Content
- Biography
- Profile
- Childhood And Education
- Personal Affairs
- Filmography
- Net Worth
Christopher Lee Biography
Christopher Lee, born Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee CBE CStJ on May 27, 1922, was an iconic English actor, singer, and novelist. He frequently played villains and was most recognized for his portrayal of Count Dracula.
He also appeared in numerous other films, including The Wicker Man, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Episodes II and III of Star Wars. He has had a successful career as a heavy metal musician and author, in addition to his film roles.
READ ALSO: Shenseea Lee Biography And Net Worth
He has released a number of songs and written a number of books, including an autobiography entitled Tall, Dark, and Gruesome. In 2009, he was knighted for his contributions to theater and philanthropy. In 2015, he passed away at the age of 93.
Christopher Lee Profile
Full Name: | Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee |
Stage Name: | Christopher Lee |
Born: | 27 May 1922 (age 93 years old) |
Place of Birth: | Belgravia, London, United Kingdom |
Nationality: | English |
Height: | 1.96 m |
Parents: | Geoffrey Trollope Lee, Estelle Marie Carandini di Sarzano |
Siblings: | Xandra Lee |
Wife • Spouse: | Birgit Kroencke (m. 1961–2015) |
Girlfriend • Partner: | Henriette von Rosen (ex.) |
Children: | Christina Erika Lee |
Occupation: | Actor • TV Personality |
Net Worth: | US$25 million |
Childhood and Education
He was born on May 27, 1992, in Belgravia, London. He was born to Geoffrey Trollope Lee, a diplomatic official, and Estelle Marie Carandini di Sarzano, his mother, who gave birth to him. He has a sister named Xandra Lee and two nieces named Harriet and Charlotte.
His maternal grandfather, Cesare Carandini, was an Italian diplomat and genealogist. His great-grandfather was an Italian political refugee. His parents were part of the British aristocracy, and his father worked at a British bank, so they sent him to expensive private schools.
Eventually, he became interested in acting. He graduated from Wellington College, where his performances in a Shakespearean theater earned him recognition.
In order to escape the Nazis, his mother fled to Hollywood. She became a citizen of the United States, but her father remained in London until the outbreak of World War II. His mother told him that it would be dangerous to stay in England during the invasion, so he went with her to America.
READ ALSO: Sarah Gold Biography, Movies And Net Worth 2022
He joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 and served as the Special Operations Executive during World War II. The Special Operations Executive sent him to Finland in 1944, when he blew up a railroad bridge. After the war, he interrogated Nazi spies for British Intelligence.
Personal Affairs
In the late 1950s, Christopher Lee became engaged to Henriette von Rosen after meeting her in a Stockholm nightclub. Count Fritz von Rosen requested and persuaded them to delay the wedding for one year.
In addition to asking his London-based acquaintances to question Christopher Lee, Henriette von Rosen’s father also hired private investigators to spy on him. Christopher Lee received references for him from Joe Jackson, John Boulting, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Christopher Lee eventually broke off the engagement just prior to the ceremony.
A Danish coworker introduced Danish painter and former model Birgit Kroencke to Christopher Lee in 1960. They became engaged shortly thereafter, and on March 17, 1961, they were married. Their daughter, Christina Erika Lee, was born in 1963.
Christopher Lee career
When he returned to London in 1946, Beecham offered him a job with a substantial salary, but he declined since he was unable to return to the office environment. He hated the curfews and thought his Latin was too rusty, but the military sent veterans with degrees in Classics to teach in colleges.
Christopher Lee and his cousin, Nicol Carandini, who was the Italian ambassador to the UK, talked about the wounds he got in battle.
Christopher Lee met Filippo Del Giudice, a lawyer-turned-film producer and the chairman of Two Cities Films, a part of the Rank Organization, and they arranged to play roles.
In The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), he made his debut with Peter Cushing as a creature produced by Victor Frankenstein.
It was the first film that Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing collaborated on; they subsequently collaborated on over twenty films and became close. “They asked me if I wanted the part. I said yes, and that was that,” he stated after being asked during the movie’s casting process.
Later, Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff co-starred in the film Corridors of Blood (1958). In 1955, he and Boris Karloff appeared on the British television series “Colonel March of Scotland Yard” in the episode “At Night, All Cats are Grey.”
In 1977, he left the United Kingdom for the United States out of concern that he would be typecast in horror films, as Peter Cushing and Vincent Price had been.
During this time, Christopher Lee and Bette Davis appeared in the Disney film Return from Witch Mountain (1978). He turned down the role of Dr. Barry Rumack in the 1980 disaster comedy Airplane! Leslie Nielsen subsequently assumed the post. Christopher Lee stated that he regretted declining the offer.
Filmography
- Glorious 39
- Airplane 77
- Corpse Bride
- The Skull
- The Wicker Man
- 1941
- The Hound
- Treasure Island
- Lord of the Rings
- The Hobbit
- Dark Shadow
- The Golden Compass
- Hamlet
- Hugo
Cause of Death
Christopher Lee died on June 7, 2015, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. He had been taken there for problems with his lungs and heart.
Net Worth
At the time of his death, Christopher Lee’s net worth was reported to be $25 million. He amassed his fortune primarily through playing gigs, investments, and real estate.