Christopher Lee, Actor Who Made Dracula Count Again, Dies at 93 | Variety Print June 11, 2015 | 05:09AM PT Christopher Lee , the second most famous Dracula of the 20th century — an impressive feat — and a memorably irrepressible villain in James Bond film “The Man With the Golden Gun,” in the “Star Wars” films and in “The Lord of the Rings” pics, died Sunday in London after suffering heart failure and respiratory problems. He was 93. Lee appeared in 10 films as Count Dracula (nine if his uncredited role in the comedy “One More Time” is excluded). His first role for famed British horror factory Hammer Films was not the Transylvanian vampire, however, but Frankenstein’s Monster in 1957’s “The Curse of Frankenstein.” His close friend Peter Cushing, with whom he would co-star in horror films frequently, starred as the Baron.

Lee made his first appearance as the sharp-toothed Count in 1958’s “Horror of Dracula.” For reasons not quite certain, he skipped the 1960 sequel “Brides of Dracula,” but he returned to the role for 1965’s “Dracula: Prince of Darkness” — a movie in which he hissed a lot but had no dialogue, because the dialogue was so bad, Lee later claimed. Lee said later that he was reluctant to continue in the role but appeared in “Dracula Has Risen From the Grave” (1968), “Taste the Blood of Dracula” (1969) and “Scars of Dracula” (1970), hit films that are all now considered classics of the genre. In his last Dracula films for Hammer, Lee starred in the less-successful “Dracula A.D. 1972” and “Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride” (1973), which brought the character into a contemporary setting.

(Lee also starred in “Count Dracula,” a film by cult exploitation director Jess Franco that was made in 1970 and released in 1973; in 1976, the multilingual Lee appeared as Dracula in a French film called “Dracula and Son.”) Lee made horror films for Hammer that were not vampire-centered. He was the title character in 1959’s “The Mummy” and 1966’s “Rasputin, the Mad Monk.” He also brought Dennis Wheatley, an acclaimed author of occult thrillers, to Hammer, where two adaptations were produced, both starring Lee: “The Devil Rides Out” (1967) and “To the Devil a Daughter” (1976). The first is considered among Hammer’s best work. The second, although financially successful, was something of a disaster, with the author disowning the film, which was the studio’s last horror pic. He also appeared in a number of non-Hammer horror films, including the “Fu Manchu” series of the late 1960s; “Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde” adaptation “I, Monster” (1970); “The Creeping Flesh,” with Cushing; and Lee’s favorite thriller effort, “The Wicker Man,” in which he played Lord Summerisle. After 1977’s wretched “Meatcleaver Massacre,” for which, Lee claimed, the filmmakers had slapped on voiceover narration the actor had recorded for an entirely different movie, he largely steered clear of horror films, though Lee did appear, along with Cushing and Vincent Price, in 1983’s “House of the Long Shadows,” an American-produced horror comedy that in many ways brought the era of British horror pics to an end. Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born in Belgravia, Westminster, England, the son of a career military man and his wife, a famous beauty and contessa who was part Italian. They separated when Lee and his sister were still young, and their mother took the children to live in Switzerland. Lee volunteered to serve with Finnish forces against the Soviet Union in 1939 and then served with the RAF and British intelligence during WWII. After the war, Lee secured a seven-year contract with the Rank Organization.

His film debut came in Terence Young’s 1947 Gothic romance “Corridor of Mirrors”; the same year he had a brief uncredited role in Laurence Olivier’s film adaptation of “Hamlet.” Lee appeared in nearly 30 films, mostly forgettable adventure pics, over the next decade, although he did have an uncredited role in John Huston’s “Moulin Rouge” (1952) playing the painter Georges Seurat. The prolific actor — IMDb lists 281 credits — appeared in many films outside the horror genre even during his Hammer years. Lee appeared in the studio’s 1959 “The Hound of the Baskervilles” as Lord Henry Baskerville; Cushing played Sherlock Holmes.

(Lee later played Holmes in the non-Hammer “Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace,” then played the detective’s brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s 1970 film “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes” and played Sherlock Holmes in a pair of British telepics in the 1990s.) He appeared in a terrible 1970 adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” that starred Charlton Heston, Jason Robards and John Gielgud and played a gunsmith in the British-produced Raquel Welch Western “Hannie Caulder.” Even outside the horror genre, however, Lee’s characters were rarely virtuous, even if it was all too easy to root for them. As the assassin Francisco Scaramanga in 1974 Bond pic “The Man With the Golden Gun,” he was a singular villain in the 007 pantheon — not a mad scientist or a megalomaniacal industrialist but an effortlessly sexy enemy who is perhaps James Bond’s dark reflection. (Ian Fleming is said to have offered Lee the part of Dr.

No in the first Bond film, not knowing that the part had already been cast.) He played Rochefort, chief henchman to Charlton Heston’s villainous Cardinal Richelieu, in Richard Lester’s highly successful “The Three Musketeers” and “The Four Musketeers” films; he didn’t have much to say but skillfully tackled the semi-comical swordplay. (Lee returned to the role in Lester’s 1989 “The Return of the Musketeers.”) Lee did some American TV work, appearing in the miniseries “How the West Was Won” and Harold Robbins adaptation “The Pirate,” but largely appeared in adventure films. He showed a comedic side as guest host on “Saturday Night Live” in 1978 and in Steven Spielberg’s “1941,” in which he played a German officer. He had a character arc on the British children’s sci-fi show “The Tomorrow People” in 1995 and was a series regular on the brief CBS drama “Street Gear” the same year.

In 1998 Lee starred in the film “Jinnah” in the title role as the founder of modern Pakistan — his best performance, the actor declared at one point. He also appeared in a number of British or American miniseries, including “Ivanhoe” and “Gormenghast,” and had a small role in Tim Burton’s “Sleepy Hollow.” (Lee later did voice work for several Burton projects, including 2010’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and appeared in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”) Burton presented a BAFTA Fellowship, a life achievement award, to Lee at the 2011 BAFTA ceremonies. Lee was knighted in 2009 and received a BFI Fellowship as well. There was no reason to suspect, in short, that Lee would have his profile raised substantially during the 2000s, in his 80s. Lee was, however, the only actor to make substantial appearances in both the “Lord of the Rings” and “Stars Wars” film franchises. In the trilogy based on J.R.R.

