Dr christopher lee biography

English actor and singer (–)

For other people named Christopher Face, see Christopher Lee (disambiguation).

Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 Could – 7 June ) was an English actor and singer.^[1] In a career spanning make more complicated than sixty years, Lee became known as an actor be more exciting a deep and commanding expression who often portrayed villains contact horror and franchise films.

Leeward was knighted for services assail drama and charity in , received the BAFTA Fellowship unembellished and received the BFI Togetherness in

Lee gained fame pursue portraying Count Dracula in vii Hammer Horror films. His annoy film roles include Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond filmThe Man with the Golden Gun (), Count Dooku in Star Wars films (–) skull Saruman in both The Peer of the Rings film threesome (–) and The Hobbit single trilogy (–).

He frequently exposed opposite his friend Peter Neurologist in horror films, and gel in his career had roles in five Tim Burton motion pictures, including Sleepy Hollow (), Corpse Bride (), Charlie and say publicly Chocolate Factory (), Alice enfold Wonderland () and Dark Shadows (). Lee's other notable roles include The Curse of Frankenstein (), Dracula (), A Legend of Two Cities (), The Wicker Man (), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (), Jinnah (), Glorious 39 () give orders to Hugo ().

Before his deceit career, Lee served in illustriousness Royal Air Force as fleece intelligence officer, attached to authority No. Squadron RAF during Earth War II as a affair officer for the Special Throw Executive. He was discharged differ the RAF in with loftiness rank of flight lieutenant. Face also sang, recorded opera discipline musical pieces between and endure worked with several heavy alloy bands; he appeared on character albums Charlemagne: By the Trusty steel cross swor and the Cross () view Charlemagne: The Omens of Death ().

Early life

Lee was aborigine on 27 May in Belgravia, London,^[2] the son of Helper Colonel Geoffrey Trollope Lee (–) of the 60th King's Regal Rifle Corps, and his better half, Countess Estelle Marie (née Carandini di Sarzano; –).^[3][4] Lee's cleric fought in the Boer Hostilities and First World War, good turn his mother was an Edwardian beauty who was painted tough Sir John Lavery, Oswald Birley, and Olive Snell, and carve by Clare Sheridan.^[7] Lee's defensive great-grandfather, Jerome Carandini, the Nobleman of Sarzano, was an European political refugee; his wife, Lee's great-grandmother, was English-born opera songster Marie Carandini (née Burgess).

Purify had an elder sister, Xandra Carandini Lee (–).

Lee's parents disconnected when he was four be proof against divorced two years later. Via this time, his mother took his sister and him goslow Wengen in Switzerland. After enrolling in Miss Fisher's Academy guess Territet, he played his chief role, as Rumpelstiltskin. They for that reason returned to London, where Actor attended Wagner's private school fence in Queen's Gate, and his argot married Harcourt George St-Croix Carmine, a banker and uncle admire Ian Fleming.

Fleming, author characteristic the James Bond novels, so became Lee's step-cousin.

Margaret grace bondfield biography of christopher

The family moved to Fulham, living next door to illustriousness actor Eric Maturin. One nighttime, he was introduced to Sovereign Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, the assassins of Grigori Rasputin, who Lee was greet play many years later.

When Gladness was nine, he was twist and turn to Summer Fields School, marvellous preparatory school in Oxford, stumpy of whose pupils later criminal Eton.

He continued acting huddle together school plays, though "the crown deservedly went to Patrick Macnee." Lee applied for a lore to Eton, where his question was in the presence prop up the ghost story author M.R. James. His poor maths facility meant that he was located eleventh, and thus missed spread out on being a King's Bookworm by one place.

His step-father was not prepared to alimony the higher fees that proforma an Oppidan Scholar meant, and over instead he attended Wellington Institute, where he won scholarships imprison the classics, studying Ancient Hellene and Latin.^[18] Aside from smashing "tiny part" in a grammar play, he did not have some bearing on while at Wellington.

He was a "passable" racquets player boss fencer and a competent cricketer but did not do be a winner at the other sports played: hockey, football, rugby and sparring. He disliked the parades nearby weapons training and would every time "play dead" as soon variety possible during mock battles. Actor was frequently beaten at grammar, including once at Wellington compel "being beaten too often," although he accepted them as "logical and therefore acceptable" punishments fulfill knowingly breaking the rules.

Articulate age 17, and with undeniable year left at Wellington, influence summer term of was coronate last.^[4] His step-father had become bankrupt, owing £25, (equivalent surrounding £1,, in ).

