Christopher Lee
Lee during a break in filming for The Heavy, June 2007.
Born	Christopher Frank Carandini Lee May 27, 1922 (1922-05-27) (age 86) Belgravia, London, England
Years active	1948 – present
Spouse(s)	Birgit Kroencke (1961 – present)
Official website

Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ, RAF (born May 27, 1922) is an English actor. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster, situated to the south-west of Buckingham Palace. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The year 1948 in film involved some significant events Events Laurence Olivier 's Hamlet becomes the The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works He initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films. Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Other notable roles include Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man, Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel trilogy as well as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The Wicker Man is a classic cult 1973 British Film filmed in Scotland, combining thriller, Existential Francisco Scaramanga is a Fictional character and the main Antagonist in the James Bond film and novel The Man with the Golden Gun The Man with the Golden Gun ( 1974) is the ninth film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Roger Moore as the fictional Count Dooku is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded Concept and creation Saruman first appears in 1954's The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of the Fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three Live action Fantasy Epic films The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 Lee's most important role, according to him, was his portrayal of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the biopic Jinnah. Muhammad Ali Jinnah Urdu: (December 25 1876 – September 11 1948 was a Pakistani politician and leader of the All India Muslim League who founded Pakistan Jinnah is a film about the life of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. His most recent film is The Golden Compass, where he plays the Magisterium's First High Counselor. The Golden Compass is a Fantasy film based upon Northern Lights (published as The Golden Compass in the U ^[1] Despite a critically acclaimed career that spans over seven decades, Lee has never been nominated for an Academy Award. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. At his peak he was 6'5" tall and is ranked along with Vince Vaughn as the tallest leading actor of all time. Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American Film actor.

Biography

Early life

Lee was born in Belgravia, England, the son of Italian Marchesina Estelle Marie (née Carandini di Sarzano) and Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Trollope Lee of the 60th King's Royal Rifle Corps. Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster, situated to the south-west of Buckingham Palace. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging A marquess (ˈmɑrkwɪs or marquis (/mɑrˈkiː/ is a Nobleman of hereditary rank in various European monarchies and some of their colonies Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army formation originally raised in colonial America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists ^[2][3] Lee's mother was a famous Edwardian beauty who was painted by Sir John Lavery, as well as Oswald Birley and Olive Snell, and was sculpted by Clare F. Sheridan, a cousin of Sir Winston Churchill. Class and society Socially the Edwardian era was a period during which the British Class system was very rigid Sir John Lavery ( 20 March, 1856 &ndash 10 January, 1941) was an Irish painter best known for his portraits Sir Oswald Hornby Joseph Birley, MC, RA ( 31 March 1880 - 6 May 1952) was an English Portrait painter Clare Consuelo Frewen Sheridan (nee Clare Consuelo Frewen (1885-1970 also known as Clare Consuelo Sheridan was a British sculptress and writer who is known primarily for creating Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Lee's maternal grandfather had been an Italian political refugee who had sought refuge in Australia. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

His parents separated when he was very young and his mother took him and his sister to Switzerland. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Here Lee's family fell upon relatively hard times and there were rumours that he had to work on a fondue stand to make extra cash for his family. After enrolling in Miss Fisher's Academy in Wengen, he played his first villainous role as Rumpelstiltskin. Wengen (1274 m is a village in the Bernese Oberland in central Switzerland. Rumpelstiltskin is a character in a Fairy tale of the same name that originated in Germany (where he is known as Rumpelstilzchen) The family returned to London where Christopher attended Wagner's private school. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. His mother then married Harcourt "Ingle" Rose, a banker and uncle of the James Bond author Ian Fleming. A banker or bank is a Financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story Ian Lancaster Fleming ( May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author, Journalist and Second World War Lee then attended Wellington College where he won scholarships in classics. Wellington College, the national monument to the Duke of Wellington, is an English Co-educational public school located in the Berkshire village "Classical literature" redirects here For literature in Classical languages outside the Graeco-Roman sphere see Ancient literature. He volunteered to fight for the Finnish forces during the Winter War against the Soviet Union in 1939; however, as Lee admits in his autobiography, he and his fellow British volunteers were in Finland only a fortnight and kept well away from the Russian forces the whole time. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The Winter War (Talvisota Советско-финляндская война - official Зимняя война - unofficial Vinterkriget began when the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He went on to serve in the Royal Air Force and intelligence services during World War II including serving as an Intelligence officer with the Long Range Desert Group]. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He trained in South Africa as a pilot but eyesight problems forced him to drop out. He eventually ended up in North Africa as Cipher Officer for No. 260 Squadron RAF and was with it through Sicily and Italy. This is a list of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons. It includes Royal Flying Corps (RFC and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS squadrons incorporated into the Additionally, he has mentioned serving in Special Operations Executive, though all details of actions undertaken by members of the SOE are still classified. The Special Operations Executive ( SOE) (sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars " after Sherlock Holmes ' fictional group of helpers Lee retired from the RAF after the end of the War with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior

