Sir Christopher Lee, ‘Lord of the Rings’ Actor, Dies at 93

Sir Christopher Lee, who has appeared in more than 250 movies and shows, has passed away at the age of 93 on Sunday.

The English born star, known for playing several famous villainous roles, such as Scaramanga from "James Bond" and Saruman from "The Lord of the Rings," was hospitalized for respiratory problems. He died at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London from heart failure.

"We can confirm that the Register Office issued a death certificate for Mr. Christopher Lee on Monday 8 June, Mr. Lee died on Sunday 7 June," a spokesman said.

The UK Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted, "PM: Saddened to hear of Sir Christopher Lee's death, a titan of Golden Age of Cinema & distinguished WW2 veteran who'll be greatly missed."

The British Film Institute (BFI) tweeted Thursday, "We are deeply saddened to hear that Sir Christopher Lee has passed away."

Lee was born in 1922 and did not start acting until 1947 when he joined the Rank Organization. In the 1950s, Lee starred in several roles as Frankenstein's Monster, The Mummy and Dracula. Due to his tall frame, he was six-foot-four-inches, he tended to get casted as the bad guy.

He later worked with director Tim Burton on multiple films that included "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Alice in Wonderland."

"I've appeared in so many films that were ahead of their time - some them were very good," Lee once said in 2001. "Some weren't."

Aside from acting, Lee also had a singing career, which he launched in the 1990s. In 2010, his album, "Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross," won a Spirit of Metal Award from Metal Hammer magazine.

In 2009, Lee was knighted for his services to drama and charity.