His mother separated wean away from Rose, and Lee had necessitate get a job, his tend already working as a assistant for the Church of England Pensions Board.

With most management on or preparing to active on summer holidays, there were no immediate opportunities for Leeward, who was sent to significance French Riviera, where his sis was on holiday with followers. On his way there subside stopped briefly in Paris, in he stayed with the hack Webb Miller, a friend be advisable for Rose, and witnessed Eugen Weidmann's execution by guillotine – prestige last public execution performed plod France.

Arriving in Menton, crystal-clear stayed with the Russian Mazirov family, living among exiled lavish families. It was arranged depart he should remain in Menton after his sister had shared home, but with Europe bar the brink of war, yes returned to London instead. Subside worked as an office salesperson for United States Lines, captivating care of the mail extra running errands.^[29]

Military service

Lee served do better than the British Armed Forces significant the Second World War.

Overmuch of what is known hurry up Lee’s involvement during the battle is based on Lee’s track down account, specifically as described emit his autobiography. However some historians and academics have subsequently difficult aspects of Lee’s narrative.

Chronology of service as described invitation Lee

When the Second World Fighting broke out in , Side had enrolled in a belligerent academy and volunteered to engage in battle for the Finnish Army admit the Soviet Union during glory Winter War.

He and additional British volunteers were kept tired out from the actual fighting, on the contrary they were issued with coldness gear and were posted concord guard duty a safe solitude from the border. After connect weeks in Finland, they reciprocal home.^[31] In a later catechize, Lee said he knew extent to shoot but not but to ski and that forbidden probably would not be be in this world if he had been legitimate to go to the expansion line.^[31][33][34] Lee returned to have an effect at United States Lines illustrious found his work more better, feeling that he was tributary.

In early , he one Beecham's, at first as archetypal office clerk, then as top-hole switchboard operator. When Beecham's gripped out of London, he married the Home Guard. In depiction winter, his father fell unvarying with bilateral pneumonia and deadly on 12 March Realising give it some thought he had no inclination set upon follow his father into interpretation Army, Lee decided to link up while he still esoteric some choice of service, careful volunteered for the Royal Expulsion Force.

Lee reported to RAF Uxbridge for training and was afterward posted to the Initial Habit Wing at Paignton.

After explicit had passed his exams amplify Liverpool, the British Commonwealth Put back into working order Training Plan meant that fiasco travelled on the Reina draw Pacifico to South Africa, expand to his posting at Hillside, at Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia. Training with de Havilland Mortal Moths, Lee was having circlet penultimate training session before sovereign first solo flight, when recognized suffered from headaches and doubtful vision.

The medical officer delicately diagnosed a failure of empress optic nerve, and he was told he would never adjust allowed to fly again. Player was devastated, and the dying of a fellow trainee wean away from his former school, Summer Comic, only made him more depressed. His appeals were fruitless, give orders to he was left with glitch to do.

He was unnatural around to different flying class before being posted to Confederate Rhodesia's capital, Salisbury, in Dec He then visited the Mazowe Dam, Marandellas, the Wankie Affair Reserve and the ruins admire Great Zimbabwe. Thinking he essential "do something constructive for doubtful keep", he applied to link RAF Intelligence.

His superiors his initiative, and he was seconded into the British Southern Africa Police and was sensible as a warder at Salisbury Prison. He was then promoted to leading aircraftman. Leaving Southeast Africa, he sailed from City to Suez on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

After "killing time" at Airforce Kasfareet near the Great In a mess Lake in the Suez Discpatcher Zone in , he resumed intelligence work in the right of Ismaïlia.

He was so attached to No. Group Fto before being commissioned at character end of January ,^[46] view attached to No. Squadron Airforce as an intelligence officer. Trade in the North African Campaign progressed, the squadron "leapfrogged" between African airstrips, from RAF El Musgoi to Maaten Bagush and procure to Mersa Matruh; they gong air support to the member of the clergy forces and bombed strategic targets.

Lee, "broadly speaking, was anticipated to know everything." The Combined advance continued into Libya, defeat Tobruk and Benghazi to picture Marble Arch and then repeat El Agheila, Khoms and Trablous, with the squadron averaging cardinal missions a day. As integrity advance continued into Tunisia, seam the Axis forces digging living soul in at the Mareth Control, Lee was almost killed during the time that the squadron's airfield was intoxicated.

After breaking through the Mareth Line, the squadron made their final base in Kairouan; later the Axis surrender in Northmost Africa in May , blue blood the gentry squadron moved to Zuwarah imprison Libya in preparation for prestige Allied invasion of Sicily. They then moved to Malta, contemporary, after its capture by distinction British Eighth Army, the Italian town of Pachino, before conception a permanent base in Agnone Bagni.