Tolkien’s books (Lee’s appearance in the third film was cut from the theatrical version but restored for DVD), he played the duplicitous and ultimately villainous wizard Saruman; he repeated the role in the three “Hobbit” movies. In the “Star Wars” pics “Episode II — Attack of the Clones” and “Episode III — Revenge of the Sith,” he played Count Dooku (the name chosen almost certainly in tribute to Lee’s most famous character), who becomes the evil Darth Tyranus. The highlight of Lee’s appearance in the “Star Wars” films was the six-foot-five actor’s lightsaber duel with a fully digitized and diminutive Yoda. In the 2009 film “Triage,” Lee had an interesting and effective supporting turn as a Spanish psychiatrist with a dark past who helps a war photographer, played by Colin Farrell, suffering from survivor’s guilt. Lee’s autobiography “Tall, Dark and Gruesome” was published in 1977 and republished in 1999; a revised and expanded edition called “Lord of Misrule” was issued in 2004. Lee was a step-cousin of Ian Fleming.

He is survived by wife, Birgit “Gitte” Kroencke Lee, whom he married in 1961; a daughter; and a niece, British actress Harriet Walter. Christopher Lee dies at the age of 93 | Film | The Guardian Christopher Lee Christopher Lee dies at the age of 93 The veteran actor was best known for roles including Dracula and Saruman in the Lord of the Rings franchise Close This article is 1 year old Sir Christopher Lee , known as the master of horror, has died at the age of 93 after being hospitalised for respiratory problems and heart failure. Christopher Lee: an actor of muscular intelligence with a staggering career | Peter Bradshaw Read more The veteran actor, immortalised in films from Dracula to The Wicker Man, and via James Bond villainy to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, died at 8.30am on Sunday morning at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. His wife, the former Danish model Birgit Kroencke, decided to hold back the information for four days until all family members and friends were informed. The couple had been married for more than 50 years and had one daughter, Christina.

Christopher Lee: share your tributes Read more The actor was knighted in 2009 for services to drama and charity, and was awarded the Bafta fellowship in 2011. News of his death prompted an outpouring of grief from actors, musicians, and even the prime minister; all paid tribute to Lee’s great talent. Tim Burton, the director who worked with Lee on five films, described him as “a true legend”. “Christopher has been an enormous inspiration to me my entire life. I had the honour and pleasure to work with him on five films (Sleepy Hollow, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Alice In Wonderland and Dark Shadows),” he said. “He was the last of his kind - a true legend - who I’m fortunate to have called a friend. He will continue to inspire me and I’m sure countless others for generations to come.” Leading the tributes online were his Lord of the Rings co-stars Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood, as well as Sir Roger Moore, who played 007 opposite Lee in The Man With The Golden Gun. Elijah Wood (@woodelijah) An extraordinary man and life lead, Sir Christopher Lee .

You were an icon, and a towering human being with stories for days. We'll miss you. June 11, 2015 Born in Belgravia, London, in 1922 to a military father and an aristocratic mother, Lee’s film career started in 1947 with a role in the gothic romance Corridor of Mirrors. However, it wasn’t until the late 50s, when Lee worked with Hammer, that he started gaining fame. His first role with the studio was The Curse of Frankenstein and it was the first of 20 films that he made with Peter Cushing. “Hammer was an important part of my life, and generally speaking, we all had a lot of fun,” he said in a 2001 interview . Pinterest Christopher Lee as Dracula. Photograph: REX/Moviestore Collection Lee’s most famous role for Hammer was playing Dracula, a role which became one of his most widely recognised, although the actor wasn’t pleased with how the character was treated. “They gave me nothing to do!” he told Total Film in 2005.

“I pleaded with Hammer to let me use some of the lines that Bram Stoker had written. Occasionally, I sneaked one in. Eventually I told them that I wasn’t going to play Dracula any more. All hell broke loose.” The blossoming career of Christopher Lee: from the archive, 11 March 1972 Read more In the 70s, Lee continued to gain fame in the horror genre with a role in The Wicker Man, a film which he considered to be his best. “Wonderful film ... had a hell of a time getting it made,” he said . “Its power lies in the fact that you never expect what eventually happens, because everyone is so nice.” He went on to play Bond villain Scaramanga in 1974’s The Man with the Golden Gun and turned down a role in Halloween, which he later said was one of biggest career regrets. In his career, he also turned down a role in Airplane!, something he also regretted. Christopher Lee as Saruman. Photograph: EPA His concern over being typecast in horror films led him to Hollywood and roles in Airport ’77 and Steven Spielberg’s 1941 .

He was reintroduced to a new generation in 2001 with a role as the evil wizard Saruman in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and then as Count Dooku in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Lee also became a regular collaborator with Tim Burton, who cast him in Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows. Burton went on to award him with a Bafta fellowship. Pinterest The trailer of the 1958 film The Horror of Dracula starring Sir Christopher Lee In 2011, he returned to Hammer with a role in the Hilary Swank thriller The Resident, although he generally tried to avoid the horror genre in later years. “There have been some absolutely ghastly films recently, physically repellent,” he said . “What we did was fantasy, fairy tales – no real person can copy what we did.

But they can do what Hannibal Lecter does, if they’re so inclined, people like Jeffrey Dahmer and Dennis Nilsen, and for that reason, I think such films are dangerous.” Merry metal Christmas: Christopher Lee's 2014 festive musical offering Read more After dabbling with music throughout much of his career, including a song on The Wicker Man soundtrack, Lee released his first full-length album Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross in 2010. It was well-received by the heavy metal community and won him the spirit of metal award at the 2010 Metal Hammer Golden Gods ceremony. His 2013 single Jingle Hell entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 22, which made him the oldest living artist ever to enter the charts. The actor never retired from acting and he still has one film yet to be released, the fantasy film Angels in Notting Hill, where he plays a godly figure who looks after the universe. He was also set to star in 9/11 drama The 11th opposite Uma Thurman, which was due to begin filming in November.

