No, there is no mistake. Yes, it is he. Sunken cheekbones, penetrating eyes? Yes, yes. Count Dracula, Lord of the Undead? Absolutely.
Reassured that Mr Lee is still with us I discover that it's not only a puzzled public who have prematurely written him off. According to an American Encyclopedia of film, he popped his clogs three years ago.
"Oh yes, I've died - on the 31st of March, 1993," the man himself says unperturbed. "I heard about it when somebody wrote to me saying that I wasn't doing too badly - considering. I was told to sue them but I didn't want to get involved in American litigation."