Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born on May 27, 1922 in London, UK. He is an English actor known for his professional longevity and his distinctive basso delivery.

Christopher Lee has defined the macabre for generations of horror film enthusiasts. His long film career began in 1947. In 1957, Lee appeared in his first Hammer Film Production, The Curse of Frankenstein, opposite Peter Cushing. With the success of Frankenstein, Lee would go on to star in numerous Hammer films throughout the 60s and early 70s, often co-starring with Cushing.

Lee's most legendary role is that of Dracula, which he first portrayed in 1958's The Horror of Dracula. A spectacular hit, this film propelled Lee's career to stardom.

In the 1970s, Lee expanded beyond horror films to such work as The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, and The Man With the Golden Gun. In 1972 he founded Charlemagne Productions Limited. Lee's autobiography, Tall, Dark and Gruesome, was published in 1977 and updated in 1997.

His chiseled, handsome features and deep voice give his characters a captivating intelligence and class - whether as a ruthless villain like Dracula or as a noble hero like Sherlock Holmes.

Lee's lengthy filmography includes: The Face of Fu Manchu, Rasputin: The Mad Monk, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Theatre of Death, The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, The Man With the Golden Gun, and most recently The Lord of the Rings currently in production. His 250 film and television credits have earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of Movie Facts and Feats for the international star with the most credits. He has also performed in a multitude of classical theatre productions from Shakespeare to Coward.

His last projects include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005) and TV movie Pope John Paul II (2005).

Lee has been married to the Danish model Birgit Kroencke since 1961. He is a step-cousin of Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond spy novels.