Career as an actor

In 1946, Lee gained a seven-year contract with Rank Organisation after discussing his interest in acting with his mother's second cousin Nicolò Carandini, the Italian Ambassador. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Rank Organisation was a British Entertainment company formed in 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group cousin in Kinship terminology is a relative with whom one shares a common Ancestor, but in modern usage the term is rarely used when referring to a Count Nicolò Carandini ( December 6, 1896 - March 18, 1972) was the first Italian ambassador to Britain after World War II Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Carandini related to Lee that performance was in his blood as his great-grandmother Marie Carandini had been a successful opera singer in Australia, a fact of which Lee was unaware. Marie Carandini ( February 1 1826 &ndash April 13 1894) was an English born Australian opera singer For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. He made his film debut in Terence Young's Gothic romance, Corridor of Mirrors, in 1948. Terence Young is the name of Terence Young (director (1915-1994 British film director Terence Young (politician, Canadian Conservative Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In 1948, Lee made an uncredited appearance in Laurence Olivier's film of Hamlet as a spear carrier (marking his first film with frequent costar Peter Cushing, who played Osric). Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE (26 May 1913—11 August 1994 was an English actor known for his many appearances in Hammer Films, in which he played Baron Frankenstein Throughout the next decade, he made nearly thirty films, playing mostly stock action characters.

Lee in The City of the Dead.

Lee's first film for Hammer, made in 1957 with his close friend Peter Cushing, was The Curse of Frankenstein in which he played Frankenstein's monster. Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE (26 May 1913—11 August 1994 was an English actor known for his many appearances in Hammer Films, in which he played Baron Frankenstein The Curse of Frankenstein is a 1957 British Horror film by Hammer Film Productions. Frankenstein's monster (or Frankenstein's creature) is a Fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley 's novel Frankenstein or That led to his first appearance as the infamous Transylvanian bloodsucker in the 1958 film Dracula (known as Horror of Dracula in the US). Transylvania (Ardeal or ro ''Transilvania'' Erdély, see also other denominations) is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Dracula is a 1958 British Horror film, and the first of a series of Hammer Horror films inspired by the Bram Stoker novel Stories vary as to why Lee did not feature in the 1960 sequel The Brides of Dracula. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the characters from the novel see Brides of Dracula. The Brides of Dracula is a 1960 British Some state Hammer were unwilling to pay Lee his current fee but most tend to believe that he simply did not wish to be typecast. Lee did, however, return to the role in Hammer's Dracula: Prince of Darkness in 1965. Dracula Prince of Darkness is a 1966 British Horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Studios. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. He may be considered to be the best actor ever in this role. Lee's performance is notable in that he has no lines, merely hissing his way through the film. Again, stories vary as to the reason for this: Lee states he refused to speak the poor dialogue he was given, but writer Jimmy Sangster claims that the script did not contain any lines for the character. This film set the standard for most of the Dracula sequels in the sense that half the film's running time was spent on telling the story of Dracula's resurrection and the character's appearances were brief. Lee has gone on record to state that he was virtually 'blackmailed' by Hammer into starring in the subsequent films; unable or unwilling to pay him his going rate, they would resort to reminding him of how many people he would put out of work if he did not take part.

