British actor Christopher Lee, who devoted his long acting career to portraying villain in horror classics and later appeared in the blockbuster Star Wars and Lord of the Rings franchises, has died at the age of 93.
Lee appeared in more than 250 movies. Younger audiences will remember him as Saruman, but for many he will forever be known as the vampire Count Dracula in a slew of Hammer Horror movies in the 1950s and 1960s.
He railed against the typecasting, however, and the sheer number and range of his roles — from Sherlock Holmes to the founder of Pakistan — secured his place in film history. He was knighted for services to drama and charity in 2009. He leaves wife Birgit, whom he married in 1961, and daughter Christina.
IBTimesUK looks back at the career and life of Sir Christopher Lee.
A 1948 portrait of Christopher LeeBaron/Getty Images1957: Baron Frankenstein, played by Peter Cushing, leans over the monster he has created, played by Christopher Lee, in The Curse of FrankensteinHulton Archive/Getty Images10 February 1961: Christopher Lee and Brigitte Kraencke, a month before their wedding. They remained married right up until his deathHulton Archive/Getty Images15 November 1963: Christopher Lee playing a vampire in one of the many horror films he starred inBIPS/Getty Images13 March 1966: Stars taking part in the Royal Film Performance at the Odeon Leicester Square appear on stage for rehearsals. L to r: Catherine Deneuve, Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Woody Allen, Ursula Andress, Dirk Bogarde, Julie Christie and the stars of Born Free, Virginia McKenna and Bill TraversKeystone/Getty Imagescirca 1968: Christopher Lee and Veronica Carlson in Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, a Hammer horror filmKeystone/Getty Images5 May 1972: Christopher Lee and Diana Dors on the set for Nothing But the Night, in Dartmoor, DevonJack Kay/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesNovember 1973: Christopher Lee and Ursula Andress at a party. They had starred in the 1975 film, SheAFP1973: Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker ManBritish Lion Film Corporation1974: Christopher Lee as Scaramanga with Roger Moore as James Bond in The Man with the Golden GunEon Productions1990: Christopher Lee as Doctor Catheter in Gremlins 2: The New BatchWarner Bros2001: Christopher Lee as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingNew Line CinemaMay 11, 2001: Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler and director Peter Jackson pose at the 54th International Cannes Film Festival to promote the first Lord of the Rings filmReuters15 October 2002: Christopher Lee opens the Bond, James Bond exhibit at The Science Museum in LondonAdrian Dennis/AFP2002: Christopher Lee as Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the ClonesLucasfilmFebruary 13, 2011: Tim Burton presents Christopher Lee with the Fellowship at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) award ceremony at the Royal Opera House in LondonLuke MacGregor/Reuters2011: Christopher Lee as Monsieur Labisse with Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret, in HugoParamount Pictures2012: Christopher Lee as Saruman in The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyNew Line CinemaFebruary 13, 2012: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt share a laugh with Christopher Lee at the Cinema for Peace 2012 charity gala during the 62nd Berlin film festivalAndreas Rentz/PoolFebruary 13, 2013: Christopher Lee and his wife Birgit Kroencke arrive on the red carpet for the screening of Night Train to Lisbon at the 63rd Berlin Film FestivalTobias Schwarz/AFPFebruary 10, 2014: Christopher Lee and his wife Birgit Kroencke attend the Cinema for Peace charity gala in BerlinTobias Schwarz/AFP
