#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! WIN THAT TARDIS!!

#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! I think just about EVERY Doctor Who fan at sometime, has wanted one. I remember as a kid, using my wardrobe as a #TARDIS. Everything was going well with me and my sister and the game...until my re-enacting of a meteor storm, toppled the wardrobe, where it fell forward, onto its door...with us inside! ...Don't try this at home, kids IF ONLY that whiz, Jason Onion and this #TARDIS had been around back then! It would have saved me a nose-bleed and my Sis, a black eye! NOW, Jason has made it so YOU don't have to go through such embarrassing shenanigans. You could be the owner of your VERY OWN TARDIS! WATCH the video and ALL will be revealed 🙂 Great work Jason!

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#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: THE GREAT £26,000 DRACULA CLOAK CAPER

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: Keep your eyes peeled for our feature in the next few days... the discovery of Christopher Lee's original Dracula cloak used in Hammer's first Dracula film, 'Dracula / Horror of Dracula' staring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, caused quite a stir back in 2007. It went to auction and sold for an amazing £26,400 (about $28,000 today). But what if I were to tell you...it wasn't the 1958 Dracula cloak? Using extensive library images, documents and expert insight, we will present the case, for 'The Great £26,000 Dracula Cloak Caper!' soon. Join us

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#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: CUSHING'S MODEL THEATRES AND HISTORICAL SCENES

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: WE ARE turning back the clock to the 1950's and 60's, when it seemed that Peter Cushing was not only appearing on either one or both TV stations in the UK, every other night, but also a time, when not working, he was very busy at home. Cushing had been a prolific model maker, in the sense that, he not only made the figures, historical and theatrical, he also made the theater's, the sets, the buildings, all in miniature. The materials were wood, paint, plaster, clay and paper-mach. Sadly, when his wife Helen, died in 1971, Cushing decided that the time of creative pastimes and hobbies, had little interest to him. Much of his huge collection of model theaters, soldiers, paintings and a vast array of collectable books, stamps, postcards and collectables, were the past. There they sat, in his loft studio at what had been his home and Helen's since the late 1950's. 

After Cushing's passing in 1994, a levy of Death Tax was to be paid and much of what made his private collection and creations from his hobbies, were put up for auction. Thousands of lots, containing furniture, clothes and the entire Cushing collection, were put under the hammer...Everything must go. And it did.

Above the MODEL THEATRES depicting scenes from productions and history are as follows. 

A: An Egyptian Palace scene set suitable for Cleopatra or The Mummy. The scene is fully lit, signed by Peter Cushing 1969.  A magnificent vignette of Antony & Cleopatra reclining on a tiger skin draped couch with their entourage.

B: The Wheel and Poop Deck of a 18th /19th Century British [man of war] ship, fully lit. Figures in British naval dress of the 18th /19th Century individually modeled and painted by Peter Cushing.

C:  Set for Journey`s End by R.C. Sherriff, a British dugout, March 1918 before St Quentin, the trench section is fully lit, signed by Peter Cushing in 1967.Cast of actors in WWI British uniform individually modeled and painted 54mm foot figures comprising: 7 officers and men. This scene would have been of special interest to Peter. Journey's End was the production he had wanted to appear in, since he had been a young actor... but never did. 

The rows of INDIVIDUAL FIGURES, created and painted by Peter Cushing are TOP:  Medieval period royalty - foot figures of: Mathilda of Flanders, King John, William 1, Henry II & Richard 1. MIDDLE: A collection of historical figures comprising: Ancient to Medieval period foot figures of 2 x Vikings, Hengist, Canute, & Alfred the Great. BOTTOM: Signing the Magna Carta - foot figures of: King John, Clergy, Knights & Barons. 

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ON LAST FRIDAY'S #FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY we had a 'Monster From Hell' theme and shared this gif of Baron Frankenstien (Peter Cushing) examining a new set of eyes from Hammer's Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974) This shot of Peter looking through a magnifying glass has been used in many of his films and was even spoofed in Top Secret (1984)

WE FOLLOWED ON with another gif featuring the Baron going to any lengths for his work in this well known and quite gruesome scene from Hammer's Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974) This scene was censored during the films original release, recently restored for the blu-ray.



OUR FINAL GIF from Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974)… featured the touching moment between Sarah (Madeline Smith) and The Monster (Dave Prowse) before he is destroyed by the inmates of the asylum. Again, this is another of the restored shots that were included in the blu ray release, that had been removed from the US theatrical release of the film back in 1974.

