Christopher Lee

The true, dark centre of the film industry

Christopher Frank Caradini Lee (CBE) was born in Belgravia, London on 27th May 1922. His father was a noted amateur sportsman and had been decorated for gallantry in the Boer War and the First World War. His mother, Contessa Estelle Marie Caridini di Sarzano was an arresting Edwardian beauty. She was painted by Oswald Birley, John Lavery, and Olive Snell. She was immortalised in stone by Clare Sheridan, a cousin of Winston Churchill.

The Lee family were a part of high society, and the Caradini's could allegedly trace their lineage back to the first century AD. Rumour has it that the Caradini family had close ties to Charlemagne and was authorised to bear the coat of arms of the Roman Empire by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. One ancestor, Cardinal Consalvi was a Papal Secretary of State. A painting of him hangs in Windsor Castle, and he is buried in the Pantheon at Rome next to the High Renaissance painter, Raphael. Christopher Lee's first cousin, Niccolo Caradini was the first Italian ambassador to England post-World War II, and later President of Alitalia.

Christopher was expected to slip easily into upper echelons of British society. He was educated at Summer Fields preparatory school, followed by time at Eton College where he followed his love of the Classics with studies of Greek and Latin. With the onset of World War II, Lee joined the Royal Air Force. Like his father, he was decorated for distinguished service and by war's end, he held the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

After demobilisation, he entered the film industry in 1947 and was under contract to the Rank Organisation. For most of the 1950s, he played a series of bit parts. In Lawrence Olivier's production of Hamlet, he was a spear-bearer. In the Gregory Peck star vehicle Captain Horatio Hornblower, Lee awkwardly mumbled his way through the Spanish-speaking role as the Spanish captain. In The Return of Captain Invincible, he sang as part of the chorus. It wasn't until he made the move to Hammer Films that his career started to take shape.

The Hammer Years
"Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff didn't like the word 'horror'. They, like I, went for the French description: 'the theatre of the fantastique'."

During his time with Rank, Christopher Lee had been singing. He recorded 'The King of Elfland's Daughter' for Chrysalis, Stravinsky's 'The Soldier's Tale' and 'Peter and the Wolf' for Nimbus. As he aged, Lee's voice lowered to a deep wall-shaking baritone with an eerie, sinister edge. It was perfect for the title role of Count Dracula in Hammer's 1958 production of Dracula opposite Peter Cushing - a role that he played 10 times throughout his career. For Hammer, Lee played archetypal villains and monsters; Frankenstein's monster in The Curse of Frankenstein, The Revenge of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Created Woman, and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed; The titular role in The Mummy; Doctor Fu Manchu in a range of films; Lord Summerside in the creepy gothic horror, The Wicker Man. He seemed comfortable and at home amongst the kings of 50s and 60s horror genre.

Into the 1970s, Hammer Films waned, yet Christopher Lee worked constantly. His cousin Ian Fleming recommmended him for the role of Bond villain Dr. No. Fleming's concept for the character of Dr. No had come from Lee's earlier portrayal of Doctor Fu Manchu, and Fleming thought it fair to return the favour. Although Lee was turned down in favour of Joseph Wiseman, Ian Fleming's lobbying won Lee the role of Francisco Scaramanga, the man with the golden gun in the film of the same name. The third nipple is prosthetic.

Find me an actor worthy of Mordor

"I stopped appearing as Dracula in 1972 because in my opinion the presentation of the character had deteriorated to such an extent, particularly bringing him into the contemporary day and age, that it really no longer had any meaning."

Somewhat sadly, Lee has been typecast as a villain. As he hit his fifties, his face seemed longer and gaunter, his cheekbones more pronounced, his voice even deeper. The 1970s and 80s did however give him a chance to display his comic flair. He played a Nazi officer in the 1978 farce, 1941, a cycle-riding guru in Serial, and a geneticist in Gremlins 2: Electric Boogaloo.

The turn of the millennium has seen a rennaisance for the work of Lee. As the directors who admired Lee in the Hammer Films have come to the fore, Lee has had the chance to revisit his villainous roles. He brings his dark, stately presence to the roles of Count Dooku in the second two parts of the Star Wars trilogy, and Saruman in Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lord Of the Rings. Lee is the only person on the set of LotR to actually have met Tolkien

According to the Guiness Book of Records, Lee is both the world's most prolific actor, and has appeared in more sword fights in front of the camera than any other actor in history. Until he starred in Attack of the Clones, he had performed all of his own stunts and is an honorary member of three Stuntmen's Unions.