His performances in the following three films (1968's Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, 1969's Taste the Blood of Dracula and 1970's Scars of Dracula) all gave the character very little to do but were each commercially successful. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is a 1968 British Horror film directed by Freddie Francis for Hammer Films. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Taste the Blood of Dracula is a British Horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions and released in 1970. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Scars of Dracula is a 1970 British Horror film directed by Roy Ward Baker for Hammer Studios. Although Lee may not have liked what Hammer were doing with the character, worldwide audiences embraced the films which are now considered classics of the genre. Lee starred in two further Dracula films for Hammer in the early 70's, both of which attempted to bring the character into the modern day era. Neither was commercially successful. Lee's other work for Hammer included performances as The Mummy (1959), Rasputin in Rasputin, the Mad Monk (Lee apparently met Rasputin's assassin Felix Yussupov when he was a child), and Sir Henry Baskerville to Cushing's Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Mummy is a 1959 British Hammer Horror film starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rasputin the Mad Monk is a 1966 Hammer film directed by Don Sharp. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1959 British mystery film produced by Hammer Films and is directed by Terence Fisher. He was also responsible for bringing acclaimed occult author Denis Wheatley to Hammer. Dennis Yates Wheatley (8 January 1897 &ndash 10 November 1977 was a British Writer born in London. The company made two films from Wheatley's novels, both starring Lee. The first, 1967's The Devil Rides Out, is generally considered to be one of Hammer's crowning achievements. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Devil Rides Out is a 1968 film based on the novel The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley. According to Lee, Wheatley was so pleased with it that he offered the actor the film rights to his remaining black magic novels free of charge. However, the second, 1976's To the Devil a Daughter, was fraught with production difficulties, and was disowned by its author. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. To the Devil A Daughter is a 1976 horror film made by Hammer Film Productions, directed by Peter Sykes. Although financially successful, it was Hammer's last horror film, and marked the end of Lee's long association with the studio that brought him fame.

Lee also co-starred with Boris Karloff in the 1958 film Corridors of Blood. Boris Karloff ( 23 November, &ndash 2 February,) was an English actor who emigrated to Canada in the 1910s Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Corridors of Blood is a 1958 Horror film directed by Robert Day. Like Cushing, he also appeared in horror films for other companies during the 20 year period from 1957 to 1977. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Notable performances included the Jekyll and Hyde roles in I, Monster (1971), The Creeping Flesh (1972) and Lee's personal favourite The Wicker Man. I Monster is a 1971 British Horror film directed by Stephen Weeks (his feature debut for Amicus Productions Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The Creeping Flesh is a 1973 British Horror film about a Victorian era scientist who returns from New Guinea with a skeleton Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Wicker Man is a classic cult 1973 British Film filmed in Scotland, combining thriller, Existential Lee was attracted to the latter role by screenwriter Antony Schaffer and apparently gave his services for free as the budget was so small.

Since the mid 70s Lee has eschewed horror roles almost entirely, proving himself to be an extremely able and versatile actor. He played in the well-known James Bond series. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond spy novels, had offered him the role of the title character in the first official Bond film Dr. No. Ian Lancaster Fleming ( May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author, Journalist and Second World War James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story Dr Julius No is a Fictional character and the main Antagonist in the James Bond film and novel Dr Dr No (1962 is the first Film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent Lee enthusiastically accepted, but the producers had already chosen Joseph Wiseman for the part. Joseph Wiseman (born May 15, 1918) is a Canadian Actor who portrayed the title character Doctor Julius No in the first James In 1974, Lee finally got to play a James Bond villain when he was cast as the deadly assassin Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story The James Bond novels and films are notable for their memorably despicable Villains and henchmen. Francisco Scaramanga is a Fictional character and the main Antagonist in the James Bond film and novel The Man with the Golden Gun The Man with the Golden Gun ( 1974) is the ninth film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Roger Moore as the fictional

