Christopher Lee

Born: 1922-05-27 in Westminster, London, England, UK

Died: 2015-06-07

Known For: Acting

Biography

Christopher Lee (May 5, 1922 – June 7, 2015) was an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films. Other notable roles include Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man (1973), Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Count Dooku in Star Wars episodes II and III (2002, 2005) and Saruman in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003). Lee considers his most important role to have been his portrayal of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the biopic Jinnah (1998). He is well known for his deep, commanding voice. Lee has performed roles in 266 films since 1948 making him the Guinness book world record holder for most film acting roles ever. He was knighted in 2009 and received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2011.

Filmography

2026

Children of The Wicker Man as Self (archive footage)

2015

Fifty Shades of Erotica as (archive footage)
Extraordinary Tales as Narrator (voice) (segment 'The Fall of the House of Usher')
Angels in Notting Hill as The Boss / Mr. President (voice)

2014

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies as Saruman the White
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Corrigan (archive footage) (uncredited)
Face of Unity as Self
How to Be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a Master Detective as Self

2013

Night Train to Lisbon as Father Bartholomeu
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics as Narrator
The Girl from Nagasaki as Old Officer Pinkerton
The Trail of Dracula as Self (Archival Footage)
The Gillian Hills Trilogy

2012

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as Saruman the White
Dark Shadows as Clarney
Everything or Nothing as Self
The Fall of the House Of Usher as The Narrator
Top Gear: 50 Years of Bond Cars as Self
The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature Features
Shoot the Moon: The Making of 'Hugo' as Self
Enzo Ferrari 1898 - 1988 as Narrator
Christopher Lee: A Legacy of Horror and Terror as Self
Back to Black: The Making of Dracula Prince of Darkness as Dracula (archive footage)
Dracula vs. Vampir

2011

Hugo as Monsieur Labisse
Season of the Witch as Cardinal D'Ambroise
The Resident as August
The Wicker Tree as Old Man

2010

Alice in Wonderland as Jabberwocky (voice)
Burke & Hare as Old Joseph
Boogie Woogie as Mr. Alfred Rhinegold
The Heavy as Mr. Mason
Christopher Lee: Gentleman of Horror as Self

2009

Triage as Joaquín Morales
Glorious 39 as Older Walter Page

2008

The Colour of Magic as Death
Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Count Dooku (voice)
The Color of Magic - Die Reise des Zauberers Teil 1 as Death (synchro)
The Color of Magic - Die Reise des Zauberers Teil 2 as Death (synchro)
The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Original Poem as Narrator (voice)
Fanex Files: Hammer Films as Self

2007

The Alan Titchmarsh Show as Self
The Golden Compass as First High Councilor
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn as Narrator (voice)
Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Chinese as Self
Rhapsody of Fire - Visions from the Enchanted Lands as Self
Bloody Jess as Self
Ein Leben wie im Flug as Self
Beloved Count as Self
Amazon Trek: In Search of Vanishing Secrets as Narrator

2006

Semperopernball as Self
The Making of The Fellowship of the Ring as Self
The Making of The Two Towers as Self
Witch's Dungeon: 40 Years of Chills as Self

2005

Corpse Bride as Pastor Galswells (voice)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as Dr. Wonka
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith as Count Dooku
Pope John Paul II as Kardinal Stefan Wyszyński
The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby as The Lord Provost
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Different Faces, Different Flavors

2004

Willkommen bei Carmen Nebel as Self
Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse as Emerich
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King' as Self
The Story of Star Wars as Count Dooku (archive footage)

2003

100 Greatest Scary Moments
The Two Towers: J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-Earth as Self
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King as Self
Whales of Atlantis: In Search of Moby Dick as Self - Narrator (voice)
Drácula en la Hammer as Christopher Lee

2002

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as Saruman
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones as Count Dooku
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth as Self
From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode II as Self / Count Dooku
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script as Self
Best Ever Bond as Self / Scaramanga
The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth as Self
To the Devil... The Death of Hammer
Perversion Stories as Self

2001

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as Saruman
Aeschbacher as Self
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' as Self
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring as Self
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome as Self
Quest for the Ring as Self
The Wicker Man Enigma as Himself
Burnt Offering: The Cult of The Wicker Man
The Devil's Island: Journey Into Jungle Alcatraz as Narrator

