: Sir Christopher Lee: 9780575064973: Books Tall Dark And Gruesome Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Apple To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. or Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here , or download a FREE Kindle Reading App . Product details Publisher: W&N; New edition edition (6 Nov.

1997) Language: English Product Dimensions: 16.4 x 2.8 x 24.1 cm Average Customer Review: By A Customer on 14 May 1999 Format: Hardcover When I was nine years old, my father, a newspaper editor in Boston, brought home a couple of 16mm films for the weekend. He had become friendly with a film-rental proprietor and there being no business on the weekends in those days, she let him take whatever he wanted as long as it was back by Monday morning. He in turn got her great tickets to Fenway Park. I didn't know it then, but it was the beginning of several years of great film watching in our family, and the technological convenience of video since that time has not surpassed the experience of watching a wide film screen in your own living room. That first weekend, the two films were Gunga Din, the classic with Cary Grant and Douglas Fairbanks Jr--and the Skull, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The latter film caught my imagination. And on the next weekend, my father brought home The Devil Rides Out and Dracula Prince of Darkness.

It took me a while at that tender age, so caught up in the gothic horror, to realize that the actor who played the fiendish non-speaking Count in one film, was the elegant and sophisticated Duc de Richlieu in the other. Over the years since then I have always enjoyed catching Christopher Lee in his various performances, and it was a treat, through Amazon UK, to be able to get his autobiography--and find out what an adventurous and humorous life he has led. He recounts his years in the R.A.F. with humor and dignity. It makes his subsequent struggles in the world of British entertainment all the more poignant, particularly in these days when the entire business has become so corrupted by huge conglomerates and agencies. Having become a writer of novels and screenplays myself, I can attest personally to that. An entertaining read for anyone interested in the evolution of cinema and television since WWII. JF Christopher Lee Dead: Horror Icon and Legendary Movie Villain Was 93 | Hollywood Reporter Angelika Warmuth/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Christopher Lee Among the bad guys played by the British star: Dracula, Fu Manchu, Scaramanga, Saruman and Count Dooku.

Christopher Lee, the mystical British actor whose haunting, intimidating performances as Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Fu Manchu made him an icon of horror films and the cinematic embodiment of villainy, has died. He was 93. According to media reports, Lee died Sunday morning at Westminster Hospital in London after being admitted for respiratory problems and heart failure. The Guardian reported that his wife, former Danish model and painter Gitte Kroencke, decided to release the news days later in order to inform family members first. The couple had been married since 1961. Lee, who as bad guy Scaramanga battled Roger Moore’s James Bond in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), re-ignited his career in his late 70s with what would be recurring roles in the Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Star Wars franchises. "Such sad news to hear that Sir Christopher Lee has passed away," BAFTA said in a tweet Thursday. "In 2011, Sir Christopher Lee received the BAFTA Fellowship for his outstanding career in film." Incredibly, the London native had more than 275 credits on IMDb, making him perhaps the most prolific feature-film actor in history.

He did many of his own stunts, likely appeared in more onscreen swordfights than anyone else and was the only member of the Lord of the Rings cast to have actually met author J.R.R. Tolkien, who was born in 1892. With his gaunt 6-foot-5 frame and deep, strong voice, Lee was best at playing characters — slave traders, crazed kings, vampires, demented professors — who were evil, murderous, dour and unrepentantly ruthless. Starting with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Horror of Dracula (1958), Lee, like a mad scientist, helped Hammer Films bring the genre of horror back to life. He played the bloodsucking and brooding Prince of Darkness 10 times but disliked being known as a “horror legend.” Lee was menacing in the title role of The Mummy (1959) and, that same year, starred as the new owner of Baskerville Hall in the remake of The Hound of the Baskervilles, starring his best friend, Peter Cushing, as Sherlock Holmes.

