Christopher Lee: The Legacy of a Fascinating Man

Christopher Lee
R.I.P Christopher Lee (1922-2015)

On June 7th of this year, the beloved actor and musician Christopher Lee died at the age of 93. The confirmation of his death was not released to the public until June the 11th, making sure that his family got the news first. His passing is truly saddening, and quite unexpected to most people, probably because he seemed like an actor that would be around forever. Unfortunately, like most great things in this would, nothing can last forever, and at least we can tell ourselves that he lived a long and full life. His acting career started all the way back in the late 40’s, and with a booming voice like his, he primarily portrayed villainous characters in many different genres. With huge franchises like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings under his belt, he was always considered a powerhouse in the eyes of horror and fantasy enthusiasts. What some people forget or never knew is that Christopher Lee has been a prolific musician through most of his life. Not only was he trained as an opera singer, but he also became very fascinated with heavy metal, even when he was older. There was so much to this man, and it is fascinating to look back on the long legacy he left behind.

Acting Roles

Christopher Lee as Dracula in Horror of Dracula
Christopher Lee as Dracula in Horror of Dracula (1958)

With 278 acting roles in film and TV, Christopher Lee had one of the most extensive careers among working actors. Of course, like any actor, he started out in smaller roles in films like Corridor of Mirrors, A Song for Tomorrow, and even in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, in which he went uncredited. In the late 5o’s, Lee soon made a name for himself when he worked with the British film company, Hammer Films, which specialized in filming bloody and exploitive horror films. His first big role was in 1957’s The Curse of Frankenstein, playing the mangled creature created by Dr. Frankenstein. In his early years, Lee was seen covered in a heavy amount of creature make-up in a couple of the Hammer Films; not only playing Frankenstein’s monster, but also as the Mummy in the 1959 version of The Mummy. When he was not covered in make up, he was well renowned for playing Dracula in seven films, starting with Horror of Dracula. Lee was one of the first actors that stepped away from Bela Lugosi’s famous portrayal of Dracula, and instead gave the character a whole new voice and persona.

Of course, no one can talk about Christopher Lee in Hammer Films without mentioning the actor, Peter Cushing. Lee and Cushing were essentially the bread and butter of Hammer Films, as having them both on screen usually ended in with entertaining results. They first met face to face in The Curse of Frankenstein, and ever since then, they have become ingrained as one of the best pairings in horror films. Peter Cushing was well known for playing Dr. Frankenstein in the Frankenstein series, as well as Van Helsing in the Horror of Dracula; so their characters were often seen at each other throats. Despite that, they were great friends in real life, and they both starred in 22 films together. Amazingly, both actors played Sherlock Holmes at one time or another. One example is in The Hounds of the Baskervilles, where Peter Cushing played Sherlock Holmes, and Christopher Lee played Sir Henry Baskerville. Lee would eventually wear the deerstalker hat himself in Sherlock Homes and the Deadly Necklace, and again almost 30 years later in the TV movie Sherlock Homes and the Leading Lady. He even played Mycroft Holmes in the 1970 film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, deftly showing how much of a fan he was of the Sherlock Holmes character.

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
Christopher Lee as Lord in The Wicker Man
Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man (1973)

The more he played Dracula in the sequels, Lee soon started to hate playing the role and he showed this hatred by barely speaking in the roles. The Dracula films got worser with every sequel, and when one of the films titled Dracula A.D. 1972 has Dracula thrown into the 70’s, you can see why Lee hated these sequels so much. This did not stop him from playing Dracula again in the 1970 film Count Dracula, which was an attempt to faithfully tell the story from Bram Stoker’s novel. When he finished the last Dracula film, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, he would move on to the 1973 film, The Wicker Man. In this mystery/horror cult classic, Lee played Lord Summerisle, the leader of an island filled with unusual and suspicious pagans. What made Lee and the film itself so unnerving is how disturbingly happy the pagan people acted on the island. It perfectly captures what it would be like to be in a cult, and the film itself stops feeling like a horror film because no supernatural elements ever appear. Even Christopher Lee himself does not consider the film to be a horror film. A year later, Lee played one of the best Bond villains as Scaramanga in the 1974 film, The Man with the Golden Gun. Even though the film itself is considered one of the weaker Bond films, Lee was born to play a role like this. He was essentially the duel opposite of Roger Moore’s Bond, considering they are both suave older men who are deadly in completely different ways. Interestingly enough, Christopher Lee was step-cousin to the writer of the original James Bond novels, Ian Fleming. In fact, Fleming wanted Lee to play the villain in the first Bond movie, Dr. No.

