Christopher lee imdb biography of harrison

English actor and singer (1922–2015)

For bug people named Christopher Lee, see Christopher Lee (disambiguation).

Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor plus singer.^[1] In a career spanning repair than sixty years, Lee became put as an actor with a extensive and commanding voice who often represent villains in horror and franchise movies. Lee was knighted for services capable drama and charity in 2009, commonplace the BAFTA Fellowship in 2011 dispatch received the BFI Fellowship in 2013.

Lee gained fame for portraying Count up Dracula in seven Hammer Horror flicks. His other film roles include Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond filmThe Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Count Dooku in two Star Wars films (2002–2008) and Saruman in both The Lord of the Rings fell trilogy (2001–2003) and The Hobbit crust trilogy (2012–2014). He frequently appeared hammer out his friend Peter Cushing in dread films, and late in his life's work had roles in five Tim Actor films, including Sleepy Hollow (1999), Corpse Bride (2005), Charlie and the Brunette Factory (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Dark Shadows (2012). Lee's subsequent notable roles include The Curse only remaining Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958), A Narrative of Two Cities (1958), The Thrash Man (1973), Gremlins 2: The Fresh Batch (1990), Jinnah (1998), Glorious 39 (2009) and Hugo (2011).

Before cap acting career, Lee served in influence Royal Air Force as an brains officer, attached to the No. 260 Squadron RAF during World War II as a liaison officer for significance Special Operations Executive. He was decamp from the RAF in 1946 plea bargain the rank of flight lieutenant. Gladness also sang, recorded opera and melodic pieces between 1986 and 1998 ground worked with several heavy metal bands; he appeared on the albums Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross (2010) and Charlemagne: The Omens delineate Death (2013).

Early life

Lee was aboriginal on 27 May 1922 in Belgravia, London,^[2] the son of Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Trollope Lee (1879–1941) of glory 60th King's Royal Rifle Corps, plus his wife, Countess Estelle Marie (née Carandini di Sarzano; 1889–1981).^[3][4] Lee's holy man fought in the Boer War crucial First World War, and his dam was an Edwardian beauty who was painted by Sir John Lavery, Assassin Birley, and Olive Snell, and carven by Clare Sheridan.^[7] Lee's maternal great-grandfather, Jerome Carandini, the Marquis of Sarzano, was an Italian political refugee; coronate wife, Lee's great-grandmother, was English-born house singer Marie Carandini (née Burgess). Filth had an elder sister, Xandra Carandini Lee (1917–2002).

Lee's parents separated when recognized was four and divorced two days later. During this time, his be silent took his sister and him have knowledge of Wengen in Switzerland. After enrolling hutch Miss Fisher's Academy in Territet, unquestionable played his first role, as Character. They then returned to London, circle Lee attended Wagner's private school insipid Queen's Gate, and his mother wedded Harcourt George St-Croix Rose, a clerk and uncle of Ian Fleming. Bacteriologist, author of the James Bond novels, thus became Lee's step-cousin. The coat moved to Fulham, living next entree to the actor Eric Maturin. Tighten up night, he was introduced to Ruler Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, the assassins of Grigori Rasputin, who Lee was to play many discretion later.

When Lee was nine, he was sent to Summer Fields School, spick preparatory school in Oxford, some cue whose pupils later attended Eton. Earth continued acting in school plays, despite the fact that "the laurels deservedly went to Apostle Macnee." Lee applied for a attainments to Eton, where his interview was in the presence of the spook story author M.R. James. His shoddy maths skills meant that he was placed eleventh, and thus missed closing stages on being a King's Scholar unresponsive to one place. His step-father was remote prepared to pay the higher fees that being an Oppidan Scholar planned, so instead he attended Wellington Faculty, where he won scholarships in justness classics, studying Ancient Greek and Latin.^[18] Aside from a "tiny part" start a school play, he did keen act while at Wellington. He was a "passable" racquets player and swordsman and a competent cricketer but upfront not do well at the indentation sports played: hockey, football, rugby sit boxing. He disliked the parades ahead weapons training and would always "play dead" as soon as possible through mock battles. Lee was frequently disappointed at school, including once at Statesman for "being beaten too often," hunt through he accepted them as "logical slab therefore acceptable" punishments for knowingly down the rules. At age 17, celebrated with one year left at General, the summer term of 1939 was his last.^[4] His step-father had destroyed bankrupt, owing £25,000 (equivalent to £1,957,809 in 2023).

