It has been announced that Sir Christopher Lee, one of the greatest of cult stars, died a few days ago; the news comes now after his family were informed. He will be most recognised for his work in horror, in particular his association with the Hammer studio which gave him his signature Dracula role, but he also played Frankenstein's Monster, The Mummy and Dr Jekyll among other classic villains. Villainy was part of his career on screen, essaying roles in anything from The Lord of the Rings to Star Wars in later years, as directors knew he was a past master at delivering dialogue other less experienced actors might struggle with, but in his decades in film and television he appeared as a variety of characters, from his favourite role as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man to a gay Hell's Angel in Serial to many parts opposite his great friend Peter Cushing, including Horror Express. He was also a James Bond baddie, worked with everyone from Jess Franco to Steven Spielberg... you could go on for ages about his achievements. He has been in the cinematic cultural scene for so long it will be difficult to imagine it without him, whether in blockbusters or tiny budget obscurities. What a life he lived.
