Lord of the Rings Actor Christopher Lee Dies at 93

1 minute read
By Tara John

The Lord of Rings actor Christopher Lee has died in London, it emerged on Thursday.

Lee died on Sunday morning at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, the Guardian reports, after being admitted for heart failure and respiratory problems. Lee’s wife Birgit Kroencke, who had been married to the veteran actor for 50 years, wanted to inform family members before releasing the news to the public.

For 67 years the actor played a host of iconic and dark characters like Count Dracula, Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man and most recently, Saruman the White in Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings trilogy and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

On top of his prolific film career, the 6ft 5in actor had also released a series of heavy metal albums, garnered several Guinness World Records, like ‘The Tallest Leading Actor,’ and was knighted by Prince Charles in 2009 for services to drama and charity.

Christopher Lee’s Career in Pictures

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012).Warner Bros
Christopher Lee and Daliah Lavi in The Whip and the Body (1963)
Christopher Lee and Daliah Lavi in The Whip and the Body (1963).Francinor-PIP Leone Film Titanus
Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1963).
Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1963).Hammer/ Warner
Christopher Lee in The Wicker Man (1973).
Christopher Lee in The Wicker Man (1973).Rialto Pictures
Christopher Lee and Roger Moore in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
Christopher Lee and Roger Moore in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).MGM
Christopher Lee in House of the Long Shadows (1983).
Christopher Lee in House of the Long Shadows (1983).MGM
Christopher Lee in Howling II- ... Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985).
Christopher Lee in Howling II- ... Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985).MGM
Gremlins 2: New Batch (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)Warner Bros.
Christopher Lee in Star Wars- Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002).
Christopher Lee in Star Wars- Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002).Lucasfilm
Christopher Lee in The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers
Christopher Lee in The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers (2002). New Line Productions
Christopher Lee, Ian McDiarmid and Hayden Christensen in Star Wars- Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Christopher Lee, Ian McDiarmid and Hayden Christensen in Star Wars- Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).Lucasfilm
Christopher Lee and Paz Vega in Triage (2009).
Christopher Lee and Paz Vega in Triage (2009). Parallel Films
Christopher Lee and Charlotte Rampling in Boogie Woogie (2009).
Christopher Lee and Charlotte Rampling in Boogie Woogie (2009).IFC Films
Christopher Lee and Gary Stretch in The Heavy (2010).
Christopher Lee and Gary Stretch in The Heavy (2010).Grindstone Entertainment
Christopher Lee in The Resident (2011).
Christopher Lee in The Resident (2011). Image Entertainment
Christopher Lee in Season of the Witch (2011).
Christopher Lee in Season of the Witch (2011).Season of the Witch Distributions
Christopher Lee and Asa Butterfield in Hugo (2011)
Christopher Lee and Asa Butterfield in Hugo (2011).GK Films

Read next: Celebrities Mourn Christopher Lee on Social Media

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