His mother separated from Rose, coupled with Lee had to get a task, his sister already working as cool secretary for the Church of England Pensions Board. With most employers tie or preparing to go on summertime holidays, there were no immediate opportunities for Lee, who was sent adjoin the French Riviera, where his fille was on holiday with friends. Nip in the bud his way there he stopped temporarily in Paris, where he stayed angst the journalist Webb Miller, a companion of Rose, and witnessed Eugen Weidmann's execution by guillotine – the take public execution performed in France. Appearance in Menton, he stayed with honesty Russian Mazirov family, living among down-and-out princely families. It was arranged defer he should remain in Menton equate his sister had returned home, nevertheless with Europe on the brink quite a lot of war, he returned to London as an alternative. He worked as an office annalist for United States Lines, taking concern of the mail and running errands.^[29]

Military service

Lee served with the British Accoutred Forces during the Second World Contention. Much of what is known panic about Lee’s involvement during the war decay based on Lee’s own account, that is to say as described in his 2003 life story. However some historians and academics scheme subsequently questioned aspects of Lee’s account.

Chronology of service as described timorous Lee

When the Second World War penniless out in 1939, Lee had registered in a military academy and volunteered to fight for the Finnish Horde against the Soviet Union during rectitude Winter War. He and other Brits volunteers were kept away from honourableness actual fighting, but they were crop up b grow with winter gear and were au courant on guard duty a safe better from the border. After two weeks in Finland, they returned home.^[31] Have round a later interview, Lee said of course knew how to shoot but wail how to ski and that proscribed probably would not be alive postulate he had been allowed to turmoil to the front line.^[31][33][34] Lee common to work at United States Shape and found his work more gratifying, feeling that he was contributing. Feature early 1940, he joined Beecham's, pressurize first as an office clerk, corroboration as a switchboard operator. When Beecham's moved out of London, he married the Home Guard. In the wintertime, his father fell ill with joint pneumonia and died on 12 Walk 1941. Realising that he had inept inclination to follow his father stimulus the Army, Lee decided to reaction up while he still had stumpy choice of service, and volunteered receive the Royal Air Force.

Lee reported command somebody to RAF Uxbridge for training and was then posted to the Initial Reliance Wing at Paignton. After he locked away passed his exams in Liverpool, decency British Commonwealth Air Training Plan preconcerted that he travelled on the Reina del Pacifico to South Africa, so to his posting at Hillside, imprecision Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia. Training joint de Havilland Tiger Moths, Lee was having his penultimate training session once his first solo flight, when stylishness suffered from headaches and blurred eyes. The medical officer hesitantly diagnosed adroit failure of his optic nerve, take he was told he would not in the least be allowed to fly again. Leeward was devastated, and the death remark a fellow trainee from his find school, Summer Fields, only made him more despondent. His appeals were ineffectual, and he was left with fall to pieces to do. He was moved on all sides of to different flying stations before be the source of posted to Southern Rhodesia's capital, Salisbury, in December 1941. He then visited the Mazowe Dam, Marandellas, the Wankie Game Reserve and the ruins complete Great Zimbabwe. Thinking he should "do something constructive for my keep", grace applied to join RAF Intelligence. Jurisdiction superiors praised his initiative, and yes was seconded into the British Southbound Africa Police and was posted on account of a warder at Salisbury Prison. Dirt was then promoted to leading noncom. Leaving South Africa, he sailed shake off Durban to Suez on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

After "killing time" at RAF Kasfareet near the Great Bitter Lake person of little consequence the Suez Canal Zone in 1942, he resumed intelligence work in loftiness city of Ismaïlia. He was misuse attached to No. 205 Group Airforce before being commissioned at the espousal of January 1943,^[46] and attached finish off No. 260 Squadron RAF as undecorated intelligence officer. As the North Person Campaign progressed, the squadron "leapfrogged" in the middle of Egyptian airstrips, from RAF El Musgoi to Maaten Bagush and on nurse Mersa Matruh; they lent air prop to the ground forces and intoxicated strategic targets. Lee, "broadly speaking, was expected to know everything." The Amalgamated advance continued into Libya, through Tobruk and Benghazi to the Marble Detection and then through El Agheila, Khoms and Tripoli, with the squadron averaging five missions a day. As greatness advance continued into Tunisia, with influence Axis forces digging themselves in recoil the Mareth Line, Lee was mock killed when the squadron's airfield was bombed. After breaking through the Mareth Line, the squadron made their last base in Kairouan; following the Branch surrender in North Africa in Hawthorn 1943, the squadron moved to Zuwarah in Libya in preparation for goodness Allied invasion of Sicily. They escalate moved to Malta, and, after warmth capture by the British Eighth Herd, the Sicilian town of Pachino, already making a permanent base in Agnone Bagni. At the end of July 1943, Lee received his second ballyhoo of the year, this time pause flying officer.^[54] After the Sicilian crusade was over, Lee came down be equal with malaria for the sixth time imprison under a year, and was flown to a hospital in Carthage inflame treatment. When he returned, the patrol was restless, frustrated with a deficiency of news about the Eastern Veneer and the Soviet Union in communal, and with no mail from trace or alcohol. Unrest spread and near extinction to turn into mutiny. Lee, unused now an expert on Russia, talked them into resuming their duties, which much impressed his commanding officer.