The suave and courtly Cushing was his castmate in Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula as well. He appeared three times as Holmes on screen, most recently in the 1991 telefilm Incident at Victoria Falls, and starred as the detective’s brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970). Lee also was Rasputin and Lucifer, and his characters executed King Charles I of England and Louis the XVI of France. He relished the evil roles: “As Boris Karloff [his Corridors of Blood co-star] told me, you have to make your mark in something other actors cannot, or will not, do. And if it’s a success, you’ll not be forgotten.” His 1977 autobiography was titled Tall, Dark and Gruesome. Lee played Rochefort of Three Musketeers fame three times and was Sax Rohmer’s Asian evil genius with that distinctive mustache in five films of the 1960s, starting with The Face of Fu Manchu (1965). Ian Fleming, the creator of Bond, was his cousin and frequent golf companion.

The author wanted Lee to play the title villain in the 007 film Dr. No (1962), but the job went to Joseph Wiseman. For Bond fans, it was worth the wait after seeing his turn as the wealthy assassin who employs only bullets made of gold in The Man With the Golden Gun. Lee’s considerable body of film work also included Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), The Wicker Man (1973), To the Devil a Daughter (1976), The Passage (1979), House of the Long Shadows (1983), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), The Golden Compass (2007), The Resident (2011), Hugo (2011) and five films with director/fan Tim Burton: Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) — though his scenes were cut — and Dark Shadows (2012).

Lee, who was knighted in 2009, appeared as Saruman in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and in the director’s two Hobbit films, including The Battle of Five Armies (2014). And he was Count Dooku in the Star Wars installments Attack of the Clones (2002), Revenge of the Sith (2005) and The Clone Wars (2008). “This last decade has been the most extraordinary decade of my life,” he said in a 2012 interview . Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born on May 27, 1922 (American horror legend Vincent Price was born on the same date 11 years earlier), and attended exclusive prep schools. He went to Eton College and Wellington College and studied Greek and Latin. During World War II, Lee served in the Royal Air Force and Special Forces and spent one year in a hellacious winter campaign in Finland. He was said to be a spy but never wanted to talk about it, honoring an oath of secrecy.

“When the Second World War finished I was 23 and already I had seen enough horror to last me a lifetime,” he told the Telegraph in 2011 . “I’d seen dreadful, dreadful things, without saying a word. So seeing horror depicted on film doesn’t affect me much.” Lee was decorated for distinguished service, and after his discharge, he took the advice of his uncle, the Italian ambassador in London, and tried his hand in the film business, landing a contract with the Rank Organisation. The Curse of Frankenstein — a box-office hit and the first film to feature Mary Shelley’s disfigured creature in color — was a big break for him. Lee likely landed the gig because he was so tall. Wilder told him he needed to come to America to further his career, and he took that advice and made Airport ’77, in which his character died under water and he almost drowned. He said the film that made him the most proud was Jinnah (1998), in which he played the founder of Pakistan. Despite his serious demeanor, Lee liked to showcase his offbeat, self-deprecating wit.

He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1978, and his show (with musical guest Meat Loaf) reached 35 million viewers, one of its most-watched installments. “As you may know, I first came to public attention as a result of my appearances in certain rather eerie and even macabre films,” he said during the SNL opening. “You may be surprised to know that I haven’t made one in several years. “This is because I have a great deal of respect for this kind of film, and I don’t think that very good ones are being produced anymore. Week after week, I find myself receiving scripts like The Creature From the Black Studies Program … and Frankenstein Snubs The Wolf Man … and of course, Dr. Terror’s House of Pancakes.” Later, he played a Russian commandant for laughs in Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994). An expert fencer and honorary member of three stuntman unions, Lee also knew how to handle a golf club. He was the first actor to be accepted into The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. How good was he? He thought he had enough cred to offer advice to Tiger Woods on how to play The Masters. Music was important to him.

He appeared in operas, sang “Name Your Poison” in The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) opposite Alan Arkin and was among the pack of “convicts” on the cover of Paul McCartney & Wings’ 1973 album Band on the Run. In 2010, Lee recorded a symphonic heavy metal concept album, Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross (he said he was related to the emperor on his mother’s side). Three years later, he released a follow-up that had Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath on guitar. “People never thought I would be a heavy metal performer. Well, I am,” he said in the 2012 interview. Sure, he never was nominated for an Oscar, but he has a Metal Hammer Golden God Award. Survivors include his wife Kroencke and their daughter Christina. Lee, who had a library of 12,000 books on the occult, admitted to being fascinated by the nature of evil during a 2003 interview with the Guardian . “ ‘Good’ people … being persistently noble can become rather uninteresting,” he said. “There is a dark side in all of us.

