Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee is perhaps the only actor of his generation to have starred in so many films. Although most notable for personifying bloodsucking vampire, Dracula, on screen, he has portrayed other varied characters on screen, most of which were villains, whether it be Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), or Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), or as the title monster in the Hammer horror picture, The Mummy (1959).
Born in England on May 27, 1922, Lee attended Wellington College for three years, and then worked as a office clerk in a couple of London shipping companies. He subsequently enlisted in the RAF during the Second World War and, on finishing his army services, sought to become an actor. He struggled initially in his new career because he was discriminated as being taller than the leading male actors of his time and being too foreign-looking. However, it was when playing the monster in the Hammer film, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) that proved to be a blessing in disguise, since the movie did successfully, leading to him being signed on for future roles in Hammer Films Productions.
Lee's association with Hammer Productions brought him into contact with Peter Cushing and they became good friends. Lee and Cushing often than not played contrasting roles in Hammer films, where Cushing was the protagonist and Lee the villain, whether it be Van Helsing and Dracula respectively in Horror of Dracula (1958), or John Banning and Kharis the Mummy respectively in The Mummy (1959). Lee went on to play Count Dracula in a number of Hammer sequels up until the early part of the 1970s, when he finally retired from Hammer Productions.
This, of course, didn't mean that he was through with the film business. He continued to play roles, mostly as villains, in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), opposite Roger Moore, The Three Musketeers: The Queen's Diamonds (1973) and The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge(1974). The triumph of these movies prompted him to Hollywood, though he didn't fare well in the film business, culminating in his returning back to England. However, the beginning of the New Millennium has relaunched his career to some degree, during which he has played Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and as Saruman the White in Lord of the Rings trilogy. Lee is committed to act as Count Dooku again in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and as Johnny Depp's character's father in the upcoming Tim Burton film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).
Born in England on May 27, 1922, Lee attended Wellington College for three years, and then worked as a office clerk in a couple of London shipping companies. He subsequently enlisted in the RAF during the Second World War and, on finishing his army services, sought to become an actor. He struggled initially in his new career because he was discriminated as being taller than the leading male actors of his time and being too foreign-looking. However, it was when playing the monster in the Hammer film, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) that proved to be a blessing in disguise, since the movie did successfully, leading to him being signed on for future roles in Hammer Films Productions.
Lee's association with Hammer Productions brought him into contact with Peter Cushing and they became good friends. Lee and Cushing often than not played contrasting roles in Hammer films, where Cushing was the protagonist and Lee the villain, whether it be Van Helsing and Dracula respectively in Horror of Dracula (1958), or John Banning and Kharis the Mummy respectively in The Mummy (1959). Lee went on to play Count Dracula in a number of Hammer sequels up until the early part of the 1970s, when he finally retired from Hammer Productions.
This, of course, didn't mean that he was through with the film business. He continued to play roles, mostly as villains, in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), opposite Roger Moore, The Three Musketeers: The Queen's Diamonds (1973) and The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge(1974). The triumph of these movies prompted him to Hollywood, though he didn't fare well in the film business, culminating in his returning back to England. However, the beginning of the New Millennium has relaunched his career to some degree, during which he has played Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and as Saruman the White in Lord of the Rings trilogy. Lee is committed to act as Count Dooku again in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and as Johnny Depp's character's father in the upcoming Tim Burton film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).
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