In an interview in 2013 , Lee spoke about his love of acting. “Making films has never just been a job to me, it is my life,” he said. “I have some interests outside of acting – I sing and I’ve written books, for instance – but acting is what keeps me going, it’s what I do, it gives life purpose.” Reports: Actor Christopher Lee dies at 93 FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Reports: Actor Christopher Lee dies at 93 The iconic British actor has starred in films including the 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Star Wars' and 'Dracula.' Post to Facebook Reports: Actor Christopher Lee dies at 93 The iconic British actor has starred in films including the 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Star Wars' and 'Dracula.' Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 32 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Reports: Actor Christopher Lee dies at 93 Kelly Lawler and Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAY Published 7:37 a.m.

ET June 11, 2015 | Updated 12:22 p.m. ET June 11, 2015 x Share Christopher Lee, who was famous for playing villains in horror movies and sci-fi franchises, has died at the age of 93. VPC Christopher Lee appears as the evil Saruman in a scene from the film "The Lord of the Rings." (Photo: AFP) Iconic British actor Sir Christopher Lee has died at the age of 93, according to multiple media reports. Lee, who starred in many films over his long career including The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Dracula, passed away in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, on Sunday after being treated for respiratory problems,The Telegraph reported , citing sources close to his family. According to The Guardian , the decision to release the news days after was based on wife Birgit Krøncke's desire to tell family members first. The couple had been married for more than 50 years.

Lee's great roles too numerous to Count Lee rose to fame playing Dracula and Frankenstein's monster in a series of horror films for British production company Hammer Films from the 1950s to the 1970s. His first role with the studio was in The Curse of Frankenstein, and it was the first of 20 films he would make with actor Peter Cushing. Frankenstein's movie history: The good, bad and ugly His most famous role for Hammer Films was Dracula, but he wasn't always happy with how the character was treated. "They gave me nothing to do!" he told Total Film in 2005. "I pleaded with Hammer to let me use some of the lines that Bram Stoker had written. Occasionally, I sneaked one in. Eventually I told them that I wasn't going to play Dracula any more. All hell broke loose." In the 1970s he continued to play antihero roles, including an iconic turn in The Wicker Man and a James Bond villain in The Man with the Golden Gun.

Last Slide Next Slide In 2001 he made his first appearance as the evil wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, a role he would go on to play in four more Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. He joined another beloved genre franchise as the Sith Lord Count Dooku in 2002's Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and 2005's Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Lee also frequently collaborated with director Tim Burton, and appeared in many of his films including Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows. He was knighted in 2009 for services to drama and charity, and was awarded the BAFTA fellowship in 2011. The actor most recently appeared in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014. He still has one movie yet to be released, the fantasy Angels in Notting Hill. 'Hobbit' series saves best for last Lee talked to USA TODAY in 1999 about his horror roots. "Inevitably, people talk about the last horror icon and so on," he said.

"It's very gratifying, but that doesn't mean those are the only roles I have done." He added, "I remember what Boris Karloff said to me, something Lon Chaney had told him: Find something other actors will not do, and if you do it, you will never be forgotten." 14462 CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 32 COMMENTEMAILMORE Read or Share this story: NEVER MISS OUT Life Be a pop culture maven. Get the news, reviews and the juiciest celebrity stories that keep you in the know, Monday-Friday. Actor Christopher Lee dies at 93 - CNN.com MUST WATCH Horror master, legendary villain Christopher Lee dies 02:33 He was often quoted as saying he had to be talked into playing in some of the Dracula films. He said he played the character silently in one film -- 1965's "House of Horrors" -- because the lines were so bad.

Later, he took on the role of James Bond's nemesis Francisco Scaramanga in 1974's "The Man with the Golden Gun," and was introduced to a new generation of film-goers in 2001 with "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." It's terribly when you lose an old friend, and Christopher Lee was one of my oldest. We first met in 1948. — Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) June 11, 2015 In it, he played the evil wizard Saruman, former mentor to Gandalf -- the good-guy wizard's role Lee said he once coveted but had grown too old to play.

The next year, he entered the "Star Wars" universe as the fallen Jedi knight, Count Dooku, in the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." Both series brought him renewed fame and acclaim, but for Lee, two roles always stood out: His 1973 turn as Lord Summerisle in the cult classic "The Wicker Man," and his portrayal of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, in the 1998 film, "Jinnah." "The most important thing I've ever done," he said in a 2011 forum at the University College Dublin. Lee was knighted in 2009 -- fittingly on the day before Halloween -- for his accomplishments in the arts. Two years later, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awarded Lee its highest honor, the Academy Fellowship. BAFTA CEO Amanda Berry expressed sorrow Thursday at the passing of Lee, whom she called a "truly talented and versatile actor." "His biography, and therefore his legacy, is one that many in the film industry can only dream of," Berry said. In 2011, Lee said that he always wanted to bring something unexpected to his roles.

"One thing to me is very important, if you're playing somebody that the audience regards as, let's say evil, try to do something they don't expect, something that surprises the audience," he said. In his last few years, he did just that for many fans: he turned to a heavy metal career, releasing the holiday albums "A Heavy Metal Christmas" and "A Heavy Metal Christmas Too" in 2012 and 2013 -- endearing himself to yet another group of fans, many of whom reacted to the news of his death with an outpouring of celebration and sadness. "The great, always criminally underrated Sir Christopher Lee has left us," actor Mark Gatiss wrote on Twitter. "A Titan of Cinema and a huge part of my youth. Farewell." The great, always criminally underrated Sir Christopher Lee has left us. A Titan of Cinema and a huge part of my youth. Farewell. Christopher Lee died - Business Insider Wikimedia Commons British actor Christopher Lee, best known for playing Dracula, has died at age 93, The Telegraph reports .

The actor died Thursday morning at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after being treated there for respiratory problems and heart failure, the Telegraph said, citing sources close to the family. Lee's filmography reads like a romp through film history . He first became famous playing Dracula in the Hammer House of Horror movies, from the 1950s onward. At least nine "Dracula" films were made starring Lee. He was also Lord Summerisle in the 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man. And he played Bond villain Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun. More recently, his sonorous tones and creepy demeanour were introduced to a new, younger audience when he played Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and Saruman in 2002's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and its sequel. He was also a favourite of director Tim Burton, who cast him in Alice in Wonderland and Sleepy Hollow. Part of Lee's appeal was his height — he was 6 feet 5 inches. Initially, film executives turned him down for roles because he was too tall.

