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Noble and true, the incomparable Christopher Lee (1922-2015) graced the screen with style and distinction
There are certain performers who bring to their roles a gravitas, an elegance, and a sense of importance by their mere presence. No matter how trivial or inane the film may be, these actors remain class acts. And my friend Christopher Lee was a class act.
Christopher Lee's mother (famous for her beauty) was the Italian Contessa di Sarzano, and through her he could trace his bloodline back to the Borgias. His father was an officer in the King's Royal Rifle Corps and was "one of the best shots in England." Through his father he could trace his bloodline back to Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor. Not only did Christopher often play counts and lords, he was an aristocrat by birth. He was also an actor to his core.
He was tall, dark, and handsome and carried himself with a regal bearing, which he used to great effect in roles ranging from his sinister Fu Manchu (in five films, 1965-69) to his cold and calculating Comte de Rochefort in The Three Musketeers (Richard Lester, 73).
His voice was a deep, rich baritone and he loved to sing, everything from opera to heavy metal. Although that voice was a powerful instrument, he brilliantly conveyed the terror and pathos of the mute monster in The Curse of Frankenstein (Terence Fisher, 57) without saying a word. And when the dialogue became too risible (specifically in the later Hammer Dracula movies), Chris would abandon the lines altogether. He made a formidable Count Dracula just standing there.
Chris spoke excellent Italian, French, German, and Spanish, and performed in dozens of Italian, French, German, and Spanish pictures...