Christopher Lee Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
Here’s a look at British actor Christopher Lee.
Personal:
Birth date: May 27, 1922
Death date: June 7, 2015
Birthplace: London, England
Birth name: Christopher Frank Carandini Lee
Father: Geoffrey Lee, a professional soldier
Mother: Contessa Estelle Marie Carandini di Sarzano
Marriage: Birgit “Gitte” Kroencke Lee (March 17, 1961 – June 7, 2015, his death)
Children: Christina Ericka, November 23, 1963
Military Service: Royal Air Force and Special Forces, 1941-1946, Flight Lieutenant
Other Facts:
Speaks four languages: French, Italian, Spanish, and German.
Worked with British Intelligence in World War II.
Only member of the cast of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy who met author J.R.R. Tolkien.
Lee is a distant relative by his mother’s second marriage, to Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
Timeline:
1939-1941 – Works as an office clerk until joining the RAF during World War II.
1947 – Joins the Rank Organization acting school, often called “The Charm School,” a British program that groomed new acting talent.
1948 – First movie “Corridor of Mirrors” is released.
1957 – Begins working with Hammer Film Productions, the start of his horror film career. “The Curse of Frankenstein” is released that same year.
1958 – “Horror of Dracula” is released, the first time Lee portrays Count Dracula.
1965 – The first of Dr. Fu Manchu movies, “The Face of Fu Manchu,” is released.
1974 – Appears as James Bond’s nemesis in “The Man with the Golden Gun”.
1977 – His autobiography, “Tall, Dark and Gruesome,” is published.
2001 – In recognition of his contributions to film, he receives the Commander of the Order of the British Empire award.
2002 – Stars in two of the year’s top grossing movies, “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”
2003 – His autobiography is re-released with a new title, “Lord of Misrule: The Autobiography of Christopher Lee.”
2009 – Is made a Knight of the British Empire.
February 2011 – Receives the Academy Fellowship, the highest honor, at the Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).
2012 – Reprises his role as Saruman from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy in part one of “The Hobbit” trilogy, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”
May 27, 2013 – Releases his “100 percent heavy metal” album, “Charlemagne: The Omens of Death”, a follow-up to the more symphonic “Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross from 2010.
December 2013 – Releases a second heavy metal Christmas album, “A Heavy Metal Christmas Too,” a follow-up to his 2012 “A Heavy Metal Christmas.”
June 7, 2015 – Christopher Lee passes away after being hospitalized for respiratory issues and heart failure.
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