HOW MUCH DID A VAMPIRE HUNTER GET PAID PER DAY IN 1972?

RECENTLY 'THE PROPS GALLERY' has started sharing a scan of Peter Cushing's contact for Hammer films, 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA back in 1973. Cushing's was playing one of his most iconic roles as vampire hunter, Van Helsing for the third time for Hammer films, starring alongside Christopher Lee as Count Dracula. After the sad passing of his wife, Helen Cushing in 1971, a period of his long and acute grief with a intense course of work. Cushing signed up and appeared in almost a dozen films in just over a twelve month period. Not all were staring or man roles, but each required commitment and provided work to keep the griving Peter Cushing occupied. Companies like Amicus films, whoose practice of applying as many star names as possible to the film's bill and cast role, were able to offer Cushing quite a few opportunites. Even though Amicus were known for their tight budgets, it was according their producer, Milton Subotsky, never a problem to negotiate a contact and deal with John Redway Cushing's agent for many years. 

FROM THE BEGINNING of the 1970's Cushing daily rate was between £250 to £350 a day. Sometimes this would be adjusted, depending on what Cushing was expected to actually do on the day. During one of our Subotsky interviews in the 1980's, Milton with a smile told us that, 'It was never an issue with Peter. You could always find a way. He never out priced himself.' Today a total sum of £6,000 for a second billing actor for five weeks of work, may seem a little slim! But at this time, this was indeed a respectable sum. In 1971, £100 UK pounds by today's value was worth roughly £1,386. 76p!! So not a sum to snif at 😉

MILK SHERLOCK AND LOTS OF SCREAMING AND HONG KONG! IT HAS TO BE GIFS WEDNESDAY!

IF I HAD A DOLLAR BILL or  a pound coin for everytime that PETER CUSHING looked through a MAGNIFYING GLASS in a film or TV drama, I would be a wealthy man! This one is from the BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES series that Cushing starred in the late 1960's. I wonder if you could guess, which classic DOYLE SHERLOCK story this is? REQUESTED by ANNA MILES NY USA.

THE AMICUS FILMS, 'AND NOW, THE SCREAMING STARTS' to be quite frank, is one of my least favorite AMICUS / CUSHING films. To me, the script seems to wander, the horror ellements too, I find a little bad taste, and CUSHING sadly has little to do. If there is a moment, that does anything, it's that pretty dramatic scene with Peter and IAN OLGIVY in the cemetery, during a terrible storm. This was the only time AMICUS produced a GHOST story and also a period film. They certainly got the LOOK right, but the story, aint my kinda of thing. Here STEPHANIE (DRACULA AD 1972 ) BEACHAM as the newly married Catherine Fengriffen, looses her cool on the portrait of Henry Fengriffen played by HERBERT LOM. REQUESTED by AMANDA POOLE, Leeds, UK.

PART FIVE of our AMICUS FILMS OF PETER CUSHING has a great selection of rare stills from AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS : You will find it HERE!

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN, WAS NOT AMICUS films, first venture into the world of SCI-FI CINEMA. Though this film, is never really sure, in WHICH genre it's sitting. I think that is one of the reasons why, many enjoy the film so much. It's reputation and following has really climbed in the last ten years, with a super dooper BLU RAY from TWLIGHT TIME back in 2013, giving it the treament and good extras. VINCENT PRICE and CHRISTOPHER LEE are great, Mr P having more screen time, and a wonderful exit! CUSHING'S role is brief as this film also stands as a very good example of how producer SUBOTSKY used his, 'stack those stars in the film and hire them for a limited time!' . .  it all paid off when their names were on the bills and the marquees!  REQUESTED by MIDGE ILLINOIS USA.

OUR FULL FEATURE AND RARE GALLERY on SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN can be found at this website BY SIMPLY CLICKING HERE!

IF I AM LOOKING FOR A FUN PETER CUSHING FILM with a BIT OF BITE, on for a late night view, this is the one that nearly always hits the player! Personally, I think JOHN FORBES-ROBERTSON did a good job as DRACULA, considering what he was dealing with. LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES despite being made by HAMMER FILMS, has very little in common with other films from the company. The film was a joint two film venture with, Shaw Brothers of Hong Kong. Their Horror and Supernatural films were presented in quite a highly stylised fashion, quite unique to the cinema of the country and culture. Many criticise the appearance and make up of Forbes-Robertson's DRACULA, unware that the almost 'phantom-demon' look to his face, is very much in keeping with what most vamps looked like in Hong Kong Horror Cinema of the 60's and 70's. Same too for the crumbling effects of the vampires, when they were killed. It ALL was in the flavour, of ASIAN CINEMA. The second film which Shaw made with Hammer films, also starred Cushing, was called CALL HIM MR SHATTER with STUART WHITMAN, as the star. BOTH are pretty neat films, entertaining too. A great pity Hammer never went on to make the other films, they had planned with Shaw Brothers...BELOW a lovely UK MILK MARKETING BOARD film, pushing the use of MILK on the set of the film, in a style only the 1970's cinema adverts, could do! REQUESTED by PAUL BARTON SURREY UK.

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