British actor, metal head and master of horror, Sir Christopher Lee, has passed away in a London hospital, aged 93. Lee, who starred in a plethora of films and released a string of heavy metal albums, died on Sunday morning, 7th June, after being treated for respiratory problems.
As The Guardian reports, Lee’s wife, former Danish model Birgit Kroencke, held back the news of his death untill all family members and friends had been informed. Kroencke and Lee were married for over 50 years, and had one daughter, Christina.
Lee, who was knighted in 2009, will be remembered for his numerous film roles in movies such as Dracula, The Wicker Man, James Bond and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In the music world, his metal singles will be remembered as clever and playful.
Lee’s latest single, Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing (below), was released last December as a take on the Christmas classic, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Prior to that, he became the oldest charting heavy metal artist in 2013, when he was 91, with the song Jingle Hell.
Lee released his fourth and final album, Charlemagne: The Omens Of Death, in 2013. He released the Christmas EP A Heavy Metal Christmas, in 2012, the symphonic metal concept album, Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross, in 2010, and was awarded the Spirit Of Metal Award at a heavy metal awards night in the same year.
In 2014, Lee released his Metal Knight EP, which featured a cover of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
The news of Lee’s death has seen an outpouring of tributes online, and some of which can be viewed below.
Watch: Christopher Lee: A Musical Journey
Watch: Christopher Lee – Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing
So sad to hear about the loss of Sir Christopher Lee. The man was truly a legend. https://t.co/35Bw5seOvp pic.twitter.com/FrzTlJEVNa
— Tony Iommi (@tonyiommi) June 11, 2015
An extraordinary man and life lead, Sir Christopher Lee. You were an icon, and a towering human being with stories for days. We'll miss you.
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) June 11, 2015
It's terribly when you lose an old friend, and Christopher Lee was one of my oldest. We first met in 1948.
— Sir Roger Moore (Legacy) (@sirrogermoore) June 11, 2015
PM: Saddened to hear of Sir Christopher Lee's death, a titan of Golden Age of Cinema & distinguished WW2 veteran who'll be greatly missed
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 11, 2015
Really sad to hear about the death of Christopher Lee, one of the greatest British actors and a master of the macabre pic.twitter.com/q5UUhc7xId
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) June 11, 2015
https://instagram.com/p/3y2WvbS9eH/
Every time you feel sad about Christopher Lee, look at this picture and it'll make you smile. pic.twitter.com/QU9sI2Igvt
— AKA (@_AKA_) June 11, 2015
https://instagram.com/p/3yh7zqIeCx/
