Most of My Three Sons Not Available on DVD or Blu-Ray

Chances are good that if you are an American belonging to the Baby Boom, Generation X, or even possibly Generation Y that you are familiar with the sitcom My Three Sons. It was a highly successful sitcom starring bona fide movie star Fred MacMurray as the widowed father of three sons (hence the title). My Three Sons debuted on ABC in 1960 and then moved to CBS in 1965 when ABC refused pay for the show's conversion to colour. In all, My Three Sons ran twelve seasons, making it the third longest running live-action sitcom after The Jack Benny Programme and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Seven of those seasons it spent in the top twenty shows for the year and ten of them in the top thirty.

Three years after ending its network run, the colour episodes of My Three Sons went into syndication in 1975. The show proved rather successful as a syndicated rerun and would remain a mainstay on American television for decades. Eventually even the early seasons shot in black and white would be seen again. The black and white episodes aired on such venues as Nick at Nite, The Family Channel, TBS, and TV Land. More recently the colour episodes have aired on FamilyNet and ME-TV.

Now one would think that given the show's success its entire run would have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray by now. One would think that at the very least the more popular colour episodes would have been released. Amazingly enough, this is not the case. Only the first two seasons of the show, rarely seen since it first aired, have been released on DVD and nothing has been released on Blu-Ray. What is more, it has been five years since the last batch of episodes were released on DVD.

Given the success of My Three Sons this seems most odd. The show ran for twelve years, longer than any other live action sitcom besides The Jack Benny Programme and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. The colour episodes that had aired on CBS proved rather successful in syndication and aired recently on ME-TV. There is clearly still something of an audience for the show--at least the colour episodes that many younger Baby Boomers, Gen-Xers, and possibly even Gen Yers grew up with. I can only guess that perhaps the first four sets of My Three Sons DVDs (The First Season: Volume 1, The First Season Volume 2, The Second Season Volume 1, and The Second Season Volume 2) did not sell well. Of course, there is no reason that they really should have. They were rarely seen in syndication and very few people probably even remember them. I have to suspect that if they had stared with the later colour seasons with which most people are familiar, the DVD sets would have sold better.

At any rate, My Three Sons not being on DVD seems like an enormous oversight, especially when much, much less successful and even some rather obscure shows have been released on DVD. It seems to me that if CBS Home Entertainment were to release the show on DVD--at least the colour episodes--they might be surprised by the amount of money they would bring in.

"Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis

Today was a busy day, so I did not have time to make a full fledged blog entry. I will then leave you with one of my favourite songs from the past many years, "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis.

"We're the Couple in the Castle" from Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1942)

Last night I watched one of my all time favourite animated films, the Fleischer Brothers' underrated masterpiece Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941). In addition to featuring some simply incredible animation, Mr. Bug Goes to Town also has one of the best movie soundtracks of the Forties. Indeed, no less than three of the five original songs featured in the film were written by none other than composer Hoagy Carmichael and lyricist  Frank Loesser.  It should then come as no surprise that Mr. Bug Goes to Town would produce at least one hit song despite its failure at the box office. "We're the Couple in the Castle", written by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser, was recorded by multiple artists in early 1942, including Johnny Long (who also recorded "Boy, Oh, Boy" from the film), Frankie Masters (who recorded "Boy, Oh, Boy" as well), Claude Thornill, Barry Wood, and even none other than Glenn Miller & His Orchestra. In March 1942 "We're the Couple in the Castle" regularly made the top ten of Billboard's list of songs with the most radio plugs, as well as the regional lists of the best selling sheet music around the country. Mr. Bug Goes to Washington may have bombed at the box office, but "We're the Couple in the Castle" was a hit in the early months of 1942.

My favourite song from Mr. Bug Goes to Town is actually "Katy Did, Katy Didn't" by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser, but then it was not the big hit from the film. Here, then, is "We're the Couple in the Castle" sung by the man who originated it in the film, Kenny Gardner (who also provided the voice of Dick in the film).

Godspeed Monica Lewis

Jazz singer and movie star Monica Lewis died on June 12 2015 at the age of 93. In the Forties and Fifties she had a highly successful recording career, and went onto appear in such film as Excuse My Dust (1951) and Affair with a Stranger (1953). Starting in 1947 she was the long time voice of the character Chiquita Banana in the company's animated commercials.

Monica Lewis was born May Lewis on May 5 1922 in Chicago. She came from a musical family. Her father Leon Lewis was a symphonic composer and pianist. Her mother Jessica Lewis was a singer with the Chicago Opera Company. Her sister Bobbe Lewis became a concert pianist. Her brother Marlo Lewis was a gifted violinist who would go onto create The Ed Sullivan Show and was its executive producer for years. Monica Lewis studied voice from a young age with her mother as her teacher.

