SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE (1922 - 2015)

To contemporary audiences, he is best known for his role as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sir Christopher Lee has sadly passed away at the age of 93 after being hospitalised for respiratory problems and heart failure.

The veteran actor died on Sunday June 7 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London following respiratory problems and heart failure.

Lee had more than 280 film and television credits to his name and was best known for his role as Count Dracula in a string of popular Hammer Horror films in the late 50's and saw a career resurgence in 2001 with a role as Saruman and then as Count Dooku in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He also became a regular collaborator with Tim Burton, who cast him in Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows. He was last seen on the big screen in last year's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

May he rest in peace.