CELEBRATING PETER CUSHING BIRTHDAY TODAY! COMPETITIONS AND MUCH MORE!

TODAY HERE AT THE PCASUK WEBSITE AND AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we mark and celebrate the #BIRTHDAY of one Peter Wilton Cushing OBE born today May 26th 1913 😀😊 Lots of opportunities for posts, a quicky COMPETITION, a MAJOR COMPETITION and a MOVIE this evening! So there will be TWO posts here at the website today! Meanwhile . . .

HERE IS A LITTLE SOMETHING to think on today, BUT only today as this a QUICKY COMPETITION that closes 6AM GMT TOMORROW (Wednesday)! Here is YOUR chance to bag yourself a prize, marking Peter Cushing Birthday today. Back in the 60's, 70's and 80's it was a regular task to post and pass on any gifts that arrived for PC for his birthday. It was a busy time. Sadly, this is something we no longer have to do. But back in the day, many loved to shower Peter with gifts. There were many who never missed his birthday. Aftershave, chocolates, books, cufflinks, ties, teddy bears all with cards, notes or letters! 

BUT TODAY ..It's something in our PCASAEU 😃 (Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Alternative and Expanding Universe!! 😊😂) we can do 😂😉 So here is the deal, think of a IMAGINATIVE and INTERESTING gift you could have sent PC on his birthday, back in 1959!! There are no boundaries, it's a bit of fun! YOU could bag yourself a prize for your suggestion! Just post your BIRTHDAY PRESENT SUGGESTION on the thread today at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, BEFORE 6am GMT tomorrow! Have Fun and Good Luck!  Our PCASUK MAJOR PC BIRTHDAY COMPETITION will be posted here later today. So, keep your EYES peeled and remember, get IN or miss OUT! 😉 See you LATER - Marcus

#VINCENTPRICE TALKS THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE AND HINT OF THE 107TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION TO COME!

A LITTLE TREAT for SUNDAY over at FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! It's a little seen interview with #VINCENTPRICE speaking about his latest role as 'the voice' of prime villain Professor Ratigan in the Disney cartoon 'Basil The Great Mouse Detective'. This interview was broadcast in 1986 by the UK ITV children's programme 'Splash'. You can see it . .

HERE ARE THREE interesting and rare publicity photographs, that could give you a CLUE as to what I have in line for a #PCASUK #Competition to mark the 107th celebration of Peter Cushing's Birthday this month! I think we are going to have us some fun

TODAY I'VE ALSO PLANTED this very rare and interesting publicity photograph of Peter Cushing at the Fan Page. IF you can recognise the character Cushing is playing here and name the film in which it appeared, you have a CLUE to an element that will be part of a COMPETITION I'll be launching during the PCASUK celebration of 107th  anniversary of Peter Cushing's birthday this month! I think we are going to be having some fun that day! Please stay SAFE and look after yourselves 😊😉 - Marcus

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANNA LUMLEY TODAY!

TODAY MARKS THE BIRTHDAY of a very special B'day girl, #JoannaLumley! She appeared as Peter Cushing's grand-daughter, in quick bit of recasting for #Hammerfilms in 'The Satanic Rites of #Dracula' (1973) and also appeared with Cushing in 'The Eagle's Nest' the first of the new series 'The New Avengers in 1976. The first episode established the new team, Gareth Hunt as Mike Gambit, Joanna Lumley as #Purdey and Patrick Macnee as John Steed. These two projects are just the very tip of a HUGE career . . glamorous, intelligent, entertaining . . . where would you like to start?? #HappyBirthday Joanna! Have a wonderful day! 😃 #HammerHorror" #JoannaLumleyBirthday! #Dracula #PeterCushing

ABOVE: An interesting and rare peep at both Peter Cushing and Joanna Lumley on set, during the making of 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' !

 

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE today, I have also posted and shared this rare photograph of  Joanna Lumley together with, not one BUT two very tall men... Christopher Lee who she starred with in Hammer films, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' ... but who is the other guy??? He was once a very well known face on UK television. Think you know? Why not zip over to the page and make your suggestion now, it's got some young heads scratching 😉 #JoannaLumley #Birthday #ChristopherLee #HammerHorrors!