And for us ‘bad’ people, the bad side dominates. I think there is a great sadness in villains, and I have tried to put that across. We cannot stop ourselves doing what we are doing.” Christopher Lee, Legendary Movie Villain and Horror Icon, Dies at 93 Christopher Lee, Legendary Movie Villain and Horror Icon, Dies at 93 Mike Barnes Share "Lord of the Rings": Sir Christopher Lee knows what stabbing a man sounds like Before becoming an actor, legendary “Lord of the Rings” star Christopher Lee had a very different career. During the Second World War, Lee worked behind enemy lines as an agent for Britain’s elite Special Operations Executive -- also known as "Churchill's Secret Army" or the "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Lee has never discussed any of the clandestine missions he took part in, but was able to put some of his wartime knowledge to use while filming “The Return of the King.” In a deleted scene in which Lee’s character Saruman is stabbed in the back, director Peter Jackson asked Lee to shout out in pain when the evil wizard is attacked. However, citing personal experience, Lee quickly informed the filmmaker that a person cannot shout when they’ve been stabbed in the back.

“He seemed to have expert knowledge of exactly the sort of noise that they make so I just sort of didn't push the subject any further,” Jackson said . Creepy. More Christopher Lee, the mystical British actor whose haunting, intimidating performances as Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Fu Manchu made him an icon of horror films and the cinematic embodiment of villainy, has died. He was 93. According to media reports, Lee died Sunday morning at Westminster Hospital in London after being admitted for respiratory problems and heart failure. The Guardian reported that his wife, former Danish model and painter Gitte Kroencke, decided to release the news days later in order to inform family members first. The couple had been married since 1961. Lee, who as bad guy Scaramanga battled Roger Moore’s James Bond in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), re-ignited his career in his late 70s with what would be recurring roles in the Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Star Wars franchises. Read MoreChristopher Lee's Most Iconic Roles "Such sad news to hear that Sir Christopher Lee has passed away," BAFTA said in a tweet Thursday.

"In 2011, Sir Christopher Lee received the BAFTA Fellowship for his outstanding career in film." Incredibly, the London native had more than 275 credits on IMDb, making him perhaps the most prolific feature-film actor in history. He did many of his own stunts, likely appeared in more onscreen swordfights than anyone else and was the only member of the Lord of the Rings cast to have actually met author J.R.R. Tolkien, who was born in 1892. With his gaunt 6-foot-5 frame and deep, strong voice, Lee was best at playing characters — slave traders, crazed kings, vampires, demented professors — who were evil, murderous, dour and unrepentantly ruthless. Starting with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Horror of Dracula (1958), Lee, like a mad scientist, helped Hammer Films bring the genre of horror back to life.

He played the bloodsucking and brooding Prince of Darkness 10 times but disliked being known as a “horror legend.” Lee was menacing in the title role of The Mummy (1959) and, that same year, starred as the new owner of Baskerville Hall in the remake of The Hound of the Baskervilles, starring his best friend, Peter Cushing, as Sherlock Holmes. The suave and courtly Cushing was his castmate in Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula as well. He appeared three times as Holmes on screen, most recently in the 1991 telefilm Incident at Victoria Falls, and starred as the detective’s brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970). Read MoreFilm Industry Pays Tribute to Christopher Lee Lee also was Rasputin and Lucifer, and his characters executed King Charles I of England and Louis the XVI of France. He relished the evil roles: “As Boris Karloff [his Corridors of Blood co-star] told me, you have to make your mark in something other actors cannot, or will not, do.

And if it’s a success, you’ll not be forgotten.” His 1977 autobiography was titled Tall, Dark and Gruesome. Lee played Rochefort of Three Musketeers fame three times and was Sax Rohmer’s Asian evil genius with that distinctive mustache in five films of the 1960s, starting with The Face of Fu Manchu (1965). Ian Fleming, the creator of Bond, was his cousin and frequent golf companion. The author wanted Lee to play the title villain in the 007 film Dr. No (1962), but the job went to Joseph Wiseman. For Bond fans, it was worth the wait after seeing his turn as the wealthy assassin who employs only bullets made of gold in The Man With the Golden Gun.

