Christopher Lee Net Worth

Christopher Lee's Quotes

• I stopped appearing as Dracula in 1972 because in my opinion the presentation of the character had deteriorated to such an extent, particularly bringing him into the contemporary day and age, that it really no longer had any meaning.
• Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff didn't like the word "horror". They, like I, went for the French description: "the theatre of the fantastique".
• There are many vampires in the world today - you only have to think of the film business.
• In Britain, any degree of success is met with envy and resentment.
• (on his friendship with Peter Cushing) I don't want to sound gloomy, but, at some point of your lives, every one of you will notice that you have in your life one person, one friend whom you love and care for very much. That person is so close to you that you are able to share some things only with him. For example, you can call that friend, and from the very first maniacal laugh or some other joke you will know who is at the other end of that line. We used to do that with him so often. And then when that person is gone, there will be nothing like that in your life ever again.

Interesting Facts about Christopher Lee

1. He turned down Donald Pleasence's role as Dr. Sam Loomis in Halloween (1978) (he later remarked that this was his biggest mistake). He was offered the role of King Balor in Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), but had to turn it down due to prior commitments. He was considered to play The High Priest of Kali in The Stranglers of Bombay (1959), Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), the title role in The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Dr. Hans Fallada in Lifeforce (1985), Mr. Dark in Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), Koura in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and Carl Grissom in Batman (1989).
2. As well as a distinguished actor, known for his immense charisma, imposing stature and deep speaking voice, he was also a classically trained singer and an intellectual who was extremely well-read.
3. He was one of the few actors who portrayed three different Sherlock Holmes characters: Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes and Sir Henry Baskerville.
4. A distant cousin and frequent golfing partner of Bond creator Ian Fleming, Lee was the author's personal pick for the role of Dr. No (1962) in the first 007 film. The role, of course, went to actor Joseph Wiseman, who was brilliant. However, fans of the literary Bond might want to check out Lee's portrayal of Chinese master criminal Fu Manchu, for an idea of how Ian Fleming himself envisioned Dr. No.
5. He was the uncle of Harriet Walter.
6. Vincent Price and Christopher Lee were born on the same day (27th May) and Peter Cushing was born on the 26th.
7. He was one of the judges for the 1995 Miss World beauty pageant.
8. The blooddripping fangs worn by Lee in many of his vampire films were created by Irish dental technician Sean Mulhall.
9. He is listed as the Center of the Hollywood Universe by the Oracle of Kevin Bacon website at the University of Virginia, because he can be linked to any one in Hollywood on average in 2.59 steps. That is less than either Charlton Heston or Kevin Bacon himself.
10. In a radio interview in South Africa, Lee claimed that he held the record for number of film roles by an actor (2001).
11. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.
12. He appears on the cover of Paul McCartney's 1973 album "Band on the Run".
13. He served in the British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from 1941 to 1946. During that time, he was an active member of the Special Forces.
14. He appeared in a scene from Frankenstein (1957) on screen during the drive-in sequence in Stanley Kubrick's Lolita (1962).
15. The white coffin used in one of his Dracula films was later used in Bananarama's music video "Venus".
16. One of Lee's maternal great-grandfathers was Italian. Through him, Lee is of noble Italian ancestry (from the Carandini family).
17. From an acting dynasty, his great-grandparents founded the first Australian opera company.
18. He made his stage debut in school as the demonic lead in "Rumpelstiltskin", a sign of things to come.
19. A stunt double performed the stunts and lightsaber fights in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Lee's face was imposed on the double's body. Lee mentioned that in the last 40 years, he has done more swordfights than any other actor, but "not anymore".
20. He spoke very good French, good enough to understand questions and give long replies in a press conference.