I first saw Lee in the 1970 Hammer film Taste The Blood Of Dracula. His portrayal of Dracula stuck with me immediatly. His tall stature and commanding voice brought so much to the role. Unlike Bela Lugosi's interperatation of the vampire, Lee spoke without the thick Transylvainian accent and sported fangs and bloodshot eyes. Lee's version of the count was more associated with Bram Stoker's vision of the original novel. Lee presented a more erotic and heroic feel to the character. Of course Hammer's use of blood and sex added to the feel of this diabolical fiend.
Christopher Lee was born on May 27, 1922 in London, England, the same day as another notable horror actor, Vincent Price. Oddly enough Lee's counterpart in many horror films, Peter Cushing, was born on the 26th.
Lee studied theatrics in and later became a classical scholar at Wellington College. He also served in Africa during World War II, and later in Special Operations where he learned several languages, a help in his acting career when he could speak the languge of some of his foriegn films. Standing at a hieght of 6'4, Lee tried his part in acting, but his height impeded his career until 1948 when he starred in Scott Of The Antartic. It wasn't until 1957 did Lee become a major known actor. He played the part of the Frankenstein monster in Hammer's The Curse Of Frankenstein, a color version of the classic Mary Shelly novel Frankenstein. The film was very sucessful both in the U.K. and the U.S. Lee's portrayal of the creature was much like Boris Karloff's in 1931. So well done that it landed him the lead role in the next Hammer film that would make Lee's name well known in the horror genre.
The Horror Of Dracula(1958) gave Lee instant stardom. His portrayal of the count was one that had never been seen before. Evil and erotic, yet a vampire that could be pitied as well. Lee brandished the cape and fangs eight more times for Hammer films until 1974 when he decided not to play the character after starring in Hammer's The Satanic Rites Of Dracula.
Christopher Lee will always be a legend in the horror genre and we all look forward to seeing him more horror films in the future. Check out more Christopher Lee films by hitting my links page!
Christopher Lee has appeared in over 200 films and T.V. shows. He will always be known for his portrayal of the bloodthirsty Count Dracula in the Hammer films of the 50's, 60's and 70's.
Lee also portrayed the Mummy, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Fu Manchu, Sherlock Holmes and other various forms of villians and fiends. Unknown to most, he was also up for the role as Dr. No in the 1962 James Bond Film, unfortunatley he did not make the film, but did play the role as the title character in the 1974 bond film The Man With The Golden Gun. Lee has also worked with some of the greatest directors in horror such as Mario Bava, Jess Franco, Terence Fisher and most recently with director Tim Burton in Sleepy Hollow.
Scott Of The Antartic(1948)
Penny And The Pownall Case(1948)
Corridor Of Mirrors(1948)
One Night With You(1948)
Song Of Tomorrow(1948)
My Brother's Keeper(1948)
Saraband For Dead Lover's(1948)
Hamlet(1948)
Trottie True(1949)
They Were Not Divided(1950)
Prelude To Fame(1950)
Valley Of Eagles(1951)
Captain Horatio Hornblower(1951)
Top Secret(1952)
Moulin Rouge(1952)
Innocents In Paris(1952)
The Crimson Pirate(1952)
Paul Temple Returns(1952)
Babes In Bagdad(1952)
Destination Milan(1954)
Police Dog(1955)
Man In Demand(1955)
Final Column(1955)
The Dark Avenger(1955)
Crossroads(1955)
That Lady(1955)
The Cockleshell Heros(1955)
Storm Over The Nile(1955)
Alias John Preston(1956)
Private's Progress(1956)
Port Afrique(1956)
Beyond Mombasa(1956)
The Battle Of The River Plate(1956)
The Traitor(1957)
The Curse Of Frankenstein(1957)
Amere victoire(1957)
Ill Met by Moonlight(1957)
Fortune Is A Woman(1957)
Horror Of Dracula(1958)
A Tale Of Two Cities(1958)
The Battle Of The V.1.(1958)
The Truth About Women(1958)
Too Hot To Handle(1959)
Tempi duri per i vampiri(1959)
The Hound Of The Baskervilles(1959)
The Mummy(1959)
The Treasure Of San Teresa(1959)
The Man Who Could Cheat Death(1959)
The City Of The Dead(1960)
