Sir Christopher Lee died at 8.30am on Sunday at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where he was being treated for respiratory problems and heart failure. His wife of more than 50 years, Lady Birgit Lee, chose to delay the public announcement until all close family members had been informed.
A former Special Forces operative, Lee began his acting career in in the '40s, but it wasn't until he played the titular vampire in the 1958 film Dracula Has Risen From The Grave that he became a star. He reprised the role several times opposite his close friend Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. 'Round these parts he'll be best known as Saruman in the Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, as well as Count Dooku in the last couple of Star Wars prequels. Other memorable roles include Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man (1973) and Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974).
Having been knighted in 2009 and then receiving a Bafta fellowship in 2011, Lee swore never to retire. “I hate being idle. As dear Boris [Karloff] used to say, when I die I want to die with my boots on.”
R.I.P. Sir, our thoughts are with your family and friends.
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