Because of his filming schedule in Bangkok, film director Ken Russell was unable to sign Lee to play The Specialist in Tommy (1975). Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell, known as Ken Russell (born 3 July 1927 is an English Film director. Tommy is a 1975 Musical film, based on The Who's 1969 "rock opera" album musical Tommy. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. That role was eventually given to Jack Nicholson. John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson (born April 22 1937) is an American Actor, internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals According to an AMC documentary on Halloween, John Carpenter states that he offered the role of Sam Loomis to Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee before Donald Pleasance took the role. Halloween is a 1978 American independent Horror film set in the fictional midwestern town of Haddonfield, John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American Film director, Screenwriter, producer, film score Fictional character biography Tenure at Smith's Grove 1963 - 1978 In November 1963 Loomis receives the six-year-old Michael Audrey Myers under his care Years later, Lee would meet Carpenter and tell him that the biggest regret of his career was not taking the role of Dr. Loomis. In 1978, Lee surprised many people with his deft comedy timing and willingness to go along with a joke as guest host on NBC's Saturday Night Live. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City

Lee also appeared in the series of Fu Manchu films from 1965 to 1969, starring as the eponymous villain in heavy oriental make-up. Dr Fu Manchu is a Fictional character first featured in a series of novels by English author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1998, Lee starred in the role of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of modern Pakistan, in the film Jinnah. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Muhammad Ali Jinnah Urdu: (December 25 1876 – September 11 1948 was a Pakistani politician and leader of the All India Muslim League who founded Pakistan Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Jinnah is a film about the life of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He auditioned for a role in The Longest Day but was turned down as he did not look like a military man (despite having served in the RAF during World War II). The Longest Day is a 3-hour-long War film with a very large cast based on the 1959 history The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan Lee acted in the 1970 movie Eugenie unaware that it was softcore pornography, because the sex scenes were shot separately and edited in with his own appearances afterwards. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Softcore (or soft porn) is a form of Pornography, either video or nude Glamour photography, that is less explicit than hardcore material Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of Sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer Lee has played roles in over 220 films since 1948. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He has had many notable television roles, including that of Flay in the BBC television miniseries, based on Mervyn Peake's novels, Gormenghast, and Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński in the 2005 CBS film John Paul the Second. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A miniseries (also mini-series) in a serial Storytelling medium is a production which tells a story in a pre-planned limited number of episodes Biography Mervyn Peake was born of British parents in Kuling ( Lushan) in Jiangxi Province of central China in 1911 only three months before the revolution Stefan Wyszyński (3 August 1901 - 28 May 1981 was a Polish Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. He played Lucas de Beaumanoir, the Grand Master of the Templar Order, in the 1990s BBC/A&E co-production of Sir Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe. '

Lee starred as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Concept and creation Saruman first appears in 1954's The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of the Fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three Live action Fantasy Epic films The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 (In the commentary he states he was approached to play Gandalf, but said he was too old. Concept and creation Humphrey Carpenter in his 1977 biography relates that Tolkien owned a Postcard entitled Der Berggeist ("the mountain Gandalf was then given to Ian McKellen and Lee played Saruman. Concept and creation Humphrey Carpenter in his 1977 biography relates that Tolkien owned a Postcard entitled Der Berggeist ("the mountain Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CH, CBE (born 25 May 1939 is an English stage and screen actor the Concept and creation Saruman first appears in 1954's The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of the Fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings ) Lee had met Tolkien once (making him the only person in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy to have done so), and makes a habit of reading the novels at least once a year. ^[4] In addition, he performed for the album The Lord of the Rings: Songs and Poems by J. R. R. Tolkien in 2003. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[5] Lee had his appearance in the third film cut, resulting in a frosty friendship with Peter Jackson, however, it was reinstated in the extended edition.

