Christopher Lee has died at the age of 93

 
Passed away: Christopher Lee has died at the age of 93 (REX)
REX
Jennifer Ruby11 June 2015
The Weekender

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Veteran actor Christopher Lee has passed away at the age of 93, his family has confirmed.

The screen legend, known for his iconic roles as Dracula and Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, died on Sunday at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Sources close to the family confirmed to the Telegraph that the actor was being treated for respiratory problems and heart failure in the weeks leading up to his death.

Lady Lee, who had been married to the star for 50 years, reportedly chose to delay making the announcement public so that she could first inform family members.

Iconic: Christopher Lee in the Hammer Horror franchise

Lee first found fame in the 1950 when he starred in the Hammer Horror franchise, later becoming well known for his role as Scaramanga in classic Bond film, The Man With The Golden Gun.

Speaking about his playing Dracula so many times, Lee told Total Film: "They gave me nothing to do! I pleaded with Hammer to let me use some of the lines that Bram Stoker had written.

Christopher Lee: Life In Pictures

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"Occasionally, I sneaked one in. Eventually I told them that I wasn’t going to play Dracula any more. All hell broke loose."

Lee continued in the horror genre throughout the 60s and 70s, starring in critically acclaimed films including The Wicker Man and I Monster, in which he played Jekyll and Hyde.

In 1977, the star moved from the UK to the US after admitting that he wanted to expand his repertoire and move away from being typecast in horror roles.

Big parts in blockbusters including Lord of the Rings and Star Wars followed later in his career.

The actor was knighted in 2009 for his services to drama and charity and was awarded the Bafta Fellowship in 2011.

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