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

2024

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim as Saruman (voice)
Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters as Self (archive footage)
The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee as Self / Various (Archive)
Children of the Wicker Man as Self (archive footage)
Constel·lació Portabella as (archive footage)

2023

The Wicker Man at 50 as Lord Summerisle
Faces of Death as (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 Trail of Dracula as Self (Archival Footage)
The Girl from Nagasaki as Old Officer Pinkerton
The Gillian Hills Trilogy

2012

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

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)
Fanex Files: Hammer Films as Self
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)

2007

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

2006

Semperopernball as Self
The Making of 'The Two Towers' as Self
The Making of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' 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
Pope John Paul II

2004

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

2003

Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King as Self
Whales of Atlantis: In Search of Moby Dick as Self - Narrator (voice)
J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-Earth as Self
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
Best Ever Bond as Self / Scaramanga
From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode II as Self / Count Dooku
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth + Weta Workshop + Costume Design 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
Quest for the Ring as Self
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' as Self
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome as Self
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring as Self
Burnt Offering: The Cult of The Wicker Man
The Devil's Island: Journey Into Jungle Alcatraz as Narrator
The Wicker Man Enigma as Himself

2000

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

1999

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

1998

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

1997

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

1996

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

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
The Rainbow Thief as Uncle Rudolf
Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror as Narrator (voice) / Self
Funny Man as Callum Chance
A Feast at Midnight as V. E. 'Raptor' Longfellow

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)
Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls as Sherlock Holmes
Double Vision as Mr. Bernard
Dracula in the Movies as (archive footage)
Cyber Eden as Cedric
Beauty and the Beast as Monsieur Renard (voice)

1991

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

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

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
The Girl as Peter Storm
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood as Self
Casanova as Branicki
Creepy Classics as Franklyn Marsh - (archive footage)

1986

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

1985

Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch as Stefan Crosscoe
Mask of Murder as Chief Supt. Jonathan Rich
The Best of All Time Horror Classics
The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes as Himself - Presenter

1984

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

1983

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

1982

Champs-Elysées as Self
Faerie Tale Theatre as King Vladimir V
The Last Unicorn as King Haggard (voice)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! as Self (archive footage)
Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story as Prince Philip
Safari 3000 as Count Borgia
Massarati and the Brain as Victor Leopold
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
Arabian Adventure as Caliph Alquazar
The Horror Show as (archive footage)
Bear Island as Lechinski
Captain America II: Death Too Soon as Miguel
The Passage as Gypsy
Jaguar Lives! as Adam Caine

1978

Circle of Iron as Zetan
Caravans as Sardar Khan
Return from Witch Mountain as Victor Gannon
The Pirate as Samir Al Fay
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
Starship Invasions as Captain Rameses
Playboy's Playmate Party
End of the World as Father Pergado / Zindar
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
In Search of Dracula as Self – Host / Vlad Tepes / Count Dracula
The Butcher, the Star and the Orphan as Satanus / Van Krig

1974

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

1973

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

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

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

1969

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

1968

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

1967

Five Golden Dragons as Dragon #4
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
Theatre of Death as Philippe Darvas

1966

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

1965

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

1964

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

1963

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

1962

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

1961

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

1960

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

1959

One Step Beyond as Wilhelm Reitlinger
Whicker's World
Stars in the Ring as Self
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

Ivanhoe as Sir Otto from the Rhine
The Adventures of William Tell as Prince Erik
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

Sailor of Fortune as Yusif Carnot
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
The Traitor as Doctor Neumann
Fortune Is a Woman as Charles Highbury
The Truth About Women as Francois Thiers

1956

Colonel March of Scotland Yard as Jeanpierre
The Battle of the River Plate as Manolo
Alexander the Great as Nectenabus (voice)
The Errol Flynn Theatre as The Visitant
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)
The Dark Avenger as French Patrol Captain at Tavern (uncredited)
The Cockleshell Heroes as Submarine Commander Alan Grieves
Storm Over the Nile as Karaga Pasha
That Lady as Capitán
Final Column
Alias John Preston as John Preston
Contraband Spain as Narrador (voz)
Police Dog as Johnny, a constable
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 (attache)
Moulin Rouge as Georges Seurat (uncredited)
Top Secret as Russian Agent (uncredited)
Paul Temple Returns as Sir Felix Raybourne
Babes in Bagdad as Slave Dealer

1951

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

1950

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

1949

Trottie True as Hon. Bongo Icklesham

1948

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

1939

Eugen Weidmann Execution Film as Himself