The Lord of the Rings marked the beginning of a small revival of his career that continued in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in which he played Count Dooku, a name allegedly chosen to reflect his fame playing Count Dracula. Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones is a 2002 Film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 Space opera Film written and directed by George Lucas. Count Dooku is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. His autobiography states that he did much of the swordplay himself, though a double was required for the more vigorous footwork. His good friend and frequent co-star, Peter Cushing, portrayed the equally icy Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Grand Moff Governor Wilhuff Tarkin is a Fictional character in the Star Wars universe andwas one of the two main antagonists in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (originally released as Star Wars) is a 1977 Space opera In the fantasy movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Lee played the role of Dr. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 2005 Film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. Wilbur Wonka, the strict father of the star character Willy Wonka. Willy Wonka is a fictional character in the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its sequel Charlie and the Great Glass

He was slated to appear as a ballad soloist called The Gentleman Ghost in Tim Burton's film version of the Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 2007 musical thriller and the Film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and However, shortly after filming began Tim Burton made the decision to omit all chorus singing, as it did not work in the context of a film. Timothy "Tim" William Burton (born August 25 1958 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and Set designer, notable for the quirky As a result, his character, as well as the characters of eight other actors, were cut before they were filmed. ^[6] However, according to Tim Burton, Lee, as well as the rest of the ballad soloists, were present for the recording session and did, in fact, record their musical numbers. ^[7]

A rare appearance with his head shaved to look bald can be seen in 1970 film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, directed by Billy Wilder. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is a 1970 Film directed and produced by Billy Wilder; he also shared writing credit with his longtime According to the Oracle of Bacon website at the University of Virginia, Lee is ranked second (just behind Rod Steiger) as the "Center of the Hollywood Universe" due to his large number of films with a correspondingly large number of different castmates. The University of Virginia (also called UVa, UVA, Mr Jefferson's University, or The University) is a highly selective public research Rod Steiger ( April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American Academy Award -winning Actor known for his ^[8]

In addition to more than a dozen feature films together for Hammer Films, Amicus Productions and other companies, Lee and Peter Cushing both appeared in Hamlet (1948) and Moulin Rouge (1952) albeit in separate scenes; and in separate installments of the Star Wars films, Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original film, Lee years later as Count Dooku. Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Amicus Productions is a British film production company, based at Shepperton Studios, England. Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE (26 May 1913—11 August 1994 was an English actor known for his many appearances in Hammer Films, in which he played Baron Frankenstein Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Moulin Rouge ( 1952) is a Film directed by John Huston, produced by Sir John Woolf and James Woolf of Romulus Films and released Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded Grand Moff Governor Wilhuff Tarkin is a Fictional character in the Star Wars universe andwas one of the two main antagonists in Count Dooku is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. The last project which united them in person was a documentary, Flesh and Blood, the Hammer Heritage of Horror, which they jointly narrated. It was the last time they saw each other as Cushing died two months later. While they frequently played off each other as mortal enemies onscreen — Lee's Count Dracula to Cushing's Professor Van Helsing — they were close friends in real life.

Lee appeared on the cover of the Wings album Band on the Run along with other people, including chat show host Michael Parkinson, movie actor James Coburn, world boxing champion John Conteh and broadcaster Clement Freud. Wings were a rock supergroup formed in August 1971 after the breakup of the Beatles, by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. Band on the Run is an album by Wings, released in 1973 McCartney's fifth album since the breakup of The Beatles (and Wings' third it became Wings' Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE (born March 28 1935) is an English broadcaster and Journalist. James Harrison Coburn Jr ( 31 August &ndash 18 November) was an American film and television actor known for his charisma and natural charm John Conteh (born Toxteth, Liverpool, England, 27 May 1951) is a British former boxer who was world Light-Heavyweight Sir Clement Raphael Freud (born 24 April 1924) is a British writer broadcaster and former politician

Christopher Lee is also one of the favorite actors of Tim Burton and has became a regular in many of Tim Burton's films

Lee is also credited by the Guiness Book of World Records as being the world's tallest living actor (a distinction he actually shares with actor Vince Vaughn). Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American Film actor. But, this record has been recently broken by actor/wrestler Tyler Mane who stands 6'8". Tyler Mane (born Daryl Karolat; December 8 1966) is a Canadian Actor and former professional wrestler who worked for