OUR NEW #HAMMERFILMSSATURDAY brought us some interesting posts and comments too! This often requested contact print photograph of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (below) meeting the press during the making of THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA Hammer films.

SUNDAY'S #GETTHECUSHINGITSCUSHING we also marked the passing of John Carradine, who we sadly lost on this day in 1988. A highly prolific actor who career covered nearly all genres of film from horror to dramas to westerns. He co starred with Peter Cushing in Shockwaves (1977) and House of the Long Shadows (1983)

 
#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING:This week, our Cushing Clip was a big fav among 'Cushing-Van-Helsing-Fans'.During its final years Hammer was trying different experiments with films in an attempt to find new angles on old stories, one of them was their final vampire film The Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires (1974) a co-production with the Shaw Brothers, was a hybrid of the Kung-Fu and Horror.Christopher Lee did not return as Dracula and instated was played by John Forbes Robinson. However Peter Cushing once again returned as Van Helsing and really gets involved in the action of the film. While the film was not a success at the time, it reputation has grown over the years as it features plenty of memorable scenes including this one, the final battle with The Seven Golden Vampires. What are some of your favourite moments from the film?

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING: Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) to the rescue as he stakes the final golden vampire from Hammer's 'The Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires' (1974)

ON MONDAY we remembered the life and career of actor ANDRE MORELL and his passing in 1978.Today we remember Andre Morell, who we sadly lost on this day in 1978. A celebrated actor whose career had more than a few teamings with Peter Cushing and the fantasy genre.In 1938, Morell joined the Old Vic theatre company, and appeared in several of their high-profile productions both at their home theatre and on tour throughout Britain and across the rest of the world, appearing with both Alec Guinness and John Gielgud.'

HE KICK STARTED his association with 'creepy cinema' with Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, and playing Arthur Conan Doyle's character Doctor John H. Watson, in Hammer Film Productions' version of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959). In 1960. He played Captain Edward Manningham in 'Cone of Silence' in 1960 also starring Cushing, Michael Craig and Bernard Lee. His wonderful portrayal as the 'bounder' Colonel Gore-Hepburn in Hammer's 'Cash on Demand' in 1961 makes very entertaining viewing, as he piles the pressure on Cushing's tormented bank manger, Harry Fordyce and 65 as Haumeid in Hammer's 'She'..with rather odd dubbing.

THERE WERE OTHER VERY GOOD HORRORS and thrillers too, Hammer's 'Plague of the Zombies' in 66 and the rather limp 'The Mummy's Shroud' again for Hammer in 1967, along with Michael Ripper's Longbarrow, one of the few times where supporting actors are more interesting then the central 'monster'. But, his stand out performance with Cushing, for me has to be in the BBC live televised production of George Orwell's '1984', as the chillingly good O'Brien. It's interesting that Morell played a very good Prof Quatermass in the BBC Quatermass tv series (1958-59) but when offered the role of the Prof in Hammer's 'Quatermass and the Pit' in 1967, turned it down.

MORELL ALWAYS LOOKED very at home in Hammer's early horrors, but inside personally felt a little more than embarrassed by the subject matter of some of the films, and often forbid his family to actually see them at the local cinema. By all accounts, a rather private man, but very generous on screen and made an outstanding contribution to some of Hammer and Cushing's best work.

FINALLY AS IT WAS ALSO #MONSTERMONDAY yesterday, Christopher Lee got the #MONSTERMONDAY treatment: Today our candidate for Monster Monday is Franklyn Marsh a snobbish art critic played by Christopher Lee from Amicus's Dr Terror's House Of Horrors (1965)

PAINTER ERIC LANDOR (Michael Gough) bears the brunt of one of Marsh's tirades, but gets even by humiliating the critic publicly, but when he takes it to far, Marsh gets revenge by running over Landor, casing him to lose his hand, unable to paint again he commits suicide. 

NOW THE QUESTION IS, Franklyn a true monster or just someone who got caught up in a situation that got out of control? You Decide  . . .

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THE STORY OF THE CUSHING NOTES AND BUREAU

#‎cushingcollectable‬ : WEDNESDAY: You may remember these posts from two Wednesday's ago? And after posting them, I promised to share the story of how I came to own those handwritten autobiography notes of Peter Cushing's...Well....the top post is Peter Cushing's Bureau, purchased just a few years ago. I was lucky to purchase it from a lady, who lived a short distance from Peter Cushing's home at Sea View in Whitstable.

HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN a great fan of Peter's work and he purchased the bureau at the Cushing Collection Auction in Canterbury after Peter Cushing died. Sadly, he too passed a year or so before I purchased the bureau, and his wife was slowly down scaling down her home and relocating.

WHEN THE TIME CAME to go along to her home to collect the bureau, it was quite an emotional parting for her, it was her husband's pride and joy. But when she found out 'where' the bureau's new home was going to be and about PCAS, she was over-joyed! During our meeting at her home, we had some tea and cake and chatted, and found out geographically, we had much in common too!

AFTER AN HOUR OR SO, the time came to carry the bureau out and carefully pack it up for it's journey to my home. I thanked her and told her how extremely pleased I was to be it's new owner, that it would be very well looked after and also pressed into use too!

IT WAS AT THIS POINT, she asked ' Oh, would you also like to take away these too?' She held out a plastic slip folder. Through the ageing and yellowing plastic, I could see inside, a wad of paper, and on the one corner, held by two large paper clips I could just make out lines of handwriting, in blue fountain pen ink! At the same time, I immediately recognised that distinctive style.. it was Peter Cushing's handwriting.

WHILE CAREFULLY SLIDING the paper out from the folder, I looked at her..she was smiling! I said, 'It's Peter's handwriting!!' She beamed back at me, 'Yes!', she said, she was as excited as I was! 'My husband said it was, but I have no idea what it all means. Is it an unfinished letter, he seems to be writing...is it his story and are all those titles his films too?' I barely heard what she had said, I was quickly scanning the pages. It was pretty obvious, these were notes about the contents of Peter's autobiography, in his own hand. 'It's Peter's notes.!', I said 'It's his autobiography. How wonderful! They are very rare indeed, you must be sure to take great care of them.' I said, 'Oh no..' she smiled, 'I want YOU to have them!'

QUICKLY, I DID THE SUMS in my head of their value and blurted, ' Well, that's extremely kind of you, but, I could not buy these today, I have...' but before I could finish, she laughed saying, 'Oh nooo. I WANT you to HAVE them. They should be with you!' I started to explain their value, a nice little break away with the proceeds maybe? But, she wouldn't listen, 'No. I am quite happy with the sale of the bureau...'

IT WAS THEN SHE said something that made my jaw drop so hard, the bump of it hitting the hall carpet could probably be heard down at Sea View.... ' My husband, didn't pay for them anyway..' I was puzzled, 'So, how did you come by them?' I asked. 'Oh, they were just inside THE BUREAU......!' 'What?' I said. 'They were in the pull down desk, in that folder!' she explained. 

I THEN REMEMEBERED what many collectors had told me about the Canterbury auction. There had been so many lots, Peter had so much packed into his home and studio, when it came to dividing things into lots, often someone winning a bid on a book that belonged to Peter, got home and opened it to find an autographed note paper inside. People who purchase items of his clothing found scarves, silk handkerchiefs, cuff-links and pens tucked into them! It was something special, some extra item, however small, a thank you for your purchase..as there was mountains of items to sell. The bureau had been in the auction catalogue, as one of the very few pieces of Peter Cushing's furniture for sale... an expensive antique and a good price was expected, and archived!

AND SO, that is the astonishing story, of how I came by those notes...and the generosity of two women, the lovely lady who owned the bureau and Peter's long time friend, Joyce Brougton, who put the lots together for that auction! Bless you, ladies!

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#CUSHINGCOLLECTABLES : PETER CUSHING'S WRITING BUREAU / DESK

HERE'S A NEW THEME for our Wednesday's here at the website... by your suggestion, CUSHING COLLECTABLES! Every week, I 'll post and share items from the PCAS Collection or from my personal bits and bobs! Most of the items have a story behind them, some are valuable, some not so, they're just lovely things to see and collect ...with a history!

This week we kick off with an item of furniture that Peter and Helen Cushing purchased for their home when they lived in Kensington London. An Edwardian writing desk / bureau, which then was moved to the home in Whitstable... it has three deep drawers and a pull down writing area with lovely little compartments. On top, behind the two glass wooden lattice doors are three, shelves.

On the banner above are two pictures of the bureau, one on the left in Peter's study, and on the right, today . This bureau was purchased at auction, along with several other items... there is a GREAT story connected to this bureau, which I will share with you, with some NEVER seen before photographs of something quite, quite unique...in the next post!

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DRACULA CINEMA POSTER GOES UNDER THE HAMMER

THE NEXT TIME anyone tells you Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Hammer films have had their day...show them this! The BBC 'FLOG IT' television programme, known for selling anything from, well... cinema history , your grandmother, etc..finds out what we all already knew... Peter Cushing + Christopher Lee + Hammer Films = MONEY! There are only FIVE Hammer 1958 DRACULA UK Quad poster in existence . .  . .