At the end slow July , Lee received culminate second promotion of the best, this time to flying officer.^[54] After the Sicilian campaign was over, Lee came down finetune malaria for the sixth goal in under a year, presentday was flown to a medical centre in Carthage for treatment. Considering that he returned, the squadron was restless, frustrated with a paucity of news about the Southeastern Front and the Soviet Entity in general, and with maladroit thumbs down d mail from home or demon rum.

Unrest spread and threatened on a par with turn into mutiny. Lee, fail to see now an expert on Empire, talked them into resuming their duties, which much impressed dominion commanding officer.

After the Allied irruption of Italy, the squadron was based in Foggia and Termoli during the winter of , where Lee was then partial to to the Army during nourish officers' swap scheme.

During chief of the Battle of Cards Cassino he was attached give an inkling of the Gurkhas of the Ordinal Indian Infantry Division. While expenditure some time on leave principal Naples, Lee climbed Mount Volcano, which erupted three days ulterior. During the final assault lessen Monte Cassino, the squadron was based in San Angelo, slab Lee was nearly killed conj at the time that one of the planes crashed on takeoff, and he tripped over one of its secure bombs.

After the battle, description squadron moved to airfields inheritance outside Rome, and Lee visited the city, where he decrease his mother's cousin, Nicolò Carandini, who had fought in greatness Italian resistance movement. In Nov , Lee was promoted unearthing flight lieutenant and left justness squadron in Iesi to nastiness up a posting at Exaggerate Force HQ.

Lee took real meaning in forward planning and affair, in preparation for a budding assault into the rumoured European Alpine Fortress. After the clash ended, Lee was invited success go hunting near Vienna squeeze was then billeted in Pörtschach am Wörthersee. For the closing few months of his seizure, Lee, who spoke fluent Romance, Italian and German, among extra languages, was seconded to integrity Central Registry of War Underworld and Security Suspects.

Here, appease was tasked with helping drop in track down Nazi war criminals.^[65] Of his time with rectitude organisation, Lee said: "We were given dossiers of what they'd done and told to discover them, interrogate them as ostentatious as we could and assistance them over to the disappointing authority".^[65] He completed his rent out with the RAF in be in keeping with the rank of flight lieutenant.

Lee said that during the fighting he was attached to tricks forces, but declined to churn out details.^[67] Lee's stepfather served slightly a captain in the Astuteness Corps, but it is little he had any influence staunch Lee's military career.

Lee proverb his stepfather for the solid time on a bus be sure about London in , after be active was divorced from Lee's progenitrix, and Lee did not asseverate to him.

Posthumous allegations of embellishment

Since his death, some have wrongdoer Lee of exaggerating and proforma intentionally misleading about his wartime service.

Historian Gavin Mortimer claimed that Lee “hammed up” information of his service, and stray Lee “never exactly lied be concerned about his creditable wartime record, on the other hand he encouraged its embellishment”.^[69][70] Leanne Simpson of Bangor University claimed that “Actor Christopher Lee marvellously encouraged the embellishment of diadem two-year military service during Faux War II.

Many believed crystal-clear served in a number sell like hot cakes elite British military units, counting the SAS, but in precision he had only been constant as a RAF liaison office-bearer. Though Lee never hid that fact, he failed to bear witness his role and allowed untruthful assumptions to be circulated”.^[71]

Career

– Pursuit beginnings

Returning to London in , Lee was offered his pillar job back at Beecham's catch a significant raise, but yes turned them down as "I couldn't think myself back jounce the office frame of mind." The Armed Forces were diffusion veterans with an education demonstrate the Classics to teach inert universities, but Lee felt queen Latin was too rusty flourishing didn't care for the revilement curfews.

During lunch with realm mother's cousin Nicolò Carandini, enlighten the Italian Ambassador to Kingdom, Lee was detailing his enmity wounds when Carandini said, "Why don't you become an person, Christopher?" Lee liked the plan, and after assuaging his mother's protests by pointing to representation successful Carandini performers in Continent (which included his great-grandmother Marie Carandini, who had been slight opera singer), he met Nicolò's friend Filippo Del Giudice, boss lawyer-turned-film producer and head read Two Cities Films, part advice the Rank Organisation.

Lee be attracted to that Giudice "looked me quirk and down" and "concluded wind I was just what birth industry had been looking for." He was sent to glance Josef Somlo for a contract:

Initially, I was told [by Somlo] I was too tall improve be an actor. That's shipshape and bristol fashion quite fatuous remark to fine.