Christopher Lee inThe Man With The Golden Gun
Christopher Lee as Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)

When the late 70’s came around, Lee stepped away from Hammer Films and from British films in general, as he waned to find new roles in the America film industry. For a while in his career, he was mostly given supporting roles in an array of different genres like comedy, action adventure, animation, fantasy and much more. This cemented him as a well-known character actor because he always seemed to grab people’s attention with his deep voice and intimidating appearance. With his booming voice and his immense height, standing at 6’5″, it is easy to see why he was casted as a villain most of the time, but he varied from threateningly sophisticated to delightfully cocky. He stepped into animation territory in The Last Unicorn, as the role of the untrustworthy King Haggard. Then in 1983, he showed off his singing voice in the musical/sci-fi /comedy The Return of Captain Invincible, playing Mr. Midnight. Even thought he sang in The Wicker Man, he showed the world his amazing vocal talent, while incorporating a bit of his opera singing as well. Check out this clip to see what a great singer he was. Christopher Lee sings ” Name your Poison”

Christopher Lee's devotion to the Lord of the Rings
Christopher Lee’s devotion to the Lord of the Rings

Christopher Lee had not yet broken into the major movie market, and was not well known by mainstream viewers. He was even considered for the role of Magneto in the first X-Men film, but was replaced with Ian McKellen, another actor who was once unfamiliar to mainstream audiences. Then came arguably his most iconic role as Saruman the White in The Lord of the Rings trilogy; a role that he was quite literally meant to play. The reason for this is he actually meet J.R.R. Tolkien in the flesh, when Tolkien was at the height of his popularity with his books. Ever since then, Lee had been a huge fan of The Lord of the Ring mythology, and even offered to play the role of Gandalf . Before assuming that Ian McKellen had once again snatched another role from Lee, Peter Jackson better saw Lee as the villain of the film, and Jackson’s decision payed off beautifully.

Lee’s Saruman was unforgettable, as he drew the audiences attention with his mere presence. When his last scene from The Return of The King was cut for the theatrical release, people were outraged, and Lee himself was disappointed of his scene was removed. As if one franchise was not enough, George Lucas also got Lee the play the role of Count Dooku in Star Wars Episode II and III. If having Count in his name was not enough of a giveaway, Lucas was a huge fan of the Hammer horror films, considering he also casted Peter Cushing as General Tarkin in the originals Star Wars trilogy. It is a true testament to Lee as an actor that he could work around Lucas’s stilted and badly written dialogue, when even great actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Ewan McGregor could not. Audiences may also recognize Christopher Lee in Tim Burton’s films like Sleepy Hollow as the Burgomaster, Charlie in the Chocolate Factory as Willy Wonka’s farther, and in Alice in Wonderland as the Jabberwocky.

Before his passing, he got to play Saruman again in The Hobbit trilogy, and it seemed fitting that he got to play a role that he has worked so hard for one last time. His last official role would be in the independent film, Angels in Nothing Hill. With so many roles under his belt, it can be hard to determine which film is his absolute best. Even though Lee has said some of his favorite roles were in The Wicker Man and in The Lord of the Rings films, his favorite performance was from a film a lot of audiences never got to see. The film was titled Jinnah, and it had Lee in the starring role as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan in the late 40’s. Despite being released in counties like the United Kingdom and Pakistan, it was never released in mainstream theaters, simply because it was about a Muslim leader. Not only is it a shame that Lee’s masterful performance went unseen to many people, but also because it was scrutinized for giving positive approval to the Muslim culture. The film was not about wanting to see the death of the Americans. It was the life story of a man who did not carry out terrorist ideals. People saw it as a propaganda film, when they failed so see it as a movie first. Just listen to Christopher Lee talk about the film himself.