He has received awards for his contribution to the cinema from the United States, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Great Britain. He is a Commander Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the world's oldest order. Lee currently resides in the UK after living in Switzerland and California. He has been married for 40 years to Danish painter and model Gitte Kroencke. They have one daughter, Christina.

Filmography

Star Wars: Episode III (2005) .... Count Dooku
The Last Unicorn (2004) .... King Haggard
Christopher Lee: A Life in Films (2003) (TV) .... Himself
The Riding of the Laddie (2003) .... Town Magus
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) .... Saruman the White
... aka Return of the King, The (2003) (USA: short title)
To the Devil... The Death of Hammer (2002) (V) .... Himself
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) .... Saruman the White
... aka Two Towers, The (2002) (USA: short title)
Best Ever Bond (2002) (TV) .... Himself/Scaramanga
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) .... Count Dooku/Lord Darth Tyranus
... aka Attack of the Clones: The IMAX Experience (2002) (USA: IMAX version)
... aka Star Wars II (2002) (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones (2002) (USA: video box title)
Actor's Notebook: Christopher Lee (2002) (V) .... Himself
National Geographic: Beyond the Movie - The Lord of the Rings (2001) (TV) .... Himself/Sarumon the White
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) .... Saruman the White
... aka Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) (USA: short title)
... aka Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: The Motion Picture, The (2001) (USA: promotional title)
Passage to Middle-earth: Making of Lord of the Rings, A (2001) (TV) .... Himself/Saruman
Quest for the Ring (2001) (TV) .... Himself/Saruman
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome (2001) (TV) .... Himself
The Wicker Man Enigma (2001) (V) .... Himself
"Once Upon a Time in Europe" (2001) TV Series .... Presenter/Introduction
"Les Redoutables" (2001) TV Series .... Death (segment "Confession")
Inside 'The Man with the Golden Gun' (2000) (V) .... Himself
"Ghost Stories for Christmas" (2000) (mini) TV Series(voice) .... M.R James
... aka "Christopher Lee's Ghost Stories for Christmas" (2000) (mini) (UK: complete title)
"In the Beginning" (2000) (mini) TV Series .... Rameses I
"Gormenghast" (2000) (mini) TV Series .... Flay
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service (1999) (V) .... Count Ottokar Graf Czernin
Rocky Interactive Horror Show, The (1999) (VG) .... Narrator
Sleepy Hollow (1999) .... The Burgomeister
Jinnah (1998) .... Mohammed Ali Jinnah
Tale of the Mummy (1998) .... Sir Richard Turkel
... aka Talos the Mummy (1999) (Europe: English title) (UK: video title) (USA: working title)
... aka Russell Mulcahy's Tale of the Mummy (1999) (USA: complete title)
"A-Z of Horror" (1997) (mini) TV Series .... Himself
... aka "Clive Barker's A-Z of Horror" (1997) (mini) (UK: complete title)
"Ivanhoe" (1997) (mini) TV Series .... Lucard de Beaumanoir
"Strictly Supernatural" (1997) TV Series .... Narrator
The Odyssey (1997) (TV) .... Teiresias
... aka Abenteuer des Odysseus, Die (1997) (TV) (Germany)
... aka Homer's Odyssey (1997) (TV)
... aka Odissea (1997) (TV)
100 Years of Horror (1996) (V) .... Narrator
100 Years of Horror: Freaks (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: Giants and Dinosaurs (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: Maniacs (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: Scream Queens (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: Sorcerers (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Aristocrats of Evil (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Count and Company (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Double Demons (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Evil Unseeable (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Frankenstein Family (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Monster Makers (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: The Walking Dead (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