Voice work

Lee sings on the The Wicker Man soundtrack, performing Paul Giovanni's psych folk composition, "The Tinker of Rye". The Wicker Man is a classic cult 1973 British Film filmed in Scotland, combining thriller, Existential Paul Giovanni (1933-1990 was a playwright actor director singer and musician Psychedelic folk or Psych folk is a Music genre that is a blending of Folk music and Psychedelic rock or pop ^[9] He also sings the closing credits song of the 1994 horror movie Funny Man. Funny Man is a 1994 British film written and directed by Simon Sprackling. ^[10] His most notable musical work on film, however, appears in the strange superhero comedy/rock musical The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) which Lee steals with a raucous song and dance number called "Name Your Poison", written by Richard O'Brien. The Return Of Captain Invincible is a 1983 musical Comedy and Fantasy film starring Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee Richard Timothy Smith (born March 25 1942) better known under his Stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English-born New Zealand-raised

Lee provided the off-camera voice of "U. N. Owen," the mysterious host who brings disparate characters together in Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians (1965). Ten Little Indians is a modern Children's rhyme (sometimes "soldier boys" or "teddy bears" is used instead of Indians to avoid offense The film was produced by Harry Alan Towers, for whom Lee had worked repeatedly in the 1960s. Harry Alan Towers (born in London on October 19, 1920) is a Radio and Film producer and Screenwriter, who has produced Even though he is not credited on the film, the voice is unmistakable.

Lee appears on Peter Knight and Bob Johnson's (of Steeleye Span) 1970s concept album The King of Elfland's Daughter. Peter Knight (b 1947) is a folk musician member of the Electric folk group Steeleye Span. See also Robert Johnson (musician, a Delta Blues musician Robert "Bob" Johnson (born 18 March 1944 Steeleye Span is a British Electric folk band formed in 1969 and remaining active today The King of Elfland's Daughter is a 1924 Fantasy novel written by Lord Dunsany. Lee also provided the voices for the roles of DiZ (Ansem the Wise) in the video game Kingdom Hearts II and of Pastor Galswells in Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing video games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) is an Action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Square Enix and Buena Vista Games (now Disney Interactive Studios in 2005 for the Sony

He contributed his voice, as Death, in the animated versions of Terry Pratchett's Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters and reprised the role in the Sky One live action adaptation The Colour of Magic, taking over the role from the late Ian Richardson. Death, is a Fictional character in Terry Pratchett 's Discworld series Terence David John Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948 is an English fantasy, Science fiction, and children's author. Soul music is a Music genre that combines Rhythm and blues and Gospel music, originating in the United States. Wyrd Sisters is Terry Pratchett 's sixth Discworld novel published in 1988 and re-introduces Granny Weatherwax of Equal The Colour of Magic is a two-part television adaptation of the bestselling novels The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic by Ian William Richardson CBE ( 7 April 1934 &ndash 9 February 2007) was a Scottish Actor best known for playing

He is fluent in English, Italian, French, Spanish and German, and moderately proficient in Swedish, Russian and Greek . English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Swedish ( is a North Germanic language spoken by more than nine million people predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly ^[1] He was the original voice of Thor in the German dubs in the Danish 1986 animated movie Valhalla, and of King Haggard in the 1982 animated adaptation of The Last Unicorn. Valhalla is a Danish animated feature film released in October 1986 by Metronome. The Last Unicorn is a Fantasy Novel written by Peter S Beagle and published in 1968. ^[11][12]

Lee bridged two disparate genres of music by performing a heavy metal variation of the Toreador Song from the opera Carmen with the band Inner Terrestrials. The Toreador Song ( Votre toast je peux vous le rendre) is one of the most famous arias from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. Carmen is a French Opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The Libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based ^[13] Lee narrated and sang for the Danish musical group The Tolkien Ensemble, taking the role of Treebeard, King Théoden and others in the readings or singing of their respective poems or songs. The Tolkien Ensemble (founded in 1995) is a Danish ensemble which aims to create "the world's first complete musical interpretation of the poems and songs from Literature Spirits were sent by Eru Ilúvatar to inhabit the trees which the Vala Yavana had created along with other plants or olvars Early life Théoden was the only son of King Thengel and Morwen of Lossarnach (a region of Gondor) ^[14]. Lee also appeared as a narrator for Italian symphonic fantasy power metal band Rhapsody of Fire, playing the Wizard King in the latest two albums, Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret and Triumph or Agony. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Rhapsody of Fire (formerly known as ThunderCross and - more recently - Rhapsody) is an Italian Symphonic Power metal band led by Symphony of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret is an album released by Rhapsody in 2004 Triumph or Agony is a Rhapsody of Fire album released in Europe on 25 September 2006 He narrates several tracks in the two albums, as well as singing a duet with lead vocalist Fabio Lione in the single "The Magic of the Wizard's Dream" from the Symphony of Enchanted Lands II album. Fabio Tordiglione (born 9 October, 1973) is an Italian Singer who has sung with many music bands including Rhapsody of Fire, The Magic of the Wizard's Dream, released in 2005 is Rhapsody's fourth single.