2000

Gormenghast as Flay
In the Beginning as Rameses I
Ghost Stories for Christmas as Narrator
Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend as Self
Ian Fleming: 007's Creator as Self
Inside 'The Man with the Golden Gun'
The Many Faces of Dracula as Narrator

1999

Sleepy Hollow as Burgomaster
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service as Count Ottokar Graf Czernin

1998

Tale of the Mummy as Sir Richard Turkel
Ex-S: The Wicker Man as Self
Jinnah as Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Dare To Dream: The Making of Jinnah as Self
100 Years of Horror as Presenter
The Mummy as Self - Host

1997

The Odyssey as Tiresias
Ivanhoe as Lucas de Beaumanoir
Wyrd Sisters as Death (voice)
Soul Music as Death (voice)
Soul Music as Death (voice)

1996

100 Years of Horror as Self - Host
Moses as Pharaoh
Alisea and the Dream Prince as Azaret
The Stupids as Evil Sender
A Century of Science Fiction as Narrator (voice)
In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes
The Man Who Ruined the British Film Industry as Self
The Many Faces of Christopher Lee
Welcome to the Discworld as Death
A Century of Science Fiction as Host / Narrator

1995

Tales of Mystery and Imagination as Narrator
In Search of James Bond with Jonathan Ross as Self
A Pleasant Terror: The Life and Ghosts of M.R. James as Self

1994

Brisant as Self
The World of Hammer as Self (archive footage)
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow as Commandant Rakov
Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror as Narrator (voice) / Self
A Feast at Midnight as V. E. 'Raptor' Longfellow
Funny Man as Callum Chance
The Rainbow Thief as Uncle Rudolf

1993

Blue Heelers as Scott James
Death Train as General Konstanin Benin

1992

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as Count Ottokar Graf Czerin
Innocent Blood as Count Dracula (archive footage)
Dracula in the Movies as (archive footage)
Beauty and the Beast as Monsieur Renard (voice)
Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls as Sherlock Holmes
Cyber Eden as Cedric
Double Vision as Mr. Bernard

1991

Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady as Sherlock Holmes
Journey of Honor as King Philip
Curse III: Blood Sacrifice as Dr. Pearson
Fear in the Dark as Narrator
Ghost as Self - Narrator
Halloween Monster Bash as Professor Alexander Saxton (archive footage)

1990

Stern TV as Self
Gremlins 2: The New Batch as Doctor Catheter
Treasure Island as Blind Pew
The Miser as Cardinale Spinosi
The Care of Time as Karlis Zander

1989

Around the World in 80 Days as Stuart
The Return of the Musketeers as Rochefort
The French Revolution as Sanson (« Les Années terribles »)
The French Revolution as Sanson
Night of the Eagles as Walter Strauss
For Better or for Worse as Lazos
Murder Story as Willard Hope

1988

Nase vorn as Self
Dark Mission: Flowers of Evil as Luis Morel
Olympus Force: The Key as Filly

1987

Seitenblicke as self
Mio in the Land of Faraway as Kato
Casanova as Branicki
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood as Self
The Girl as Peter Storm
Creepy Classics as Franklyn Marsh - (archive footage)

1986

Shaka Zulu as Lord Bathurst
Wedden, dat..? as Self
Un métier de seigneur as Fog
Jocks as President White
The Disputation as King James of Aragon

1985

Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch as Stefan Crosscoe
The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes as Himself - Presenter
Mask of Murder as Chief Supt. Jonathan Rich
The Best of All Time Horror Classics
Don't Scream: It's Only a Movie! as Self - Narrator

1984

The Far Pavilions as Rao-Sahib
The Rosebud Beach Hotel as King
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers as King Vladimir V
The Bengal Lancers! as Sir James Hunter

1983

House of the Long Shadows as Corrigan
The Return of Captain Invincible as Mr. Midnight
New Magic as Mr. Kellar
Errol Flynn: Portrait of a Swashbuckler as Narrator