In 1933 when Monica Lewis was 11 the family moved from Chicago to New York City. Monica Lewis was only 17 years old when she landed a job on the radio show The Gloom Dodgers, which aired on New York City radio station WHN (now WEPN). Exposure on the show would lead to Miss Lewis performing at the popular Stork Club. It was in 1943 that she auditioned to replace Peggy Lee in Benny Goodman's band. Monica Lewis was chosen out of around 300 girls who had auditioned. Miss Lewis would appear frequently on such radio shows as Beat the Band, The Chesterfield Hour (on which she sang with Frank Sinatra), and The Revere Camera Show. Monica Lewis would have several hit records in the Forties and Fifties on such record labels as Signature, Decca, and Capitol. Among her hits were “But Not for Me”, “The House I Live In”, “The Gentleman Is a Dope", “Autumn Leaves", “Fools Rush In”, “I Wish You Love”, and “A Tree in the Meadow (with the Ames Brothers).” She was the first performer to record "Put the Blame on Mame", later made famous in the classic film Gilda.

In 1947 Monica Lewis began providing the voice for the animated character Chiquita Banana in commercials for the product. It was Monica Lewis who introduced her brother Marlo Lewis (then an executive of the Blaine Thompson Advertising agency, who had created the radio show Luncheon at Sardi's) to newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan. This led to the creation of Toast of the Town, which was later renamed The Ed Sullivan Show, on which Marlo Lewis was a long time executive producer. Monica Lewis appeared on the very first edition of Toast of the Town in 1948 and made several more appearances on the show.

It was in 1950 that Monica Lewis signed a motion picture contract with MGM. She made her film debut in 1951 as a singer in the film Inside Straight (1951). In the Fifties she appeared in such films as Excuse My Dust (1951), The Strip (1951), Everything I Have Is Yours (1952), Affair with a Stranger (1953), and The D.I. (1957). She guest starred on such television dramas Make Room for Daddy, Studio 57, Peter Gunn, M Squad, Tales of Wells Fargo, Johnny Staccato, The Deputy, Overland Trail, and Shotgun Slade. She appeared on such variety shows as The Jackie Gleason Show, The Larry Storch Show, The George Jessel Show, Texaco Star Theatre, and The Julius LaRosa Show.

In the Sixties Monica Lewis appeared on such shows as Laramie, G.E. Theatre, The Tall Man, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Arrest and Trial, Crossroads, Wagon Train, Convoy, Laredo, and The Virginian. In the Seventies Miss Lewis guest starred on the shows Marcus Welby, M.D., Night Gallery, Emergency!, Ironside, Barbary Coast, and Quincy M.E. She appeared in the films Charley Varrick (1973), Earthquake (1974), Airport '77 (1977), Rollercoaster (1977), Nunzio (1978), Zero to Sixty (1978), and The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979).  In the Eighties Miss Lewis guest starred on the TV shows Remington Steele, Santa Barbara, and Falcon Crest. She appeared in the films Boxoffice (1982), The Sting II (1983), Stick (1985), and Dead Heat (1988).

In addition to being the voice of Chiquita Banana, Monica Lewis appeared in advertising campaigns for several brands over the years, including Burlington Mills hosiery (for whom she was "Miss Leg-O-Genic"), General Electric,  Piel’s Light Beer, and Camel Cigarettes. During the Korean War she entertained the troops alongside Danny Kaye.

Monica Lewis was obviously beautiful and also immensely talented. She was an incredible singer with a voice that was rich, mellifluous, and soulful. In many respects it was perfectly suited to the sort of jazz that was being recorded in the late Forties and early Fifties. It should be little wonder then that Miss Lewis would have a string of hit songs from the late Forties well into the Fifties. Indeed, as far as I am concerned her rendition of "Put the Blame on Mame" is not only the original, but the quintessential version. Her version of "A Tree in the Meadow", recorded with the Ames Brothers, is the best of any version.

Of course, Monica Lewis not only had an incredible voice, she was also blessed with movie star good looks. It should be little wonder that MGM singed her to a movie contract. What is more, Miss Lewis proved to have some talent as an actress. She proved to have gift for comedy playing a music teacher in the Make Room for Daddy episode "The School Teacher". She was equally adept at drama, as shown in the episode of The Virginian "The Decision", in which she played a wife who worried her husband's job as a sheriff could cost him his life. In the Seventies she would prove quite good as a supporting actress in Universal's disaster movies, particularly as Sam's secretary Barbara in Earthquake.

