CAN YOU NAME THOSE FACES???

POSTED TODAY over at The UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page Peter Cushing and a gathering of other film and tv stars, who came together to help Save Hammer Films Bray studios in 1990. Cushing was actually helicoptered to the site, from his home in Whitstable, Kent to Bray studios on the day and landed on the green, just at the side of the Thames river! I put out the question of, how many of those four other faces did everyone recognise?? A question that proves that PCASUK is an international society and that there are certainly more followers and fans of Peter Cushing at the PCASUK sites from the US and Europe than there are from the UK! It was a tough question, with only a few correct suggestions! Can YOU name those faces? I will post the answer here tomorrow!

ACTRESS VALERIE VAN OST DIES AGED 75

IT HAS JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED that, sadly actress, Valerie Van Ost, has died at the age of 75. Van Ost appeared in Corruption, Incense for the Damned and The Satanic rites of Dracula with Peter Cushing. Valerie was also very popular in the Carry On series of film in the 1960's, in “Carry On Cabby,” “Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head,” “Carry On Doctor” and “Carry On Again Doctor,”. Van Ost’s sad passing was announced by agent Barry Langford who said in a tweet, “A sad goodbye to beautiful Valerie Van Ost, who passed away this week. Valerie gave up her successful acting career to become a respected casting director and was beloved in both professions. She will be much missed

VALERIE VAN OST, a native of Herkamsted, Hertfordshire, turned to acting after she had been a dancer in her teenager at London’s famed Palladium theatre. It's believed that at one time she was once considered to be a possible replacement for Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in “The Avengers,” having once appeared in an episode of the show. In 1973, Van Ost took on her other most famous role, in the Hammer horror movie, “The Satanic Rites of Dracula'.” Van Ost played the role of a Secret Service secretary who is kidnapped by a satanic cult. Van Ost was married to movie producer Greg Smith. Smith had been the producer of Britain’s other great bawdy comedy series, the “Confessions” series of movies in the 1970s.

VAN OST RECENTELY POSTED a photograph of her and BARRY LANGFORD on her twitter account . .

LATER IN 1985, Van Ost married Andrew Millington, with whom she set up a casting agency. This coincided with Van Ost’s retirement from acting. The pair cast five movies and a television series during the 1980s. Two of those films, “The Boys in Blue” and “Funny Money” were produced by her first husband. I am sure many of you would like to share your memories of your favourite role too.. please feel free to post your comments on the thread below. Valerie Van Ost, 25 July 1944 - 14 September 2019

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VERONICA! THE AMAZING KRESKIN AND CARRY ON CUSHING : TUESDAY TOUGHY!

A SPECIAL DAY.. A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY: Join us in wishing VERONICA CARLSON a VERY Happy Birthday TODAY! Image: Veronica Carlson and Peter Cushing pose for a publicity photograph during the making of #hammerfilms 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' at Elstree film studios in 1969. You can read more about Veronica and her career, in our excellent series feature by BRUCE HALLENBECK HERE plus the work she did with Peter Cushing in Tyburn films, THE GHOUL and  FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED

VERONICA CARLSON : WOMEN IN GOTHIC PART FIVE WITH GALLERY : HERE!

MORE VERONICA CARLSON AND CUSHING in THE GHOUL! JUST CLICK HERE

 

ABOVE THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY! Good luck with this one and feel free to pop along to the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE and post YOUR answer in the THREAD! MEANWHILE, below here is LAST WEEKS ANSWER!

ANSWER: DAVID KRESKIN an American Mentalist who was very popular on television in both the US and UK during the 1970's. In 1973 he broadcast a daytime TV series on ITV in the UK. Kreskin always claimed to be an 'entertainer', never a psychic, he operated using the power of suggestion, not paranormal or supernatural. In JULY 1973 Peter Cushing appeared as a guest on the daytime UK show and took part in a ten minute feature, where he was invited to write a NAME of his choice, on a piece of paper. Kreskin did not see the name, as it written and folded up. This paper was then set alight with a match, placed onto a china plate and the ashes from the paper were then rubbed lightly, onto the bare arm of Cushing, where the name HELEN then magically appeared! Helen was Cushing's late wife, who had died just two years previously. Kreskin at the beginning of the trick, did mention he had no prior knowledge of the name that Peter Cushing had chosen to write on the note paper. As with all magic tricks . . . the trick is in the preparation!

ABOVE: TELEVISION LISTING MAGAZINE TV TIMES with the listing of Cushing's appearance on the show. BELOW: Not AUSTIN POWERS but KRESKIN, during his tv show . . .

AT THE TIME when Cushing was still still in deep moaning for his late wife, I personally think, this was such an odd event and choice from Cushing. He never truly recovered for the twenty years odd years, he outlived Helen. Granted, he did a few years later also include a photograph of Helen in the Tyburn film, THE GHOUL'. But this, just seems weird and more than a little mawkish? Maybe it's just me, but I remember seeing this show as a teenager when it was broadcast, and even then, thought it odd. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. It's a tv appearance which many would not now remember and is hardly ever mentioned. I am sure there will be several comments on this at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY. PLEASE feel free to join in with your comments and thoughts too!