The Guardian has a wonderful description of how Lee single-handedly recreated the entire image of Dracula : Christopher Lee’s initial appearance in Dracula, in 1958, was a shock. Before that moment, the fabled vampire was more associated with Max Schreck’s demonic Nosferatu from the classic German silent picture — a pale creature closer to Gollum from today’s Tolkien movies. The vampire was something stunted, bestial, insidious. But when Lee’s Count Dracula first walked down to the stairs to greet his visitors in the first Hammer movie version it was a revelation. He was tall (six foot five), handsome and well-built, with an easy athleticism and a frank, direct manner. His deep, melodious voice completed the effect: commanding. There was nothing unwholesome-looking about this vampire, not at first: he looked more like a British or at any rate Central European version of Gary Cooper. So it was even more powerful and shocking when this patrician figure disclosed his Satanic qualities: and that face became pale and contorted, when the lips peeled back to reveal the fangs, the eyes turned red and the lips dripped with blood — and his whole being oozed with forbidden sexuality.

Christopher Lee was Dracula; he had taken over the character as clearly as Sean Connery took over James Bond. Here is a look at his life in photos. An early promo headshot: His best known role (for some, Lee was Dracula): Hammer Films At Hammer, there was no such thing as too much Dracula: Hammer Films From The Man With the Golden Gun: United Artists A later portrait from the mid 1970s: Christopher Lee / estate He appeared as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man, the leader of a pagan cult on a lonely Scottish island. It was one of his best films: British Lion Films He added a bit of class to Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, as Count Dooku: 20th Century Fox More recently, he was Saruman in The Hobbit: Warner Bros. Christopher Lee, Horror Icon, Has Died at Age 93 | Vanity Fair Christopher Lee, Horror Icon, Has Died at Age 93 In Memoriam Christopher Lee, Horror Icon, Has Died at Age 93 From Dracula to Saruman to a heavy-metal career, he made a career of playing to the dark side.

by Twitter By Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Christopher Lee was a versatile polymath who made hundreds of movies over a 65-years-plus career and bristled at being typecast, but even he knew, when he penned his memoir, Tall, Dark and Gruesome, that he’d be forever known for his horror films. Along with co-star Peter Cushing, he spent two decades starring in now-classic fright-fests for England’s Hammer studios that changed the face of horror forever. Even his late-career renaissance, villainous roles in the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings films that introduced him to a new generation of fans worldwide, were colored by his status as a horror icon. It was an image he kept riffing on, as an actor and even as a late-blooming heavy-metal singer, until his death this week at age 93. Like his friend Vincent Price (with whom he shared a birthday, May 27; Price was born 11 years earlier, in 1911), Lee brought a dapper elegance and even grace to the horror genre.

The films Lee made for Hammer, however, starting with 1957’s The Curse of Frankenstein and 1958’s Horror of Dracula, upped the ante with (what at the time was considered) new extremes of gore and sensuality. With his imposing six-foot-five-inch frame, his long face, and his gloomy bass voice, he was a natural as a variety of classic monsters—Frankenstein’s creature, Count Dracula, the Mummy—complemented by Cushing, an actor with his own elegant creepiness, usually playing Lee’s nemesis. Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born in Belgravia, London, to a British military officer and an Italian aristocrat. When his parents separated, his mother sent him to school in Switzerland, where he played his first heavy in a school play: Rumpelstiltskin. During World War II, he was an intelligence officer, and after the war, he was a hunter of Nazi war criminals. Still, he wanted to be an actor and spent a long apprenticeship in walk-on roles.

One of his first movie parts was in Laurence Olivier’s 1948 Hamlet as a soldier; as it turned out, it was also the first time he was credited with Cushing, who had a small speaking part as Osric. (Lee boasted that he had participated in more sword fights than any other actor in film history.) It took him another decade to work up to the leading roles alongside Cushing in the Hammer films. The two became friends and made some 20 movies together, including non-Hammer horror films like The Creeping Flesh and the Sherlock Holmes adventure The Hound of the Baskervilles (Lee played the haunted Henry Baskerville opposite Cushing’s Holmes). During his long life, Lee rubbed shoulders with a number of famous authors whose work he would later bring to the screen. As a boy, he met horror author M.R. James some six decades before playing him on TV, in the BBC mini-series Ghost Stories for Christmas. His step-cousin, James Bond author Ian Fleming, recommended Lee for the title role of the villain in the first 007 movie, 1962’s Dr.

No, only to learn that producers had already cast Joseph Wiseman; Lee would finally get to play a Bond villain, suave assassin Scaramanga, in 1974’s The Man With the Golden Gun. And Lee was the only cast member in Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books who had actually met the Middle-earth author. Lee married Danish model Birgit Lee in 1961; she and their daughter, Christina, survive him. In the 1970s, Lee played his favorite horror role, cult leader Lord Summerisle in 1973’s The Wicker Man, a character he and screenwriter Anthony Shaffer developed together. But the decade also saw him begin to branch out beyond horror. He played Sherlock Holmes’s mysterious brother Mycroft in Billy Wilder’s 1970 film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.

(He would also play Sherlock three times between 1962 and 1992.) In the late 70s, he moved to America, appeared in the disaster flick Airport ’77, proved he had a self-deprecating sense of humor by guest-hosting Saturday Night Live, and played a Nazi in Steven Spielberg’s World War II spoof 1941 (1979). More diverse roles followed, including Lee’s favorite among his own parts, that of Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah in the 1998 biopic Jinnah. He was nearly 80 when his career received several infusions of fresh blood. He began a long association with director Tim Burton with a role as a judge in 1999’s Sleepy Hollow; he’d go on to appear in such worldwide Burton hits as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (as Willy Wonka’s scary dentist father) and Alice in Wonderland (as the voice of the Jabberwocky).

He went on to star in some of the biggest hits of the new millennium: He played the tyrannical Sith lord Count Dooku in Star Wars Episodes II and III (a role that was, in part, a shout-out to Cushing’s villainous role in the original Star Wars in 1977). And he played good-wizard-gone-bad Saruman in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03) and Hobbit trilogy (2012-14). He also had a cameo in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo in 2011. As he approached 90, Lee found a new career as a heavy-metal singer. He lent his unmistakable bass voice to albums by metal bands Rhapsody of Fire and Inner Terrestrials before striking out on his own, including two concept albums about Charlemagne and two EPs of metal Christmas carols. At 91, he was not only the oldest musician in metal but also the oldest living performer to land a song (“Jingle Hell”) on the Billboard singles chart. After racking up more than 200 screen credits over nearly seven decades, Lee had no intention of retiring.

