Christopher Lee, the British horror actor who portrayed Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, Fu Manchu, and the "Lord of the Rings" wizard Saruman, died Sunday at the age of 93.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lee was admitted to the Westminster Hospital in London for respiratory problems and heart failure, and died shortly thereafter. His longtime wife, Gitte Kroencke, delayed the release of the news so that family could be informed first.
Lee's long and storied career began in 1957 with "The Curse of Frankenstein" and "Horror of Dracula" the year after. At 6 feet 5 inches tall, Lee embraced his imposing physical stature, and used it to his advantage in his frequent roles as Hollywood's go-to bad guy.
Lee was introduced to a wider audience and new generation of movie-goer with his standout roles in both the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and Star Wars prequel trilogy, including "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith."
"This last decade has been the most extraordinary decade of my life," he said in a 2012 interview, referencing the recent films.
With more than 275 credits on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Lee has one of the most prolific careers of any actor since the invention of the moving picture. He was the only member of the "Lord of the Rings" who had met author J.R.R. Tolkien, who was himself born in 1892.
The Telegraph (UK) reported that Lee was knighted in 2009, decades after he played Scaramanga in classic Bond film "The Man With The Golden Gun" and Lord Summerisle in the horror classic "The Wicker Man."
In addition to horror and villainy, Lee also showed off his humorous side when he hosted one of the most-watched episodes of "Saturday Night Live," in 1978.
Lee released his autobiography, "Tall, Dark and Gruesome," in 1977.
In addition to his wife, whom he wed in 1961, Lee is survived by his daughter Christina.