Christopher Lee - # 107

Christopher Lee, horror master and renowned film villain, dies at 93

He was number 107 on the list.

Christopher Lee, the actor, was often the villain.

He played Dracula, the bad guy in the James Bond thriller "The Man with the Golden Gun," the deliciously evil wizard Saruman in the "Lord of the Ring" films, and the dude who fought Yoda with a lightsaber in "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones." Lee was best known for his work in horror films produced by Hammer Studios. These films often had him collaborating with his good friend Peter Cushing.

But Sir Christopher Lee, the man, who died this week at the age of 93? Not an ounce of villain to be found, fans and fellow actors alike said Thursday.

"You were an icon, and a towering human being with stories for days," "Lord of the Rings" co-star Elijah Wood tweeted Thursday. "We'll miss you."

Lee died Sunday, a spokesman for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea said.


He had more than 150 film credits to his name, beginning in 1948 and stretching into this decade.


Lee initially made his name in horror films. His first major horror role was as Frankenstein's creature and then the infamous vampire Dracula in a series films for Britain's Hammer Films studios from the 1950s until the 1970s.


He was often quoted as saying he had to be talked into playing in some of the Dracula films. He said he played the character silently in one film -- 1965's "House of Horrors" -- because the lines were so bad.



Later, he took on the role of James Bond's nemesis Francisco Scaramanga in 1974's "The Man with the Golden Gun," and was introduced to a new generation of film-goers in 2001 with "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."


In it, he played the evil wizard Saruman, former mentor to Gandalf -- the good-guy wizard's role Lee said he once coveted but had grown too old to play.


The next year, he entered the "Star Wars" universe as the fallen Jedi knight, Count Dooku, in the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."



Both series brought him renewed fame and acclaim, but for Lee, two roles always stood out: His 1973 turn as Lord Summerisle in the cult classic "The Wicker Man," and his portrayal of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, in the 1998 film, "Jinnah."


"The most important thing I've ever done," he said in a 2011 forum at the University College Dublin.

Lee was knighted in 2009 -- fittingly on the day before Halloween -- for his accomplishments in the arts. Two years later, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awarded Lee its highest honor, the Academy Fellowship.


BAFTA CEO Amanda Berry expressed sorrow Thursday at the passing of Lee, whom she called a "truly talented and versatile actor."

"His biography, and therefore his legacy, is one that many in the film industry can only dream of," Berry said.


In 2011, Lee said that he always wanted to bring something unexpected to his roles.

"One thing to me is very important, if you're playing somebody that the audience regards as, let's say evil, try to do something they don't expect, something that surprises the audience," he said.

In his last few years, he did just that for many fans: he turned to a heavy metal career, releasing the holiday albums "A Heavy Metal Christmas" and "A Heavy Metal Christmas Too" in 2012 and 2013 -- endearing himself to yet another group of fans, many of whom reacted to the news of his death with an outpouring of celebration and sadness
"The great, always criminally underrated Sir Christopher Lee has left us," actor Mark Gatiss wrote on Twitter. "A Titan of Cinema and a huge part of my youth. Farewell."





Film

# Year Title Role Notes

1 1948 Corridor of Mirrors Charles

2 One Night with You Pirelli's Assistant

3 Hamlet Spear Carrier Uncredited

4 A Song for Tomorrow Auguste

5 Penny and the Pownall Case Jonathan Blair

6 My Brother's Keeper Second Constable (scenes deleted)

7 Saraband for Dead Lovers Bit Part Uncredited

8 Scott of the Antarctic Bernard Day

9 1949 Trottie True Bongo

10 1950 They Were Not Divided Chris Lewis

11 Prelude to Fame Newsman

12 1951 Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. Spanish Captain

13 Valley of Eagles Det. Holt

14 Quo Vadis Chariot Driver Uncredited[1]

15 1952 The Crimson Pirate Joseph (attache)

16 Top Secret Russian Agent Uncredited

17 Paul Temple Returns Sir Felix Raybourne

18 Babes in Bagdad Slave Dealer

19 Moulin Rouge Georges Seurat Uncredited

20 1953 Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot Voice, Uncredited