ABOVE AND BELOW: OH JOANNA ....! #PeterCushing appeared in the first of 'The New Avengers' series, 'The Eagle's Nest'  (1976)

  

ROY ASHTON MAKE UP ARTIST REMEMBERED

REMEMBERING Master Make Up Artist, Roy Ashton, who was born today 17th April 1909! There is so much you could say about Roy, but his work kind of says it all! So many amazing creations in what was the golden era of Hammer films, Amicus and Tyburn too! I was very humbled to spend time with him at his home and while he was working, and during these times saw at first hand what a true gentleman he was and quite the perfectionist, with a lovely dry wit and friendly character. Roy sadly left us in 1995, but left behind for us, a wonderful and original body of work, that still entertains and frightens us today! Personally, his letters I still treasure, his work I still very much am in awe of, for sure

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I have asked everyone to tell us and share their favourite 'Ashton Creation' in the comments below. BELOW is an impressive filmography of Roy's work. A #HappyBirthday, Roy Ashton a true magician and creator of things of nightmares and dreams too 

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Horror Dracula (1958)
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
The Mummy (1959)
The Stranglers of Bombay (1959)
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)
The Curse of the Werewolf (1960)
The Terror of the Tongs (1961)
These Are the Damned (1962)
The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
Night Creatures (1962) Captain Clegg
The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
 

ABOVE: A WHILE AGO in one of our weekly PCASUK TUESDAY TOUGHY questions, we celebrated ROY ASHTON'S work with PETER CUSHING in 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972)

Paranoiac (1963)
The Old Dark House (1963)
The Crimson Blade (1963)
Nightmare (1964)
The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
The Kiss of the Vampire (1964)
The Gorgon (1964)
 

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964)
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964)
The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)
The Skull (1965)
She (1965)
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
The Reptile (1966)
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
The House That Dripped Blood (1970)
Hands of the Ripper (1971)
The Devils (1971)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
The Creeping Flesh (1972)
Asylum (1972)
The Vault of Horror (1973)
The Ghoul (1975)

SEE OUR POSTS every day at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! and the EXPANDED version here!! EXTRA IMAGES and FEATURES every day here at our WEBSITE!

NEED A PICK ME UP? THIS MIGHT JUST DO THE TRICK!

I NEEDED A PICK-ME-UP this morning 😐 ...and this really did the trick! Maybe you do too? You are right, it's NOT Peter Cushing's Birthday today . . Here is something we posted on #PeterCushing's anniversary of his birthday here last year. I am posting it again today here and at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, to maybe help maybe take you to another place for half an hour? It's part of a series of #PCASUK edited clips of Peter Cushing and #ChristopherLee, candidly chatting that was amazingly not planned and caught on amateur video during the preparation of the last time Peter and Christopher worked together on the narration of Ted Newsome's #Hammerfim documentary 'Flesh and Blood' released in 1994. There are some gems here, when posted last year, seen for the first time. Both Cushing and Lee were big fans of entertainer and actor Jimmy 'Snozzle' Durante, loved #WarnerBrothers cartoon esp Yosemite Sam, Sylvester the Cat etc.. you'll see Peter prompt Lee to 'do' his impressions of them. As you all know, both Peter and Christopher Lee were very close and long time friends. They had a short hand of communication and knew instinctively what made each other laugh and stories they loved to tell each other. Peter was just a short time away from leaving us here, was quite weak, but wouldn't have missed this meeting for the world... you shouldn't either. Enjoy Safe Safe, stay well, INDOORS and look after each other 😉- Marcus

 

 

 

 

YOU WILL FIND all 11 other clips from this day and further chats and laughs with Peter and Christopher Lee HERE at our PCASUK YOUTUBE CHANNEL : HERE!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE OTHER TARKIN AND HOUSE MAKES A HALLOWEEN SPLASH ON FILMFAX PLUS COVER!

