"Sir Christopher Lee died. " Topic

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He died on Sunday, at the age of 93. His wife wished to delay the news, to let family members know first.

You may know him from minor roles like Count Dracula or Saruman, and one or two other little parts over the years. RIP. The world has lost an exceptional actor, and many other talents.

Very sad – he almost seemed to be someone who just wasn't going to bother with dying. Seeemed busier than ever in the last few years.

Time to rewatch The Wickerman.

Last of the old breed, may he rest in peace.

RIP Sir.

Most folks of my generation just know him as Saruman, but he lead a facinating life even before acting, including combat in WW2, working with British Intelligence and researching and tracking Nazi war criminals.

Christopher Lee is the only person in the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy to have ever actually met J.R.R. Tolkien.

I became a fan in the Hammer film era. So many iconic roles.

RIP, sir.

Wow, what a life!

The man with the golden gun.
The Hammer film era---I probably remember them as better than they actually are---great childhood memories

RIP

Sad. Still, quite a life to have had!

Doug

I believe Lee was an avid fan of The Lord of the Rings and was passionate to get the part of one of the wizards--if memory serves, he was in fact the only one of the cast who had read the books (multiple times) before filming. Reading between the lines one gets the feeling most of the others still haven't read them, which is fine, of course, but it does make Mr. Lee stand out.

May he rest in peace.

Ah, quite a loss, a great actor with a hell of a career and it sounds like an all around stand-up guy. May he rest in peace.

-Will

A great entertainer. Thanks for all the good movies.

All the above plus a fellow Metalhead as well. |..|

Very Sorry to hear this … RIP Sir. Hopefully like in many of his movies … he'll return …

God bless the mans soul, a life well lived and a service to humanity great in magnitude. Go well Sir and many a curtain call.

RIP. A great thespian.

Great actor. He had a long career. Acting into his 90's.
One of the greats from the old days. I will miss him.

Bob

I've enjoyed his performances over the years in more movies than I could remember without IMDb. R.I.P.

What an amazing life. Major respect for the widow for making sure family was notified first. RIP.

Did more in one life than most of us would in 3.

His films were a big part of my childhood too. Also, I remember seeing him in the model soldier shop, Tradition, in the 1980s. He was sitting on a chair, while members of staff brought him soldiers to look at. His great height made him appear almost as tall as they were even while seated. He had an incredible dignity and presence.

RIP

The best Rochefort (sp?) ever. No one else was close.

Also love this story:
Filming a scene in Return of the King (seen only in the extended version), when Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif) stabs Saruman in the back on top of the tower, Christopher Lee corrected Peter Jackson on the fact that when a person is stabbed in the back of the chest, they do not scream (as the director wanted), in fact the air is pushed out of their lungs and they "groan" with an exhalation of air, very quietly, as their lungs have been punctured.

From Peter Jackson's DVD commentary: "When I was shooting the stabbing shot with Christopher, as a director would, I was explaining to him what he should do… And he says, ‘Peter, have you ever heard the sound a man makes when he's stabbed in the back?' And I said, 'Um, no.' And he says 'Well, I have, and I know what to do.'"

The crew said that they knew Christopher Lee had been in the British Royal Air Force Intelligence Service in World War Two, and they didn't really push him for more information about how he knew in such detail exactly what noise a person makes when this is done to them.

He wouldn't have told them anyway.

When pressed by an eager interviewer on his SAS past, he leaned forward and whispered: "Can you keep a secret?"

"Yes!" the interviewer replied, breathless with excitement.

"So can I." replied a smiling Lee, sitting back in his chair.

When my family and I lived in Jackson, MS in the late 70's/early 80's, Christopher Lee came to the Meadowbrook Cinema to promote his film, "The Wicker Man". We went to see him. Mr. Lee arrived with a police car escort came walking in wearing a trench coat and was an utter delight. Hahaha, what was so funny, the manager there under-estimated Mr. Lee's popularity because let me tell you, that lobby was JAMMED with people. The manager had to get ropes to secure a place for Mr. Lee to stand and sign autographs, it was funny watching the manager running back and forth, deep breathing like a crazy man. But what I really remember is how TALL Mr. Lee was (6'4") and all I could think of was…"…here's Count Dracula". But oh how gracious Mr. Lee was, laughing and thanking everyone for coming. Yes, I did get his autograph, thanks to Dad (aka Larry Brom) who elbowed his way up to where Mr. Lee was because the crowd was 8+ thick. Oh what a nice memory that is. RIP 'Count Dracula'!

What is a Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie without Christopher Lee making an appearance? A lot less fun…

My wife, while we lived in Los Angeles, had many interactions with Christopher Lee while she worked as a banking/investment representative in Beverly Hills.

He was such a charming and personable individual, that no matter how evil a villain he portrayed, she couldn't think badly of the character…. RIP.

Someone told me a few months ago of Christopher Lee's service in WWII. That of course prompted me to do a bunch of research. Here is what I found through a ton of different sources.

Volunteered to fight with the Fins in the Winter War however the Fins put the British volunteers in rear echelon positions so he and other volunteers left after a month.

Volunteered for the RAF and trained as a pilot until a problem with one of his eyes grounded him.

Ended up on ground crew for a short while until they realized he spoke and read 6 languages including German and Italian. He was then snapped up by RAF Intelligence.

Fought through the North Afrika campaign mostly attached to the SAS.

After North Afrika he ended up attached to the Gurkha's and fought at Monte Cassino. Was made an Honorary Gurhka.

Won Medals for valor from between 4 and 6 countries. Couldn't peg this down.

After fighting in Italy he ended up in Spain and Portugal tracking down Nazis fleeing the fall of the third Reich.

His cousin is Ian Fleming.

Fleming said in an interview that Lee was one of his inspirations for James Bond.

Obviously he had an amazing acting career but he is actually the highest grossing actor of all time if you add together the box office for all of his movies. Over $8 USD Billion dollars.

He became a world class fencer after picking up swordplay during his run of pirate movies.

Reportedly he got in a duel with Errol Flynn during the filming of a movie. Both men were supposedly injured enough to require attention at a hospital.

He was a member of the Knights Hospitaller of Malta.

He wrote music for and toured with a heavy metal band in his later years.

Indiana Jones didn't have much on him!

A great loss indeed.

One of the true greats of multiple generations!

Don't worry, he'll be back…he always comes back…

How the question is just how many Germans did he kill during WWII.

(N)ow the question is just how many Germans did he kill during WWII.

"Can you keep a secret?…"

Yes, worked 21 years in Military Intelligence.

I would expect that he has stabbed more than one German in the back.

Served with the Long Range Patrols in North Africa and then in Italy with the Gurkha's.

It would also appear that he was sent into Yugoslavia as well.

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One thing is that from his photos he loved doing what he did.

And we shouldn't forget about his singing ability.
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Sure it was a B movie the Return of Captain Invincible. But it's worth it just for this.

As I live he loved what he did.

Plus his time in World War II and seeing an execution in France gave him a certain outlook on life.

Enjoy it