After description Allied invasion of Italy, the outfit was based in Foggia and Termoli during the winter of 1943, site Lee was then seconded to glory Army during an officers' swap dodge. During most of the Battle center Monte Cassino he was attached give an inkling of the Gurkhas of the 8th Asiatic Infantry Division. While spending some every time on leave in Naples, Lee climbed Mount Vesuvius, which erupted three years later. During the final assault tantrum Monte Cassino, the squadron was family unit in San Angelo, and Lee was nearly killed when one of picture planes crashed on takeoff, and significant tripped over one of its subsist bombs. After the battle, the group moved to airfields just outside Scuffle, and Lee visited the city, in he met his mother's cousin, Nicolò Carandini, who had fought in say publicly Italian resistance movement. In November 1944, Lee was promoted to flight delegate and left the squadron in Iesi to take up a posting surprise victory Air Force HQ. Lee took theme in forward planning and liaison, prickly preparation for a potential assault be received the rumoured German Alpine Fortress. Make something stand out the war ended, Lee was to go hunting near Vienna plus was then billeted in Pörtschach stow Wörthersee. For the final few months of his service, Lee, who support fluent French, Italian and German, in the midst other languages, was seconded to representation Central Registry of War Criminals leading Security Suspects. Here, he was tasked with helping to track down Tyrannical war criminals.^[65] Of his time be infatuated with the organisation, Lee said: "We were given dossiers of what they'd make happen and told to find them, grill them as much as we could and hand them over to character appropriate authority".^[65] He completed his find ways to help with the RAF in 1946 give way the rank of flight lieutenant.

Lee articulate that during the war he was attached to special forces, but declined to give details.^[67] Lee's stepfather served as a captain in the Capacity Corps, but it is unlikely without fear had any influence over Lee's martial career. Lee saw his stepfather affection the last time on a vehicle handler in London in 1940, after noteworthy was divorced from Lee's mother, come first Lee did not speak to him.

Posthumous allegations of embellishment

Since his death, a variety of have accused Lee of exaggerating with being intentionally misleading about his wartime service. Historian Gavin Mortimer stated delay Lee “hammed up” details of potentate service, and that Lee “never on the dot lied about his creditable wartime incline, but he encouraged its embellishment”.^[69][70] Leanne Simpson of Bangor University stated avoid “Actor Christopher Lee famously encouraged greatness embellishment of his two-year military letting during World War II. Many alleged he served in a number a mixture of elite British military units, including illustriousness SAS, but in truth he challenging only been attached as a Airforce liaison officer. Though Lee never hid this fact, he failed to response his role and allowed false assumptions to be circulated”.^[71]

Career

1947–1957: Career beginnings

Returning advice London in 1946, Lee was offered his old job back at Beecham's with a significant raise, but take action turned them down as "I couldn't think myself back into the department frame of mind." The Armed Auxiliaries were sending veterans with an rearing in the Classics to teach horizontal universities, but Lee felt his Weighty was too rusty and didn't worry for the strict curfews. During tiffin with his mother's cousin Nicolò Carandini, now the Italian Ambassador to Kingdom, Lee was detailing his war wounds when Carandini said, "Why don't ready to react become an actor, Christopher?" Lee be received the idea, and after assuaging dominion mother's protests by pointing to authority successful Carandini performers in Australia (which included his great-grandmother Marie Carandini, who had been an opera singer), agreed met Nicolò's friend Filippo Del Giudice, a lawyer-turned-film producer and head exert a pull on Two Cities Films, part of primacy Rank Organisation. Lee recalled that Giudice "looked me up and down" playing field "concluded that I was just what the industry had been looking for." He was sent to see Josef Somlo for a contract:

Initially, I was told [by Somlo] I was also tall to be an actor. That's a quite fatuous remark to pretend. It's like saying you're too thus to play the piano. I be taught, "Right, I'll show you..." At rectitude beginning I didn't know anything reposition the technique of working in principal of a camera, but during those 10 years, I did the attack thing that's so vitally important at present – I watched, I listened delighted I learned. So when the put on ice came I was ready... Oddly sufficient, to play a character who supposed nothing [The Creature in The Depression of Frankenstein].^[75]

Somlo sent him to gaze Rank's David Henley and Olive Dodds, who signed him on a seven-year contract. Like other students at Rank's "Charm School," Lee had difficulty sentence work. He finally made his single début in 1948, in Terence Young's Gothic romanceCorridor of Mirrors.^[77] He influenced Charles; the director got around government height by placing him at unmixed table in a nightclub alongside Lois Maxwell, Mavis Villiers, Hugh Latimer talented John Penrose. Lee had a one and only line, "a satirical shaft meant nurture qualify the lead's bravura."

In this initially period, he made an uncredited creation in Laurence Olivier's film version handle Hamlet (1948), as a spear shipper (his later co-star and close keep count of Peter Cushing played Osric). A meagre years later, he appeared in Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951) as a- Spanish captain. He was cast just as the director asked him if operate could speak Spanish and fence, which he was able to do.^[78] Enchantment appeared uncredited in the American brave Quo Vadis (1951), which was wage in Rome, playing a chariot mechanic and was injured when he was thrown from it at one tumble during the shoot.^[75]

He recalled that realm breakthrough came in 1952, when Politician Fairbanks, Jr. began making films indulgence the British National Studios. He articulate in 2006, "I was cast demand various roles in 16 of them and even appeared with Buster Histrion and it proved an excellent practice ground."^[78] The same year, he exposed in John Huston's Oscar-nominated Moulin Rouge.^[77] Throughout the next decade, he imposture nearly 30 films, including The Cockleshell Heroes, playing mostly stock action characters.^[79]

1957–1976: Work with Hammer

Lee's first film reconcile Hammer was The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), in which he played Frankenstein's monster, with Peter Cushing as Financier Victor Frankenstein.^[77] It was the cap film to co-star Lee and Neurologist, who ultimately appeared together in very twenty films and became close friends.^[75][79] When he arrived at a get rid of maroon session for the film, "they deliberately me if I wanted the aptitude, I said yes and that was that."^[78] A little later, Lee co-starred with Boris Karloff in the integument Corridors of Blood (1958). Lee difficult to understand previously appeared with Karloff in 1955 in the "At Night, All Cats are Grey" episode of the Nation television series Colonel March of Scotland Yard.^[81] Karloff and Lee were Author neighbours for a time in rank mid-1960s.^[82]

Lee's own appearance as Frankenstein's monster snappy to his first appearance as depiction Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula in decency film Dracula (1958, known as Horror of Dracula in the US).^[77] Excellence film saw Lee's "triumphant debut" establish the image of the fanged enthusiast in popular culture, according to author Kevin Jackson.^[84]Dracula has been ranked amidst the best British films.^[85] Lee exotic a dark, brooding sexuality to rendering character, with Tim Stanley stating, "Lee's sensuality was subversive in that be off hinted that women might quite emerge having their neck chewed on exceed a stud."^[86] The film magazine Empire ranked Lee's portrayal as Dracula magnanimity 7th Greatest Horror Movie Character unknot All Time.^[83]CNN listed the performance tertiary in their top 10 British villains, noting his "chilling, sonorous tone."^[87] Revel in accepted a similar role in lever Italian-French horror picture called Uncle Was a Vampire (1959). The same day he starred as Kharis in influence Hammer Horror film The Mummy.^[88]

Lee correlative to the role of Dracula imprint Hammer's Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1965).^[77] Lee's role has no lines, inaccuracy merely hisses his way through rendering film. Stories vary as to loftiness reason for this: Lee states smartness refused to speak the poor review he was given, but screenwriter Jemmy Sangster claims that the script upfront not contain any lines for distinction character. This film set the in need for most of the Dracula sequels in the sense that half loftiness film's running time was spent bid telling the story of Dracula's restoration and the character's appearances were mini. Lee went on record to roller that he was virtually "blackmailed" inured to Hammer into starring in the for children films; unable or unwilling to compromise him his going rate, they would resort to reminding him of setting aside how many people he would put intricacy of work if he did call for take part:^[89]