21 Innocents in Paris Lieutenant Whitlock Uncredited

22 1954 Destination Milan Svenson

23 1955 Cross-Roads Harry Cooper Short

24 That Lady Captain

25 Final Column Larry Spence (archive footage)

26 Man in Demand Martell (archive footage)

27 Contraband Spain Narrator Uncredited

28 The Dark Avenger French Patrol Captain at Tavern Uncredited

29 The Cockleshell Heroes Lt. Cdr. Dick Raikes, RN (Submarine Commander)

30 Alias John Preston John Preston

31 Police Dog Johnny, a constable

32 Storm Over the Nile Karaga Pasha

33 1956 Private's Progress Major Schultz, Gen. von Linbeck's aide Uncredited

34 Alexander the Great Nectenabus Voice, Uncredited

35 Port Afrique Franz Vermes

36 Beyond Mombasa Gil Rossi

37 The Battle of the River Plate Manolo

38 1957 Ill Met by Moonlight German officer at dentist's

39 Fortune Is a Woman Charles Highbury

40 The Traitor Dr. Neumann

41 The Curse of Frankenstein The Creature

42 Manuela Voice, Uncredited

43 Bitter Victory Sgt. Barney

44 The Truth About Women Francois Thiers

45 1958 A Tale of Two Cities Marquis St. Evremonde

46 Dracula Count Dracula Alternative title: Horror of Dracula

47 Battle of the V-1 Labor Camp Captain, Men's Section

48 Corridors of Blood Resurrection Joe

49 1959 The Hound of the Baskervilles Sir Henry Baskerville

50 The Man Who Could Cheat Death Pierre Gerard

51 The Treasure of San Teresa Jaeger

52 The Mummy Kharis, the Mummy

53 Uncle Was a Vampire Baron Roderico da Frankurten

54 1960 Too Hot to Handle Novak

55 The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll Paul Allen Alternative titles: House of Fright and Jekyll's Inferno

56 Beat Girl Kenny

57 The City of the Dead Prof. Alan Driscoll Alternative title: Horror Hotel

58 The Hands of Orlac Nero the magician

59 1961 The Terror of the Tongs Chung King

60 Taste of Fear Doctor Pierre Gerrard

61 The Devil's Daffodil Ling Chu

62 Ercole al centro della terra King Lico (Licos) Alternative title: Hercules in the Haunted World

63 1962 The Puzzle of the Red Orchid Captain Allerman

64 The Pirates of Blood River Captain LaRoche

65 The Devil's Agent Baron von Staub

66 Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace Sherlock Holmes

67 1963 Stranglehold

68 Katarsis Mephistoles

69 The Virgin of Nuremberg Erich Alternative titles: Castle of Terror and La vergine di Norimberga

70 La frusta e il corpo Kurt Menliff Alternative titles: The Whip and the Body and Night Is the Phantom

71 1964 Terror in the Crypt Count Ludwig Karnstein Alternative titles: Crypt of the Vampire and Crypt of Horror

72 The Devil-Ship Pirates Captain Robeles

73 Il castello dei morti vivi Count Drago Alternative title: Castle of the Living Dead

74 The Gorgon Prof. Karl Meister

75 1965 Dr Terror's House of Horrors Franklyn Marsh (segment "Disembodied Hand")

76 She Billali

77 The Face of Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu

78 The Skull Sir Matthew Phillips

79 Ten Little Indians "Mr. Owen" Voice, Uncredited

80 1966 Dracula: Prince of Darkness Count Dracula

81 Rasputin, the Mad Monk Grigori Rasputin

82 Circus of Fear Gregor Alternative title: Psycho Circus

83 The Brides of Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu

84 1967 Five Golden Dragons Dragon #4

85 The Vengeance of Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu

86 Night of the Big Heat Godfrey Hanson

87 Theatre of Death Philippe Darvas

88 The Blood Demon Count Frederic Regula / Graf von Andomai Alternative titles: Die Schlangengrube Und Das Pendel, The Snakepit and the Pendulum, The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, Castle of the Walking Dead

89 1968 Eve Colonel Stuart Alternative title: The Face of Eve

90 The Devil Rides Out Duc de Richleau Alternative title: The Devil's Bride

91 The Blood of Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu

92 Dracula Has Risen from the Grave Count Dracula

93 Curse of the Crimson Altar Morley Alternative title: The Crimson Cult

94 1969 The Castle of Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu

95 The Oblong Box Dr J. Neuhart

96 The Magic Christian Ship's vampire

97 1970 Scream and Scream Again Fremont

98 Eugenie… The Story of Her Journey into Perversion Dolmance

99 The Bloody Judge Lord George Jeffreys Alternative title: Night of the Blood Monster

100 Count Dracula Count Dracula

101 Taste the Blood of Dracula Count Dracula

102 Julius Caesar Artemidorus

103 One More Time Count Dracula Cameo

104 The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes Mycroft Holmes

105 Scars of Dracula Count Dracula

106 1971 The House That Dripped Blood John Reid (segment "Sweets to the Sweet")