“I always ask myself, ‘Well, what else could I do?,’” the 91-year-old said in 2013. “Making films has never just been a job to me. It is my life. I have some interests outside of acting—I sing and I’ve written books, for instance—but acting is what keeps me going. It’s what I do. It gives life purpose.” Share Christopher Lee, evil count of cinema, dies at age 93 Christopher Lee, evil count of cinema, dies at age 93 By Will Dunham and Michael Roddy Pin it Share British actor Christopher Lee acknowledges the audience as he arrives for the screening of the movie 'Farewell My Queen' ('Les adieux a la Reine') during the opening gala at the 62nd Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin February 9, 2012.

REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/Files More By Will Dunham and Michael Roddy (Reuters) - British master of the macabre Christopher Lee, who portrayed Dracula in outrageous horror classics but became known to later generations for roles in "Star Wars" and as the wizard Saruman in the "Lord of the Rings," has died at age 93. Lee died on Sunday in a London hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment for respiratory problems, according to his death certificate. The London native achieved fame from the late 1950s into the 1970s playing characters including Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and the Mummy for Hammer Films, and later in his career made memorable appearances in a series of blockbuster movies. With his deep, mellifluous voice and ramrod 6-foot 4-inch (1.93-metre) frame, Lee was the last English-language horror movie star in a line that traced back to silent era luminary Lon Chaney and included Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, Lee's regular Hammer Films co-star.

Lee brought to his monsters a sense of pitifulness that he called "the loneliness of evil." Despite being a master of the horror genre, Lee did not even like the word. "It implies something nauseating, revolting, disgusting - which one sees too often these days. I prefer the word 'fantasy,'" he told the New York Times in 2002. Many leading directors sought out Lee's talents, especially in the latter stages of his career when he was already elderly. Celebrities and politicians took to Twitter to hail Lee. British Prime Minister David Cameron called the actor "a titan of (the) golden age of cinema." London Mayor Boris Johnson called Lee "one of the greatest British actors and a master of the macabre." Roger Moore, who played James Bond in "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974) in which Lee was the villain Scaramanga, offered condolences to the actor's wife of 54 years, the former Danish model Birgit Kroncke, their daughter Christina and her husband, Juan Francisco Aneiros Rodriguez. "It's terrible when you lose an old friend, and Christopher Lee was one of my oldest," Moore said.

"We first met in 1948." Director Tim Burton, who worked with Lee on five movies, called him "the last of his kind" and "a true legend." CAREER RENAISSANCE IN OLD AGE Lee won new generations of fans after the turn of the century in some of the biggest moneymakers in film history. He played the evil Count Dooku, fighting Jedi knights in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" (2002) and "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" (2005). Lee was also the fiendish criminal genius Fu Manchu in five films, Scaramanga in the Bond film and, in a rare departure from cinematic wickedness, gave life to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes in a couple of movies. He portrayed the power-hungry wizard Saruman in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012) and "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" (2014).

As part of his late-career flourish, he also appeared in Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" (2011) and Burton's black comedy "Dark Shadows" (2012) with Johnny Depp. According to movie industry website IMDb, Lee has a lead role in the as-yet unreleased "Angels in Notting Hill" and was to have appeared in "The 11th", which has not yet gone into production. He also had a lifelong interest in music. His single "Jingle Hell" in 2013 entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 22, making him the oldest living artist to enter the charts. Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born on May 27, 1922 and took up acting on the suggestion of a cousin after serving in Britain's Royal Air Force in World War Two. He made his film debut in 1947, launching a career that eventually spanned more than 200 movies. Lee was most closely associated with the role of Dracula, dispensing with the nobility Lugosi had given the role and adopting a more beastly, lustful bearing as he dispatched various buxom victims.

He played the bloodthirsty vampire in movies including "Dracula" (1958), "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" (1966), "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" (1968), "Count Dracula" (1970), "Taste the Blood of Dracula" (1970), "Scars of Dracula" (1970), "Dracula A.D. 1972" (1972), "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" (1973) and "Dracula and Son" (1976). (Additional reporting by Stephen Addison in London; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Reblog 12 Actors Who Died in 2015 12 Actors Who Died in 2015 Hollywood sadly lost several famous actors last year. Here’s a look back at 12 movie and TV stars who passed away in 2015. 1. Leonard Nimoy Leonard Nimoy | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images The famed Star Trek icon died in late February at the age of 83 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The actor, who broke into the industry with the 1952 film Kid Monk Baroni, had small parts in projects like Dragnet, Perry Mason, and Get Smart, before landing his best-known role: Star Trek’s Spock. The role made him a household name and earned him three Emmy nominations. After Star Trek’s run ended, he went on to have a career as a voice actor, narrator, and director and also penned two autobiographies. More recently, he had a recurring role on the Fox series Fringe, which ended in 2013. 2. Ben Woolf Ben Woolf | Kevin Winter/Getty Images Woolf passed away on February 23 at the age of 34 from a stroke. The actor had been in critical condition, following a head injury he obtained after getting struck by a car’s sideview mirror while crossing a street in Hollywood. Woolf was best known for his recurring role as Meep in the last season of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story, entitled Freak Show.

Prior to that, the actor was also featured in 2010’s Insidious, 2012’s Woggie, 2013’s Dead Kansas, and last year’s Haunting Charles Manson. 3. Louis Jourdan Louis Jourdan | AFP/Getty Images The French actor died in mid-March at the age of 93. Jourdan is known for playing the male lead in the 1985 romantic comedy Gigi, which won nine Oscars, including Best Picture. He also played the villain Kamal Khan in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy and portrayed Anton Arcane in the 1982 movie Swamp Thing and its 1989 sequel The Return of Swamp Thing. He also featured in films like The Swan, Can-Can, The Paradine Case, and Letter from an Unknown Woman. Jourdan also appeared on television. He portrayed the title character in the BBC’s 1977 series Count Dracula. 4. Taylor Negron Taylor Negron | Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images After a long battle with cancer, the comedian passed away at the age of 57.

