Last Updated on August 5, 2021
Christopher Lee may have been 93, but it was shocking to hear this morning that he had passed away. The man had still been going strong, taking acting roles and releasing heavy metal albums.
Born on May 27, 1922 in London, England, Lee served in the military before embarking on an acting career that spanned nearly seventy years, gathering well over 250 credits to his name. The impact his work had on pop culture, and on the horror genre in particular, was immense.
Lee is, of course, best known for playing Dracula seven times for Hammer Films, starting with 1958’s HORROR OF DRACULA and ending with THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA in 1973. Beyond Dracula, his contributions to the horror genre were too many to properly list here, but included THE WICKER MAN, HORROR EXPRESS, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and THE MUMMY (1959). He graced some of the best horror movies ever made with his presence, and it was often his presence that made them so great.
Lee also had villainous roles in some of the biggest franchises of all time. He played Count Dooku in the STAR WARS prequels, evil wizard Saruman in the LORD OF THE RINGS and HOBBIT films, and took on his step-cousin Ian Fleming’s literary creation James Bond in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.
The loss of Christopher Lee is not only the loss of one of horror’s greatest icons, but the loss of one of the entertainment industry’s all-time greats. Knighted in 2009 for his services to drama and charity, he leaves behind a mind-blowing filmography and a legacy as immortal as Dracula himself.
Lee passed away in London on Sunday morning after being admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems and heart failure. He is survived by a daughter and his wife of fifty-four years.
He will be dearly missed. Rest in peace, Sir Christopher.
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