1982

Champs-Elysées as Self
Faerie Tale Theatre as King Vladimir V
The Last Unicorn as King Haggard (voice)
Safari 3000 as Count Borgia
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! as Self (archive footage)
Massarati and the Brain as Victor Leopold
Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story as Prince Philip
The Rank Charm School as Self

1981

Wetten, dass..? as Self
Goliath Awaits as John McKenzie
An Eye for an Eye as Morgan Canfield
The Salamander as Prince Baldasar, the Director of Counterintelligence
Evil Stalks This House as Host

1980

Serial as Luckman Skull
Once Upon a Spy as Marcus Valorium
Desperate Moves as Dr. Carl Boxer

1979

1941 as Capt. Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt
Captain America II: Death Too Soon as Miguel
Arabian Adventure as Caliph Alquazar
Bear Island as Lechinski
The Passage as Gypsy
The Horror Show as (archive footage)
Jaguar Lives! as Adam Caine

1978

Return from Witch Mountain as Victor Gannon
Circle of Iron as Zetan
Caravans as Sardar Khan
Mickey's 50 as Self

1977

How the West Was Won as The Grand Duke
Auf los geht's los as Self
Airport '77 as Martin Wallace
The Pirate as Samir Al Fay
End of the World as Father Pergado / Zindar
Playboy's Playmate Party
Starship Invasions as Captain Rameses
Meatcleaver Massacre as On-Screen Narrator
The Occult: Mysteries Of The Supernatural as Narrator

1976

Charlie's Angels as Dale Woodman
To the Devil a Daughter as Father Michael
Dracula and Son as Le prince des Ténèbres
Albino as Bill
Killer Force as Major Chilton
The Keeper as The Keeper

1975

Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
Space: 1999 as Captain Zandor
The Butcher, the Star and the Orphan as Satanus / Van Krig
In Search of Dracula as Self – Host / Vlad Tepes / Count Dracula

1974

The Man with the Golden Gun as Francisco Scaramanga
The Four Musketeers as Rochefort
Diagnosis: Murder as Dr. Stephen Hayward

1973

The Wicker Man as Lord Summerisle
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries as Arnaud
The Three Musketeers as Rochefort
The Satanic Rites of Dracula as Count Dracula
Nothing But the Night as Col. Charles Bingham
The Creeping Flesh as James Hildern
Dark Places as Dr. Ian Mandeville
Poor Devil as Lucifer

1972

Horror Express as Prof. Sir Alexander Saxton
Dracula A.D. 1972 as Count Dracula
Death Line as Stratton-Villiers, MI5
Vampir Cuadecuc as Self
Umbracle as The Man

1971

Film '72 as Self
Theatre Macabre as Self – Host
Hannie Caulder as Bailey
The House That Dripped Blood as John Reid (segment 3 "Sweets to the Sweet")
I, Monster as Dr. Charles Marlowe / Mr. Edward Blake

1970

Treffpunkte as Self
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes as Mycroft Holmes
Taste the Blood of Dracula as Dracula
Count Dracula as Dracula
The Bloody Judge as Lord George Jeffreys
Scars of Dracula as Dracula
Eugenie... The Story of Her Journey into Perversion as Dolmance
Scream and Scream Again as Fremont
Julius Caesar as Artemidorus
One More Time as Dracula

1969

The Castle of Fu Manchu as Dr. Fu Man Chu
The Magic Christian as Ship's Vampire
The Oblong Box as Dr. J. Neuhartt
Quelle horreur mon saigneur Dracula as Self

1968

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave as Dracula
The Devil Rides Out as Duc de Richleau
Curse of the Crimson Altar as J.D. Morley
The Blood of Fu Manchu as Dr. Fu Man Chu
The Movie Orgy as Fu Manchu/Dracula (archive footage)
The Face of Eve as Colonel Stuart

1967

The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism as Count Frederic Regula / Graf von Andomai
Night of the Big Heat as Godfrey Hanson
The Vengeance of Fu Manchu as Dr. Fu Manchu
Five Golden Dragons as Dragon #4

1966

Dracula: Prince of Darkness as Count Dracula
Rasputin: The Mad Monk as Grigori Rasputin
The Brides of Fu Manchu as Fu Manchu
Circus of Fear as Gregor
Theatre of Death as Philippe Darvas