The actor appeared in various films, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Nothing But Trouble, and Punchline. But he’s perhaps best known for his guest starring roles on multiple TV shows, such as Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends, ER, and Seinfeld. His last television role was the part of an acting coach in an episode of the first season of The Comedians starring Billy Crystal and Josh Gad. 5. Rod Taylor Rod Taylor | Hulton Archive/Getty Images The Australian actor suffered a fatal heart attack and died on January 7, at the age of 84. Taylor made his feature film debut in the 1954 Australian film, King of the Coral Sea. He went on to appear in over 50 films, including leading roles in The Time Machine, Seven Seas to Calais, The Birds, Sunday in New York, Young Cassidy, Dark of the Sun, The Liquidator, and The Train Robbers. On television, he held regular roles in ABC’s Hong Jong, CBS’s Bearcats!, NBC’s The Oregon Trail, and CBS’s Outlaws. He also held guest appearances in small screen series like Tales of the Unexpected, Murder She Wrote, and Falcon Crest.

6. Donna Douglas Donna Douglas | Sebastian Artz/Getty Images Douglas, best known for playing Elly May Clampett on the television series The Beverly Hillbillies, died of pancreatic cancer in January at the age of 82. The actress appeared in small roles in Twilight Zone and Eye of the Beholder, before getting her big break as Elly May. Following the end of The Beverly Hillbillies, Douglas made her only starring feature film appearance opposite Elvis Presley in the 1966 film, Frankie and Johnny. She then went on to work in real estate and also frequently performed as a gospel singer, recording several albums from 1982 to 1989. 7. Ellen Albertini Dow Ellen Albertini Dow in The Wedding Singer | Source: Warner Bros. Dow, whose screen career started in her 70s, passed away at the age of 101 in early May. She entered the world of acting with a role in the ’80s iteration of The Twilight Zone. During the next decade, she appeared in films like My Blue Heaven and the Sister Act films.

She also appeared in classic TV series like Moonlighting, Murphy Brown, The Golden Girls, The Wonder Years, Star Trek: The Next Generation, ER, and Seinfeld. One of her most memorable moments came in the 1998 Adam Sandler movie, The Wedding Singer, in which she performed her own scene-stealing take on “Rapper’s Delight.” In recent years, she made several television appearances, including on New Girl, Family Guy, and Shameless. 8. Alberta Watson Alberta Watson | Carlo Allegri/Getty Images Watson passed away at the age of 60 after a long battle with cancer. The Canadian actress first began acting in the late ’70s, with parts in the films Power Play, In Praise of Older Women, and Stone Cold Dead. Her other work included playing the character of Erin Driscoll on the fourth season of 24, as well as roles in feature films such as The Prince and Me and Helen. But she truly made a name for herself as the character of Madeline on the 1997 series La Femme Nikita – a role she later reprised in 2010 for the CW reboot, Nikita. 9.

Geoffrey Lewis Geoffrey Lewis | Kevin Winter/Getty Images Western star and father to Juliette Lewis died of natural causes in April at the age of 79. The actor was best known for his roles in Clint Eastwood movies, including Bronco Billy, High Plains Drifter, and Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. On the small screen, he also held several notable roles in shows like Murder She Wrote, Hawaii Five-O, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 1980, he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his work on the show Flo. He was in the process of filming the 2016 sports drama High and Outside at the time of his death. 10. James Best James Best | Source: CBS Best, known for his role as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane in The Dukes of Hazzard, passed away of complications from pneumonia at the age of 88. His career included roles in movies like The Caine Mutiny with Humphrey Bogart and Shenandoah. As a character actor on the small screen, he was cast on popular TV shows, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bonanza, and The Andy Griffith Show.

Still, his role as Sheriff Coltrane is his most famous. The show ran from 1979 to 1985 and voiced the character in the animated series The Dukes. He reprised the role for reunion movies in 1997 and 2000 and again voiced the character for video games in 1999 and 2004. 11. Christopher Lee Christopher Lee | Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Image Legendary British actor Sir Christopher Lee passed away in mid-June after being hospitalized for respiratory problems and heart failure. He was 93 years old. Lee played Dracula in a series of classic Hammer horror films. He also played Saruman in the Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit movies, the villain in James Bond thriller The Man with the Golden Gun, and Count Doooku in Star Wars prequels Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith, among many other iconic roles. 12. Anne Meara Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images The actress and comedian passed away at her home in Manhattan in late May, at the age of 85, reportedly due to natural causes.

Meara, along with husband Jerry Stiller, was one-half of the prominent 1960’s comedy duo, Stiller and Meara. In 2010 the couple had their own Yahoo comedy series, produced in part by actor son Ben Stiller. Meara was also well known for appearing on daytime soap All My Children and sitcom, Archie Bunker’s Place, the latter of which earned her two Emmy nods. She also appeared on Oz, The Kings of Queens, and Sex and the City. More from Entertainment Cheat Sheet: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93 - latest reaction and tributes - Telegraph Celebrity news Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93 - latest reaction and tributes Screen legend famous for roles in Hammer Horror films, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars dies in hospital after suffering heart and respiratory problems Sir Christopher Lee died at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital By Anita Singh , Arts and Entertainment Editor, and Danny Boyle 5:40PM BST 11 Jun 2015 Latest 17.40 That's the end of our rolling coverage of tributes to Sir Christopher Lee, after he died at 93 .

As one of Britain's greatest actors, his career spanned genres, generations - and an impressive seven decades. You can read more about his life and career here . Thanks for following. 17.16 It's emerged Sir Christopher died as he prepared to start filming for his latest movie , co-starring Uma Thurman. In one of his last interviews, he declared: “When I die, I want to die with my boots on.” He certainly stayed true to his word... Sir Christopher Lee: I want to die with my boots on 17.01 Sir Christopher played deadly assassin Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun , alongside Sir Roger Moore - and, in the eyes of many fans, was one of the greatest ever James Bond villains. The official 007 Twitter account certainly agrees... We are very sad to hear Sir Christopher Lee, who played one of Bond's greatest villains, has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family — James Bond (@007) June 11, 2015 16.46 James Franco, the American actor, shared a montage of pictures of Sir Christopher with his Instagram followers as he paid tribute to the veteran actor.