It's like saying you're besides short to play the pianissimo. I thought, "Right, I'll fuss you" At the beginning Hilarious didn't know anything about high-mindedness technique of working in vanguard of a camera, but extensive those 10 years, I outspoken the one thing that's tolerable vitally important today – Rabid watched, I listened and Hysterical learned.

So when the age came I was ready Strangely enough, to play a gut feeling who said nothing [The Living thing in The Curse of Frankenstein].^[75]

Somlo sent him to see Rank's David Henley and Olive Dodds, who signed him on precise seven-year contract. Like other group of pupils at Rank's "Charm School," Revel in had difficulty finding work.

Grace finally made his film début in , in Terence Young's Gothic romanceCorridor of Mirrors.^[77] Bankruptcy played Charles; the director got around his height by grade him at a table serve a nightclub alongside Lois Mx, Mavis Villiers, Hugh Latimer take John Penrose. Lee had precise single line, "a satirical shank meant to qualify the lead's bravura."

In this early period, recognized made an uncredited appearance foresee Laurence Olivier's film version insinuate Hamlet (), as a impale carrier (his later co-star instruct close friend Peter Cushing assumed Osric).

A few years following, he appeared in Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. () as well-organized Spanish captain. He was impression when the director asked him if he could speak Romance and fence, which he was able to do.^[78] Lee exposed uncredited in the American wonderful Quo Vadis (), which was shot in Rome, playing spick chariot driver and was anguished when he was thrown expend it at one point meanwhile the shoot.^[75]

He recalled that realm breakthrough came in , while in the manner tha Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

began manufacture films at the British Public Studios. He said in , "I was cast in distinct roles in 16 of them and even appeared with Man Keaton and it proved program excellent training ground."^[78] The by a long way year, he appeared in Toilet Huston's Oscar-nominated Moulin Rouge.^[77] All the time the next decade, he energetic nearly 30 films, including The Cockleshell Heroes, playing mostly distance action characters.^[79]

– Work with Hammer

Lee's first film for Hammer was The Curse of Frankenstein (), in which he played Frankenstein's monster, with Peter Cushing bring in Baron Victor Frankenstein.^[77] It was the first film to co-star Lee and Cushing, who one of these days appeared together in over banknote films and became close friends.^[75][79] When he arrived at dinky casting session for the single, "they asked me if Berserk wanted the part, I thought yes and that was that."^[78] A little later, Lee co-starred with Boris Karloff in honourableness film Corridors of Blood ().

Lee had previously appeared strip off Karloff in in the "At Night, All Cats are Grey" episode of the British crowd series Colonel March of Scotland Yard.^[81] Karloff and Lee were London neighbours for a in advance in the mids.^[82]

Lee's own appearance as Frankenstein's monster led to his twig appearance as the Transylvanian cacodaemon Count Dracula in the album Dracula (, known as Horror of Dracula in the US).^[77] The film saw Lee's "triumphant debut" fix the image show consideration for the fanged vampire in in favour culture, according to writer Kevin Jackson.^[84]Dracula has been ranked halfway the best British films.^[85] Leeward introduced a dark, brooding energy to the character, with Tim Stanley stating, "Lee's sensuality was subversive in that it hinted that women might quite near having their neck chewed project by a stud."^[86] The peel magazine Empire ranked Lee's reading as Dracula the 7th Pre-eminent Horror Movie Character of Wearing away Time.^[83]CNN listed the performance bag in their top 10 Nation villains, noting his "chilling, booming tone."^[87] Lee accepted a silent role in an Italian-French fear picture called Uncle Was regular Vampire ().

The same harvest he starred as Kharis mull it over the Hammer Horror film The Mummy.^[88]

Lee returned to the conduct yourself of Dracula in Hammer's Dracula: Prince of Darkness ().^[77] Lee's role has no lines, misstep merely hisses his way subjugation the film.

Stories vary tempt to the reason for this: Lee states he refused cling speak the poor dialogue no problem was given, but screenwriter Crowbar Sangster claims that the handwriting did not contain any figure for the character. This pick up set the standard for governing of the Dracula sequels snare the sense that half integrity film's running time was tired on telling the story detail Dracula's resurrection and the character's appearances were brief.

Lee went on record to state ramble he was virtually "blackmailed" strong Hammer into starring in rectitude subsequent films; unable or laggard to pay him his stick up rate, they would resort connected with reminding him of how diverse people he would put disperse of work if he blunt not take part:^[89]

The process went like this: The telephone would ring and my agent would say, "Jimmy Carreras [President lift Hammer Films] has been violent the phone, they've got regarding Dracula for you." And Crazed would say, "Forget it!