100 Years of Horror: Witchcraft and Demons (1996) (V) .... Host/Narrator
Century of Science Fiction, A (1996) (V) .... Narrator
Many Faces of Christopher Lee, The (1996) (V) .... Himself
Sorellina e il principe del sogno (1996) (TV) .... Azaret
... aka Im Brunnen der Träume (1996) (TV) (Italy)
... aka Prinzessin Alisea (1996) (TV)
Soul Music (1996) .... Death
Welcome to the Discworld (1996) .... Death
"Wyrd Sisters" (1996) TV Series(voice) .... Death
{The Stupids] (1996) .... Evil Sender
Moses (1996) (TV) .... Ramses
... aka Bible: Moise, La (1996) (TV) (France)
... aka Bible: Moses, The (1996) (TV)
"The Tomorrow People" (1992) TV Series .... Rameses (1995)
A Feast at Midnight (1994) .... V. E. Longfellow, aka Raptor
Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror (1994) (TV) .... Himself/Narrator
Funny Man (1994) .... Callum Chance
The Vampire Interviews (1994) (V) .... Himself
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994) .... Commandant Alexandrei Nikolaivich Rakov
... aka Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow (1994) (USA: alternative title)
Death Train (1993) (TV) .... General Konstantin Benin
... aka Alistair MacLean's Death Train (1993) (TV)
... aka Detonator (1993) (TV)
Double Vision (1992) (TV) .... Mr. Bernard
Jackpot (1992) .... Cedric
... aka Classe spéciale (1992) (France)
... aka Cyber Eden (1992) (USA)
Journey of Honor (1992) .... King Philip
... aka Shogun Warrior (1992) (Japan: English title) (UK)
... aka Shogun Mayeda (1995) (Japan)
Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1991) .... Doctor Pearson
... aka Panga (1991)
Fear in the Dark (1991) (TV) .... Narrator
Incident at Victoria Falls (1991) .... Sherlock Holmes
... aka Sherlock Holmes and the Incident at Victoria Falls (1991)
... aka Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls (1991)
... aka Sherlock Holmes: The Star of Africa (1991)
... aka Star of Africa, The (1991)
The Care of Time, (1990) (TV) .... Zander
The Rainbow Thief, (1990) .... Uncle Rudolf
Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1990) (TV) .... Sherlock Holmes
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) .... Doctor Catheter
Honeymoon Academy (1990) .... Lazos
... aka For Better or for Worse (1990)
Treasure Island (1990) (TV) .... Blind Pew
L'Avaro (1989) .... Cardinale Spinosi
... aka Avaro, El (1992) (Spain)
... aka Miser, The (1989)
Chute des aigles, La (1989) .... Walter Strauss
... aka Fall of the Eagles (1989) (International: English title)
Murder Story (1989) .... Willard Hope
La Révolution française (1989) .... Sanson (segment "Années Terribles, Les")
... aka Französische Revolution, Die (1989) (Germany)
... aka The French Revolution, (1989)
The Return of the Musketeers, (1989) .... Rochefort
... aka Regreso de los mosqueteros, El (1989) (Spain)
... aka Retour des mousquetaires, Le (1989) (France)
"Around the World in 80 Days" (1989/I) (mini) TV Series .... Stuart
... aka "Giro del mondo in 80 giorni, Il" (1989) (mini) (Italy)
... aka "In 80 Tagen um die Welt" (1989) (mini) (West Germany)
Dark Mission (Operación cocaína) (1988) .... Luis Morel
... aka Dark Mission (Les fleurs du mal) (1988) (France)
... aka Dark Mission: Evil Flowers (1988) (USA: US version)
Jocks (1987) .... President White
... aka Road Trip (1987) (USA)
Shaka Zulu (1987) .... Lord Bathurst
Mio min Mio (1987) .... Kato
... aka Land of Faraway, The (1987)
... aka Mio in the Land of Faraway (1987)
... aka Mio, moj Mio (1987) (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Valhalla (1987) .... Thor/Odin (Voice) (German version)
