BOX CLEVER ANSWER: Yesterday, I posted a photograph of an 'interesting'
multi layer case-box and asked you if you could identify what it was,
who was its owner ..and maybe it's contents! A larger version of the pic
was also posted at the website, so you get a closer look, if needed. It
was quite a puzzle for some, as the compartments of the box also
contained, cotton wool balls, pencils, paint brushes.. and two knives
and forks!!
ABOVE : ROY ASHTON MODELS HIS FANGS, that were used by David Peel in Hammer films, 'THE BRIDES OF DRACULA' (1960) Peter Cushing's second outing as Van Helsing!
SUGGESTIONS OF 'Something to do with model soldiers?' from Darren Park,
was a good guess, as the box has a connection with Peter Cushing and
this could have easily been a handy box for his painting and making of
his mass collection of model soldiers and model theatres 😉
Daniel Worlsey suggested something similar in 'Is it it not Cushing’s
“bit box”, wherein he keeps all the tools for gaming miniatures, paints
and the left over bits and bobs of such a hobby?' Mateja Djedovic, asked
if it was 'A vampire hunter tool kit box' ! 😁. It could have been, that fork looked nasty! 😉 Stephen Johnson said 'Is it Peter's private make up box, as he was allergic to the studio make up?🤔' which was a good answer and certainly on the right track! Donna Vallois Broughton thought it was a 'Fishing box' 🤔. Hmm...I too have seen plastic versions of these boxes used for that job too. One of the clues was that weird fork 😉 Colleen Crouch suggested 'It looks like a make-up kit. I'd guess Phil Leakey's. Wonder what the fork is for...🤔 The Cushing Connection would be Curse of Frankenstein, among other films.
THIS FORK LEAD QUITE A FEW to the ANSWER : Roy Ashton's Make Up Box. Roy
had three. He said, 'One to beautify, one for extras and crowd and the
other... for more extensive jobs, like monsters!' This box held fangs,
latex vampire bite marks, noses, ears and of course two bottles of
'Kensington Gore'... blood! The Knife and Fork, Roy used '..for lunch'!
Often he would find himself on location, or unable to leave work for the
'canteen or catering truck, so would bring his own lunch.. and use THAT
knife and fork!
A ROY ASHTON QUIZ from the past! You can find the answers to 'NAME THE MONSTER' HERE!
NAME DROP ALERT! I did three interviews with Roy, and one quite
detailed video interview while he worked. He was always very kind and I
was very fortunate to meet him and his wife at home too. You wouldn't
think such a charming, calm gentleman could devise and create such works
of terror and horror... but he did 😊
THE BOX IN QUESTION has many connections to Hammer films, Peter Cushing
and Christopher Lee, Amicus and Tyburn productions. Roy told me he only
replaced the 'monster box once.. in 1960. The other one the hinges
broke!!'😕 So
I asked him, which films and creations was THIS box in partnership with
himself responsible for?' He replied ' Well. Most of them after 1960...
certainly one you would be interested in with Peter. Arthur Grimsdyke
in 'Tales from the Crypt'! He then pulled things from the box, that
would have been typical of the materials he used over the period of
working with Peter on the character, latex, make up sticks Leichner
'Greasepaint 'G' Stick - Light Blue, Black and Greasepaint Stick - Light
Grey.. and TISSUE PAPER for Grimsdyke's skin! So HERE was THE box!
QUITE A FEW OF YOU cracked it, but WELL DONE Robert Withers, who got it in 20 minutes with ' Roy Ashton’s box of tricks' 😀
Also, Deb Duncan-Faul, Ben Smothers took two guesses, but got it. No one
guessed the movie, lots of suggestions, but not the title I was looking
for. . .
ABOVE : ACTOR DANIEL JOHNS who was transformed by Roy Ashton into a 'living wax mannequin' with Peter Cushing in Amicus films 'ASYLUM' (1972)
MIKE GIACOLONE, was almost there with 'Jimmy Sangster's lunch box!!'
Sangster was probably there for most of Roy's work in some fashion or
another, having written most of the Hammer films on which he did the
make up. Thanks for everyone who took part, had a go. I hope you like
the photographs too! 😉 Another one soon 😉 - Marcus