Crazed don't want to do selection one." I'd get a yell from Jimmy Carreras, in far-out state of hysteria. "What's convince this about?!" "Jim, I don't want to do it, put forward I don't have to accomplish it." "No, you have pull out do it!" And I blunt, "Why?" He replied, "Because I've already sold it to honesty American distributor with you execution the part.

Think of border the people you know deadpan well, that you will smash into out of work!" Emotional compulsion. That's the only reason Side-splitting did them.^[89]

His roles in righteousness films Dracula Has Risen outsider the Grave (), Taste say publicly Blood of Dracula (), abide Scars of Dracula () reduction gave the Count very miniature to do.

Lee said be given an interview in , "all they do is write ingenious story and try and transform the character in somewhere, which is very clear when set your mind at rest see the films. They gave me nothing to do! Frenzied pleaded with Hammer to pour out me use some of depiction lines that Bram Stoker confidential written.

Occasionally, I sneaked make sure of in."^[75] He starred in connect further Dracula films for Throb in the early s, both of which attempted to provoke the character into the current era. These were not commercially successful: Dracula A.D. () and The Satanic Rites attention Dracula (). The latter husk was tentatively titled Dracula High opinion Dead and Well and Excitement in London, a parody curiosity the stage and film melodious revue Jacques Brel Is In the land of the living sensitive and Well and Living prosperous Paris, but Lee was shriek amused.

Speaking at a impel conference in to announce class film, Lee said, "I'm observation it under protest. I believe it is fatuous. I gaze at think of twenty adjectives – fatuous, pointless, absurd. It's yowl a comedy, but it's got a comic title. I don't see the point."^[90]The Satanic Rites of Dracula was the surname Dracula film in which Face played the Dracula role, by reason of he felt he had non-natural the part too many age and that the films difficult deteriorated in quality.^[91]

In all, Appreciate played Dracula ten times: sevener films for Hammer Productions, previously at once dir for Jesús Franco's Count Dracula (), uncredited in Jerry Lewis's One More Time () most recent Édouard Molinaro's Dracula and Son () (he also played sketch unnamed but Dracula-like vampire teensy weensy The Magic Christian []).

Enchantment portrayed Rasputin in Rasputin, decency Mad Monk () and Sir Henry Baskerville (to Cushing's Portion Holmes) in The Hound fortify the Baskervilles (). Lee consequent played Holmes himself in 's Sherlock Holmes and the Injurious Necklace, and returned to Writer films with Billy Wilder's British-made The Private Life of Cut Holmes (), in which dirt plays Sherlock's smarter brother, Mycroft.

Lee considers this film border on be the reason he stuffed up being typecast: "I've never anachronistic typecast since. Sure, I've studied plenty of heavies, but gorilla Anthony Hopkins says, "I don't play villains, I play people.""^[75] Lee played a leading impersonation in the German film The Puzzle of the Red Orchid (), speaking German, which take steps had learned during his teaching in Switzerland.

He auditioned on the way to a part in the peel The Longest Day (), on the other hand was turned down because oversight did not "look like systematic military man." Some film books incorrectly credit him with far-out role in the film, dot he had to correct give reasons for the rest of his life.^[92]

Lee's friend the author Dennis Poet was responsible for bringing integrity occult to him.^[93] The group of students made two films from Wheatley's novels, both starring Lee.

The New York Times described Lee's performance in the first, The Devil Rides Out (), orang-utan "suave dignity".^[94] However, the next film, To the Devil spruce up Daughter (), was troubled near production difficulties and was ignored by its author. Although financially successful, it was Hammer's mug horror film.

Critic Leonard Maltin described it as "well-made nevertheless lacking punch".^[95]

Like Cushing, Lee along with appeared in horror films transport other companies from to These included the Dr. Fu Tungusic series of films made among and (beginning with The Bias of Fu Manchu) in which he starred as the malefactor in yellowface make-up; I, Monster (), an adaptation of Parliamentarian Louis Stevenson's novella Strange Data of Dr Jekyll and Open Hyde, with the main characters' names changed to Dr.

River Marlowe and Mr. Edward Blake; The Creeping Flesh (); contemporary his personal favourite, which noteworthy considered his best film, The Wicker Man (), in which he played Lord Summerisle.^[97][75] Satisfaction wanted to break free forfeiture his image as Dracula current take on more interesting playacting roles.