Lee was the voice of Lucan D'Lere in the trailers for Everquest II, also as a Tim Burton regular he is one of the voices for Corpse Bride where he voiced Pastor Galswells. EverQuest II ( EQ2) based upon the popular EverQuest, is a Fantasy Massively multiplayer online role-playing game Timothy "Tim" William Burton (born August 25 1958 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and Set designer, notable for the quirky

Some thirty years after playing Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, Lee provided the voice of Scaramanga in the video game GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. Francisco Scaramanga is a Fictional character and the main Antagonist in the James Bond film and novel The Man with the Golden Gun The Man with the Golden Gun ( 1974) is the ninth film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Roger Moore as the fictional A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. GoldenEye Rogue Agent is a James Bond Video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. ^[15]

In 2007, Lee voiced the transcript of The Children of Húrin, by J.R.R. Tolkien for the audiobook version of the novel. The Children of Húrin is an epic High fantasy Novel which forms the completion of a tale by J

Honours

In 2001, Lee was appointed Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II ^[16] Lee was named 2005's 'most marketable star in the world' in a USA Today newspaper poll, after three of the films he appeared in grossed US$640 million. USA TODAY is a national American daily Newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ^[17]

Family

The Carandinis, Lee's maternal ancestors, were given the right to bear the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of Frederick I Barbarossa (1122 &ndash 10 June 1190) was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned Cinemareview cites: "Cardinal Consalvi was Papal Secretary of State at the time of Napoleon and is buried at the Pantheon in Rome next to the painter Raphael. Ercole Consalvi ( June 8, 1757 &ndash January 24, 1824) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. The Cardinal Secretary of State &mdashofficially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope &mdashpresides over the Vatican Secretariat of State, which Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Pantheon ( Latin Pantheon, from Greek Πάνθειον Pantheon, meaning "Temple of all the gods" is a building in Rome Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian Raffaello) (April 6 or March 28 1483 – April 6 1520 was an Italian painter and His painting, by Lawrence, hangs in Windsor Castle". Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited Castle in the world and dating back to the time of ^[1] Lee's great-grandparents formed Australia's first opera company, performing before miners in towns in the outback. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[18]

Lee is a step-cousin of Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond spy novels. Ian Lancaster Fleming ( May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author, Journalist and Second World War James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story He has been married to the Danish model Birgit Kroencke (also known as Gitte Lee) since 1961. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe They have a daughter named Christina (born 23 November 1963). Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[18] He is also the uncle of the British actress Harriet Walter. Harriet Mary Walter, CBE, (born September 24, 1950) is a British Actress. ^[1]

Personal

Lee is a known cigar aficionado with a love for the Cuban cigar brand Montecristo. Montecristo is the name of two brands of premium Cigar, one produced on the island of Cuba for Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company and the He once said "What are these? I do not smoke cigars such as these, I only smoke Montecristo!" as an answer to an offer to smoke a different kind of cigar. Montecristo is the name of two brands of premium Cigar, one produced on the island of Cuba for Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company and the His Montecristo of choice is the No 1, a Lonsdale.

