Sir Christopher Lee, 1922-2015
Sir Christopher Lee has died at the age of 93 after being hospitalised for respiratory problems and heart failure.
The veteran actor, best known for a variety of films from Dracula to The Wicker Man through to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, passed away on Sunday morning at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, according to sources.
The decision to release the news days after was based on his wife’s desire to inform family members first. The couple had been married for over 50 years.
As well as his career in film, Lee also released a series of heavy metal albums, including Charlemagne: The Omens of Death. He was knighted in 2009 for services to drama and charity and was awarded the Bafta fellowship in 2011.
His film career started in 1947 with a role in gothic romance Corridor of Mirrors but it wasn’t until the late 50s, when Lee worked with Hammer, that he started gaining fame. His first role with the studio was The Curse of Frankenstein and it was the first of 20 films that he made with Peter Cushing.
Lee’s most famous role for Hammer was playing Dracula, a role which became one of his most widely recognised although the actor wasn’t pleased with how the character was treated. “They gave me nothing to do!” he told Total Film in 2005. “I pleaded with Hammer to let me use some of the lines that Bram Stoker had written. Occasionally, I sneaked one in. Eventually I told them that I wasn’t going to play Dracula any more. All hell broke loose.”
The Telegraph has an ongoing blog of reactions, tributes, and photos from some of his greatest (and scariest) roles
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David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.
* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.
13 responses to Sir Christopher Lee, 1922-2015
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fredoandme June 11th, 2015 at 09:13
sad. sad. sad.
farewell, Dracula. farewell Saruman. it is comforting, for us, that we’ll still be seeing you at the movies for a very long time.
dave-dr-gonzo June 11th, 2015 at 12:19
You forgot Scaramanga!
Lee was so smooth and urbane in his monster and criminal roles.
fredoandme June 11th, 2015 at 12:24
his small roles in tim burton’s films remain perfect jewels, too. i swear, the older he got, the better he got, even with less to do.
Hirightnow June 11th, 2015 at 13:28
Like a finely-aged scotch.
fredoandme June 11th, 2015 at 13:37
indubitably. deeper, more substantial, an easy warmth.
Jus'speakin'th'truth June 11th, 2015 at 10:31
Thus ends The Devious Reign of Fu Manchu… :(
Anomaly 100 June 11th, 2015 at 12:51
Nooooooooo!
FatRat June 11th, 2015 at 13:20
Rest in Peace.
Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) and Miss Rose – ‘The Tinker of Rye’ (full version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcB39PeoZyY
fahvel June 11th, 2015 at 14:13
incredible man and a unique persona!
Warman1138 June 11th, 2015 at 15:14
The end of an era, Mr. Lee will be missed but not forgotten.
allison1050 June 11th, 2015 at 18:48
RIP Sir Lee I’ll always love ya.
bpollen June 12th, 2015 at 04:57
I liked him much much better in his later years. Almost seems like he should be buried in Wallachia…
Syzygy June 12th, 2015 at 15:30
Grew up watching him in British made Hammer studios Dracula films. He will be missed.