Adventure Video: The Three Musketeers (1986) (V) .... Count de Rochefort
The Disputation (1986) (TV) .... King James of Aragon
The Girl (1986) .... Peter Storm
Un métier du seigneur (1986) (TV) .... Fog
... aka Verräter, Der (1986) (TV) (Germany)
Mask of Murder (1985) .... Chief Rich
... aka Investigator, The (1985)
Howling II (1985) .... Stefan Crosscoe
... aka Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985) (USA: preview title)
... aka Stirba the Werewolf Bitch (1985) (UK)
Rosebud Beach Hotel, The (1984) .... Mr. Clifford King
... aka Big Lobby (1984)
... aka No-Tell Hotel, The (1984)
"Shaka Zulu" (1984) (mini) TV Series .... Lord Bathurst
"The Far Pavilions" (1984) (mini) TV Series .... Kaka-ji Rao
... aka "Blade of Steel" (1984) (mini)
... aka "Palast der Winde" (1984) (mini) (West Germany)
New Magic (1983) .... Mr. Kellar
The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) .... Mr. Midnight
... aka Legend in Leotards (1983)
House of the Long Shadows (1983) .... Corrigan/Roderick Grisbane
... aka House of Long Shadows (1983)
"Faerie Tale Theatre" (1982) TV Series .... Boy Who Left Home ...
... aka "Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre" (1982) (USA)
Safari 3000 (1982) .... Lorenzo Borgia
Last Unicorn, The (1982)(voice) .... King Haggard (also in german language version)
Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story (1982) (TV) .... Prince Philip
Massarati and the Brain (1982) (TV) .... Victor Leopold
Desperate Moves (1981) .... Dr. Carl Boxer
... aka Desperate Case, A (1981)
... aka Rollerboy (1981)
... aka Save the Last Dance for Me (1981)
... aka Steigler and Steigler (1981) (USA)
... aka Stiegler: A Desperate Case (1981)
... aka Stiegler: A Serious Case (1981)
Evil Stalks This House (1981) (TV)
... aka Tales of the Haunted (1981) (TV) (USA)
The Salamander (1981) .... Rector of Counterintelligence Major General Prince Magusari
... aka Salamandra, La (1981) (Italy)
Goliath Awaits (1981) (TV) .... John McKenzie
An Eye for an Eye (1981) .... Morgan Canfield
Once Upon a Spy (1980) (TV) .... Marcus Valorium
... aka Lethal Games (1980) (TV)
Serial (1980) .... Luckman Skull
Jaguar Lives! (1979) .... Adam Caine
... aka Felino, El (1979) (Spain)
1941 (1979) .... Captain Wolfgang Von Kleinschmidt
Bear Island (1979) .... Lechinski
... aka Alistair MacLean's Bear Island (1979)
Arabian Adventure (1979) .... Alquazar
Captain America II: Death Too Soon (1979) (TV) .... Miguel
Nutcracker Fantasy (1979) .... Uncle Drosselmeyer/Street Singer/Puppeteer/Watchmaker
The Passage (1979) .... Head Gypsy
Circle of Iron (1979) .... Zetan
... aka Silent Flute, The (1979)
The Pirate (1978) (TV) .... Samir Al Fay
... aka Harold Robbins' The Pirate (1978) (TV) (USA: complete title)
Caravans (1978) .... Sardar Khan
Return from Witch Mountain (1978) .... Dr. Victor Gannon
End of the World (1977) .... Father Pergado/Zindar
Starship Invasions (1977) .... Captain Rameses
... aka Alien Encounter (1977)
... aka Project Genocide (1977) (UK: video title)
... aka War of the Aliens (1977)
Dracula père et fils (1977) .... Dracula
... aka Dracula and Son (1977) (USA)
Meatcleaver Massacre (1977) .... On-screen narrator
... aka Evil Force (1977) (UK: video title)
... aka Hollywood Meatcleaver Massacre, The (1977)
... aka Revenge of the Dead (1977)
Airport '77 (1977) .... Martin Wallace
Albino (1976) .... Bill
... aka Death in the Sun (1976)
... aka Flüsternde Tod, Der (1976)
... aka Night of the Askari, The (1976) (USA)
... aka Whispering Death (1976)
The Keeper (1976) .... The Keeper
To the Devil a Daughter (1976) .... Father Michael Rayner
... aka Braut des Satans, Die (1976) (West Germany)
... aka Child of Satan (1976) (USA: video title)
... aka To the Devil... a Daughter (1976) (USA: poster title)
Diagnosis: Murder (1975) .... Doctor Hayward
Killer Force (1975) .... Major Chilton
... aka Diamond Mercenaries, The (1975) (UK)
