Tall, gaunt and equipped with piercing eyes and a deep sonorous voice, Mr. Lee had no trouble being intimidating or threatening. Early on, he found his niche in British horror films, playing Dracula many times, first in the 1950s and then in numerous films in the 1970s. He made several films a year during that decade, few of them of high quality, and developed a reputation as a genre hack. But his career, and standing with the critics, was unexpectedly revived in the current century by roles in two blockbuster fantasy movie series. He was the evil wizard Saruman in the 鈥淭he Lord of the Rings鈥� series and the equally sinister Count Dooku in the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� prequel films. In both franchises, he striking appearance suited him quite well to his task. (A film executive had told in early on that he was far too tall to be an actor.)
Mr. Lee frequently returned to roles several times, thus becoming closely associated with them in the public eye. Aside from Dracula, Saruman and Dooku, he played Fu Manchu and Sherlock Holmes in multiple films. (He also found time to place Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock鈥檚 brother, and Sir Henry Baskerville, Sherlock鈥檚 friend, in separate Holmes films.)
Mr. Lee turned to film directly after service in World War II, no longer content with office life. Never a stage actor, he began his career in film at the powerful Rank Organization. He made his film debut in 1947, but struggled to make a mark. In the 1950s, he began getting cast in films made by , Jr., at the British National Studios.
He fared better at Hammer Studios, known for gothic 鈥淗ammer Horror鈥� films. His first credit there was 鈥淭he Curse of Frankenstein鈥� in 1957, in which he played the monster. The following year, he made his first attempt at portraying Dracula. The years to come would bring 鈥淒racula Has Risen from the Grave,鈥� 鈥淭aste the Blood of Dracula,鈥� 鈥淪cars of Dracula,鈥� and more. Lee said he disliked doing the movies at the time, but they were commercially successful and, in time, were treating as classic examples of their genre. During this period, he began being paired with actor Peter Cushing on screen. Sometimes they played adversaries, sometimes allies. The two would make more than twenty films together and became good friends.
In 1973, desiring to rid himself of the Dracula stereotype, he took a role as the leader of an isolated island of pagan worshipers in 鈥淭he Wicker Man,鈥� a mystery horror film written by playwright . The movie became a cult classic, and was Mr. Lee鈥檚 favorite of his many films. The following year, he won another good part, playing the villain in the James Bond film 鈥淭he Man With the Golden Gun.鈥� (The actor was distantly related to Ian Fleming, frequently playing golf with him, and had turned down the title part in 鈥淒r. No.鈥�) In 1977, Mr. Lee moved to the United States, hoping to change the direction of his career. He didn鈥檛 fare terribly well, getting mainly television work, but was steadily employed as always. And, as host of 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� in 1978, he showed he could poke fun at his own image, playing 鈥淢r. Death鈥� in one sketch. His fortunes changed, however, when he was cast as Saruman in the 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥� trilogy. Soon after, he was chosen for Count Dooku in the new series of 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� films.
Unsurprisingly, he was a favorite actor of director Tim Burton, who used him in several of his surreal, spooky stories, including 鈥淪leepy Hollow,鈥� 鈥淭he Corpse Bride,鈥� 鈥淪weeney Todd,鈥� 鈥淒ark Shadows鈥� and the remake of 鈥淲illy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.鈥�
In the final years of his life, he was showered with lifetime achievement awards and other special honors of every kind. In 2001, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his services to drama He is survived by his wife, Gitte Lee, whom he married in 1961, and one child.