Beyond Monica Lewis's incredible talent as a vocalist, it must be pointed out that she was simply a fine human being as well. As mentioned earlier, she entertained troops during the Korean War. She was also known to support various charitable causes over the years. The past many years Miss Lewis was active on Twitter, where she proved to be as sweet and kind as she was talented and beautiful. On Twitter Monica Lewis displayed the sort of gratitude towards her fans that is sometimes lacking in modern day celebrities. She always had time to answer questions and was very gracious about accepting compliments. Ultimately Monica Lewis was not simply an extraordinary singer and a beautiful woman, but a truly nice and thoughtful lady as well.

The Late Great Ron Moody

English actor Ron Moody, who appeared in such films as The Mouse on the Moon (1963), Murder Most Foul (1964), Every Day's a Holiday (1964), and Oliver! (1968), died on June 11 2015 at the age of 91.

Ron Moody was born Ronald Moodnick on January 8 1924 in Tottenham, North London. His father Bernard Moodnick was a studio executive. Ron Moodnick was only six years old when the family surname was legally changed to "Moody". He attended Southgate County School in  Palmers Green, Middlesex. During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force as a radar technician. Following the war he attended the London School of Economics with the goal of becoming a sociologist. It was while he was at the London School of Economics that he was recruited for a student revue, for which he ultimately wrote and acted in a few sketches. Ron Moody graduated in 1950 with a bachelor's degree and even began academic research, but acting soon overtook sociology has his career choice. He made his professional stage debut in 1952 in the revue Intimacy at Eight. He would also go onto do standup comedy in clubs.

Ron Moody made his film debut in an uncredited role as a unicyclist in Davy in 1958. He made his television debut in an episode of The Vise that same year. He appeared in the films Follow a Star (1959) and Make Mine Mink (1960). It was in 1960 at the New Theatre in London that the musical Oliver! debuted with Ron Moody in the role of Fagin. Ultimately Ron Moody's tendency to change his lines would put him at odds with co-star Georgia Brown and others in the cast, as well as playwright, composer, and lyricist Lionel Bart. Mr. Moody ultimately decided not to participate in the show's Broadway run.

In the Sixties Ron Moody made his mark in film. He played Prime Minister Rupert Mountjoy in The Mouse on the Moon (1963), as well as actor and repertory theatre manager H. Driffold Cosgood  in Murder Most Foul (1963). He reprised his role as Fagin for the 1968 screen adaptation of Oliver!. He also appeared in the films Five Golden Hours (1961), A Pair of Briefs (1962), Summer Holiday (1963), Ladies Who Do (1963), Every Day's a Holiday (1964), San Ferry Ann (1965), The Sandwich Man (1966), and The Twelve Chairs (1970). He also appeared often on British television. He played Autolycus in a 1962 adaptation of The Winter's Tale, and Uriah Heep in 1969 adaptation of David Copperfield. Mr. Moody guest starred on such shows as Armchair Theatre, Comedy Playhouse, Thursday Theatre, ITV Play of the Week, and The Avengers. In 1969 Ron Moody turned down a chance to succeed Patrick Troughton as The Doctor on Doctor Who, a decision he always regretted. He appeared on the West End in the play Joey.

In the Seventies Ron Moody starred in the television series Midnight is a Place and Nobody's Perfect. He guest starred on the shows Shirley's World, The Edwardians, Gunsmoke, Village Hall, Starsky and Hutch, and Tales of the Unexpected. Mr. Moody appeared in such films as Flight of the Doves (1971), Dogpound Shuffle (1975), Closed Up-Tight (1975), Legend of the Werewolf (1975), The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977), Dominique (1979), and Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979).

In the Eighties Ron Moody reprised his role as Fagin in a revival of Oliver! on Broadway. On television he played the wizard Rothgo in the series Into the Labyrinth, as well as Detective Sergeant Albert Adams in the series Hideaway. He guest starred on the shows Tales of the Gold Monkey; Hart to Hart, Highway to Heaven; and Murder, She Wrote. He appeared in the films Wrong Is Right (1982) and Where Is Parsifal? (1984). He provided the voice of Prolix in the English dub of the animated feature Asterix and the Big Fight (1989).

In the Nineties Mr. Moody provided the voices of Badger and Toad in the TV animated series The Animals of Farthing Wood. He guest starred on Last of the Summer Wine, Mike & Angelo, and Noah's Island. He appeared in the films How's Business (1991), Emily's Ghost (1992), A Kid in King Arthur's Court (1995), Quality Time (1996), Take Pity (1996), and The 3 Kings (2000).