Jun 11, 2015 at 8:50am PDT 16.33 Comedian Omid Djalili has joined the outpouring of grief after Sir Christopher's death, describing how he embraced the fright his films brought. Scared the living daylights out of me for years. And I loved him for it. RIP Christopher Lee pic.twitter.com/i2sKDXAMhU — Omid Djalili (@omid9) June 11, 2015 16.18 Bafta chief executive Amanda Barry described Sir Christopher as a "truly talented and versatile actor". I am deeply saddened by the death of Sir Christopher Lee, a truly talented and versatile actor. His biography, and therefore his legacy, is one that many in the film industry can only dream of. "He appeared in over 200 films, including some of the most iconic of our times.

Throughout his career, which stretched from the 1940s to date, there were so many outstanding performances - in Dracula, The Wicker Man, The Man with the Golden Gun, to name just a few of his many credits, and more recently, the Bafta and Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. "Sir Christopher received the Academy Fellowship, the highest honour Bafta can bestow, at the Film Awards in 2011; at the time he described it as a very unexpected but very great honour." 15.58 Elijah Wood - who played Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings - has paid a heartfelt tribute to his co-star, describing him as a "towering human being". An extraordinary man and life lead, Sir Christopher Lee. You were an icon, and a towering human being with stories for days. We'll miss you. — Elijah Wood (@woodelijah) June 11, 2015 15.41 Mark Gatiss, the comedy actor and screenwriter who earlier described Sir Christopher as a "titan of cinema", has shared this poignant portrait with his 600,000 Twitter followers.

Here's the portrait by Stuart Pearson Wright I once commissioned of him. pic.twitter.com/HrX7R5EUUv — Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) June 11, 2015 15.29 Tim Burton, the director who worked with Sir Christopher on five films, described him as "the last of his kind - a true legend". Christopher has been an enormous inspiration to me my entire life. I had the honour and pleasure to work with him on five films (Sleepy Hollow, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Alice In Wonderland and Dark Shadows). "He was the last of his kind - a true legend - who I'm fortunate to have called a friend. He will continue to inspire me and I'm sure countless others for generations to come." Sir Christopher Lee with Tim Burton after Lee was presented the Fellowship at the BAFTAs in February 2011 (Luke MacGregor/Reuters) 15.18 This is an interesting reflection on Sir Christopher's 58-year film career - from his days as Dracula to appearing in Lord of the Rings. Do you have kids? They know who Christopher Lee is. Are your grandparents still around? So do they.

That's amazing. Such a cool guy too. — Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) June 11, 2015 15.05 Sir Christopher was married to Gitte Lee, a Danish model, for 53 years. Here was his secret... Sir Christopher Lee was married for 53 years. When asked for the secret of a long-lived marriage, he replied: “Marry someone wonderful.” — Mark Sparrow (@MarkGSparrow) June 11, 2015 14.55 One of the most touching tributes so far comes from Sir Roger Moore, the James Bond actor, who appeared alongside Sir Christopher in The Man with the Golden Gun. It's terribly when you lose an old friend, and Christopher Lee was one of my oldest. We first met in 1948.

— Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) June 11, 2015 Our thoughts are for Lady Lee, Christina and Juan — Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) June 11, 2015 14.42 He started out as the master of horror, but Sir Christopher went on to become one of the highest grossing actors of all time. And his superb eyebrow acting, many fans say, was always to be applauded. 14.30 Bryan Adams, the singer, speaks for a lot of people with this tribute he has posted on Instagram - with a picture he took of Sir Christopher in 2010. A photo posted by @bryanadams on Jun 11, 2015 at 5:52am PDT 14.26 "Criminally underrated" is how Mark Gatiss, one of the creators of The Leage of Gentleman, described Sir Christopher. The great, always criminally underrated Sir Christopher Lee has left us. A Titan of Cinema and a huge part of my youth. Farewell.

— Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) June 11, 2015 14.23 Academics at De Montfort University in Leicester, home to the Hammer Film Archive, expressed their sadness at Sir Christopher's death. Professor Steve Chibnall, director of the Cinema And Television History Research Centre at at the university, said: As custodians of Hammer's Script Archives we were sad to learn of the death of the last of the company's most iconic stars. "Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were the most recognised faces of Hammer films and now we have lost both of these great actors. "Lee was the most disturbingly believable embodiment of Count Dracula with a chilling screen presence that has never been rivalled. Vampires live beyond death and the collective memory of Lee's portrayal of Dracula will be immortal." 14.15 David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has paid tribute to Sir Christopher on Twitter - describing him as a "titan of the golden age of cinema".

PM: Saddened to hear of Sir Christopher Lee's death, a titan of Golden Age of Cinema & distinguished WW2 veteran who'll be greatly missed — UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) June 11, 2015 14.12 As the world reacts to the death of Sir Christopher Lee, let's also spare a thought for Ron Moody's family. The actor, most famous for playing Fagin in Oliver!, died in hospital aged 91 today . You can read a full obituary to the veteran star here and see a gallery of his career here . Ron Moody as Fagin in Oliver! with Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger (Moviestore/REX Shutterstock) 14.06 In one picture, this sums up the breadth of Sir Christopher's remarkable career. RIP to one of the Greatest character actors Ever... #christopherlee pic.twitter.com/pk8hSrDs2K 14.02 Here's some sage advice for you all... Every time you feel sad about Christopher Lee, look at this picture and it'll make you smile.

pic.twitter.com/QU9sI2Igvt — AKA (@_AKA_) June 11, 2015 13.51 Dominic Monaghan, Sir Christopher Lee's co-star from Lord Of The Rings, paid tribute to a "fascinating person" as he offered a slightly strange anecdote... So so sorry to hear that #christopherlee has passed away. He was a fascinating person. Threw a bic pen into a tree in front of me. #legend — Dominic Monaghan (@DomsWildThings) June 11, 2015 13.45 Reece Sheersmith, the League of Gentleman actor, has spoken of his sadness at the loss of an "amazing gentleman who brought us so many iconic roles". Very upset to learn that Sir Christopher Lee has passed away. An amazing gentleman who brought us so many iconic roles. He will be missed. — Reece Shearsmith (@ReeceShearsmith) June 11, 2015 13.38 For many, Sir Christopher Lee will be remembered best for Hammer Horror, the genre that helped him first achieve fame in the 1950s.