Musical Career

Christopher Lee in Le Umbracle
Christopher Lee in Umbracle (1970)

It is not uncommon for film actors to show some sort of musical persona, and Christopher Lee is no exception. The musical genre Lee was prolifically trained in was opera, and he was inspired by one of his favorite operas, The Barber of Seville. Since his grandfather, Girolamo Carandini, was also a renowned opera singer, it only made sense that his parents would want his to carry on the tradition. Lee was trained in Sweden to sing opera, and he was taught by the great Jussi Björling, a tenor famous for singing in many European countries. While he undoubtably learned a lot from Björling, Lee was also trying to start his career in acting, and he could not financially balance the two professions, so he had to leave Sweden. Lee was able to show off his operatic talent in the 1970 artistically inspired film, Umbracle. The film was mainly made to demonstrate Lee’s operatic singing, and the only other cast member starring along side him was Jeannine Mestre. While he never sang as much opera when he got older, his affection for the art form has remained all his life. Also, he would apparently sing to warm up this throat before doing a scene in a film. Lee also tried is very best to see every single opera he could possibly find.

Christopher Lee showing his inner heavy metal side.
Christopher Lee showing his inner heavy metal side.

The reason that Lee has not sung in opera for a long time is partially because he was getting into heavy metal. Ever since he listened to the band Black Sabbath, the heavy metal art-form had always intrigued him. When guitarist Toni Iommi of Black Sabbath talked with Lee, he proudly admitted that the band was inspired by the Hammer horror films; so the inspiration comes full circle. Lee proved that you are never too old to do something new by contributing in his first metal album, at the age of 83. It was not until 2005 when he collaborated with the symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire, on the song The Magic of the Wizard Dream. Ever since, Lee had made a name for himself in independent heavy metal. Lee even made his very own album Revelation, showcasing Lee’s orchestral talent, as well as a bit of heavy metal. He continued to participate in metal albums like The Frozen Tears of Angels, The Cold Embrace of Fear, and Battle Hymns MMXI. Interestingly enough, he sung his own version of Christmas music, with a heavy metal influence in A Heavy Metal Christmas and A Heavy Metal Christmas Too. Even though Lee never got tattoos, or even banged his head a lot on stage, his contribution to heavy metal is impressive. He was bestowed the Spirit of Metal award, at the 2010 Metal Hammer Golden God award show. While he always considered himself an actor first, his music persona in nothing to sneeze at.

The Legacy He Left Behind

While it is always saddening to hear that a beloved actor or actress had passed away, it does give people the chance to reflect on their roles and persona, considering the actor will never be able to give one last performance. When looking over Christopher Lee’s career, one cannot help but notice that he took very big risks with the roles and professions he devoted himself to. It took courage to portray a Muslim leader considering the controversy that would follow it, even in a post 9/11 age. It also took courage to want to reinvent himself as a heavy metal singer in his old age. He showed how actors don’t need to follow a set of rules that Hollywood throws at you, but instead to just go with your gut, as scary as that may sound. He was respected by many people for his dedicated commitment to film and music, and it is shown by the slew of awards he has won though out his lifetime. He may have no Oscars, but he makes up for it by wining lifetime achievement awards, including the BAFTA award, the U.S. Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror award, the U.K. Empire award, and even the Bram Stroker award.

The other aspect of Christopher Lee that is worth noting is how he never saw his old age as a drawback. The simple fact that he released rock albums at his old age shows that he does not mind breaking conventions. Older actors and actresses always struggled to get roles in major Hollywood films, but Lee made his old age a lasting characteristic that audiences would admire and respect about him. He also never lost his enthusiasm for being in films, by always trying to give the best role he possibly could. It is disappointing to watch once-prominent actors like Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis to give lackluster performances in their older age; almost like they don’t care about the films they are in. Despite being upset with how the Dracula sequels turned out, Lee always tried to make lemons into lemonade with every film he made. Even if a film was garbage, he was one of those actors that could make a bad film just a little bit less unbearable, just with his appearance. Lee never came off as a grumpy old man, as he always showed admiration to his fans, and showed why everyone should live life to the fullest. It is funny how the actors that are synonymous with villain roles are really some of the most kindest people in real life.

We will miss you, Sir Christopher Lee.