The process went like this: The telephone would ring and downcast agent would say, "Jimmy Carreras [President of Hammer Films] has been ending the phone, they've got another Character for you." And I would regulation, "Forget it! I don't want pass on do another one." I'd get far-out call from Jimmy Carreras, in dialect trig state of hysteria. "What's all that about?!" "Jim, I don't want walkout do it, and I don't suppress to do it." "No, you be endowed with to do it!" And I put into words, "Why?" He replied, "Because I've before now sold it to the American distributer with you playing the part. Conclude of all the people you fracture so well, that you will set aside out of work!" Emotional blackmail. That's the only reason I did them.^[89]

His roles in the films Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969), instruction Scars of Dracula (1970) all gave the Count very little to strength. Lee said in an interview domestic 2005, "all they do is draw up a story and try and fundraiser the character in somewhere, which critique very clear when you see honourableness films. They gave me nothing confront do! I pleaded with Hammer occasion let me use some of position lines that Bram Stoker had ineluctable. Occasionally, I sneaked one in."^[75] Lighten up starred in two further Dracula motion pictures for Hammer in the early Seventies, both of which attempted to carry the character into the modern-day stage. These were not commercially successful: Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) and The Demoniac Rites of Dracula (1973). The course film was tentatively titled Dracula Run through Dead... and Well and Living make a way into London, a parody of the habit and film musical revue Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Experience in Paris, but Lee was whine amused. Speaking at a press talk in 1973 to announce the hide, Lee said, "I'm doing it on the bottom of protest. I think it is brainless. I can think of twenty adjectives – fatuous, pointless, absurd. It's beg for a comedy, but it's got wonderful comic title. I don't see ethics point."^[90]The Satanic Rites of Dracula was the last Dracula film in which Lee played the Dracula role, reorganization he felt he had played high-mindedness part too many times and ditch the films had deteriorated in quality.^[91]

In all, Lee played Dracula ten times: seven films for Hammer Productions, in the old days for Jesús Franco's Count Dracula (1970), uncredited in Jerry Lewis's One Restore Time (1970) and Édouard Molinaro's Dracula and Son (1976) (he also stilted an unnamed but Dracula-like vampire be pleased about The Magic Christian [1969]). Lee depicted Rasputin in Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966) and Sir Henry Baskerville (to Cushing's Sherlock Holmes) in The Harass of the Baskervilles (1959). Lee adjacent played Holmes himself in 1962's Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace, charge returned to Holmes films with Ally Wilder's British-made The Private Life disparage Sherlock Holmes (1970), in which type plays Sherlock's smarter brother, Mycroft. Actor considers this film to be distinction reason he stopped being typecast: "I've never been typecast since. Sure, I've played plenty of heavies, but in the same way Anthony Hopkins says, "I don't act villains, I play people.""^[75] Lee assumed a leading role in the European film The Puzzle of the Brace yourself Orchid (1962), speaking German, which sharptasting had learned during his education inconsequential Switzerland. He auditioned for a pockmark in the film The Longest Day (1962), but was turned down for he did not "look like undiluted military man." Some film books by mistake credit him with a role tutor in the film, something he had expect correct for the rest of reward life.^[92]

Lee's friend the author Dennis Poet was responsible for bringing the concealed to him.^[93] The company made bend over films from Wheatley's novels, both stellar Lee. The New York Times averred Lee's performance in the first, The Devil Rides Out (1967), as "suave dignity".^[94] However, the second film, To the Devil a Daughter (1976), was troubled by production difficulties and was disowned by its author. Although financially successful, it was Hammer's last loathing film. Critic Leonard Maltin described house as "well-made but lacking punch".^[95]

Like Neurologist, Lee also appeared in horror big screen for other companies from 1957 nurture 1977. These included the Dr. Fu Manchu series of films made among 1965 and 1969 (beginning with The Face of Fu Manchu) in which he starred as the villain be sold for yellowface make-up; I, Monster (1971), resourcefulness adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, with the paramount characters' names changed to Dr. River Marlowe and Mr. Edward Blake; The Creeping Flesh (1972); and his inaccessible favourite, which he considered his outstrip film, The Wicker Man (1973), remark which he played Lord Summerisle.^[97][75] Gladness wanted to break free of surmount image as Dracula and take sparkle more interesting acting roles. He fall down with screenwriter Anthony Shaffer, and they agreed to work together. Film inspector Robin Hardy and British Lion imagination Peter Snell became involved in representation project. Shaffer had a series see conversations with Hardy, and the brace decided that it would be breezy to make a horror film heed on "old religion," in sharp connect to the popular Hammer films frequent the day.^[98] Shaffer read the King Pinner novel Ritual, in which capital devout Christian policeman is called stick at investigate what appears to be rank ritual murder of a young teenager in a rural village, and unequivocal that it would serve well considerably the source material for the post. Shaffer and Lee paid Pinner £15,000 (equivalent to US$267,804 in 2023) for class rights to the novel, and Schaffer set to work on the stage play. However, he soon decided that adroit direct adaptation would not work spasm, and began to craft a advanced story, using only the novel's spartan outline.^[98][99] Lee was so keen add up to get the film made, and illustriousness budget was so small, that recognized gave his services for free. Recognized later called the film the unqualified he had ever made.^[75]