In the Naughts Ron Moody guest starred on EastEnders, Keen Eddie, The Bill, Casualty, and Holby City. He appeared in the films Chopsticks (2001), Revelation (2001), Paradise Grove (2003), Lost Dogs (2005),  and Moussaka & Chips (2005). In the Teens he made his last television appearance on Holby City and his last film appearance in Fits and Starts of Restlessness (2012).

Ron Moody will forever be known for his role in Fagin in Oliver!, however it is hardly the only role for which he is known or even the best role of his career. As impressive as Mr. Moody's performance as Fagin was, the fact is that he gave a number of great performances throughout his career. In fact, I remember him best as the egotistical, scheming, and wily Prime Minster Rupert Mountjoy in The Mouse on the Moon. The role had been originated by Peter Sellers in The Mouse That Roared in 1959, but Ron Moody made the role all his own. It was the following year that Ron Moody delivered another impressive performance as overly theatrical director and theatre manager  H. Driffold Cosgood in Murder Most Foul.  Ron Moody also delivered an excellent performance as Ippolit Vorobyaninov, the fallen Russian aristocrat desiring a life of luxury, in Mel Brooks's 1970 version of The Twelve Chairs. In Flight of the Doves he was impressive Hawk Dove, a failed actor with a temper and very little in the way of scruples.

Ron Moody was at his best playing quirky characters who could be charming despite whatever character flaws they might have. What is more, Mr. Moody could actually give such characters a depth that they might not have had in the hands of another actor. It was a gift that he shared with fellow actors Sir Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers. While Ron Moody might not have been as famous as either of those actors, he was certainly just as talented.

Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)

I have a confession to make. I really don't like the beach very much. What's more, I don't like summer at all. That having been said, I have always had a weakness for American International Pictures' series of "Beach Party" films from the mid-Sixties. It was in the summer of 1963 that AIP released Beach Party starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. The film proved to be a roaring success, so much so that it not only launched the "Beach Party" series from AIP, but it also sparked a cycle of "beach party" films in which nearly every major studio took part in some way, shape, or form.

AIP's "Beach Party" movies were standard fare on television when I was growing up. The networks showed the films on their various movie anthologies. Later local television stations would show them, usually on weekend afternoons in those days before sporting events overtook television on Saturdays and Sundays. As a kid growing up in the late Sixties and the Seventies it would have been very difficult to miss the "Beach Party" movies. As it was, I think I saw most of them before I was ten years old. In fact, the very first one I can remember watching was Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). To this day it has remained my second favourite of AIP's "Beach Party" movies, right after the original Beach Party (1963).

Like nearly all of the "Beach Party" movies, the plot of Beach Blanket Bingo was less important than the various comedic bits, songs, and appealing actors in the movie. Quite simply, like the other "Beach Party" movies Beach Blanket Bingo was pure escapism, set in a world where it is apparently never too hot, never too cold, and the worst thing that could happen is biker Eric Von Zipper  (played by Harvey Lembeck) spoiling the party. Not surprisingly the plot threads of Beach Blanket Bingo are pretty easy to summarise: agent Bullets (played by Paul Lynde) is staging publicity stunts for his singer Sugar Kane (played by Linda Evans) around the beach; Eric Von Zipper becomes smitten with Sugar Kane (as does presumably most of the male population in the film); Dee Dee (played by Annette Funicello) and Frankie (played by Frankie Avalon) decide to take up skydiving; and Bonehead (formerly Deadhead, played by Jody McCrea) meets a mermaid (played by Marta Kristen).

Not surprising given the success AIP had with the "Beach Party" formula, Beach Blanket Bingo differs very little from previous entries in the series. Perhaps the biggest change was in the name of Jody McCrea's character. In the first several movies he is called "Deadhead", a reference to his general lack of intelligence. At some point prior to the production of Beach Blanket Bingo, however, American International Pictures decided that they wanted to use the word "Deadhead" for the title of the film Sergeant Deadhead (1965).  As a result Deadhead became "Bonehead" and remained so for the rest of the series. Regardless of his name, Jody McCrea's character was still good hearted but not terribly bright, the Li'l Abner or Jethro Bodine of the beach. Whether he is called "Deadhead" or "Bonehead", he is the favourite "Beach Party" character of many people.

Of course, in addition to Dee Dee, Frankie, and Bonehead, biker Eric Von Zipper also returns in Beach Blanket Bingo. Eric Von Zipper, the leader of the biker gang known as the Rat Pack or the Ratz (as it is spelled on their jackets), had first appeared in Beach Party and then in the sequel Bikini Beach (1964) and the related film Pyjama Party (1964). For Beach Blanket Bingo he received even more screen time and even a song ("Follow Your Leader"). Harvey Lembeck would continue to play Eric Von Zipper for two more "Beach Party" movies.