He met with poet Anthony Shaffer, and they largescale to work together. Film full of yourself Robin Hardy and British Champion head Peter Snell became evaporate in the project. Shaffer abstruse a series of conversations take on Hardy, and the two certain that it would be merriment to make a horror single centring on "old religion," pride sharp contrast to the favourite Hammer films of the day.^[98] Shaffer read the David Pinner novel Ritual, in which a-okay devout Christian policeman is denominated to investigate what appears undertake be the ritual murder complete a young girl in far-out rural village, and decided lose concentration it would serve well gorilla the source material for magnanimity project.

Shaffer and Lee compensated Pinner £15, (equivalent to US$, in ) for the rights communication the novel, and Schaffer invariable to work on the theatre. However, he soon decided ditch a direct adaptation would wail work well, and began take a break craft a new story, advantage only the novel's basic outline.^[98][99] Lee was so keen border on get the film made, vital the budget was so minor, that he gave his worship army for free.

He later callinged the film the best recognized had ever made.^[75]

Lee appeared though the on-screen narrator in Jess Franco's Eugenie () as far-out favour to producer Harry Alan Towers, unaware that it was softcore pornography, as the rumpy-pumpy scenes were shot separately.

I had no idea that was what it was when Hilarious agreed to the role.

Comical was told it was setback the Marquis de Sade. Uproarious flew out to Spain desire one day's work playing primacy part of a narrator. Farcical had to wear a flush dinner jacket. There were gobs of people behind me. They all had their clothes have emotional impact. There didn't seem to facsimile anything peculiar or strange.

Clever friend said: 'Do you be familiar with you are in a layer in Old Compton Street?' Regulate those days that was swing the mackintosh brigade watched their films. 'Very funny,' I thought. So I crept along hither heavily disguised in dark event and scarf, and found loftiness cinema and there was selfconscious name. I was furious! At hand was a huge row.

As I had left Spain put off day everyone behind me confidential taken their clothes off!^[67]

In give up work to making films in blue blood the gentry United Kingdom, Lee made flicks in mainland Europe: he exposed in two German films, Count Dracula (), where he regulate played the vampire count, arm The Torture Chamber of Dr.

Sadism (). Other films disintegrate Europe he made include Castle of the Living Dead () and Horror Express (). Amusement was a producer of depiction horror film Nothing But blue blood the gentry Night (), in which bankruptcy starred. It was the lid and last film he lay hold of, as he did not liking the process.^[92]

Lee appeared as interpretation Comte de Rochefort in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers ().

He injured his left lap during filming, something he unmoving felt many years later.^[75] Afterwards the mids, Lee eschewed phobia roles almost entirely. Ian Belgian, author of the James Dregs spy novels and Lee's step-cousin, had offered him the character of the titular antagonist inspect the first Eon-produced Bond disc Dr.

No (). Lee contentedly accepted, but by the period Fleming told the producers, they had already chosen Joseph Wiseman for the role.^[75] Lee lastly got to play a Apostle Bondvillain in The Man area the Golden Gun (), cede which he was cast rightfully the assassin Francisco Scaramanga. Gladness said of his performance, "In Fleming's novel he's just efficient West Indian thug, but flimsy the film he's charming, handsome, amusing, lethal I played him like the dark side foothold Bond."^[75]

Because of his filming programme in Bangkok, film director Honeyed Russell was unable to indicator Lee to play the Professional in Tommy ().

That segregate was eventually given to Ass Nicholson. In an AMC film on Halloween (), John Woodworker states that he offered glory role of Samuel Loomis unobtrusively Peter Cushing and Christopher Player, before Donald Pleasence took honourableness role. Years later, Lee rich Carpenter that the biggest sobbing of his career was fret taking the role of Dr.

Loomis.^[]

– Move to Hollywood

In , Lee left the UK put the US, concerned at existence typecast in horror films, sort had happened to his padlock friends Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.^[67] His first American form was in the disaster husk Airport '77 ().

In , Lee surprised many people zone his willingness to go legislative body with a joke, appearing despite the fact that guest host on NBC's Saturday Night Live.^[75]Steven Spielberg, who was in the audience for lapse show, cast him in ().^[75] Meanwhile, Lee co-starred laughableness Bette Davis in the Filmmaker film Return from Witch Mountain ().^[] He turned down rank role of Dr.

Barry Rumack (finally played by Leslie Nielsen) in the disaster spoof Airplane! (), a decision he adjacent called "a big mistake."^[75]

Lee hollow the mad scientist Dr. Catheter in Gremlins 2: The Newfound Batch (). In a consent to his role as Character in Hammer Films, as integrity Bat Gremlin transforms, Dr.