Vem var Dracula? (1975) .... Himself/Vlad Tepes/Count Dracula
... aka Dracula's Transylvania (1975)
... aka In Search of Dracula (1975) (USA)
... aka Legend of Dracula, The (1975)
The Four Musketeers, (1974) .... Rochefort
... aka Cuatro mosqueteros, Los (1974) (Spain)
... aka Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge, The (1974) (USA)
... aka Revenge of Milady, The (1974)
The Man with the Golden Gun, (1974) .... Francisco Scaramanga
... aka Ian Fleming's The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) (UK: complete title) (USA: complete title)
The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1974) .... Count Dracula
... aka Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride (1974)
... aka Dracula Is Alive and Well and Living in London (1974)
... aka Dracula Is Dead... and Well and Living in London (1974)
... aka Rites of Dracula (1974)
Le Boucher, la star et l'orpheline (1973) .... Van Krig/Himself
... aka The Butcher, the Star and the Orphan (1973)
... aka Star, The Orphan, and the Butcher, The (1973)
Creeping Flesh, The (1973) .... James Hildern
Dark Places (1973) .... Dr. Mandeville
The Wicker Man, (1973) .... Lord Summerisle
... aka Anthony Shaffer's The Wicker Man (1973)
The Three Musketeers (1973) .... Rochefort
... aka Three Musketeers: The Queen's Diamonds, The (1973) (USA)
... aka Tres mosqueteros, Los (1973) (Spain)
Poor Devil (1973) (TV) .... Lucifer
Death Line (1972) .... Stratton-Villiers, MI5
... aka Raw Meat (1972) (USA)
Horror Express (1972) .... Professor Alexander Saxton
... aka Pánico en el Transiberiano (1972) (Spain)
... aka Panic in the Trans-Siberian Train (1972) (International: English title)
Nothing But the Night (1972) .... Colonel Charles Bingham
... aka Devil's Undead, The (1972)
... aka Resurrection Syndicate, The (1976) (USA: reissue title)
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) .... Count Dracula
... aka Dracula Today (1972)
Hannie Caulder (1971) .... Bailey
I, Monster (1971) .... Dr. Charles Marlowe/Edward Blake
The House That Dripped Blood (1970) .... John Reid (segment "Sweets to the Sweet")
Julius Caesar (1970) .... Artemidorus
Umbracle, El (1970) .... Himself
... aka Umbracle (1970)
Vampir-Cuadecuc (1970) .... Himself/Count Dracula
... aka Vampir (1970)
Scars of Dracula (1970) .... Dracula
Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) .... Mycroft Holmes
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) .... Dracula
One More Time (1970/I)(uncredited) .... Dracula
El Conde Drácula, (1970) .... Count Dracula
... aka Bram Stoker's Count Dracula (1970)
... aka Conte Dracula, Il (1973) (Italy)
... aka Count Dracula (1973) (USA)
... aka Demone nero, Il (1973) (Italy)
... aka Dracula 71 (1970)
... aka Nachts, wenn Dracula erwacht (1970) (West Germany)
... aka Nights of Dracula, The (1970)
Trono di fuoco, Il (1970) .... Lord George Jeffreys
... aka The Bloody Judge (1970)
... aka Hexentöter von Blackmoor, Der (1970) (West Germany)
... aka Juez sangriento, El (1971) (Spain)
... aka Night of the Blood Monster (1970) (USA)
... aka Proceso de las brujas, El (1971) (Spain)
... aka Throne of the Blood Monster (1970) (USA)
... aka Trono di fuoco, Il (1970) (Italy)
La Isla de la muerte (1969) .... Dolmance
... aka De Sade 70 (1969)
... aka Decameron francese (1969) (Italy)
... aka Eugenie (1969)
... aka Eugenie... the Story of Her Journey Into Perversion (1970) (USA)
... aka Inassouvies, Les (1969) (France)
... aka Isla de la muerte, La (1969) (France)
... aka Jungfrau und die Peitsche, Die (1972) (West Germany)
... aka Philosophy in the Boudoir (1969)
... aka Wildkatze, Die (1969)
Light Entertainment Killers (1969) (TV)
The Oblong Box (1969) .... Dr. J. Neuhart
... aka Dance, Mephisto (1969)
... aka Edgar Allan Poe's The Oblong Box (1969)
Scream and Scream Again (1969) .... Fremont
... aka Screamer (1969)
The Magic Christian (1969) .... Ship's vampire
