Christopher Lee may not have set out to be a particularly romantic actor, but audiences fell in love with him anyhow. The actor had a film career that spanned decades, though he was primarily remembered for his role as the antagonist in more than a few horror films.

“I didn’t have dreams of being a romantic leading man,” said Lee during an interview with the Associated Press. “But I dreamed of being a character actor, which I am.”

By the 1960s, Lee had made a name for himself as Count Dracula in Hammer Films’ rendition of the classic horror tale, a series that included titles such as Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968) and Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970). While the film series was noted for its more grisly depiction of violence, something else set Lee’s character apart from previous portrayals of the role; he was handsome.

“Lee’s performance convinced a generation of scholars that Dracula was a book about sex, and not about vampires,” film critic Matthew Sweet wrote.

While Lee was seemingly blissfully unaware of his appeal as a hunk, the actor was particularly proud of his comedic background, which he felt critics and viewers frequently overlooked. “A lot of people, including casting directors, have no idea that when I lived in America, half of the films I did were comedies,” Lee said, according to an article with the Associated Press. “They have no idea that I hosted Saturday Night Live. They don’t seem to be interested.”