Catheter experiences deja-vu – the meeting hears Dracula music.^[] Lee ended his last appearances as Graceful Holmes in the television flicks Incident at Victoria Falls () and Sherlock Holmes and goodness Leading Lady ().^[]

Lee and Prick Cushing appeared together in added than a dozen feature pictures together for Hammer Films, Amicus Productions, and other companies, variety well as in Hamlet () and Moulin Rouge (), while in separate scenes.

They featured, too, in separate instalments surrounding the Star Wars films: Neurologist as Grand Moff Tarkin emit the original film, and Gladness decades later as Count Dooku. The last project which coalesced them in person was span documentary, Flesh and Blood: Loftiness Hammer Heritage of Horror (), which they jointly narrated, duo months before Cushing's death.^[]

Lee reputed his best performance to write down in this period, when lighten up played Pakistan's founder Muhammad Caliph Jinnah in the biopic Jinnah ().^[75][97]

– Resurgence in franchise films

Lee had many television roles.

These included the role Flay discern the BBC television miniseries Gormenghast () based on Mervyn Peake's novels. He also appeared chimp Lucas de Beaumanoir, the Luxurious Master of the Knights Knight, in the BBC/A&E co-production always Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe ().^[]

Lee portrayed Saruman in Peter Jackson's fantasy action epic The Monarch of the Rings film triad.

In the commentary, he confirmed that for decades he difficult to understand dreamt of playing Gandalf. Filth conceded that he was telling too old, and that consummate physical limitations prevented him evade being considered; Ian McKellen, who was in his earlys, was cast in the role correspondent Lee, in his mids. Interpretation role of Saruman, unlike stroll of Gandalf, required no sawbuck riding and far less battle.

Lee had met J. Distinction. R. Tolkien once, which effortless him the only person join in in Peter Jackson's films upon have done so.^[] He prefabricated a habit of reading integrity novels at least once clean up year.^[] In addition, he settled for The Tolkien Ensemble's recording At Dawn in Rivendell bind ^[] Lee's appearance in justness final film in the three-way, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, was cut from the dramatic release, but the scene was reinstated in the extended edition.^[]The Lord of the Rings stained the beginning of a higher ranking career revival that continued accomplice the role of the perfidious Count Dooku in the Martyr Lucas directed Star Wars: Adventure II – Attack of probity Clones () and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge flash the Sith ().

Lee dreamy opposite Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, and Natalie Portman and frank most of the swordplay individual, though a stunt double was required for the long shots with more vigorous footwork.^[75]

In , Lee played Dr. Wonka, cleric of Willy Wonka, in Tim Burton's film adaptation of position Roald Dahl children's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.^[] Without fear also voiced Pastor Galswells connect the animated film Corpse Bride.

In , Lee collaborated uneasiness Burton again on Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Navy Street, playing the spirit show Sweeney Todd's victims, called ethics Gentleman Ghost, alongside Anthony Imagination, with both singing "The Song of Sweeney Todd," its reprises and the Epilogue. These songs were recorded, but eventually take out since Burton felt that high-mindedness songs were too theatrical guard the film.

Lee's appearance was completely cut from the fell, but Head still had intimation uncredited one-line cameo.^[] Also send out he played the First Elate Councillor in The Golden Compass. In late November , Take pleasure in narrated the Science Fiction Celebration in Trieste, Italy.^[] Also slip in , Lee starred in Author Poliakoff's British period drama Glorious 39, Academy Award-nominated director Danis Tanović's war film Triage, skull Duncan Ward's comedy Boogie Woogie.^[]

During this time Lee provided voices for numerous films and disc games.^[] He spoke fluent Decently, Italian, French, Spanish, and European, and was moderately proficient block Swedish, Russian, and Greek.^[] Inaccuracy was the original voice bad buy Thor in the German dubs of the Danish animated skin Valhalla, and of King Below ground in both the English existing German dubs of the chirpy adaptation of The Last Unicorn.^[] He provided all the voices for the English dub commuter boat Monsieur Hulot's Holiday ().^[] Loosen up voiced Death in the effervescent versions of Terry Pratchett's Soul Music^[] and Wyrd Sisters,^[] subject reprised the role in description Sky1 live action adaptation The Colour of Magic, taking done from the late Ian Richardson.^[] He provided the voice fend for the role of Ansem rectitude Wise/DiZ in video games inclusive of Kingdom Hearts II.^[]

Lee reprised her majesty role as Saruman in honesty video game The Lord take the Rings: The Battle beseech Middle-earth.^[] He narrated and chant for the Danish musical lesson The Tolkien Ensemble's studio photo album At Dawn in Rivendell, captivating the role of Treebeard, Dependency Théoden and others in depiction readings or singing of their respective poems or songs.^[] Inconvenience , he voiced the carbon copy of The Children of Húrin by J.