Folterkammer des Dr. Fu Man Chu, Die (1969) .... Fu Manchu
... aka Assignment Istanbul (1969)
... aka Castello di Fu Manchu, Il (1969) (Italy)
... aka Castillo de Fumanchú, El (1972) (Spain)
... aka Castle of Fu Manchu (1972) (USA)
... aka Fu Manchu's Castle (1969)
... aka Torture Chamber of Fu Manchu, The (1969)
Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968) .... Morley
... aka Crimson Altar, The (1968)
... aka Crimson Cult, The (1970) (USA)
... aka Curse of the Crimson Cult (1968)
... aka Reincarnation, The (1968)
... aka Spirit of the Dead (1968)
... aka Witch House (1968)
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968) .... Dracula
The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) .... Fu Manchu
... aka Against All Odds (1969) (USA: video title)
... aka Fu Manchu and the Keys of Death (1968)
... aka Fu Manchu and the Kiss of Death (1968)
... aka Fu Manchu's Kiss of Death (1968) (International: literal title English title)
... aka Fu-Manchú y el beso de la muerte (1970) (Spain)
... aka Kiss and Kill (1969) (USA)
... aka Kiss of Death (1969) (USA: video title)
... aka Todeskuß des Dr. Fu Manchu, Der (1968) (West Germany)
The Face of Eve (1968) .... Colonel Stuart
... aka Eva (1968/II) (Spain)
... aka Eva en la selva (1968) (Spain)
... aka Eve (1968) (USA)
The Devil Rides Out (1968) .... Duc de Richleau
... aka Devil's Bride, The (1968) (USA)
Five Golden Dragons (1967) .... Dragon #4
... aka Pagode zum fünften Schrecken, Die (1967) (West Germany)
Night of the Big Heat (1967) .... Godfrey Hanson
... aka Island of the Burning Damned (1971) (USA)
... aka Island of the Burning Doomed (1971) (USA: TV title)
Schlangengrube und das Pendel, Die (1967) .... Count Frederic Regula, Graf von Andomai
... aka Blood Demon, The (1967) (USA)
... aka Castle of the Walking Dead (1967)
... aka Pendulum (1967)
... aka Snake Pit and the Pendulum, The (1967)
... aka Snake Pit, The (1967) (video title)
... aka Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, The (1967) (USA: TV title)
... aka Torture Room, The (1967)
The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967) .... Fu Manchu
... aka Rache des Dr. Fu Man Chu, Die (1967) (West Germany)
Victims of Terror (1967) .... On-screen narrator
... aka Victims of Vesuvius (1967) (USA)
The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966) .... Fu Manchu
... aka Dreizehn Sklavinnen des Dr. Fu Man Chu, Die (1966) (West Germany)
Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966) .... Grigori Rasputin
Ten Little Indians (1966)(uncredited) .... Voice of 'Mr. Owen'
... aka And Then There Were None (1966) (UK)
Circus of Fear (1966) .... Gregor
... aka Circus of Terror (1966)
... aka Psycho-Circus (1966) (USA)
... aka Rätsel des silbernen Dreiecks, Das (1966) (West Germany)
Theatre of Death (1966) .... Philippe Darvas
... aka Blood Fiend (1967) (USA)
... aka Female Fiend, The (1966)
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) .... Dracula
... aka Bloody Scream of Dracula, The (1966)
... aka Disciple of Dracula (1966)
... aka Dracula 3 (1966)
... aka Revenge of Dracula (1966)
Sfida al diavolo (1965) .... Mephistoles
... aka Katarsis (1965) (Italy)
Skull, The (1965) .... Sir Matthew Phillips
The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) .... Dr. Fu Manchu
... aka Ich, Dr. Fu Man Chu (1965) (West Germany)
... aka Mask of Fu Manchu, The (1965)
She (1965/I) .... Billali
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) .... Franklyn Marsh
... aka Blood Suckers, The (1965)
Castello dei morti vivi, Il (1964) .... Count Drago
... aka Castle of the Living Dead (1964) (USA)
... aka Château des morts vivants, Le (1964) (France)
... aka Crypt of Horror (1964)
The Gorgon (1964) .... Prof. Karl Meister
The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) .... Captain Robeles
Maldición de los Karnstein, La (1963) .... Count Ludwig Karnstein
