Christopher Lee Dead: Hollywood Mourns Horror Icon …

News of the death of Christopher Lee, the famed movie villain known for his roles as Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Fu Manchu sparked an instant response on Thursday from the film industry and those who had simply been fortunate enough to meet the venerable British actor.

Tim Burton who directed Lee in five films, including Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland released a statement about the late actor, calling it "an honor and pleasure to work with him."

"Christopher has been an enormousinspiration to me my entirelife," Burton said. "He was the last of his kind a truelegend who I'm fortunate to have called a friend. He will continue to inspire me and I'm surecountless others for generations to come."

Said director Martin Scorsese: Sir Christopher Lee was my friend. I think of him every day, and I always will. We both wished that wed been able to work together more, but it was a joy to make Hugo together. And to just be with him, just listening to his stories, in that beautiful baritone voice, stories about his time in the war, his time working during the heyday of Hammer, on all those wonderful pictures that are now considered to be classics, on eight decades in movies...

At a certain point they realized what a treasure they had, and they made him Sir Christopher. And thats as it should be. He was a great actor, a wonderful friend, a REAL professional, and Im really going to miss him.

BAFTA, which in 2011 awarded Lee is highest honor, the BAFTA Fellowship,tweeted that the death of Lee was "such sad news." The British Academy's CEO Amanda Berry later commented that his "biography, and therefore his legacy, is one that many in the film industry can only dream of." She added that his 200-plus film catalog included "some of the most iconic of our time."

British Film Institute CEO Amanda Nevill released the following statement: "Sir Christopher Lee, a BFI Fellow, was a distinctive and enduring presence in British and international cinema for almost 70 years. He leaves behind an unforgettable legacy of film and television performance. His contribution to cinema history spans such films as the definitive Dracula for Hammer Films through Billy Wilders The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, and the seminal The Wicker Man. His personal favorite was the title role in Jinnah. He had a unique ability to appeal to each successive generation, gaining a new wave of fans as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and in Tim Burton's films. British Cinema pays tribute to this global legend."

Actor Paddy Considine, London mayor Boris Johnson and BBC Films were also quick to take to Twitter to remember Lee.

"Really sad to hear about the death of Christopher Lee, one of the greatest British actors and a master of the macabre," Johnson tweeted, including a photo of himself with the late star, in which Johnson brandished a Star Wars lightsaber.

BBC Films, which worked with Lee on war 2009 thriller Glorious 69, posted: "Oh goodness, another incredibly sad death today. Legendary actor Christopher Lee, aged 93. RIP."

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Christopher Lee Dead: Hollywood Mourns Horror Icon ...