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NEWS: CUSHING WATER COLOURS GO UNDER THE HAMMER

A PAIR of paintings by cinema’s master of horror Peter Cushing sold at auction for £1,150. The small watercolours by the Hammer Horror star were discovered on a valuation day at Alveston near Wellesbourne.

Far from terrifying, the pictures depict idyllic landscapes and were painted by Mr Cushing when he was a young man working in a surveyor’s office in the early 1930s, some years before he found worldwide fame on the silver screen. The actor was a keen artist and birdwatcher. His memorabilia has a strong following on both sides of the Atlantic.

Adrian Rathbone, Hansons Auctioneer’s Associate Director discovered the pictures which also included a signed photograph of the star. Estimated to fetch around £500, pre-sale interest from across the globe ensured they far exceeded expectations. They eventually sold to a London based collector.

The next Hansons valuation day in Alveston for pictures, antiques and collectables takes place on Friday January 29 from 1pm to 4pm at The Malt House, The Rookery.

(Reporter Ian Hughes : Leamington Observer 8th Jan 2016)

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WHOSE COAT IS THAT JACKET??? CHRISTOPHER LEE'S 'LONG SHADOWS' JACKET FINDS HOME

NEWS: Whose Coat, Is That Jacket??! You may remember that we reported on a story about the jacket that Christopher Lee wore as Corrigan in 'The House of the Long Shadows' was coming up for auction?

Well, HERE IT IS! Out of auction and looking very grand in it's show case. "For the moment, it's housed in the "Galerie Werkstatt", a very beautiful and well-frequented venue, art centre and restaurant near Cologne", our friend Gerd Pohl tells us. We applaud and congratulate the mangers of the Gelerie Werkstatt, for making the jacket accessible to the public and fans alike, so often items are whipped up by private collectors, never to been seen again...! I am very grateful to Gerd Pohl for providing us with these great photographs! A happy end to the story....

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NEWS: MORE CUSHING PERSONAL EFFECTS GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT AUCTION!

NEWS: MORE Peter Cushing Personal Effects went under the hammer at John Nicholson’s of Fernhurst Auction House on December 12th 2015. Listed as '...two multiple lots relating to Hammer film star Peter Cushing. Cushing’s green canvas and leather-trimmed suitcase and travelite patent suitcase are offered together as a single lot, as are one of his three-piece suits, a blue check jacket, blue trousers and two cardigans. Also consigned, but not yet processed are Cushing’s paints – a talented artist, he was taught by his friend Edward Seago – his theatre make-up and a selection of games and puzzles.....' The auctioneers at the time estimated that each of these could cost as little as £100-£150. As yet, no details have been released as to their final hammer price...

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NEWS UPDATE: CUSHING'S COAT BRINGS IN THE MONEY FOR HOSPICE CHARITY

You may remember back last month how we reported on the story of Peter Cushing's coat being auctioned on ebay for a charity close to his heart, The Pilgrim's Hospice in Canterbury, Kent. Well, the good news is, after a battle of bids, the Burberry coat owned and worn by Peter (see pic) brought a thumping £690.00! That's 1026.13 US Dollars....! There was also a cardigan that also belonged to Peter Cushing that was for auction too..and finally went for around £250.00. All this is great news for the Pilgrim's Hospice, who do such sterling work for individuals and families throughout Kent. I think Peter would have been amazed by this. So, congratulations to the winning bidder and THANK YOU ..a big thank you, to Bernard Broughton too, who donated the coat and cardigan, and very quietly helps the Hospice with various items for auction. Thank YOU Bernard!

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to all our friends and followers of this website and our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page! 

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NEWS: CHRISTOPHER LEE WARDROBE GOES UNDER THE HAMMER

Many items from the late Sir Christopher Lee's personal wardrobe and costumes worn in many of his films are going under the hammer at an auction at invaluable auctions including the jacket Lee wore in 'The House of Long Shadows' also starring Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, the red velvet smoking jacket worn in Sherlock Holmes And The Deadly Necklace (1962) and Eugenie (1970) directed by Jess Franco.There are other items for sale such as hats and shoes. See anything you like???

Christopher Lee wearing the checked jacket during the

 shooting of House of the Long Shadows,that is one of 

many items up for auction

Christopher Lee wearing the very smart red smoking jacket in

 the film, Eugenie (1970) Directed by Jess Franco.

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