It might have frightul acting, false fangs and flimsy nighties, but this is why we should say hurrah for Hammer - the quintessential British film studio, says film historian Sinclair McKay. 13.28 Of all the facts you might read about Sir Christopher Lee today, this might be the most unusual. Only last year, he marked his 92nd birthday by releasing a heavy metal version of the Frank Sinatra classic My Way. It was one of seven tracks on an album called Metal Knight he recorded with an Italian band called Rhapsody Of Fire. You can listen to him in action here... 13.18 "I think acting is a mixture of instinct, imagination and inventiveness. All you can learn as an actor is basic technique." - one of the most memorable quotes from Sir Christopher Lee. 13.10 Yes, he was the finest screen Dracula we've ever seen. But there was so much more to the late Christopher Lee than monsters, says Tim Robey, as he selects his 10 best roles .

Sir Christopher Lee playing Dracula - perhaps his most famous role 13.05 Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has paid tribute to "one of the greatest British actors and a master of the macabre" with a, erm, humorous picture taken at City Hall. Really sad to hear about the death of Christopher Lee, one of the greatest British actors and a master of the macabre pic.twitter.com/q5UUhc7xId — Boris Johnson (@MayorofLondon) June 11, 2015 13.00 Celebrities including Jonathon Ross and Paddy Considine are among those paying tribute to Sir Christopher Lee on Twitter. So sad to hear that Sir Christiphet Lee has died. A great actor, a great star, a surprisingly good singer and a lovely lovely man. — Jonathan Ross (@wossy) June 11, 2015 A true legend has passed. Sir Christopher Lee.

pic.twitter.com/MqVqxXtqda — Paddy Considine (@PaddyConsidine) June 11, 2015 12.57 Here is the death certificate that confirms the sad news that Sir Christopher Lee passed away at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on Sunday. 12.55 An actor of aristocratic bearing who was closely identified with the role of Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and Count Dracula, here is the Telegraph's full obituary of Sir Christopher Lee . 12.50 At a glance, here you can see the highlights of a life in film from one of Britain's greatest ever actors: 12.45 Telegraph film critic Robbie Collin has written a piece celebrating the life of a man whose "talent will outlast us all" : The thing about Sir Christopher Lee being dead is that it doesn’t immediately strike you as being much of a career setback.

For as long as he was an actor (which was a very long time indeed; his first film role was a one-line part in Terence Young’s baroquely strange romance Corridor of Mirrors, in 1948), his characters have often exuded – not immortality, exactly, but a kind of ennobled deathlessness. You always sensed they’d been around for longer than was perhaps entirely natural, and would more than likely outlast you. 12.35 In five key moments, this video showcases the very best of Christopher Lee's career: 12.31 From Count Dracula to Star Wars, Christopher Lee had one of the most varied careers in the business. We have created a gallery here of his highlights . Christopher Lee in the The Curse of Frankenstein, 1957 12.28 Fans are beginning to express their shock on Twitter at the death of Christopher Lee: Christopher Lee had one hell of a well lived life. — Rob Elliott (@Rob_Reddo) June 11, 2015 Gutted. Christopher Lee has died.

pic.twitter.com/R5cp8pzE7H — Richard Littler (@richard_littler) June 11, 2015 Aw man, Christopher Lee has died. End of an era – he was the last of the great Hammer stars. — Andy (@ItsAndyRyan) June 11, 2015 12:18: End of an era as screen legend Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93 Sir Christopher Lee, the screen legend whose career took him from Hammer horror to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and a role as one of the great Bond villains, has died. He was 93. The veteran actor died at 8.30am on Sunday at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, sources close to his family said. He had been treated there for respiratory problems and heart failure over the preceding three weeks and turned 93 in hospital. Christopher Lee in The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974 (Everett Collection/Rex) Lady Lee chose to delay the public announcement of Sir Christopher’s passing until she had informed close family members. The couple were married for more than 50 years.

The actor first achieved fame as a Hammer Horror star in the 1950s, but the last 15 years of his career were among the most fruitful. He was introduced to a new generation of fans as a star of some of the world’s biggest franchises: Count Dooku in the Star Wars films, Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. There was also a sucessful partnership with Tim Burton in films including Alice in Wonderland and Sleepy Hollow. Christopher Lee with Veronica Carlson in Dracula has Risen from the Grave (Rex) Sir Christopher’s career began in the 1940s, but it was the 1958 film Dracula that made him a star. He played Count Dracula opposite Sir Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. He and Cushing remained the closest of friends until the latter’s death in 1994. More Dracula films followed in 1960s for the Hammer studio, but the actor was keen to move on. In a 2011 interview with the Telegraph , he said: “Please don’t describe me as a ‘horror legend’.

I moved on from that.” Sir Christopher Lee was knighted in 2009 (Abbie Trayler-Smith) His memorable roles included Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man (1973) and Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974). He had a personal connection to James Bond: Ian Fleming, Bond’s creator, was his cousin. Sir Christopher was knighted in 2009 and received a Bafta fellowship in 2011, and said he would never retire. “I hate being idle. As dear Boris [Karloff] used to say, when I die I want to die with my boots on.” He recently signed up for a new film, The 11th, an ensemble drama co-starring Uma Thurman. Set in the hours leading up to the attack on the Twin Towers, it was due to start filming in November. His one remaining ambition, he said in 2011, was to work with Clint Eastwood. The film of which he was most proud was Jinnah, in which he played the founder of Pakistan.

“It is certainly the most important role I have ever played, because the responsibility on my shoulders was immense,” he explained. Christopher Lee as Saruman in The Fellowship Of The Ring (Rex) Reluctant to think of himself as a star, the modest actor was also reticent about his Second World War record as a member of the Special Operations Executive. “I was attached to the SAS from time to time but we are forbidden – former, present, future – to discuss any specific operations. Let’s just say I was in Special Forces and leave it at that.” He married his wife, Birgit, known as Gitte, in 1961 and they had a daughter, Christina. Asked for the secret of a long-lived marriage, he replied: “Marry someone wonderful.” Christopher Lee: a life in film May 27, 1922

Question: What famous horror film actor - especially for playing Dracula - died age 93 in 2015?
Answer: Christopher Lee