Work Cited

Weiderhorn, J. (2015, June 11). Christopher Lee: The Actor’s Secret Life in Heavy Metal. Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/christopher-lee-inside-his-secret-life-in-heavy-metal-20150611

Christopher Lee- IMDB. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000489/?ref_=nmawd_awd_nm

Myers, G. (2014, December 14). 10 Reasons Christopher Lee Is Truly Amazing. Retrieved from http://listverse.com/2014/12/14/10-reasons-christopher-lee-is-truly-amazing/

Tilly, C., Krupa, D., & Butler, T. (2015, June 11). Christopher Lee’s Top 10 Movies. Retrieved from http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/11/christopher-lees-top-10-movies

Bronstein, D. (2014, October 20). From Frankenstein to Dracula: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee- The Unequalled Team. Retrieved from http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/10/20/from-frankenstein-to-dracula-peter-cushing-and-christopher-lee-the-unequalled-team-2363420?lt_source=external,manual,manual

Vestraete, V. (2011, August 19). 22 Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing Pairings. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/list/ls001889141/

Biography- Charlemagne Productions – Christopher Lee. (2015). Retrieved from http://charlemagneproductions.org/biography#.VYxgSF7JU0s

Gramophone. (2015, June 11). My Music- Christopher Lee. Retrieved from http://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/my-music-christopher-lee?pmtx=save-x&utm_expid=32540977-5.-DEFmKXoQdmXwfDwHzJRUQ.4

Christopher Lee Awards. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000489/awards

zimperliches videos (2009, September 7) Christopher Lee sings “Name Your Poison”[ Video file] Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9se8i4ujs

smitrof (2007, June 27) Christopher Lee talks about his favorite role [ Video file] Retrieved from www. youtube.com/watch?v=CE_1ofnBFos

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44 Comments

  1. ChetCarney
    0

    What a true legend in acting and music.

  2. He was a brilliant actor. His Best movies I Liked ‘ were ‘ Dracula ‘ series, and ‘ Fu Manchu.

  3. Christopher Lee was certainly no slouch in the acting department, but I can’t help but feel it was his uncanny adeptness at keeping himself current, while embracing, even relishing the numerous career turns which his many decades took him, that may well be the most amazing aspect of Mr. Lee.

    It’s a precious few souls among us of any profession that can hope to remain relevant for as long as Lee did. That he did so with both style, humility, and a sly sense of wit is only further evidence of his unique place in the cinematic universe.

    Shine on, Sir Christopher…

  4. Mr Lee was a true legend and an amazing man.

  5. We’ll not see his like again – incredible acting talent, voice, looks & presence, yet very grounded. He always came across as intelligent, articulate, erudite & thoroughly charming. He knocked most of our current “stars” into a cocked hat. RIP.

  6. DClarke

    Nice job. It is great to see such a tribute to a great entertainer

  7. They’re all gone now. All the legendary classic horror actors — Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Claude Rains, Lon Chaney Sr. & Jr., Peter Lorre, Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and now Christopher Lee. I am a hue classic horror fan and I remember waiting patiently for the next issue of Famous Monsters Of Filmland to come out to see what Hammer Studios was going to release next. Lee did what most of his fellow horror icons could never do. He broke out of the type casting and made some great films in other genres. Triage (2009) with Colin Farrell was a great film.

    • Aaron Hatch

      It is saddening that most of the great horror icons are long gone, but like all great actors, the will always be remembered in the film roles.

  8. Millions remember him and always will.

  9. Saab Heaton
    0

    A man who led an incredibly interesting and varied life.

  10. Wonderful actor. The best Dracula ever. Scared me out of my wits as a child, but it was a good scare. May he rest in peace. He definitely was a legend in the world of acting.

  11. Christopher Lee has spanned my entire lifetime of movie going.

    Let’s be happy he was here though, rather than sad he’s gone.

  12. Funny story about his Dracula role. Lee initially did not want to return for the role of Dracula, but the studio told him that many people would lose the job if he did not return. So Christopher Lee returned to be Dracula once more.

    This episode shows that not only he was a great actor, he was also very kind and caring man as well.

  13. Aaron Hatch

    Wow! I knew that he did not like the Dracula sequels, but I did not know that other peoples jobs were on the line. It just makes me like him even more.

