Authentication Thread - Is Mr. Lee really in this film/CD/ph

13th March 2001, 09:41 AM

This isn't the first time I've been unable to confirm an item for sale by checking with the IMDB, so I thought it might be good to have a permanent thread for such questions.

The item this time:
"'Errol Flynn: Portrait Of A Swashbuckler' - VHS
Language: English -- Director: Mark Massari
Starring: Christopher Lee."

Is Mr. Lee really in this film? It's for sale at an online video store, and I don't want to order it if he's not in it.

On a related note, I recently sent the URL for an eBay auction to a couple of members for a giggle -- then later grabbed a screen shot of it and sent that around; it was supposed to be an authenticated autograph on a photo of Mr. Lee. I don't follow autographs, but the photo was obviously not of Mr. Lee, and the autograph would look wrong to anyone who has ever seen the real one while looking through Christopher Lee items on eBay.

A few people said they were amused at the gaffe, and I forgot the whole thing until seeing a picture at this (Official Christopher Lee Web) site, which shows Mr. Lee with a man who looks something like the man in the autographed photo.

I've made a link to the screen shot of the eBay auction, which I posted at my Website, since eBay takes down its old auctions after a time, and photos within auctions are often pulled very shortly after an auction's close.

Perhaps someone would tell us all whether the man in the autographed photo at this link is the man who is with Mr. Lee in the picture here on this (Official Christopher Lee Web) site, labeled, "With John Finch in 'Diagnosis Murder?'"

The signature isn't very legible, but doesn't look much like "Jon Finch" to me, either, so it's a long shot.

Thanks for any light you can cast on this one!

(Oh -- The photo didn't sell, and I wrote the seller about the mistake, but didn't get a reply.)

(Edited by RebeccaRohan at 8:02 am on Mar. 13, 2001)

**Charles Prepolec** · 13th March 2001, 10:10 AM

Rebecca,
Yes, Mr. Lee did serve as host/narrator of the television documentary Errol Flynn: Portrait of a Swashbuckler. As to whether that is onscreen or just a voice-over is unknown to me.

As to your mystery man, I'm fairly certain that is in fact not Jon Finch. This doesn't mean it isn't, just that I'm not convinced that it is. I just spent 15 minutes comparing your mystery man with pictures of Jon Finch that I found here. Feel free to have a go and see what you think.

(Edited by Charles at 6:11 pm on Mar. 12, 2001)

13th March 2001, 10:44 AM

Charles,

Thanks for the info about the Flynn VHS!

Thanks also for the Finch link. It's still a mystery to me, but those pictures do give something to work with. It might be easier by flipping one or two of the ones at that site horizontally for easier comparison, but I'm afraid I'm distracted now:

The mail man just brought the copy of Christopher Lee: The Authorised Screen History that Jacob picked up for me during his days of Jinnah, Aqavit, and autographs in London, so I'm going to go back to dancing around the room now.

It is GLORIOUS!!!

**Sylvain Descoteaux** · 13th March 2001, 08:14 PM

Dear Rebecca!
i'm jealous!, i am still waiting for my copy..., our canadian mail system seems to have outdone themselves!
well, i'll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully it'll come in (today i hope)
enjoy the book!!!

Sylvain:sad:

Greg Harris · 13th March 2001, 11:30 PM

GOD - that pic is the funniest thing I've seen all week Rebecca! I have 4 sigs of Mr.Lee now and it doesnt look anything like mine. As for the photo... Wouldnt it be funny if Mr.Lee was to come and say 'I'm afraid that is me - just at a funny angle' or 'yes thats my old 'one off' signature!'

I doubt that would happen in a million years though!

Maybe theres another CL that stared in all those films!

14th March 2001, 01:00 AM

Quote:

i'm jealous!, i am still waiting for my copy..., our canadian mail system seems to have outdone themselves!
well, i'll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully it'll come in (today i hope)
enjoy the book!!!

Sylvain

Sylvain, I've heard tell of Canada Post! Remember that extra Christopher Lee video the eBay seller sent me by mistake and said to just give away? I sent it from the United States to a member in Canada February 5th via airmail, and he got it March 9th, "covered in yellow customs tape." Your book will almost surely travel faster than that. (Joe got his in Chicago before I got mine in Seattle, so I was jealous over the weekend.)

Quote:

...that pic is the funniest thing I've seen all week Rebecca! I have 4 sigs of Mr.Lee now and it doesnt look anything like mine. As for the photo... Wouldnt it be funny if Mr.Lee was to come and say 'I'm afraid that is me - just at a funny angle' or 'yes thats my old 'one off' signature!'

I doubt that would happen in a million years though!

(Greg)

Greg, that would be humbling, wouldn't it? I still can barely believe that's Mr. Lee under the Prince Philip remodel in this photo, so I guess I wouldn't be shocked down a flight of stairs by that sort of revelation... the first three steps, though, for sure!

Greg Harris · 14th March 2001, 03:49 AM

Strange - your right at first glance I would bet my life it wasnt Mr.Lee - but when you look closly his original features start to show - so I wont bet my life on this pic not being Mr.Lee [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

**Colin Bushby** · 14th March 2001, 04:01 AM

Charles,
for the first time I'm going to dissagree with you. The mystry man in the photo is definatley 100% Jon Finch.
Colin

**Charles Prepolec** · 14th March 2001, 04:38 AM

Only the first time? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] LOL.

Fair enough, it could very well be Finch, but try as I might, I just can't see the likeness myself.

15th March 2001, 09:50 AM

Here's another one, listed at an online video store:

"Being John Malkovich Collector's Set

Cast: Lee Armstrong, Orson Bean, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Andy Dick, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Jones, Catherine Keener, Christopher Lee, John Malkovich, James Murray, Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Brad Pitt, Mary Kay Place, Winona Ryder, Charlie Sheen, Gary Sinise, Michael Stipe, Paul Taylor."

Can't find Mr. Lee's association with it in the Rigby book or on the IMDB....

Anyone know for sure?

Thanks.

15th March 2001, 10:00 AM

The back of my "Bram Stoker's Dracula" box says:

Quote:

Their only hope: the tormented Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), the man who's willing to take on the undead.

I think that might come as a surprise to Herbert Lom...

**Colin Bushby** · 16th March 2001, 04:16 AM

Rebecca
I think you will find that the property maker was called Christopher Lee V.
For sure.

**Maria Silbermann** · 16th March 2001, 07:22 AM

That is NOT Christopher Lee!!! I can see his facial structure and eyes in the Prince Philip photo, but that other ... No way, ever! :glob:

**Charles Prepolec** · 16th March 2001, 09:41 AM

We have received much needed assistance in our efforts to identify the mystery man. The following was sent in from Jonathan Rigby today:

"I noticed the debate about the signed e-bay photo of 'Christopher Lee'. You're right - it certainly isn't Jon Finch. Do you notice he's standing in front of a theatre playing Edward Albee's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' That's who it is - Edward Albee."

Works for me. Thanks Jonathan!

16th March 2001, 08:53 PM

OK, Charles, I could not agree with you or Mr. Rigby on the basis of the photos, but this autograph of Edward Albee has me sufficiently convinced.

Many thanks to you both!

And Charles -- I wish I knew what you saw and didn't see when comparing the three photos. Amazing powers of discernment!