1965

Ten Little Indians as Mr. U.N. Owen (voice)
The Face of Fu Manchu as Dr. Fu Man Chu
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors as Franklyn Marsh
She as Billali
The Skull as Sir Matthew Phillips

1964

The Gorgon as Prof. Karl Meister
The Devil-Ship Pirates as Captain Robeles
The Castle of the Living Dead as Count Drago
Crypt of the Vampire as Count Ludwig Karnstein
Horror!!! as Self

1963

The Whip and the Body as Kurt Menliff
Horror Castle as Erich
Challenge the Devil as Mephistoles

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Karl Jorla
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace as Sherlock Holmes
The Pirates of Blood River as Captain LaRoche
The Secret of the Red Orchid as Capt. Allerman
The Devil's Agent as Baron Ferdi von Staub

1961

The Mike Douglas Show as Self
The Avengers as Professor Stone
Hercules in the Haunted World as King Lico (Licos)
The Devil's Daffodil as Ling Chu
The Terror of the Tongs as Chung King
Taste of Fear as Doctor Pierre Gerrard

1960

The City of the Dead as Prof. Alan Driscoll
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll as Paul Allen
Beat Girl as Kenny King
The Hands of Orlac as Nero the magician
Too Hot to Handle as Novak

1959

One Step Beyond as Wilhelm Reitlinger
Stars in der Manege as Self
Whicker's World
The Hound of the Baskervilles as Sir Henry Baskerville
The Mummy as Kharis, the Mummy
The Man Who Could Cheat Death as Dr. Pierre Gerrard
Uncle Was a Vampire as Baron Roderico da Frankurten
The Treasure of San Teresa as Jaeger

1958

The Adventures of William Tell as Prince Erik
Ivanhoe as Sir Otto from the Rhine
Dracula as Count Dracula
A Tale of Two Cities as Marquis St. Evremonde
Battle of the V-1 as Brunner
Corridors of Blood as Resurrection Joe

1957

The Curse of Frankenstein as The Creature
Manuela as Voice (voice)
Bitter Victory as Sgt. Barney
Ill Met by Moonlight as German officer at The Dentist's office
Fortune Is a Woman as Charles Highbury
The Truth About Women as Francois Thiers
The Traitor as Doctor Neumann

1956

The Battle of the River Plate as Manolo
Colonel March of Scotland Yard as Jeanpierre
The Errol Flynn Theatre as The Visitant
Alexander the Great as Nectenabus (voice)
Private's Progress as Major Schultz
Beyond Mombasa as Gil Rossi
Port Afrique as Franz Vermes

1955

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel as Louis the Executioner (uncredited)
Storm Over the Nile as Karaga Pasha
Final Column
The Cockleshell Heroes as Submarine Commander Alan Grieves
The Dark Avenger as French Patrol Captain at Tavern (uncredited)
That Lady as Capitán
Contraband Spain as Narrador (voz)
Police Dog as Johnny, a constable
Alias John Preston as John Preston
Moby Dick—Rehearsed as A Stage Manager /Flask
Cross-Roads as Harry Cooper

1954

Mark Saber as Larry Spence
The Awakening as Factory proprietor (uncredited)
The Mirror and Markheim as Visitant

1953

Innocents in Paris as Lieutenant Whitlock
The Top and the Ball as Father

1952

The Crimson Pirate as Joseph - Military Attaché
Moulin Rouge as Georges Seurat (uncredited)
Top Secret as Russian Agent (uncredited)
Babes in Bagdad as Slave Dealer
Paul Temple Returns as Sir Felix Raybourne

1951

Quo Vadis as Chariot Driver (uncredited)
Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. as Spanish Captain
Valley of the Eagles as Det. Holt

1950

They Were Not Divided as Chris Lewis
Prelude to Fame as Newsman

1949

Trottie True as Hon. Bongo Icklesham

1948

Hamlet as Palace Guard (uncredited)
Scott of the Antarctic as Bernard Day
Saraband for Dead Lovers as Herzog Anthony von Wolfenbüttel
Corridor of Mirrors as Charles
One Night with You as Pirelli's Assistant
Penny and the Pownall Case as Jonathan Blair
A Song for Tomorrow as Auguste

1939

Eugen Weidmann Execution Film as Himself