107 Cuadecuc, vampir Count Dracula / Himself

108 I, Monster Dr. Charles Marlowe / Mr. Edward Blake

109 Hannie Caulder Bailey

110 1972 Umbracle The Man

111 Dracula A.D. 1972 Count Dracula

112 Horror Express Sir Alexander Saxton

113 Death Line Stratton-Villiers, MI5 Alternative title: Raw Meat

114 1973 Nothing But the Night Col. Charles Bingham

115 The Creeping Flesh James Hildern

116 The Satanic Rites of Dracula Count Dracula

117 The Wicker Man Lord Summerisle [1]

118 The Three Musketeers Rochefort

119 1974 Dark Places Dr. Mandeville

120 The Four Musketeers Rochefort

121 The Man with the Golden Gun Francisco Scaramanga

122 1975 Le boucher, la star et l'orpheline Van Krig / Himself

123 Diagnosis Murder Stephen Hayward

124 The Story of Heidi Voice, 1979 dub

125 1976 Killer Force Major Chilton Alternative title: The Diamond Mercenaries

126 To the Devil, A Daughter Father Michael Rayner

127 Albino Bill Alternative titles: Whispering Death and Death in the Sun

128 Dracula père et fils The Prince of Darkness Alternative title: Dracula and Son

129 The Keeper The Keeper

130 1977 Airport '77 Martin Wallace

131 Meatcleaver Massacre On-screen narrator Alternative titles: Evil Force and Revenge of the Dead

132 End of the World Father Pergado / Zindar

133 Starship Invasions Captain Rameses

134 1978 Circle of Iron Zetan Alternative title: The Silent Flute

135 Return from Witch Mountain Victor Gannon

136 Caravans Sardar Khan

137 1979 The Passage Gypsy

138 Nutcracker Fantasy Uncle Drosselmeyer / Street Singer / Watchmaker Voices

139 Arabian Adventure Alquazar

140 Jaguar Lives! Adam Caine

141 Captain America II: Death Too Soon Miguel TV movie

142 Bear Island Lechinski

143 1941 Capt. Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt

144 1980 Serial Luckman Skull

145 Safari 3000 Count Borgia

146 1981 An Eye for an Eye Morgan Canfield

147 Desperate Moves Carl Boxer

148 The Salamander Prince Baldasar

149 Time Bandits Oswald

150 1982 The Last Unicorn King Haggard Voice

151 1983 House of the Long Shadows Corrigan

152 The Return of Captain Invincible Mr. Midnight

153 New Magic Mr. Kellar Short

154 1984 The Rosebud Beach Hotel Clifford King

155 The Bengal Lancers! Sir James Hunter

156 1985 Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf Stefan Crosscoe

157 1986 Jocks President White

158 1987 Mio min Mio Kato

159 The Girl Peter Storm

160 1988 Dark Mission Luis Morel

161 Mask of Murder Chief Supt. Jonathan Rich

162 Olympus Force: The Key Filly

163 1989 The Return of the Musketeers Rochefort

164 La Révolution française Sanson (segment "Années Terribles, Les")

165 La chute des aigles Walter Strauss

166 Murder Story Willard Hope

167 Honeymoon Academy Lazos

168 1990 L'avaro Cardinale Spinosi

169 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Doctor Catheter

170 The Rainbow Thief Uncle Rudolf

171 1991 Kabuto King Philip

172 Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Doctor Pearson Alternative title: Panga

173 Jackpot Cedric

174 1994 Funny Man Callum Chance

175 Police Academy: Mission to Moscow Cmndt. Alexandrei Nikolaivich Rakov

176 A Feast at Midnight V. E. Longfellow

177 Flesh and Blood Narrator / Himself Documentary

178 1996 The Stupids Evil Sender

179 Welcome to the Discworld Death Voice

Short

180 1998 Tale of the Mummy Sir Richard Turkel

181 Jinnah Mohammed Ali Jinnah [2]

182 1999 Sleepy Hollow Burgomaster

183 2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Saruman

184 2002 Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus

185 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Saruman

186 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition only

187 2004 Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse Heinrich von Garten

188 2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus

189 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Dr. Wilbur Wonka

190 The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby The Lord Provost

191 Corpse Bride Pastor Galswells Voice

192 2007 The Golden Compass First High Councillor

193 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus Voice

194 2009 Boogie Woogie Alfred Rhinegold

195 The Heavy Mr. Mason

196 Triage Joaquín Morales

197 Glorious 39 Walter

198 Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva Pip English version

199 2010 Alice in Wonderland Jabberwock Voice

200 Burke & Hare Joseph

201 2011 Season of the Witch Cardinal d’Ambroise

202 The Resident August

203 The Wicker Tree Old Gentleman

204 Grave Tales Himself Cameo

205 Hugo Monsieur Labisse

206 2012 Dark Shadows Silas Clarney

207 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Saruman

208 2013 Night Train to Lisbon Father Bartolomeu

209 Extraordinary Tales Narrator Voice

(segment "The Fall of the House of Usher")