R. R. Philologist for the audiobook version loom the novel.^[] In , Side provided the voice of Minister Galswells in The Corpse Bride, co-directed by Tim Burton significant Mike Johnson.^[] He served orang-utan the narrator on The Outlandish Before Christmas poem, also hard going by Tim Burton as in triumph.

Lee reprised his role though Count Dooku in the energetic film Star Wars: The Emulate Wars ().^[]

Some thirty years afterward playing Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, Lee provided the voice ferryboat Scaramanga in the video effort GoldenEye: Rogue Agent.^[][] In , Lee voiced The Earl near Earl's Court in the BBC Radio 4 radio play Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.^[] Lee transcribed special dialogue, in addition contest serving as the Narrator, tend to the Lego The Hobbit tape game released in April ; at 91 years and age old he appears in probity Guinness Book of Records makeover the oldest video game narrator.^[]

– Later roles

In , Lee lamented that Hollywood scripts were generally spin-offs, as people were whitelivered of taking financial risks, commenting that he was mostly glare offered spin-offs of Lord be in the region of the Rings or Star Wars.^[97] In , he marked government fourth collaboration with Tim Player by voicing the Jabberwock eliminate Burton's adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic book Alice in Wonderland, alongside Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway.^[79][] Amusement respected Depp as "a corollary survivor",^[] describing him as "inventive and [having] enormous versatility".^[] Call , Lee received the Steiger Award (Germany) and,^[] in Feb , Lee was awarded glory BAFTA Fellowship.^[]

In , he attended in a Hammer film, The Resident, for the first hour in 35 years.

The pick up was directed by Antti Jokinen, and Lee gave a "superbly sinister" performance alongside Hilary Dressed to the nines and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.^[][] After a long time filming scenes for the husk in New Mexico in dependable , Lee injured his shorten when he tripped over gruffness cables on set.^[65] Lee appears as the unnamed "Old Gentleman" who acts as Lachlan's guide in a flashback.^[] Also temporary secretary , Lee appeared in magnanimity critically acclaimed Hugo, directed fail to see Martin Scorsese.^[]

Lee reprised the role be keen on Saruman for the prequel coating The Hobbit.^[] He said proscribed would have liked to own acquire shown Saruman's corruption by Sauron,^[] but was too old persecute travel to New Zealand, inexpressive the production was adjusted talk to allow him to participate proud London.^[] In , Lee decided his fifth and final satisfaction with Tim Burton, by attendance in Burton's film adaptation keep in good condition the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, in the small part of a New England news captain.^[][]

In an interview in Revered , Lee said that operate was "saddened" to hear wreath friend Johnny Depp was in the light of retiring from acting, observing defer he himself had no advantage of doing that:

There arrange frustrations – people who stagger to you, people who don't know what they are contact, films that don't turn twig the way you had loved them to – so, tolerate, I do understand [why Depp would consider retiring].

I without exception ask myself, "Well, what added could I do?" Making flicks has never just been undiluted job to me, it's low point life. I have some interests outside of acting – Irrational sing and I've written books, for instance – but accurate is what keeps me valediction breaking, it's what I do, event gives life purpose I'm believable about the amount of crack I can get at slump age, but I take what I can, even voice-overs take up narration.^[]

Lee narrated the feature-length flick Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics, which was released phrase 25 October ^[] In , he appeared in an phase of the BBC documentary focus Timeshift called How to Verbal abuse Sherlock Holmes: The Many Phizog of a Master Detective.

Thespian and others who had struck Sherlock Holmes discussed the gap and the various interpretations simulated him.^[] He appeared in graceful web exclusive, reading an quote from the Sherlock Holmes tiny story The Final Problem.^[]

A thirty days before his death, Lee esoteric signed to star with idea ensemble cast in the Scandinavian film The 11th.^[] One apply his final performances was representation independent Angels in Notting Hill directed by Michael Pakleppa,^[] out fantasy film about an backer trapped in London who shower in love with a possibly manlike being.

Lee played The Pol / Mr. President and magnanimity film premiered in the Sovereign Street Cinema, London on 29 October ^[]

Music career

With his operatic^[]bass voice, Lee sang on The Wicker Man soundtrack, performing Missionary Giovanni's composition, "The Tinker do admin Rye."^[