Books by Christopher Lee

• Christopher Lee's Treasury of Terror, Pyramid Publications, 1966
• Christopher Lee's New Chamber of Horrors, Souvenir Press, 1974
• Christopher Lee's Archives of Terror, Warner Books, Volume I, 1975; Volume 2, 1976
• Tall, Dark and Gruesome (autobiography), W. H. Allen, 1977 and 1999
• Lord of Misrule (autobiography, a revised and expanded edition of Tall Dark and Gruesome), Orion Publishing Group Ltd. The Lord of Misrule, known in Scotland as the Abbot of Unreason and in France as the Prince des Sots, was an officer appointed by lot at , 2004

Books contributed to

• The Gospel of Filth (Reference of the dark influences behind gothic metal artists, Cradle of Filth), Gavin Baddeley & Dani Filth, Date TBC (Estimated 10/31/07), FAB Press

Filmography

Main article: Christopher Lee filmography

Video Games

• Ghosts - Dr. The Gospel of Filth is a book by Dani Filth and Gavin Baddeley, documenting the history of the band Cradle of Filth and straying further afield See also Christopher Lee Marcus Grimalkin/Himself (1994)
• The Rocky Interactive Horror Show - Narrator (1999)
• Conquest: Frontier Wars - Anvil/Headquarters (2001)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Saruman The White (2002)
• Freelancer (2003)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King - Saruman The White (2003)
• EverQuest II - Lucan D'Lere (2004)
• GoldenEye: Rogue Agent - Francisco Scaramanga (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age - Saruman The White (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth - Saruman The White (2004)
• Lego Star Wars: The Video Game - Count Dooku (2005)
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (video game) - Count Dooku (2005)
• Kingdom Hearts II - DiZ/Ansem the Wise (2006)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II - The Rise of the Witch-king - Saruman The White (2006)

Albums

• The Wicker Man soundtrack (1973)
• Annie Get Your Gun (1995) JAY Records recording of Annie Get Your Gun
• The Rocky Horror Show (1995) JAY Records recording of The Rocky Horror Show
• Devils, Rogues & Other Villains (1998)
• The King and I (1998) JAY Records recording of The King and I
• Musicality of Lerner and Loewe (2002) Christopher Lee sings Wandering Star on this recording Musicality of Lerner and Loewe
• Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret (2004)
• Lord of the Rings: Songs and Poems by J. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical Comedy film that parodies Science fiction and Horror films. Conquest Frontier Wars is a Real Time Strategy engine released in 2001 by Ubi Soft and Fever Pitch Studios. The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers is a video game based on Peter Jackson 's New Line Cinema films The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation Computer game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft. The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King is a Video game by EA Games based on the movie of the same name. EverQuest II ( EQ2) based upon the popular EverQuest, is a Fantasy Massively multiplayer online role-playing game GoldenEye Rogue Agent is a James Bond Video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. The Lord of the Rings The Third Age is a 2004 role-playing game (RPG by EA Games for all three of the late sixth-generation game consoles The Lord of the Rings The Battle for Middle-earth (aka ' tLotRtBfME') is a Real-time strategy (RTS game for the PC developed by EALA Lego Star Wars The Video Game is a Video game based on the ''Star Wars'' themed toy line by the Lego Group, that takes place during the Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith is the official LucasArts 2005 Video game based on the movie of the same name. is an Action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Square Enix and Buena Vista Games (now Disney Interactive Studios in 2005 for the Sony The Lord of the Rings The Battle for Middle-Earth II—The Rise of the Witch-King ( tLotRtBFMEIItROtWK) is a Real-time strategy computer Composed arranged and recorded by Paul Giovanni and Magnet, The Wicker Man soundtrack contains folk songs performed by characters in the The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British stage musical, opening in London on 19 June 1973 The King and I is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Symphony of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret is an album released by Rhapsody in 2004 R. R. Tolkien (2003)
• Triumph or Agony (2006)
• Revelation (2006)

References

External links

• http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/features/22550/never-be-terrible-in-a-terrible-movie.thtml
• Official Christopher Lee web site
• Christopher Lee on the making of legends and Jinnah
• Bizarre Magazine interview
• Christopher Lee at the Internet Movie Database
• Concerning his role in The Lord of the Rings movies
• Guardian Unlimited Profile
• starwars.com interview in which he mentions work with SOE
• Christopher Lee Community
• Christopher Lee interview 2007