210 The Girl from Nagasaki Old Officer Pinkerton

211 Necessary Evil Narrator Voice

Documentary

212 2014 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Saruman

213 2015 Angels in Notting Hill God / Mr. President Voice

Posthumous release

214 2017 The Hunting of the Snark Narrator Voice

Short

Posthumous release

215 TBA The Time War Narrator Voice

Posthumous release





Television

Year Title Role Notes

1953–1956 Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents Different roles 13 episodes

1955 Moby Dick—Rehearsed A Stage Manager / Flask Television film

The Vise Various roles Episodes: "Stronghold", "Price of Vanity", and "The Final Column"

Tales of Hans Anderson Various roles Episodes: "Wee Willie Winkie" and "The Cripple Boy"

1956 Chevron of Fallen Stars Governor Episode: "Captain Kidd"

The Scarlet Pimpernel Louis Uncredited

Episode: "The Elusive Chauvelin"

Colonel March of Scotland Yard Jean-Pierre Episode: "At Night All Cats Are Grey"

Sailor of Fortune Different roles Episodes: "The Desert Hostages" and "Stranger in Danger"

The Adventures of Aggie Inspector Hollis Episode: "Cut Glass"

1956–1957 Assignment Foreign Legion Different roles Episodes: "As We Forgive" and "The Anaya"

1957 The Errol Flynn Theatre Various roles 4 episodes

The Gay Cavalier Colonel Jeffries Episode: "The Lady's Dilemma"

1958 O.S.S. Dessinger Episode: "Operation Firefly"

Ivanhoe Sir Otto Episode: "The German Knight"

White Hunter Mark Caldwell Episode: "This Hungry Hell"

1959 The Adventures of William Tell Prince Erik Episode: "Manhunt"

1960 Tales of the Vikings Norman Knight Episode: "The Bull"

1961 Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond Wilhelm Reitlinger Episode: "The Sorcerer"

1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Karl Jorla Episode: "The Sign of Satan"

1967 The Avengers Professor Stone Episode: "Never, Never Say Die"

1969 The Avengers Colonel Mannering Episode: "The Interrogators"

Light Entertainment Killers Television film

1973 Poor Devil Lucifer

Orson Welles Great Mysteries Arnaud Episode: "The Leather Funnel"

1976 Space: 1999 Captain Zandor Episode: "Earthbound"

1978 How the West Was Won The Grand Duke 2 episodes

The Pirate Samir Al Fay Television film

Saturday Night Live Himself (host) Episode: "Christopher Lee/Meat Loaf"

1979 Captain America II: Death Too Soon Miguel Television film

1980 Once Upon a Spy Marcus Valorium

Charlie's Angels Dale Woodman Episode: "Angel in Hiding"

1981 Evil Stalks This House Host Television film

Goliath Awaits John McKenzie

1982 Massarati and the Brain Victor Leopold

Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story Prince Philip

1984 The Far Pavilions Kaka-ji Rao 3 episodes

Faerie Tale Theatre King Vladimir V Episode: "The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers"

1986 Un métier du seigneur Fog Television film

The Disputation King James of Aragon

Shaka Zulu Lord Bathurst 10 episodes

1989 Around the World in 80 Days Stuart 3 episodes

La Révolution française Sanson Segment: "Les Années Terribles"

1990 The Care of Time Karlis Zander Television film

Treasure Island Blind Pew

1991 Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady Sherlock Holmes

1992 Incident at Victoria Falls Sherlock Holmes

Beauty and the Beast Monsieur Renard Voice

Television film

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Count Ottokar Graf Czerin Episode: "Austria, March 1917"

Double Vision Mr. Bernard Television film

1993 Death Train General Konstantin Benin Television film

1995 The Tomorrow People Rameses 5 episodes

Moses Ramesses II Television film

Tales of Mystery and Imagination Himself (host) 2 episodes

1996 Sorellina e il principe del sogno Azaret Television film

1997 Ivanhoe Lucas de Beaumanoir 4 episodes

Soul Music Death Voice

7 episodes

Wyrd Sisters Death Voice

6 episodes

The Odyssey Tiresias 2 episodes

1997–1998 The New Adventures of Robin Hood Olwyn 6 episodes

2000 Gormenghast Flay 4 episodes

In the Beginning Rameses I Television film

Ghost Stories for Christmas M. R. James Episode: "The Stalls of Barchester"

2001 Les Redoutables Death Segment: "Confession"

2005 Pope John Paul II Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński 2 episodes

2008 The Colour of Magic Death Voice 2 episodes