Two other actors who were regulars in the "Beach Party" films would also return for Beach Blanket Bingo. John Astley had appeared in the previous movies Beach Party (1963), Muscle Beach Party (1964), and Bikini Beach (1964), although he played a different character every time. In Beach Blanket Bingo he played skydiving instructor Steve. Like John Astley, Don Rickles was another regular actor in the "Beach Party" series who played a different character every time. In Muscle Beach Party he played a character named "Jack Fanny", although in his successive appearances he would play characters called "Big (fill in the blank)". In Bikini Beach he played "Big Drag". In Pyjama Party he played  Big Bang The Martian.  In Beach Blanket Bingo he played Big Drop, the owner of the local skydiving service. While basically playing a variation of his earlier characters in the "Beach Party" films, Don Rickles actually does get to perform his well known insult routine in the film (for which he was famous even then).

Of course, the "Beach Party" films are famous for their many guest stars, and Beach Blanket Bingo had its fair share. Paul Lynde appears as singer Sugar Kane's none too honest agent Bullets. Gossip columnist Earl Wilson appeared as himself in the film. Character actor Timothy Carey played South Dakota Slim, a comedic take on the various psychopaths and sociopaths he played over the years (South Dakota Slim had previously appeared briefly in Bikini Beach). Fans of classic film may be happiest to see Buster Keaton in recurring bits throughout the film, although sadly he wasn't utilised to his full potential.  While some of Buster's bits in  the film are rather funny, many simply seem to fall flat. Buster Keaton would also appear in the next "Beach Party" film How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965).

The "Beach Party" films were also famous for the various music acts that appeared in the films, and Beach Blanket Bingo was no different. Singer Donna Loren had already appeared in Muscle Beach Party, Bikini Beach, and Pyjama Party. In Beach Blanket Bingo she performed the song “It Only Hurts When I Cry". American surf rock band The Hondells also played two numbers in the film. One big name singer who did not appear in Beach Blanket Bingo was Nancy Sinatra. The role of Sugar Kane was written for Miss Sinatra, but she dropped out of the film before shooting began following the kidnapping of her brother Frank Sinatra, Jr.  Quite simply a subplot in which Sugar Kane is kidnapped made her uncomfortable. Non-singer Linda Evans was then cast in the role of Sugar Kane. Miss Evans's singing voice was dubbed by Jackie Ward, who had the hit song "Wonderful Summer" in 1963.

Depending on whether one counts Pyjama Party as part of the "Beach Party" series or simply a film related to the series, Beach Blanket Bingo was either the fourth or fifth film in the series. And while the "beach party" cycle of films peaked in 1965, in many ways Beach Blanket Bingo would be the beginning of the end for the "Beach Party" series. It would the last "Beach Party" film in which Frankie Avalon starred until Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965), in which he played a completely different character. He would only appear briefly in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini. Beach Blanket Bingo would also be the next to the last time Annette Funicello played Dee Dee and Jody McCrea played Deadhead/Bonehead. They would each play their respective roles one more time in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini. After Beach Blanket Bingo there would only be three more "Beach Party" films: How to Stuff a Wild Bikini,  Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966).

Sadly,  The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini would fail miserably at the box office in 1966. That same year American International Pictures' outlaw biker movie The Wild Angels would prove to be a surprise hit. AIP abandoned the "Beach Party" movies in favour of a new cycle of biker movies that would continue nearly until the end of the decade. It would seem that Eric Von Zipper and his Rat Pack won in the end.

Like the other "Beach Party" movies, Beach Blanket Bingo is not a great film. I am not sure that I would apply the term "classic" to any of them. That having been said, like the other "Beach Party" movies Beach Blanket Bingo is a fun, lightweight movie that goes down easily. It is the sort of escapist fare that one can enjoy and through which one can forget about one's troubles for a while. That having been said, it would be a mistake to assume that Beach Blanket Bingo, or any of the "Beach Party" movies for that matter, is the motion picture equivalent of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet or The Donna Reed Show. In both  Beach Party and Muscle Beach Party the characters smoke, and there are references to drinking in the earlier films as well.

The smoking and drinking in the "Beach Party" movies would soon fall by the wayside, but one thing that would remain in the films is a good deal of sexual innuendo. The "Beach Party" films are hardly sexless by any means. In fact, in many respects they function as a teenage equivalent of the Sixties sex comedies of the era, those made by Doris Day and Rock Hudson's perhaps being the  best known. Indeed, Beach Blanket Bingo and the other "Beach Party" movies feature the same sort of misunderstandings, attempts at seduction, attempts at deception, assumed identities, and other related tropes often seen in the Sixties sex comedies. By today's standards the "Beach Party" movies might seem like relatively good clean fun, but they weren't nearly as antiseptic or sexless as many today believe them to be.