... aka Carmilla (1963)
... aka Catharsis (1963)
... aka Cripta e l'incubo, La (1963) (Italy)
... aka Crypt and the Nightmare, The (1963)
... aka Crypt of Horror (1963) (UK)
... aka Crypt of the Vampire, The (1963)
... aka Curse of the Karnsteins, The (1963)
... aka Karnstein (1963)
... aka Karnstein Curse, The (1963)
... aka Maledizione dei Karnstein, La (1963) (Italy)
... aka Terror in the Crypt (1963) (USA)
... aka Vampire's Crypt, The (1963)
Vergine di Norimberga, La (1963) .... Erich
... aka Back to the Killer (1963)
... aka Castle of Terror, The (1963/I) (UK)
... aka Horror Castle (1965) (USA)
... aka Terror Castle (1963)
... aka Virgin of Nuremberg, The (1963) (International: literal title English title)
Frusta e il corpo, La (1963) .... Kurt Menliff
... aka Body and the Whip, The (1963)
... aka Corps et le fouet, Le (1966) (France)
... aka Night Is the Phantom (1963)
... aka Son of Satan (1963)
... aka Way and the Body, The (1963)
... aka What (1965) (USA)
... aka Whip and the Body, The (1963)
Stranglehold (1962)
Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes (1962) .... Sherlock Holmes
... aka Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962) (USA)
... aka Sherlock Holmes et le collier de la mort (1964) (France)
... aka Sherlock Holmes la valle del terrore (1962) (Italy)
... aka Valley of Fear (1962) (UK)
Doctor from Seven Dials (1962) .... Resurrection Joe
... aka Corridors of Blood (1962) (USA)
The Pirates of Blood River (1962) .... Captain LaRoche
Rätsel der roten Orchidee, Das (1962) .... Captain Allerman
... aka The Puzzle of the Red Orchid (1962) (USA)
... aka Secret of the Red Orchid, The (1962)
Ercole al centro della terra (1961) .... Lico/Lykos/Lyco/'Wolf'
... aka Hercules at the Center of the Earth (1961) (International: literal title English title)
... aka Hercules in the Center of the Earth (1961) (International: English title)
... aka Hercules in the Haunted World (1964) (USA)
... aka Hercules vs. the Vampires (1961)
... aka Vampires vs. Hercules, The (1961)
... aka With Hercules to the Center of the Earth (1961)
The Devil's Agent (1961) .... Baron von Staub
... aka Im Namen des Teufels (1961) (West Germany)
Geheimnis der gelben Narzissen, Das (1961) .... Ling Chu
... aka The Devil's Daffodil (1961) (UK) (USA)
... aka Daffodil Killer (1967) (USA: reissue title)
Mains d'Orlac, Les (1961) .... Néron
Taste of Fear (1961) .... Doctor Gerrard
... aka Scream of Fear (1961) (USA)
The Terror of the Tongs (1961) .... The Tong Leader
The City of the Dead (1960) .... Professor Alan Driscoll
... aka Horror Hotel (1960) (USA)
The Hands of Orlac (1960) .... Nero
... aka Hands of a Strangler (1960)
... aka Hands of the Strangler (1960)
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) .... Paul Allen
... aka Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1960)
... aka House of Fright (1961) (USA)
... aka Jekyll's Inferno (1960)
... aka Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, The (1960) (USA: TV title)
Beat Girl (1960) .... Kenny
... aka Wild for Kicks (1960) (USA)
Tempi duri per i vampiri (1959) .... Barone Roderico da Frankurten
... aka Hard Times for Dracula (1959)
... aka Hard Times for Vampires (1959)
... aka My Uncle the Vampire (1959)
... aka Uncle was a Vampire (1959)
Too Hot to Handle (1959) .... Novak
... aka Playgirl After Dark (1959) (USA)
The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) .... Dr. Pierre Gerard
The Treasure of San Teresa, The (1959) .... Jaeger
... aka Hot Money Girl (1959) (UK)
... aka Long Distance (1959) (USA)
... aka Rhapsodie in Blei (1959) (West Germany)
The Mummy (1959) .... Kharis, the Mummy
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) .... Sir Henry Baskerville
The Truth About Women (1958) .... François
Battle of the V.1(1958) .... Labor Camp Captain, Men's Section
... aka Missile from Hell (1958) (USA)
... aka Unseen Heroes (1958)
