This Sunday the British Academy of Film and Television Arts will honour Sir Christopher Lee with the academy fellowship which will be presented to the legendary actor at the Orange British Academy Film Awards ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House.
The Academy Fellowship is the highest acolade given to great individual as recognition of their exceptional work and contribution to the film industry. Sir Christopher will join the list of previous honours of Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Julie Christie, John Barry, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Hopkins, Terry Gilliam, Vanessa Redgrave and Dame Judi Dench.
When it comes to icon theres none better than sir Christopher Lee who help make Hammer Films an iconic film studio due to his numerous films for the studio starting in the mid-1950’s as Frankenstien’s Monster but it was Count Dracula which made him so popular. It wasn’t the Horror Films he was a James Bond Villian as Scaramanga , even played Sherlock Holmes Brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry will play this part in Guy Ritchies version) in Billy Wilder’s Private Life of Sherlock Holmes but its his part of Lord Summersisle in the Cult Classic people will remember him outside the Dracula films.
More recently in Role as Saruman (which he may reprise in the Hobbit) in Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland , voice in Corspe Bride not forgetting Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. He has has also just finished shooting Hugo Carbaret for Martin Scorecese , an amazing 250 films in total!
“I am absolutely delighted that the Academy is recognising Sir Christopher Lee. He has entertained me over many years and is a bastion of British filmmaking around the globe”. – Tim Corry, Academy Chairman
“It’s a very unexpected but very great honour to find myself in such distinguished company to receive the fellowship” – Sir Christopher Lee
It was a long time coming for the actor to be knighted and at last the British Academy finally is going to honor one of Britian’s much loved actors and well deserved!
The BAFTA Ceremony will be aired on BBC Sunday 13th February and I’ll do my best to cover the event as much as I can.
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