Many fans of the "Beach Party" series regard Beach Blanket Bingo as their favourite of the series, while others count it as their second favourite after the original Beach Party. Indeed, at IMDB it has the highest user rating of any "Beach Party" film after Beach Party itself. Despite this in many ways Beach Blanket Bingo was the last hurrah for the "Beach Party" movies. It would be the last of the films in which Frankie Avalon starred as his character of Frankie, and the next to the last film in which Annette Funicello played Dee Dee and Jody McCrea played Deadhead/Bonehead. It would be only a little less than a year later that Ghost in the Invisible Bikini was released, spelling the end of the series. The "Beach Party" series that had begun in 1963 would be over by 1966.

The Late Great Sir Christopher Lee

For many people Sir Christopher Lee will always be Dracula. In fact, with the possible exception of Bela Lugosi, no other actor is as identified with the role as strongly as Mr. Lee. Unlike many actors who find themselves strongly identified with a particular role, however, Sir Christopher Lee was known for having played many other characters as well. He was Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man (1973). He was Frankenstein's Creature in Curse of Frankenstein (1957). He was Scaramanga in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974). He was Saruman in Lord of the Rings. Indeed, over the years Sir Christopher Lee has appeared in so many roles that according to Guinness World Records he is the actor with the most screen appearances to his name. Sadly,  Sir Christopher Lee died June 7 2015 at the age of 93.

Sir Christopher Lee was born on May 27 1922 in Belgravia, London. He was the son of Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Trollope Lee of the 60th King’s Royal Rifle Corps and Contessa Estelle Maria Carandini, an Italian countess. His father had fought in both the Boer War and World War I. His mother was a descendent of the Borgias and  a legendary beauty of the Edwardian Era who had been painted by  Sir John Lavery, Oswald Birley, and Olive Snell. His parents separated when he was four years old and divorced two years later. It was at this time that his mother and young Mr. Lee moved to Wengen in Switzerland. It was while he was attending school in Territet, Switzerland that he had his first brush with acting, playing  Rumpelstiltskin.

His mother remarried after she returned to London. Her new husband and young Mr. Lee's stepfather was  Harcourt George St-Croix Rose, a rich banker and Ian Fleming's maternal uncle. Sir Christopher Lee attended Wagner's private school in Queen's Gate and later Summer Fields School in Oxford. At Summer Fields he acted in school plays, often alongside another future actor, Patrick Macnee. He applied for a scholarship to Eton, but attended the more affordable Wellington College in Berkshire. There he excelled in the classics, studying both Ancient Greek and Latin.. Mr. Lee would be fluent in Italian and French, and eventually he would be able to speak  Spanish, German, Russian, Swedish, Danish and Greek as well.

While Sir Christopher Lee was reared in relative privilege, he had to go to work at age 17. His stepfather went bankrupt and his mother would separate from Mr. Lee's stepfather not long afterwards. He went to work for United States Lines as a messenger and later as an office clerk at Beecham's. With the outbreak of World War II he joined the Royal Air Force. Unfortunately his eyesight proved to be too poor for him to become a pilot. Shortly thereafter he applied to join RAF Intelligence. During World War II Sir Christopher Lee was attached to the Special Operations Executive (informally known as "the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare"), but always declined to discuss his involvement.  Following the war he worked with the Central Registry of War Crimes.

Sir Christopher Lee was demobilised when he was 24. With the war over he was undecided as to what he wanted to do. He did not want to return to Beecham's, even though they offered him his old job back. It was his cousin, Nicolò Carandini (then the Italian ambassador to Britain), who suggested that he go into acting. He met with Filippo Del Giudice, the head of Two Cities Films (part of the Rank Organisation), and signed a seven year contract with the Rank Organisation. He started training in acting at the Rank Company of Youth (also known as the "Rank Charm School") in 1946. He made his television debut that same year in an episode of Kaleidoscope. In 1948 he made his film debut in Corridor of Mirrors (1948).

Sir Christopher Lee appeared in several films in the late Forties, generally in small parts. He appeared with future co-star Peter Cushing for the first time in 1948 in Lord Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, although he played an uncredited spear carrier while Mr. Cushing played Osric. Sir Christopher Lee also appeared in the films One Night with You (1948), A Song for Tomorrow (1948), Penny and the Pownall Case (1948), Scott of the Antarctic (1948), Trottie True (1949), They Were Not Divided (1950), and Prelude to Fame (1950).