Dracula (1958) .... Count Dracula
... aka Dracula 1958 (1958) (USA)
... aka Horror of Dracula (1958) (USA)
A Tale of Two Cities (1958/I) .... Marquis St. Evremonde
Amère victoire (1957) .... Sergeant Barney
... aka Bitter Victory (1957) (USA)
The Traitor (1957) .... Doctor Neumann
... aka Accursed, The (1958) (USA)
Stowaway Girl (1957)(uncredited) .... Voice
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) .... The Creature
Fortune Is a Woman (1957) .... Charles Highbury
... aka She Played with Fire (1958) (USA)
Ill Met by Moonlight (1957) .... German officer at dentists
... aka Intelligence Service (1957)
... aka Night Ambush (1958) (USA)
Alias John Preston (1956) .... David Garrity, alias John Preston
The Battle of the River Plate (1956) .... Manolo
... aka Graf Spee (1956)
... aka Pursuit of the Graf Spee (1957) (USA)
Beyond Mombasa (1956) .... Gil Rossi
Port Afrique (1956) .... Franz Vermes
Private's Progress (1956) .... General Von Linbeck's Aide
Crossroads (1955/I) .... The Ghost
Final Column (1955)
Man in Demand (1955)
Police Dog (1955) .... Johnny, a constable
Storm Over the Nile (1955) .... Karaga Pasha
The Cockleshell Heroes (1955) .... Submarine Commander
... aka Operation Cockleshell (1955)
The Dark Avenger (1955) .... Captain of the Guards
... aka Warriors, The (1955) (USA)
That Lady (1955) .... Segovian Groom/Aide-de-Camp to the King/Captain of the Guard/Salamancan Assassin/Rider on Arab Horse
... aka Princesa de Eboli, La (1955) (Spain)
Destination Milan (1954) .... Svenson
Vacances de M. Hulot, Les (1953)(uncredited) .... Voices in English language version
... aka Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953) (UK)
... aka Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1954) (USA)
Innocents in Paris (1952)(uncredited) .... Lieutenant Whitlock
Moulin Rouge (1952)(uncredited) .... Georges Seurat
Top Secret (1952)
... aka Mr. Potts Goes to Moscow (1953) (USA)
Babes in Bagdad (1952) .... Slave dealer
... aka Muchachas de Bagdad (1953) (Spain)
Paul Temple Returns (1952) .... Sir Felix Raybourne
... aka Bombay Waterfront (1952) (USA)
Crimson Pirate, The (1952) .... Joseph (Attache)
Valley of Eagles (1951) .... Det. Holt
... aka Valley of the Eagles (1952) (USA)
Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) .... Spanish Captain (Nativadad)
... aka Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N. (1951) (UK)
They Were Not Divided (1950) .... Chris Lewis
Prelude to Fame (1950) .... Newsman
Trottie True (1949) .... Bongo
... aka Gay Lady, The (1949) (USA)
Penny and the Pownall Case (1948) .... Jonathan Blair
Scott of the Antarctic (1948) .... Bernard Day
Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948)(scenes deleted) .... Duke Anthony Von Wolfenbuttel
... aka Saraband (1948)
... aka Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948) (USA)
Hamlet (1948)(uncredited) .... Spear carrier
My Brother's Keeper (1948)(scenes deleted) .... Second Constable
Song of Tomorrow (1948) .... Auguste
... aka Song for Tomorrow (1948)
... aka Song for Tomorrow, A (1948)
One Night with You (1948) .... Pirelli's Assistant
Corridor of Mirrors (1948) .... Charles

Bibliography

Christopher lee quotes from www.imdb.org and the overly informative Christopher Lee web ring - www.christopherleeweb.com. Also Christopher Lee, Tall Dark and Gruesome, Midnight Marquee, 1999

Who is the Center of the Hollywood Universe?	Commander of the British Empire	Some stuff you physically can NOT do	The Lord of the Rings
Gremlins 2: The New Batch	The Wicker Man	Fu Manchu	The Last Unicorn
Darth Tyranus	Ian Fleming	Saruman	Hammer Films
Peter Cushing	Dracula A.D. 1972	Brides of Dracula	Francisco Scaramanga
CBE	Alitalia	Gormenghast	Sherlock Holmes
The City of the Dead	Dracula vs Frankenstein	Lust for a Vampire	The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

(As always, its got to do with movies, so thanks to the IMDB - http://www.imdb.com)