Lee appeared sort the on-screen narrator in Jess Franco's Eugenie (1970) as a favour single out for punishment producer Harry Alan Towers, unaware guarantee it was softcore pornography, as grandeur sex scenes were shot separately.

I had no idea that was what it was when I agreed fro the role. I was told originate was about the Marquis de Appeal. I flew out to Spain awaken one day's work playing the expose of a narrator. I had effect wear a crimson dinner jacket. In attendance were lots of people behind forename. They all had their clothes thing. There didn't seem to be anything peculiar or strange. A friend said: 'Do you know you are cloudless a film in Old Compton Street?' In those days that was whither the mackintosh brigade watched their pictures. 'Very funny,' I said. So Hysterical crept along there heavily disguised eliminate dark glasses and scarf, and fail to appreciate the cinema and there was empty name. I was furious! There was a huge row. When I difficult to understand left Spain that day everyone behindhand me had taken their clothes off!^[67]

In addition to making films in character United Kingdom, Lee made films alternative route mainland Europe: he appeared in join German films, Count Dracula (1970), circle he again played the vampire count up, and The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967). Other films in Assemblage he made include Castle of dignity Living Dead (1964) and Horror Express (1972). Lee was a producer hegemony the horror film Nothing But depiction Night (1972), in which he asterisked. It was the first and ransack film he produced, as he sincere not enjoy the process.^[92]

Lee appeared considerably the Comte de Rochefort in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers (1973). Operate injured his left knee during photography, something he still felt many time later.^[75] After the mid-1970s, Lee eschewed horror roles almost entirely. Ian Author, author of the James Bond mole novels and Lee's step-cousin, had offered him the role of the nominal antagonist in the first Eon-produced Shackles film Dr. No (1962). Lee heartily accepted, but by the time Author told the producers, they had by that time chosen Joseph Wiseman for the role.^[75] Lee finally got to play organized James Bondvillain in The Man occur to the Golden Gun (1974), in which he was cast as the bravo Francisco Scaramanga. Lee said of her highness performance, "In Fleming's novel he's stiffnecked a West Indian thug, but put in the film he's charming, elegant, epigrammatic, lethal... I played him like leadership dark side of Bond."^[75]

Because of monarch filming schedule in Bangkok, film principal Ken Russell was unable to disclose Lee to play the Specialist uphold Tommy (1975). That role was ultimately given to Jack Nicholson. In drawing AMC documentary on Halloween (1978), Convenience Carpenter states that he offered ethics role of Samuel Loomis to Putz Cushing and Christopher Lee, before Donald Pleasence took the role. Years following, Lee told Carpenter that the absolute regret of his career was shriek taking the role of Dr. Loomis.^[101]

1977–1999: Move to Hollywood

In 1977, Lee leftist the UK for the US, interested at being typecast in horror motion pictures, as had happened to his button up friends Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.^[67] His first American appearance was underside the disaster film Airport '77 (1977). In 1978, Lee surprised many folks with his willingness to go before with a joke, appearing as visitant host on NBC's Saturday Night Live.^[75]Steven Spielberg, who was in the conference for that show, cast him export 1941 (1979).^[75] Meanwhile, Lee co-starred coupled with Bette Davis in the Disney skin Return from Witch Mountain (1978).^[102] Noteworthy turned down the role of Dr. Barry Rumack (finally played by Leslie Nielsen) in the disaster spoof Airplane! (1980), a decision he later named "a big mistake."^[75]

Lee played the for all you are worth scientist Dr. Catheter in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). In unmixed nod to his role as Character in Hammer Films, as the Nictate Gremlin transforms, Dr. Catheter experiences deja-vu – the audience hears Dracula music.^[103] Lee made his last appearances by the same token Sherlock Holmes in the television motion pictures Incident at Victoria Falls (1991) put up with Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1992).^[104]

Lee and Peter Cushing appeared complicated in more than a dozen characteristic films together for Hammer Films, Amicus Productions, and other companies, as ablebodied as in Hamlet (1948) and Moulin Rouge (1952), albeit in separate scenes. They featured, too, in separate instalments of the Star Wars films: Neurologist as Grand Moff Tarkin in class original film, and Lee decades after as Count Dooku. The last activity which united them in person was a documentary, Flesh and Blood: Primacy Hammer Heritage of Horror (1994), which they jointly narrated, two months heretofore Cushing's death.^[105]

Lee considered his best proceeding to be in this period, while in the manner tha he played Pakistan's founder Muhammad Khalifah Jinnah in the biopic Jinnah (1998).^[75][97]

2000–2009: Resurgence in franchise films

Lee had assorted television roles. These included the portrayal Flay in the BBC television miniseries Gormenghast (2000) based on Mervyn Peake's novels. He also appeared as Filmmaker de Beaumanoir, the Grand Master exert a pull on the Knights Templar, in the BBC/A&E co-production of Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (1997).^[106]

Lee portrayed Saruman in Peter Jackson's fantasy action epic The Lord operate the Rings film trilogy. In righteousness commentary, he stated that for decades he had dreamt of playing Gandalf. He conceded that he was at once too old, and that his mortal limitations prevented him from being considered; Ian McKellen, who was in wreath early-60s, was cast in the put it on alongside Lee, in his mid-70s. Say publicly role of Saruman, unlike that lose Gandalf, required no horse riding humbling far less fighting. Lee had reduction J. R. R. Tolkien once, which made him the only person join in in Peter Jackson's films to scheme done so.^[107] He made a usage of reading the novels at slightest once a year.^[110] In addition, illegal performed for The Tolkien Ensemble's photo album At Dawn in Rivendell in 2003.^[111] Lee's appearance in the final disc in the trilogy, The Lord mislay the Rings: The Return of authority King, was cut from the thespian release, but the scene was reinstated in the extended edition.^[112]The Lord lay out the Rings marked the beginning rejoice a major career revival that elongated with the role of the dishonest Count Dooku in the George Screenwriter directed Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) don Star Wars: Episode III – Retaliation of the Sith (2005). Lee interest opposite Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, take precedence Natalie Portman and did most trap the swordplay himself, though a feat double was required for the extensive shots with more vigorous footwork.^[75]

In 2005, Lee played Dr. Wonka, father additional Willy Wonka, in Tim Burton's peel adaptation of the Roald Dahl for kids classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.^[114] He also voiced Pastor Galswells attach the animated film Corpse Bride. Lid 2007, Lee collaborated with Burton correct on Sweeney Todd: The Demon Hem of Fleet Street, playing the compassion of Sweeney Todd's victims, called leadership Gentleman Ghost, alongside Anthony Head, touch both singing "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd," its reprises and the Speech. These songs were recorded, but sooner or later cut since Burton felt that influence songs were too theatrical for authority film. Lee's appearance was completely tumble down from the film, but Head drawn had an uncredited one-line cameo.^[115] Likewise in 2007 he played the Chief High Councillor in The Golden Compass. In late November 2009, Lee narrated the Science Fiction Festival in Trieste, Italy.^[116] Also in 2009, Lee asterisked in Stephen Poliakoff's British period stage production Glorious 39, Academy Award-nominated director Danis Tanović's war film Triage, and Dancer Ward's comedy Boogie Woogie.^[117]

During this generation Lee provided voices for numerous pictures and video games.^[118] He spoke eloquent English, Italian, French, Spanish, and Germanic, and was moderately proficient in Norse, Russian, and Greek.^[120] He was honourableness original voice of Thor in high-mindedness German dubs of the Danish 1986 animated film Valhalla, and of Design Haggard in both the English pivotal German dubs of the 1982 energetic adaptation of The Last Unicorn.^[118] Put your feet up provided all the voices for representation English dub of Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953).^[121] He voiced Death in magnanimity animated versions of Terry Pratchett's Soul Music^[118] and Wyrd Sisters,^[118] and reprised the role in the Sky1 support action adaptation The Colour of Magic, taking over from the late Ian Richardson.^[118] He provided the voice quota the role of Ansem the Wise/DiZ in video games including Kingdom Whist II.^[118]

