A BEAUTIFUL portrait, shared at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page of #PeterCushing from 1953, just one year away from his groundbreaking performance as Winston Smith in the #BBC live broadcast of '1984', a performance that would dramatically and ultimately change his life and career.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY, by 1953 Cushing was twiddling his thumbs or out of work.
By this point he was winding down a whole lengthy CV of theatre
productions and now stepping into the public's living rooms with almost
weekly appearances in BBC live plays, radio drama and interviews.
HIS CINEMA PERFORMANCES would certainly change direction after the 1957, first #Hammer
film 'The Curse of Frankenstein' released in May of 1957. How
interesting, even in this portrait at that time, Cushing still manges to
look like the actor, he wanted to project to his public. No cliche chin
on hand pose, shirt and tie with suit.. No even in 1953, he IS an
actor, and 100% presents, an artist! 😊
This portrait can be seen at the National Portrait Gallery, London
SOME GREAT AND VERY INTERESTING comments, prompted by the above still and following question at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page. QUESTION: Did Peter Cushing EVER again, look smarter in costume and performance than in #Hammerfilms
'Frankenstein Created Woman' (1967)? Easily my second fav Cushing
Frankenstein movie... after 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' for sure!
What is your second fav and why? Please feel free to go along and add your thoughts and opinions at the page . .
BARRY WARREN is one of two actors, who worked with Peter are remembered over the PCASUK Facebook Fan Page, over the past few days. 'TODAY
we remembering the BIRTHDAY of UK actor BARRY WARREN, born today in
1933. Trained at RADA, graduating in 1955, Warren was a handsome very
competent supporting actor in several theatre productions, and spent the
majority of his career on UK tv screens. 'The Wednesday Play' 'Play of
the Month', two characters in the Brit TV classic 'The Avengers in 1966
and and 68.
AROUND 1975, he vanished completely and continued his life... in a completely different role and gender. WE know him best probably for his work with Hammer Films and the excellent role he played with Peter Cushing in 'Frankenstein Created Woman as Karl in 67.
WARREN ALSO worked with Christopher Lee as Manuel in 'The Devil Ship Pirate's' in 64 and probably his best role for #HammerFILMS as creepy Carl Ravna in 'The Kiss of the Vampire' in 1963. Today we remember Warren and the edge he brought to those 'bad cads' in 'Created Woman' the haunted Ravna in '#KissoftheVampire' and lets not forget his softer side even against the ranks of Lee's Captain Robeles authority! all very sound roles and performances in three classic Hammer films! Happy Birthday and thank you, Barry . . .
REMEMBERING Actor Eric Portman, who was born today 13th July 1901 in West #Halifax, Yorkshire, UK. He was so convincing and extremely good at playing 'in the cinema audiences perception' mean and calculating German spies, that many believed he actually was German, or at least #Austrian.
ABOVE: Eric Portman with Peter Cushing in The Man Who Finally Died (1962)
ABOVE: Press
Still for one of Peter's, until now, rarely seen films 'The Man Who
Finally Died' (1963) starring Stanley Baker,Mai Zetterling, Eric Portman
and Nigel Green.
ERIC HAD A VERY DISTINGUISHED CAREER on stage and in many much admired and
respected British films. Among his many film credits are “49th
Parallel”, 'One of Our Aircraft Is Missing' , “Daybreak” and “Millions
Like Us”. Eric only appeared in one film from #Hollywood, “The Prince and the Pauper” in 1937.
ABOVE: 'The Man Who Finally Died' was based on the book of the same name written by John Burke
ABOVE: Peter Cushing also worked on the 49th Parallel which starred Eric Portman
PORTMAN
APPEARED in an absolute gem of a 1963 Peter Cushing film, entitled 'The
Man Who Finally Died'. For what sounds something like, associated with
one of PC's many fantasy genre films, this one is nothing of the sort. A
tight, dramatic and often very suspenseful thriller, starring Stanley
Baker, Georgina Ward, Nigel Green, Niall MacGinnis and Mai Zetterling,
and directed by Quentin (#CashOnDemand)
. . .it's a film that in recent years emerged on dvd and if it's £5 or
£25, you'll find much worth every penny. It keeps you guessing and all
cast are on their toes, with Porter, Baker and Cushing working together
so well. Eric Porter sadly died in Cornwall in 1969.
I
FIND IT CURIOUS and quite sad that today, so little is known about Eric
Portman’s work as he appeared in many major British films of the Gaumont
era, and many with some of our best directors. Happy Birthday Eric
Portman, never dull, always entertaining
HERE IS AN ACTOR with a name, that probably most of us would have forgotten, but certainly we know his face. Today marks the birthday of the late HENRY OSCAR or Henry Wale as some would have known him, back in the day.
OSCAR changed his name and began acting in 1911, having studied under Elsie Fogerty at the #CentralSchoolofSpeechandDrama.
ABOVE: Henry Oscar, with Peter Cushing, Miles Malleson, Yvonne Monlaur and Mona Washbourne in Hammer's Brides Of Dracula (1960)
ON FILM he played professional characters, dentist for #Hitchcock, school
teachers, doctors, bank mangers, all usually stiff, authoritative and at
times pompous, this was probably why Terence Fisher cast him as Herr
Lang, head of the charming 'School for Young Ladies' in Hammer films
'The Brides of Dracula' in 1960. Again,
pompous, his ego is deflated when Peter Cushing flashes his 'Dr Van
Helsing' 'calling card'! It's a lovely scene. Oscar was to work with
Cushing again on November 4th 1968, in episode 9 'Thor Bridge' of
Cushing's BBC 'Sherlock Holmes' television series, as Bates.
ABOVE: Henry Oscar in ITV drama 'Rough Justice' in 1962 .
SADLY, THIS EPISODE was wiped in the great BBC 'spring clean', so we have no
idea or images just how that looked. But my guess is, just like in
'Brides' both Cushing and Oscar, would have squeezed and presented quite
a show!
OSCAR ALSO APPEARED in a wide range of films, Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who
Knew Too Much (1934), The Four Feathers (1939), Hatter's Castle (1942),
Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), Beau Brummell (1954), The Little Hut
(1957), #OscarWilde (1960), #LawrenceofArabia (1962), The Long Ships
(1963) and Murder Ahoy! (1964).
TODAY, Henry Oscar isn't forgotten. Please join us in remembering and celebrating a Very Happy Birthday to Henry Oscar today!
YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE
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