By the early Fifties Sir Christopher Lee was appearing in larger roles in films than he had earlier. He played a Spanish captain in Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951), the military attaché Joseph in The Crimson Pirate (1952), and Georges Seurat in Moulin Rouge (1952).  From the early to mid-Fifties he appeared ins such films as Valley of Eagles (1951), Innocents in Paris (1953), Destination Milan (1954), The Mirror and Markheim (1954), The Cockleshell Heroes (1955), and The Dark Avenger (1955).  His contract with the Rank Organisation ran out and Sir Christopher Lee began appearing on various television shows, both British and American. He appeared on such TV series as Colonel March of Scotland Yard, The Vise, Tales of Hans Anderson, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Presents, and The Errol Flynn Theatre.

It was in 1957 that Sir Christopher Lee appeared in a role that would forever change his career. He starred as the Creature in Hammer Films' Curse of Frankenstein (1957). The film proved to be a phenomenal hit on both sides of the Atlantic, so much so that Hammer Films decided to follow it up with an adaptation of Dracula. Christopher Lee was cast as the vampiric count and played him as he never had been played before: a noble, self assured entity oozing with sexuality. If anything Dracula proved to be an even bigger hit than Curse of Frankenstein. The two films would lead Hammer to begin an entire cycle of horror movies that would last well into the Seventies and inspire imitations from such studios as American International and Tigon British Film Productions. Sir Christopher Lee would go onto play Dracula six more times for Hammer Films.

Following Sir Christopher Lee's appearance in Dracula, he also played other roles for Hammer Films in the late Fifties. He appeared as Sir Henry in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959),  the title character Kharis in The Mummy (1959), Pierre Gerrard in The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), and Paul Allen in The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960). Mr. Lee also continued to appear in films not produced by Hammer as well. He played the corrupt Marquis St. Evremonde in A Tale of Two Cities (1958). He also appeared in the films Battle of the V-1 (1958), Corridors of Blood (1958), The Treasure of San Teresa (1959), Beat Girl (1960), and The Hands of Orlac (1960).

The Sixties would see Sir Christopher Lee appear in several more Dracula films, as well as other movies for Hammer Films. He played a heavily fictionalised version of historical figure Grigori Rasputin in Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966. In The Devil Rides Out (1968) he did a rare turn playing a hero, the Duc de Richleau, who comes face to face with diabolists. Beyond Hammer Films he played Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962), as well as Mycroft Holmes in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970). He also played the title character in a series of Fu Manchu films produced by  Harry Alan Towers. Mr. Lee played Dracula in a film not produced by Hammer Films, Jess Franco's Count Dracula (1970). Throughout the Sixties he appeared on such films as Taste of Fear (1961), Hercules in the Haunted World (1961), The Devil's Agent (1962), La vergine di Norimberg (1963), The Gorgon (1964), Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965).  She (1965), The Skull (1965), The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967), Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968), The Oblong Box (1969), The Magic Christian (1969), Scream and Scream Again (1970),  and Julius Caesar (1970).  Mr. Lee also appeared on television in such shows as Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and The Avengers.

The Seventies saw Sir Christopher Lee play Dracula for Hammer for one last time in The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). His most notable role during the decade was most likely that of Lord Summerisle in the classic horror movie The Wicker Man (1973). Sir Christopher Lee counted it as the best film he ever made. He played the villain Scaramanga in the James Bond movie The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), and Rochefort in The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974). He also played opposite Peter Cushing in the cult classic The Creeping Flesh (1973), a film often mistakenly attributed to Hammer but actually produced by Tigon Pictures. In the Seventies Sir Christopher Lee also appeared in such films as The House That Dripped Blood (1971), Hannie Caulder (1971),  Horror Express (1972), Diagnosis: Murder (1975), To the Devil a Daughter (1976), Airport '77 (1977), Return from Witch Mountain (1978), Circle of Iron (1978), 1941 (1979), and Serial (1980). He also appeared on television in the shows Space: 1999,  How the West Was Won, Saturday Night Live, and Charlie's Angels.

The Eighties saw Sir Christopher Lee play Blind Pew in a television movie adaptation of Treasure Island, as well as Stuart in a television mini-series adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days. He also appeared in such mini-series and TV shows as The Far Pavilions, Faerie Tale Theatre, and Shaka Zulu. Mr. Lee reprised his role as Rochefort in The Return of the Musketeers (1989). He also appeared in such films as Safari 3000 (1982), House of the Long Shadows (1983), The Return of Captain Invincible (1983), The Rosebud Beach Hotel (1984), Howling II: ... Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985), Dark Mission: Flowers of Evil (1988), Murder Story (1989), and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990).

