Chrisopher Lee Dies at 93 Due to Repiratory Problems and Heart Failure: Top 5 Most Memorable Roles
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Legendary actor, Christopher Lee, died on Sunday at 93.
According to B. Entertainment, Lee was hospitalized at the Chelsea Westminster Hospital in London prior to his death. He was sent to the hospital after suffering from respiratory problems and heart failure.
His wife of over 50 years, Birgit Kroncke, decided to keep the iconic actor's death a secret, so that every family member knew about Lee's death before it was announced at a general press release.
Lee, who is famous for playing villainous roles, has made more than 100 films during his lifetime. He has also been in a variety of TV shows, reports The Argus UK.
Below is a list of his most memorable roles.
1. Dracula in "Horror of Dracula"
Lee first rose to fame after playing Dracula in 1958, reports the National Sun Times. He is credited for bringing Britain's Horror Hammer genre back to life as Dracula.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lee played Dracula in a total of 10 films including: "Dracula: Prince of Darkness," "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave," and "Taste the Blood of Dracula," among others.
2. Lord Summerisle in "The Wicker Man"
In 1973, Lee played Lord Summerisle, who The Hollywood Reporter describes as a "wild-haired neo-pagan" lord. In 2006, he reprised his role as Lord Summerisle in a remake of the movie, which also starred Nicolas Cage.
3. Scaramanga in "The Man With The Golden Sun"
Lee took on another villain role in a 1974 Bond film, as a one-shot assassin named Scaramanga. Roger Moore was James Bond at the time.
4. Count Dooku in "Star Wars"
According to the Washington Post, Lee is featured in two "Star Wars" films as Count Dooku: "Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)" and "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)."
Hollywood Reporter adds that Lee even voiced his "Star Wars" character for the video game versions.
5. Saruman in "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy
Playing the dark wizard Saruman in the LOTR trilogy really made Lee known among the younger generations that might not have seen his movies from the '60s and '70s. He later reprised his role as the white wizard turned dark in "The Hobbit," the prequel of LOTR.
Even with so many iconic roles under his belt, Lee was not quite ready to retire at 93 years old. The Sun Times reports that Lee had signed on for another film entitled "The 11th," alongside Uma Thurman.
Lee's latest project reportedly portrays the hours leading up to the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York. Filming for the movie was supposed to start this November.