Lee’s considerable body of film work also included Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), The Wicker Man (1973), To the Devil a Daughter (1976), The Passage (1979), House of the Long Shadows (1983), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), The Golden Compass (2007), The Resident (2011), Hugo (2011) and five films with director/fan Tim Burton: Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) — though his scenes were cut — and Dark Shadows (2012). Lee, who was knighted in 2009, appeared as Saruman in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and in the director’s two Hobbit films, including The Battle of Five Armies (2014).

And he was Count Dooku in the Star Wars installments Attack of the Clones (2002), Revenge of the Sith (2005) and The Clone Wars (2008). Read More “This last decade has been the most extraordinary decade of my life,” he said in a 2012 interview. Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born on May 27, 1922 (American horror legend Vincent Price was born on the same date 11 years earlier), and attended exclusive prep schools. He went to Eton College and Wellington College and studied Greek and Latin. Read MoreHollywood's Notable Deaths of 2015 During World War II, Lee served in the Royal Air Force and Special Forces and spent one year in a hellacious winter campaign in Finland. He was said to be a spy but never wanted to talk about it, honoring an oath of secrecy. “When the Second World War finished I was 23 and already I had seen enough horror to last me a lifetime,” he told the Telegraph in 2011. “I’d seen dreadful, dreadful things, without saying a word.

So seeing horror depicted on film doesn’t affect me much.” Lee was decorated for distinguished service, and after his discharge, he took the advice of his uncle, the Italian ambassador in London, and tried his hand in the film business, landing a contract with the Rank Organisation. The Curse of Frankenstein — a box-office hit and the first film to feature Mary Shelley’s disfigured creature in color — was a big break for him. Lee likely landed the gig because he was so tall. Wilder told him he needed to come to America to further his career, and he took that advice and made Airport ’77, in which his character died under water and he almost drowned. He said the film that made him the most proud was Jinnah (1998), in which he played the founder of Pakistan. Despite his serious demeanor, Lee liked to showcase his offbeat, self-deprecating wit. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1978, and his show (with musical guest Meat Loaf) reached 35 million viewers, one of its most-watched installments.

“As you may know, I first came to public attention as a result of my appearances in certain rather eerie and even macabre films,” he said during the SNL opening. “You may be surprised to know that I haven’t made one in several years. “This is because I have a great deal of respect for this kind of film, and I don’t think that very good ones are being produced anymore. Week after week, I find myself receiving scripts like The Creature From the Black Studies Program ... and Frankenstein Snubs The Wolf Man ... and of course, Dr. Terror’s House of Pancakes.” Later, he played a Russian commandant for laughs in Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994). An expert fencer and honorary member of three stuntman unions, Lee also knew how to handle a golf club. He was the first actor to be accepted into The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. How good was he? He thought he had enough cred to offer advice to Tiger Woods on how to play The Masters. Music was important to him.

He appeared in operas, sang “Name Your Poison” in The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) opposite Alan Arkin and was among the pack of “convicts” on the cover of Paul McCartney & Wings’ 1973 album Band on the Run. In 2010, Lee recorded a symphonic heavy metal concept album, Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross (he said he was related to the emperor on his mother’s side). Three years later, he released a follow-up that had Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath on guitar. “People never thought I would be a heavy metal performer. Well, I am,” he said in the 2012 interview. Sure, he never was nominated for an Oscar, but he has a Metal Hammer Golden God Award. Survivors include his wife Kroencke and their daughter Christina. Lee, who had a library of 12,000 books on the occult, admitted to being fascinated by the nature of evil during a 2003 interview with the Guardian. “&lsquoGood’ people ... being persistently noble can become rather uninteresting,” he said. “There is a dark side in all of us.

And for us &lsquobad’ people, the bad side dominates. I think there is a great sadness in villains, and I have tried to put that across. We cannot stop ourselves doing what we are doing.” Twitter: @mikebarnes4

Question: The 1977 autobiography ‘Tall, Dark and Gruesome’ is by which British Actor?
Answer: Christopher Lee