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Date of birth (location)
May 27, 1922
Belgravia, London, England, UK
Mini-Biography
The British actor Christopher Lee was born in 1922 in London, England, where he and his older sister Xandra were raised by Estelle Marie and Geoffrey Trollope, a professional soldier, until their divorce in 1926. Later, while Lee was still a child, his mother married (and later divorced) Harcourt George St.-Croix (nicknamed Ingle), who was a banker. After attending Wellington College in London from age 14 to 17, Lee worked as an office clerk in a couple of London shipping companies until 1941 when he enlisted in the RAF during World War II. Following his release from military service, Lee joined the Rank Organisation in 1947, training as an actor in their �Charm School� and playing a number of bit parts in such films as _Corridor of Mirrors (1947)_ (his film debut), _One Night With You (1947)_ , and _Song of Tomorrow (1948)_ (qv).
Interesting Facts
Turned down Donald Pleasence's role in Halloween (1978).
Classically trained singer.
Possibly the only actor who has portrayed three different Sherlock Holmes characters: Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes and Henry Baskerville. Has one daughter Christina. During the second world war he served in the Royal Air Force and in British Intelligence. In 1972 he founded Charlemagne Productions Limited. He studied at Summerfield Preparatory School and attended Wellington College.
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 part, 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 Fleming himself envisioned Dr. No.
Uncle of Harriet Walter.
Although Lee did not land the role of Dr. No as his cousin Ian Fleming envisioned, he DID get the title role in The Man with the Golden Gun.
Vincent Price and Christopher Lee were born on the same day (27th May) and Peter Cushing was born on the 26th.
Was one of the judges for the 1995 Miss World beauty pageant.
The blood dripping fangs, worn by Lee in many of his vampire films were created by Irish dental technician Sean Mulhall.
Is listed as the Center of the Hollywood Universe by the Oracle of Kevin Bacon web site 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 'Charleton Heston' or Kevin Bacon himself.
In a radio interview in South Africa, Lee claimed that he held the record for number of film roles by an actor. [2001]