Filmography

• Cowboys for Christ (2007)
• The Heavy (2008)
• Sweney Todd (2007)
• Kingdom Hearts II (2005)
• Pope John Paul II (2005)
• Corpse Bride (2005)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
• Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• Greyfriars Bobby (2005)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age (2004)
• GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (2004)
• EverQuest II (2004)
• Rivières pourpres II - Les anges de l'apocalypse, Les (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• Freelancer (2003)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• Conquest: Frontier Wars (2001)
• "Redoutables, Les" (2001)
• "Ghost Stories for Christmas" (2000)
• In the Beginning (2000)
• "Gormenghast" (2000)
• Sleepy Hollow (1999)
• "Blue Heelers" (4 episodes, 1996-1999)
• The Rocky Interactive Horror Show (1999)
• The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service (1999)
• "The New Adventures of Robin Hood" (6 episodes, 1997-1998)
• Jinnah (1998)
• Tale of the Mummy (1998)
• The Odyssey (1997)
• Wyrd Sisters (1997)
• Soul Music (1997)
• "Ivanhoe" (1997)
• The Stupids (1996)
• Sorellina e il principe del sogno (1996)
• Welcome to the Discworld (1996)
• Moses (1995)
• "The Tomorrow People" (5 episodes, 1995)
• "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" (3 episodes 1994)
• Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)
• Funny Man (1994)
• Ghosts (1994)
• A Feast at Midnight (1994)
• Death Train (1993)
• "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (1 episode, 1992)
• Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1992)
• Kabuto (1992)
• Double Vision (1992)
• Jackpot (1992)
• Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1991)
• Incident at Victoria Falls (1991)
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
• Honeymoon Academy (1990)
• Avaro, L' (1990)
• Treasure Island (1990)
• The Care of Time (1990)
• The Rainbow Thief (1990)
• Révolution française, La (1989)
• The Return of the Musketeers (1989)
• "Around the World in 80 Days" (1989) (mini) TV Series
• Chute des aigles, La (1989)
• Murder Story (1989)
• Dark Mission (Operación cocaína) (1988)
• Mio min Mio (1987)
• Jocks (1987)
• Shaka Zulu (1987)
• "Shaka Zulu" (1986)
• "The Mind of David Berglas" (1 episode, 1986)
• The Disputation (1986)
• The Girl (1986)
• Un métier du seigneur (1986)
• Howling II: ...Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)
• Mask of Murder (1985)
• The Rosebud Beach Hotel (1984)
• "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1 episode, 1984)
• "The Far Pavilions" (1984)
• House of the Long Shadows (1983)
• The Return of Captain Invincible (1983)
• New Magic (1983)
• The Last Unicorn (1982)
• Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story (1982)
• Massarati and the Brain (1982)
• Safari 3000 (1982)
• Goliath Awaits (1981)
• An Eye for an Eye (1981)
• Desperate Moves (1981)
• Evil Stalks This House (1981)
• The Salamander (1981)
• "Charlie's Angels" (1 episode, 1980)
• Once Upon a Spy (1980)
• Serial (1980)
• 1941 (1979)
• Bear Island (1979)
• Captain America II: Death Too Soon (1979)
• Jaguar Lives! (1979)
• Nutcracker Fantasy (1979)
• Arabian Adventure (1979)
• The Passage (1979)
• Circle of Iron (1978)
• The Pirate (1978)
• Caravans (1978)
• Return from Witch Mountain (1978)
• "How the West Was Won" (1978)
• Starship Invasions (1977)
• End of the World (1977)
• Meatcleaver Massacre (1977)
• Airport '77 (1977)
• Albino (1976)
• Dracula père et fils (1976)
• To the Devil a Daughter (1976)
• "Space: 1999" (1 episode, 1976)
• Killer Force (1976)
• The Keeper (1976)
• Boucher, la star et l'orpheline, Le (1975)
• Diagnosis: Murder (1975)
• The Four Musketeers (1974)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1974)
• The Wicker Man (1973)
• The Three Musketeers (1973)
• Horror Express (1973)
• "Great Mysteries" (1 episode, 1973)
• Poor Devil (1973)
• The Creeping Flesh (1973)
• Dark Places (1973)
• Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
• Nothing But the Night (1972)
• Death Line (1972)
• Hannie Caulder (1971)
• I, Monster (1971)
• The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
• Scars of Dracula (1970)
• The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)
• Eugenie (1970)
• Julius Caesar (1970)
• One More Time (1970/I)
• Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
• Nachts, wenn Dracula erwacht (1970)
• Trono di fuoco, Il (1970)
• Umbracle (1970)
• Scream and Scream Again (1970)
• The Magic Christian (1969)
• The Oblong Box (1969)
• Folterkammer des Dr. Fu Man Chu, Die (1969)
• Light Entertainment Killers (1969)
• "The Avengers" (2 episodes, 1967-1969)
• Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)
• The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968)
• The Face of Eve (1968)
• The Devil Rides Out (1968)
• Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)
• Schlangengrube und das Pendel, Die (1967)
• Five Golden Dragons (1967)
• The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967)
• Night of the Big Heat (1967)
• The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966)
• Circus of Fear (1966)
• Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966)
• Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
• Theatre of Death (1966)
• The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)
• Ten Little Indians (1965)
• The Skull (1965)
• She (1965)
• Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)
• The Gorgon (1964)
• The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)
• Cripta e l'incubo, La (1964)
• "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1 episode, 1964)
• Castello dei morti vivi, Il (1964)
• Frusta e il corpo, La (1963)
• Vergine di Norimberga, La (1963)
• Katarsis (1963)
• Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes (1962)
• Tempi duri per i vampiri (1962)
• Pirates of Blood River (1962)
• Rätsel der roten Orchidee, Das (1962)
• Stranglehold (1962)
• Ercole al centro della terra (1961)
• The Devil's Agent (1961)
• Geheimnis der gelben Narzissen, Das (1961)
• "Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond" (1 episode, 1961)
• Taste of Fear (1961)
• The Terror of the Tongs (1961)
• The Hands of Orlac (1960)
• The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)
• The City of the Dead (1960)
• Beat Girl (1960)
• Too Hot to Handle (1960)
• "Tales of the Vikings" (1 episode, 1960)
• The Mummy (1959)
• The Treasure of San Teresa (1959)
• The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
• "William Tell" (1 episode, 1959)
• Corridors of Blood (1958)
• The Battle of the V.1 (1958)
• Dracula (1958)
• "White Hunter" (1 episode, 1958)
• A Tale of Two Cities (1958)
• "Ivanhoe" (1 episode, 1958)
• "O.S.S." (1 episode, 1958)
• "Assignment Foreign Legion" (2 episodes, 1957)
• The Truth About Women (1957)
• Bitter Victory (1957)
• "The Gay Cavalier" (1 episode, 1957)
• Manuela (1957)
• The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
• The Traitor (1957)
• Fortune Is a Woman (1957)
• Ill Met by Moonlight (1957)
• "Errol Flynn Theatre" (4 episodes, 1957)
• The Battle of the River Plate (1956)
• "Sailor of Fortune" (2 episodes, 1956)
• "Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents" (6 episodes, 1953-1956)
• Beyond Mombasa (1956)
• Alias John Preston (1956)
• Port Afrique (1956)
• "Colonel March of Scotland Yard" (1 episode, 1956)
• "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (1 episode, 1956)
• Private's Progress (1956)
• "The Adventures of Aggie" (1 episode, 1956)
• Storm Over the Nile (1955)
• The Cockleshell Heroes (1955)
• "Tales of Hans Anderson" (2 episodes, 1955)
• The Dark Avenger (1955)
• Police Dog (1955)
• "The Vise" (2 episodes, 1955)
• That Lady (1955)
• Moby Dick Rehearsed (1955)
• Man in Demand (1955)
• Final Column (1955)
• Crossroads (1955)
• Destination Milan (1954)
• Innocents in Paris (1953)
• Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, Les (1953)
• Moulin Rouge (1952)
• Babes in Bagdad (1952)
• Paul Temple Returns (1952)
• Top Secret (1952)
• The Crimson Pirate (1952)
• Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951)
• Valley of Eagles (1951)
• Prelude to Fame (1950)
• They Were Not Divided (1950)
• Trottie True (1949)
• Scott of the Antarctic (1948)
• Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948)
• My Brother's Keeper (1948)
• A Song for Tomorrow (1948)
• Penny and the Pownall Case (1948)
• Hamlet (1948)
• One Night with You (1948)
• Corridor of Mirrors (1948)

Awards

• Evening Standard Special Achievement Award 2001