  14. Christopher Lee was always one of my favourite actors.

  15. On the LotR set, in preparation for the death of Saruman, Jackson suggested he imagine how a man being stabbed in the back sounded.

    Son, he replied, I don’t have to imagine.

  16. Anderson
    0

    He never spoke too much, but he spoke his words meant business and penetrative.
    His hissing sound was chilling running through the spine.

    He will always be remembered.

  17. Waldrop
    0

    The passing of a legend – but don’t despair; he will be back at Midnight…

  18. Madge Tom
    0

    One of the Greatest actors not just in Britain but in the world RIP.

  19. great actor the world is a poorer place without you but what a legacy you leave us

  20. Christopher Lee has always been my favourite Actor. In fact he was one of the best dracula actors of this time.

    He will be sadly missed but his spirit will live on. We will all return some time. RIP Mr Lee. he has reached a blessed age.

    • Aaron Hatch

      He was one of my favorite actors as well, and he was always a hero to me. It’s good to remember what he contributed to his long career in film.

  21. People like Lee always fascinating to me, and, in many ways, they are inspiring. Lee never settled for the built-in excuses that could have held him back, such as being type-casted or aging. Regardless of profession, it is difficult to not give into the impulses to slow down and accept things as they are.
    Lee always managed to stay current, both provoking and embracing change as it happened. It’s easy to get nostalgic and say that these type of actors are too rare today, but reality is that people like Lee have always been uncommon (in a good way). Those who have been touched by Lee’s artistic contributions have been blessed and we would do well to learn from his approach to life.

  22. Thanks for that tribute to a wonderful actor and this makes me regret even more that I haven’t really experienced the plethora of works he had done (I learned about “Name Your Poison” after his passing).

    He always had such dignity to everything he did.

    • Aaron Hatch

      Im glad you liked my article. You should not feel bad that you did not get to experience all his acting roles. If anything, his passing gives us the opportunity to relishes in his extensive career.

  23. Fantastic actor.

  24. This is a great remembrance of Lee’s career in the arts, and yet it doesn’t even scratch the surface of the entirety of the man himself. I doubt it would be possible for anyone to truly do so in a single article. Sir Lee also served in the second World War, spoke nearly a dozen different languages, and was a member of the British Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

  25. This was a really great thing for me to read early Saturday morning. I loved Christopher Lee as an actor for various roles he played, and will miss him deeply as well. I wish I could have had the chance to meet him.

  26. Kiley Boyce
    0

    RIP. An absolute legend.

  27. N.D. Storlid

    It’s incredibly strange (and difficult) to think that one of the most prominent figures of my childhood is gone. The great Christopher Lee, of all the people I’ve recognized throughout my youth, and he is gone; this has definitely left a mark.
    For as much as I revered an opportunity to speak to a brilliant man as he, I sadly won’t find it. There were lots of questions I had, maybe more irrelevant than those that held deeper meaning. Perhaps I’d have asked about some of the philosophical points that he spoke about; stories that he encountered in his long and enduring journey; things I know will linger with me to the morrow, and henceforth.
    At least as that chapter ends, you’ve made one that countless will carry along under the veil of the future; for you’ve made that possible for me.
    Congratulations, Christopher Lee; you have truly defined excellence in your legacy. You were–are, truly great.

  28. This seems like a large, underrated figure in the acting and music industries.

  29. I love Sir Christopher lee/Peter Cushing since 1958 and love all there films.there autobiography books are fantastic and the photos are wonderful, i just hate it with the media etc run them down these two actors worked hard to entertain us and some of us ought to appreciate what they have done, all i can say is to the media leave them alone and let them R I P.

  30. I love Christopher Lee he as made me so happy by enjoying his films and wonderful singing he has helped me in my hobby which is golf when i used to see him ply on TV called Pro celebrity golf, he is a true gentleman wtj charm and charisma. i will always follow him like i have done since 1958, i miss him he trully the best villian in 007 films, i have admired his courage and determination.

  31. Of all the villains Lee portrayed in his career, I’ve always found Wilbur Wonka to be the most abhorrent. I mean, throwing your child’s Halloween candy to the fire because it causes cavities… That would definitely scar a child for life.

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