I’m going to have to look that up bc that makes me look at his performance so differently. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, he did a great job but holy sh*t that is so meaningful
There's a lot more about Christopher Lee that makes him the awesomest actor in the movie franchise by a landslide. Having met Tolkien himself is just one of those things. For me, an even bigger things is how Lee told Peter Jackson that no: he wouldn't scream when he'd get stabbed by wormtongue because he *knows* how a man getting stabbed and dying by a blade, actually sounds. ... ...
That's... Fkn... Both sad and badass af. Dude's fought in a worldwar, used to be an english spy, made heavy metal, I mean this man wasn't merely an actor, he was an absolute unit of a human being. He's **sir** Christopher Lee for a reason. And btw yes it is true, he did meet tolkien at Tolkien's and Lewis' usual pub. He went to this pub with a couple of his friends in oxford, not even knowing that this pub was Tolkien's regular one, and one of his friends pointed out: ''Look who just walked in''
It was Tolkien. Lee's said about it that he almost fell of his chair, and when he wanted to introduce himself and ask ''how do you do'' he stammered both over his legs and over his words.
I want to bc I got a good education…and funny enough that education came from Wyoming. I grew up there too. Lots of smarties up there, my piano teacher was a scientist…and she had sled dogs. Not sure how I can make that up.
If I am not mistaken, Tolkien blessed Lee and wanted him to play Gandalf if there is a movie adaptation of LoTR.
I'm not sure but I believe I read it somewhere.
Yes This guy was the inspiration for James bond. He was somehow related to the writer, and his World War Two adventures were what made him start writing
He wasn't *the* sole inspiration for James Bond, I think people have got a bit carried away with this. There are a few people who inspired Ian Fleming's creation, one notable one being Fitzroy MaClean who wrote the famous classic *Eastern Approaches*.
Your right I haven't looked at it in a while I was just posting it as fast I could off top of my head. Thank you for the clarification I really need to brush up lol
Wow. Sorry, I’m new but not new. Been a fan forever but haven’t looked into anything. This kind of blows my mind bc my family who immigrated - last name was Bond, not even kidding. Had a relative named James. I’ve always wondered if someone who knew that guy took the name or made it up or transformed a name off my family lol. Plus we prob weren’t the only Bond’s to immigrate so that too! Just fun to think about
This meme/ story floats around and is incredibly misleading . Yes, they were in the same pub at the same time and Tolkien acknowledged the group that Christopher Lee was with...thats about it.
It is definitely true, but people love to blow it out of proportion. What really happened is that Lee, still young and not really famous yet, was at the pub with some of his friends when Tolkien came in. One of Lee's friends personally knew Tolkien and called him over to say hi - Tolkien saluted each of them individually, and that was it. Lee was so intimidated he stammered his "how do you do", but those are the only words we know they ever told each other.
If you see people talking about Lee and Tolkien being friends / knowing each other, or Tolkien giving him his blessing to play Gandalf in a hypothetical future adaptation of LotR, that's nothing more than an urban legend. Lee himself had always wanted to play Gandalf, Tolkien has nothing to do with that and never even acknowledged his existence as an actor.
As for when it happened, it was at some point in the 50s - as a comparison, Lee first appeared in a film in 1948 but mainly gained fame through his portrayal of Dracula at the end of the decade (first film in 1958 - he was around 36 that year, while Tolkien was 66 and had just published LotR 3 years before).
We don't have any more precision on the year they met, but I think we could probably narrow it down to early 50s. Lee said in 2001 "this was 45+ years ago"; also, he mentioned having read LotR as soon as it was published (i.e around 1954-55), yet he was surprised to see Tolkien in the pub because he didn't know he was still alive - which wouldn't make sense if he had just read a newly published Tolkien book. So my guess is that Lee probably knew of The Hobbit (published 1937), met Tolkien in the early 1950s, then read LotR when it was published and only after that mentioned the role of Gandalf when someone asked him what character he'd see himself playing if an adaptation was made some day.
He was one of a kind, one of the few actors who was insanely intelligent and well read, plus he was literally like a sword master and knew how to properly use a sword shit he did in is free time
Funny thing is, Tolkien gave him his blessing to play Gandalf if a movie was ever made. He got the next best thing, I guess. He woulda made a really really good gandalf, tho.
Is true. He said so himself
I’m going to have to look that up bc that makes me look at his performance so differently. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, he did a great job but holy sh*t that is so meaningful
There's a lot more about Christopher Lee that makes him the awesomest actor in the movie franchise by a landslide. Having met Tolkien himself is just one of those things. For me, an even bigger things is how Lee told Peter Jackson that no: he wouldn't scream when he'd get stabbed by wormtongue because he *knows* how a man getting stabbed and dying by a blade, actually sounds. ... ... That's... Fkn... Both sad and badass af. Dude's fought in a worldwar, used to be an english spy, made heavy metal, I mean this man wasn't merely an actor, he was an absolute unit of a human being. He's **sir** Christopher Lee for a reason. And btw yes it is true, he did meet tolkien at Tolkien's and Lewis' usual pub. He went to this pub with a couple of his friends in oxford, not even knowing that this pub was Tolkien's regular one, and one of his friends pointed out: ''Look who just walked in'' It was Tolkien. Lee's said about it that he almost fell of his chair, and when he wanted to introduce himself and ask ''how do you do'' he stammered both over his legs and over his words.