Beat Girl(1960)
The Two Faces Of Dr. Jekyll(1960)
Taste Of Fear(1961)
Les Mains d'Orlac(1961)
The Hands Of Orlac(1961)
Ercole al centro della terra(1961)
Terror Of The Tongs(1961)
The Devil's Agent(1961)
Das Geheimnis der gelben Narzissen(1961)
The Longest Day(1962)
Das Ratsel der roten Orchidee(1962)
The Pirates Of Blood River(1962)
Doctor From Seven Dials(1962)
Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes(1962)
Horror Castle(1963)
Crypt Of Horror(1963)
What! aka The Whip And The Body(1963)
Castle Of The Living Dead(1964)
The Devil Ship Pirates(1964)
The Gorgon(1964)
She(1965)
The Face Of Fu Mancu(1965)
The Skull(1965)
Dr. Terror's House Of Horrors(1965)
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness(1966)
Rasputin: The Mad Monk(1966)
Psycho-Circus(1966)
The Brides Of Fu Manchu(1966)
Castle Of The Walking Dead aka Torture Chamber Of Dr. Sadism(1967)
Night Of The Big Heat(1967)
Five Golden Dragons(1967)
Victims Of Terror(1967)
Theatre Of Death(1967)
The Vengeance Of Fu Manchu(1968)
Curse Of The Crimson Altar(1968)
The Devil Rides Out(1968)
The Face Of Eve(1968)
The Blood Of Fu Manchu(1968)
Dracula Has Risen From The Grave(1968)
Scream And Scream Again(1969)
The Oblong Box(1969)
Night Of The Blood Monster(1969)
La Isla de la muerte(1969)
The Castle Of Fu Manchu(1969)
The Magic Christian(1969)
Vampir-Cuadecuc(1970)
El Umbracle(1970)
Taste The Blood Of Dracula(1970)
One More Time(1970)
Julius Ceasar(1970)
The House That Dripped Blood(1970)
El Conde Dracula(1970)
The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes(1970)
Scars Of Dracula(1970)
Vampir(1971)
I, Monster(1971)
Hannie Caulder(1971)
Nothing But The Night(1972)
Horror Express(1972)
Death Line(1972)
Dracula A.D. 1972(1972)
The Wicker Man(1973)
The Creeping Flesh(1973)
Le Boucher, la star et l'orpheline(1973)
Poor Devil(1973)
The Three Muskateers(1973)
The Satanic Rites Of Dracula(1974)
Dark Places(1974)
The Man With The Golden Gun(1974)
The Four Muskateers(1974)
Killer Force(1975)
Diagnosis: Murder(1975)
In Search Of Dracula(1975)
The Keeper(1976)
Albino(1976)
To The Devil A Daughter(1976)
Starship Invasions(1977)
Meatcleaver Massacre(1977)
End Of The World(1977)
Airport '77(1977)
Dracula pere et fils(1977)
Return From Witch Mountain(1978)
Harold Robbins' The Pirate(1978)
Caravans(1978)
Nutcracker Fantasy(1979)
Jaguar Lives!(1979)
Arabian Adventure(1979)
Circle Of Iron(1979)
The Passage(1979)
Captain America II(1979)
Bear Island(1979)
1941(1979)
Serial(1980)
Once Upon A Spy(1980)
The Salamander(1981)
Desperate Moves(1981)
An Eye For An Eye(1981)
Goliath Awaits(1981)
Safari 3000(1982)
The Last Unicorn(1982)
Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story(1982)
Massarati And The Brain(1982)
The Return Of Captain Invincible(1983)
New Magic(1983)
House Of The Long Shadows(1983)
The Rosebud Beach Hotel(1984)
"Shaka Zulu"(1984)
The Far Pavillions(1984)
Mask Of Murder(1985)
Howling II(1985)
The Girl(1986)
The Disputation(1986)
Shaka Zulu(1987)
Jocks(1987)
Mio min Mio(1987)
Dark Mission(1988)
La Revolution francaise(1989)
The Return Of The Muskateers(1989)
Murder Story(1989)
La Chute des aigles(1989)
L'Avaro(1989)
Around The World In 80 Days(1989)
Sherlock Holmes And The Leading Lady(1990)
The Rainbow Thief(1990)
Honeymoon Academy(1990)
The Care Of Time(1990)
Treasure Island(1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch(1990)
Incident At Victoria Falls(1991)
Curse III: Blood Sacrifice(1991)
Journey Of Honor(1992)
Jackpot(1992)
Double Vision(1992)
The Tomorrow People(1992)
Death Train(1993)
Funny Man(1994)
A Feast At Midnight(1994)
Police Academy: Mission To Moscow(1994)
The Many Faces Of Christopher Lee(1995)
Sorellina e il principe del sogno(1996)
100 Years Of Horror(1996)
Wyrd Sisters(1996)
Soul Music(1996)
Moses(1996)
The Stupids(1996)
Flesh And Blood(1997)
Strictly Supernatural(1997)
Ivanhoe(1997)
The Odyssey(1997)
Tale Of The Mummy(1998)
Jinnah(1998)
The Interactive Rocky Horror Show(1999)
Sleepy Hollow(1999)
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring(2000)
Gormenghast(2000)
Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers(2001)
Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King(2001)