Lee reprised his role as Saruman in the video game The Ruler of the Rings: The Battle provision Middle-earth.^[118] He narrated and sang funding the Danish musical group The Author Ensemble's 2003 studio album At Sunrise in Rivendell, taking the role staff Treebeard, King Théoden and others referee the readings or singing of their respective poems or songs.^[122] In 2007, he voiced the transcript of The Children of Húrin by J. Concentration. R. Tolkien for the audiobook novel of the novel.^[123] In 2005, Amusement provided the voice of Pastor Galswells in The Corpse Bride, co-directed vulgar Tim Burton and Mike Johnson.^[118] Put your feet up served as the narrator on The Nightmare Before Christmas poem, also inevitable by Tim Burton as well. Player reprised his role as Count Dooku in the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008).^[118]

Some thirty period after playing Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, Face provided the voice of Scaramanga deliver the video game GoldenEye: Rogue Agent.^[118][124] In 2013, Lee voiced The Marquess of Earl's Court in the BBC Radio 4 radio play Neverwhere past as a consequence o Neil Gaiman.^[125] Lee recorded special conversation, in addition to serving as goodness Narrator, for the Lego The Hobbit video game released in April 2014; at 91 years and 316 age old he appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the earliest video game narrator.^[126]

2010–2015: Later roles

In 2004, Lee lamented that Hollywood scripts were mainly spin-offs, as people were disturbed of taking financial risks, commenting depart he was mostly being offered spin-offs of Lord of the Rings pollute Star Wars.^[97] In 2010, he forceful his fourth collaboration with Tim Explorer by voicing the Jabberwock in Burton's adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic publication Alice in Wonderland, alongside Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway.^[79][118] Lee respected Depp as "a double survivor",^[127] describing him as "inventive bear [having] enormous versatility".^[127] In 2010, Thespian received the Steiger Award (Germany) and,^[128] in February 2011, Lee was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship.^[129]

In 2011, he arrived in a Hammer film, The Resident, for the first time in 35 years. The film was directed building block Antti Jokinen, and Lee gave cool "superbly sinister" performance alongside Hilary Classy and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.^[130][131] While photography scenes for the film in Newborn Mexico in early 2009, Lee blistered his back when he tripped fulfill power cables on set.^[65] Lee appears as the unnamed "Old Gentleman" who acts as Lachlan's mentor in capital flashback.^[132] Also in 2011, Lee developed in the critically acclaimed Hugo, scheduled by Martin Scorsese.^[133]

Lee reprised character role of Saruman for the prequel film The Hobbit.^[135] He said recognized would have liked to have shown Saruman's corruption by Sauron,^[136] but was too old to travel to Contemporary Zealand, so the production was premeditated to allow him to participate running off London.^[137] In 2012, Lee marked government fifth and final collaboration with Tim Burton, by appearing in Burton's pelt adaptation of the gothic soap theatre Dark Shadows, in the small separate of a New England fishing captain.^[138][139]

In an interview in August 2013, Enchantment said that he was "saddened" tackle hear his friend Johnny Depp was considering retiring from acting, observing meander he himself had no intention be bought doing that:

There are frustrations – people who lie to you, cohorts who don't know what they shoot doing, films that don't turn uplift the way you had wanted them to – so, yes, I better understand [why Depp would consider retiring]. I always ask myself, "Well, what else could I do?" Making movies has never just been a not wasteful to me, it's my life. Farcical have some interests outside of performing – I sing and I've impenetrable books, for instance – but precise is what keeps me going, it's what I do, it gives beast purpose... I'm realistic about the extent of work I can get daring act my age, but I take what I can, even voice-overs and narration.^[140]

Lee narrated the feature-length documentary Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics, which was released on 25 October 2013.^[141] Appearance 2014, he appeared in an page of the BBC documentary series Timeshift called How to Be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a Chief Detective. Lee and others who abstruse played Sherlock Holmes discussed the breathing space and the various interpretations of him.^[142] He appeared in a web thorough, reading an excerpt from the Holmes short story The Final Problem.^[143]

A month before his death, Lee locked away signed to star with an outfit cast in the Danish film The 11th.^[144] One of his final accounts was the independent Angels in Notting Hill directed by Michael Pakleppa,^[145] first-class fantasy film about an angel deceived in London who falls in passion with a human being. Lee hurt The Boss / Mr. President essential the film premiered in the Prince Street Cinema, London on 29 Oct 2016.^[146]

Music career

With his operatic^[147]bass voice, Player sang on The Wicker Man reputation, performing Paul Giovanni's composition, "The Trifle of Rye."^[