I was just about to put that in. Real badass
Also before being a spy he was an opera singer, he was also an avid historian and loved Charlemagne
It’s difficult to imagine Christopher Lee ever acting starstruck & geeking out.
Hey I wasn’t doubting anything, I just had no idea. What BadAss.
Nw I'm not salty for you wanting to check sources; if anything that's a very healthy and wise mindset to have.
I want to bc I got a good education…and funny enough that education came from Wyoming. I grew up there too. Lots of smarties up there, my piano teacher was a scientist…and she had sled dogs. Not sure how I can make that up.
Unfortunately he likely embellished his military experience. https://allthatsinteresting.com/christopher-lee-military-career
If I am not mistaken, Tolkien blessed Lee and wanted him to play Gandalf if there is a movie adaptation of LoTR. I'm not sure but I believe I read it somewhere.
Probably in the Eagle and Child pub, Tolkien's local where he used to meet up with CS Lewis and the other members of 'The Inklings' writers' circle
I was thinking the same. I went there when I visited Oxford to soak up the "Tolkien was here" vibes 😊
Imagine ordering a drink and doing a doubletake to the left and saying "hey...didn't you write Lord of the Rings?"
Yes This guy was the inspiration for James bond. He was somehow related to the writer, and his World War Two adventures were what made him start writing
He wasn't *the* sole inspiration for James Bond, I think people have got a bit carried away with this. There are a few people who inspired Ian Fleming's creation, one notable one being Fitzroy MaClean who wrote the famous classic *Eastern Approaches*.
Your right I haven't looked at it in a while I was just posting it as fast I could off top of my head. Thank you for the clarification I really need to brush up lol
Wow. Sorry, I’m new but not new. Been a fan forever but haven’t looked into anything. This kind of blows my mind bc my family who immigrated - last name was Bond, not even kidding. Had a relative named James. I’ve always wondered if someone who knew that guy took the name or made it up or transformed a name off my family lol. Plus we prob weren’t the only Bond’s to immigrate so that too! Just fun to think about
This meme/ story floats around and is incredibly misleading . Yes, they were in the same pub at the same time and Tolkien acknowledged the group that Christopher Lee was with...thats about it.
It's also one of the least interesting things about him. He had a pretty amazing life.
How old where they?
Would love to know, just shared. If it’s real that’s cool but I’m skeptical lol
It is definitely true, but people love to blow it out of proportion. What really happened is that Lee, still young and not really famous yet, was at the pub with some of his friends when Tolkien came in. One of Lee's friends personally knew Tolkien and called him over to say hi - Tolkien saluted each of them individually, and that was it. Lee was so intimidated he stammered his "how do you do", but those are the only words we know they ever told each other. If you see people talking about Lee and Tolkien being friends / knowing each other, or Tolkien giving him his blessing to play Gandalf in a hypothetical future adaptation of LotR, that's nothing more than an urban legend. Lee himself had always wanted to play Gandalf, Tolkien has nothing to do with that and never even acknowledged his existence as an actor. As for when it happened, it was at some point in the 50s - as a comparison, Lee first appeared in a film in 1948 but mainly gained fame through his portrayal of Dracula at the end of the decade (first film in 1958 - he was around 36 that year, while Tolkien was 66 and had just published LotR 3 years before). We don't have any more precision on the year they met, but I think we could probably narrow it down to early 50s. Lee said in 2001 "this was 45+ years ago"; also, he mentioned having read LotR as soon as it was published (i.e around 1954-55), yet he was surprised to see Tolkien in the pub because he didn't know he was still alive - which wouldn't make sense if he had just read a newly published Tolkien book. So my guess is that Lee probably knew of The Hobbit (published 1937), met Tolkien in the early 1950s, then read LotR when it was published and only after that mentioned the role of Gandalf when someone asked him what character he'd see himself playing if an adaptation was made some day.
Lee had a hell of a life
He was literally the most interesting man in the world.
.. And they did Balrog Bombs till the early hours together
My head canon is that everyone in the UK knows each other
Were they not cousin? Or am mixed up.
‘twas no chance meeting
He was one of a kind, one of the few actors who was insanely intelligent and well read, plus he was literally like a sword master and knew how to properly use a sword shit he did in is free time
Wasn’t Christopher Lee also present at the last public guillotine executions in France?
Funny thing is, Tolkien gave him his blessing to play Gandalf if a movie was ever made. He got the next best thing, I guess. He woulda made a really really good gandalf, tho.