In the Nineties Sir Christopher Lee made several appearances on television. He played Flay in the 2000 mini-series Gormenghast. He played Sherlock Holmes for the last time in the TV movies Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1991) and Incident at Victoria Falls (1992) (TV). He played Lucas de Beaumanoir in the mini-series Ivanhoe. He appeared in the Tomorrow People serial "The Rameses Connection" and was the voice of Death in the animated series based on Terry Pratchett's Soul Music. He also had recurring roles on the shows Street Gear and The New Adventures of Robin Hood. He guest starred on Tales of Mystery and Imagination and Young Indiana Jones, and played Tiresias in the TV mini-series The Odyssey. In 1998 he appeared in what he considered to be his best performance in the film Jinnah (1998), playing Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of modern day Pakistan. He provided the voice of Monsieur Renard in Beauty and the Beast. He also appeared in such films as Kabuto (1991), Funny Man (1994), Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994), A Feast at Midnight (1994), The Stupids (1996), Sleepy Hollow (1999). He also released the album Christopher Lee Sings Devils, Rogues & Other Villains in 1998.

The Naughts saw Sir Christopher Lee appear in one of his best known roles, that of Saruman in Lord of the Rings. He would reprise the role in The Hobbit movies in the Teens. He played Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and voiced the character in the film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). He provided the voice of Pastor Galswells in Corpse Bride (2005). He also appeared in the films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Greyfriars Bobby (2005), The Golden Compass (2007), Triage (2009), and The Heavy (2010).  He provided the voice of the Jabberwocky  in Alice in Wonderland (2010). In 2006 Mr. Lee released the album Revelation, followed by the symphonic metal album Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross in 2010.

In the Teens Sir Christopher Lee reprised his role as Saruman in the movies based on The Hobbit. He played Monsieur Labisse in Hugo (2011) and Cardinal D'Ambroise in Season of the Witch (2011). He appeared in the films The Wicker Tree (2011), Dark Shadows (2012), Night Train to Lisbon (2013), The Girl from Nagasaki (2013), and Angels in Notting Hill (2014).  He released one last album, Charlemagne: The Omens of Death, in 2013.

Sir Christopher Lee received a knighthood in 2009 for services to drama and charity. In 1997 he was named a Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John. In 2011 he was awarded the  BAFTA Academy Fellowship.

To put it simply, Sir Christopher Lee was an incredible man. As an actor he was nothing but prolific, to the point that he holds the record for the most screen credits of any actor in film and television history. His career spanned nearly seventy years. In fact, he was set to appear next year in the film The 11th, which is currently in pre-production. Over the years he appeared frequently in both television and movies, and from 1948 to 2014 it is doubtful that a year went by that Sir Christopher Lee did not appear in at least one film or TV show (usually more). On top of his appearances on screen Sir Christopher Lee also found time to record music albums, provide narration and voices for symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire's albums, provide voices for video games, and even voice transcripts for audiobooks. It is quite possible that Sir Christopher Lee was the busiest actor of all time.

Of course, what makes Sir Christopher Lee all the more remarkable is that he was not only prolific, but he was also an incredible actor. He once said, “Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them.” Mr. Lee had the knack of being very, very good in some very, very bad movies. Even when a particular movie in which he appeared was not quite up to par, Sir Christopher Lee always delivered an excellent performance. Fortunately, many of Sir Christopher Lee's movies are not only good, but they are classics.

Indeed, as stated earlier, except for Bela Lugosi perhaps no other actor is as identified with the character of Dracula. It is not a simple case that Sir Christopher Lee played the role several times, but that he played it well. With Dracula (1958) he made a very strong impression, playing the vampire as charming, refined, alluring, powerful, and intimidating all at the same time. For many Mr. Lee will always remain the best Dracula. With his extreme height and his deep voice Mr. Lee would find himself playing a number of sophisticated villains over the years, from the Marquis St. Evremonde in A Tale of Two Cities to Fu Manchu to Saruman, but he could play much more than villains. In The Devil Rides Out he played the hero, the Duc de Richleau, who only shared sophistication and charm in common with Count Dracula (in fact, one can assume the Duc de Richleau would stake Dracula if they ever met). With The Wicker Man Sir Christopher Lee played a more complex role, that of Lord Summerisle, who is perhaps neither hero nor villain, but simply the head of a community seeking to insure its survival. 

Of course, Sir Christopher Lee was much more than a great actor. He was a distinguished veteran of World War II who served his country with honour. He was a refined, educated, enlightened man who could speak a number of different languages with ease. What is more, he was truly a rarity in show business in having been married 53 years to the same woman.  Above all else he was a true gentleman. He was known for his professionalism and his respect for both his fellow actors and even his fans. It is nearly impossible to find anyone with a bad thing to say about Sir Christopher Lee. In the end Sir Christopher Lee was simply an amazing talent and a truly great man.