Eamonn McCormack/Getty ImagesChristopher Lee, the actor who was perhaps best known for playing Dracula, as well as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, died Sunday after being hospitalized for respiratory problems and heart failure. Lee was 93. News of his death only became public on Thursday, as his wife, Birgit Kroencke, informed family members of his death first. The two were married for more than 50 years.
Lee's film career began in 1947, though mainstream success came decades later. He played Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, and he also played Count Dooku in the second and third Star Wars prequels.
In 2005, Lee told Total Film that his best performance was in the 1998 biopic Jinnah, were he played Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. However, he said his best film was 1973's The Wicker Man. In addition to his film career, Lee also released a series of heavy metal albums. The British actor was knighted in 2009 for services to drama and charity, and he was awarded the BAFTA fellowship in 2011.
As news of his death spread Thursday, Lee's former co-stars and famous fans honored him by sharing pictures and memories on social media: