“A big mistake”: The iconic comedy role Christopher Lee turned down
The legendary Christopher Lee was a creative force like no other. Throughout his career, he showed enough range to play a wizard, a Sith Lord, a Bond villain, and Dracula. Not many can compete with his illustrious career; in his time, he was simply cinema encapsulated. Today, Lee is rightfully renowned for his legendary roles and the effortlessness with which he portrayed such iconic characters.
However, despite a slightly tongue-in-cheek yet magnificent heavy metal Christmas album, Lee is not greatly remembered for his comedic performances. Although, were it not for one poorly judged decision, this could have been a very different story. He was always prepared to take risks, as he once explained, “Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them”, but one potential flick proved a risk too far for the thespian.
Cinema is littered with regrets and bad decisions, from Will Smith choosing to make Wild Wild West over The Matrix to Michelle Pfeiffer passing on Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs. However, very few would think of the late, great Christopher Lee as someone who would turn down a role that was so obviously brilliant.
Off the back of a now legendary slot hosting SNL, Lee was proposed a role in one of the most famous and quotable comedies in cinema history. During an interview with Total Film, Lee recalls: “I was asked to appear in Airplane! at the same time as the doctor that Leslie Nielsen eventually played. But people said, ‘Don’t touch it, you’re already making the greatest comedy of all time’. So I said no. That was a big mistake”.
The role of Dr Rumack was, of course, mastered by the comedic genius of Leslie Nielsen, an actor who, on paper, was clearly more suited to this type of role. Very few, if any, would argue that the role could have been bettered by anyone else, as Nielsen’s infamously dry delivery hits every note on the comedy scale throughout the movie.
But, just for a second, imagine a far more sinister grey-haired legend of the silver screen delivering the line, “I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley”. They don’t come much more dry and straightfaced than the late Lee—in fact, he was so dry he seemed positively dusty.
With a career that boasts almost 300 acting credits, it is hard to believe that Christopher Lee would have had many regrets – where would he have found the time – but passing on any great role, whether in an actor’s wheelhouse or not, is something that surely sits in the back of one’s mind, always wondering ‘what if?’ for eternities to come.
Well, maybe, just maybe, passing on this opportunity worked out for the best for both the actor and the film, despite the evident regret. He went on to appear in 1941 instead and got to flex similar muscles in the realm, saving him from becoming “disillusioned” with the industry.
Lee remains an icon within cinema, with or without many comedic strings added to his bow. And besides, as any actor who has dared to dip their toe into the shimmery waters of comedy will undoubtedly testify, it’s an entirely different kind of flying, altogether.
