a bit of trivia from IMDB
Trivia
Turned down Donald Pleasence's role in Halloween (1978). (He later remarked that this was his biggest mistake.)
Classically trained singer.
Possibly the only actor who has portrayed three different Sherlock Holmes characters: Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes and Henry Baskerville.
A distant cousin and frequent golfing partner of Bond creator Ian Fleming, Lee was the author's personal pick for the role of Dr. No (1962) in the first 007 film. The part, of course, went to actor Joseph Wiseman, who was brilliant. However, fans of the literary Bond might want to check out Lee's portrayal of Chinese master criminal Fu Manchu, for an idea of how Ian Fleming himself envisioned Dr. No.
Uncle of Harriet Walter.
Vincent Price and Christopher Lee were born on the same day (27th May) and Peter Cushing was born on the 26th.
Was one of the judges for the 1995 Miss World beauty pageant.
The blood dripping fangs worn by Lee in many of his vampire films were created by Irish dental technician Sean Mulhall.
Is listed as the Center of the Hollywood Universe by the Oracle of Kevin Bacon web site at the University of Virginia, because he can be linked to any one in Hollywood on average in 2.59 steps. That is less than either Charlton Heston or Kevin Bacon himself.
In a radio interview in South Africa, Lee claimed that he held the record for number of film roles by an actor. [2001]
He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.
Appears on the album cover "Band on the Run", performed by Paul McCartney's band 'Wings'.
Served in British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from 1941 to 1946. During that time he was an active member of the Special Forces.
He is fluent in German.
He appears in a scene from The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) on screen during the drive-in sequence in Stanley Kubrick's Lolita (1962).
The white coffin used in one of his Dracula films was later used in Bananarama 's pop video "Venus".
He is of noble Italian ancestry on his mother's side (Carandini).
From an acting dynasty, his great-grandparents founded the first Australian opera company.
He made his stage debut in school as the demonic lead in "Rumpelstiltskin," a sign of things to come.
A stunt double performed the stunts and lightsaber fights in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Lee's face was imposed on the double's body. Lee mentioned that in the last 40 years he has done more sword fights than any other actor, but "not any more."
Speaks very good French, good enough to understand questions and give long replies in a press conference.
Is an honorary member of three stuntmen's unions.
Is a Commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
His stepfather (his mother's second husband) was the maternal uncle of writer Ian Fleming (of James Bond fame). Lee and Fleming are therefore step-cousins.
Was voted no. 31 on the recent British televised poll "The Greatest Movie Stars Of All Time" above the likes of John Wayne, Michael Caine and Humphrey Bogart.
Sustained an injury to his hand while filming a swordfight with a slightly drunk Errol Flynn for The Dark Avenger (1955).
Both he and his fellow Star Wars Sith Lord, David Prowse, have played Frankenstein's Monster opposite Peter Cushing.
Has three roles in common with Boris Karloff. They have both played Fu Manchu, The Mummy and Frankenstein's Monster.
Played King Haggard in both the animated and live-action versions of The Last Unicorn (1982).
Was originally offered the role of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). He turned it down and the role eventually went to his good friend Peter Cushing.
Since his feature film debut in Corridor of Mirrors (1948) in 1948, he has had at least one film role every year except for 1995 and 2006.
At 6 feet 5 inches, he is entered into The Guinness Book of World Records as "The Tallest Leading Actor"
He struggled to get work early in his career as a supporting actor because almost all the male stars were shorter than he.
Was upset about the deletion of his death scene in the theatrical version of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). However, the scene was put back into the Extended Edition which is seen as the definitive version.
One of the most prolific actors of all time, he has acted in nearly 230 films, although he later admitted that his film work was not always chosen on quality but often on whether they could support his family. His peak years of productivity were 1955 and 1970, as Lee starred in nine films in both years.
As Darth Tyranus, he plays the first Sith apprentice to act in both body and voice.
Although he has been in well over 200 films, he has very rarely played a hero, having been a villain in perhaps about 85% of his films (even his bit parts lean towards the unsympathetic).
Was made "Officier des arts et lettres" by French culture minister JJ Aillagon on December 11th 2002.
One of his favorite bands is the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody, and he has also appeared on one of their album (listen to the speech in the intro on the song "Unholy Warcry" on the album "The dark secret"). Lee also appears on the Rhapsody single "The Magic Of The Wizard's Dream", where he does a duet with Rhapsody vocalist Fabio Leoni in English, German, Italian and French versions of the song.
On July 21st 2004 he was given the honorary citizenship of the Italian city of Casina (Province of Reggio Emilia) where Sarzano, the castle of his ancestors is situated. He gave his speech of thanks in Italian.
Was the Center of the Hollywood Universe, according to data at the Movie Oracle,
http://www.cs.virginia.edu/oracle/center.html, but is now second to Rod Steiger.
Two of his roles have been as leaders of a separatist movement. The first was Jinnah (1998), about Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. The second was in the "Star Wars" series as Count Dooku, the former mentor of Qui-Gon Jinn.
In a bonding of two generations of Frankenstein's monsters, Lee and his wife were good friends with Boris Karloff and his wife. This friendship wasn't as a result of them working together (they made two films together, Corridors of Blood (1958) and Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)) but by the coincidence that they lived next door to each other in England.
He has one child, Christina Erika Lee (b. November 23rd, 1963) with his wife Birgit Kroencke Lee (Gitte Lee).
During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Air Force and in British Intelligence.
In 1972 he founded Charlemagne Productions Ltd.
He studied at Summerfield Preparatory School and attended Wellington College.
His daughter, Christina Erika Lee, was born with her legs severely deformed. They were bent at such a severe angle that they were almost backwards. She spent her first 2 years in splints. She eventually learned how to walk after the age of three and no longer needed splints.
According to his official website: He speaks French, Italian, Spanish and German and can "get along" in Swedish, Russian and Greek.