TODAY WE ARE MARKING a birthday of an actor, that just a few years ago any Cushing or Star Wars fans and the actor involved would never have believed if you told them, how the three would connect! When the idea of bringing Tarkin back to the big screen, this  actor was very busily working in a UK soap drama... and then come the beginning of December2016 he was thrust into the spotlight, following huge anticipation for the arrival of the STAR WARS movie, #ROGUEONE. But remember, Henry wasn't just playing any character though, this was a role that would split the opinion of Cushing fans, movie goers and Star Wars Followers, the world over....  A Job Well done, Mr Henry 😉 A VERY Happy Birthday to you, have a great day!

A FOOTNOTE to this post, as it  appears on the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE  'On the subject of Tarkin CGI' 'This is one of those little nuts that is never going to be cracked. I think, like all things about film, it depends on your personal perspective... on the week Rogue One was released I did a live ...hour long...interview on WGN radio about the film. I knew, it was going to be tricky. The angle really was 'What do you think? should they have done it, was it ok to put a CGI Cushing of Tarkin in the film?'... and I stand on what I said back then. You'll never please everyone no matter how good the CGI is.. but more to the point, they had the OK of Cushing's estate to do it . . knowing PC well, I trust their judgement. As for the point of, 'It ain't REAL!'... well, I hate to burst your bubble, but hey, this is Star Wars.. it's a fantasy, nothing you are seeing up there is real.. it's a movie.vWould Cushing have ok'ed the idea? Well, as you would have seen from many posts we have shared with here, we are talking about a man who 'created' toy theatres and model actors, he spent months making figures, painted water colours and oils, spent time on the floor setting up his model soldiers, re-enacting battles in his 'miniature gaming', re-creating . . you decide... ;)' - Marcus (pcas)

OUT NOW! ISSUE 155 of the magazine '#FILMFAX' has the cast of the 1983 film 'The House of the Long Shadows' #VincentPrice, #ChristopherLee, #PeterCushing and #JohnCarradine... as part of their #Halloween issue, there is a feature on the film . . . it got a bit of a slapping on its release and after years of a grotty quality VHS release finally made a grand re entrance on blu ray.

ABOVE AND BELOW: 'The House Of The Long Shadows' : The House That Armstrong and Walker built!' Parts ONE and  TWO HERE!

DEPENDING on which release you buy, the extras will range from very good to 'well that is just weird' ... I will say no more. Nice cover. But that pose of Cushing, always looks cut and pasted to me...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WANDA AND TAKE YOUR PIC OF A FLICK AT WHITSTABLE!

YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF or know Wanda for a whole lot of reasons... the ace 1960's Brit TV series 'UFO', Peter Cushing's 'love it hate it' Tigon horror film about a killer moth 'The Blood Beast Terror', the fact she played a role in a terrific Hammer horror film, mumbling under a paper mache mask for a fair while . . or the fact that she is THE Mum to a quite internationally famous actor...? Personally I LIKE 'The Blood Beast Terror', I like UFO and I love Ventham too 😊 Join in if YOU too want to wish the super Wanda Ventham, A Happy Birthday too, TODAY at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!! 

JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, I was put on the spot! A message come though on the FACEBOOK PCASUK Fan Page, with a question, that really got me thinking. 'We are planning a FILM NIGHT at the Whitstable Castle, we would like to dedicate the film we are screening, to Peter Cushing, and are foxed as to which Cushing Hammer film we should screen. Any ideas? I don't know about you, but on the rare occasion I have a spare evening to sit and enjoy one of Peter Cushing's many titles, I usually end up cruising the spines of all 80 odd dvd's and blu rays, then studying the covers, a little dusting and rearranging, before I know, three hours or more has passed, with distractions and procrastination, resulting in not a one disc sliding into the player! I really am the last person to ask, but I did manage after at least an hour or chewing on it, one title. However, knowing often my suggestion may not fit their plans or thinking, I instead suggested the making of a token PCASUK banner very qucikly and throwing the question out to the entire following of the PCASUK FAN PAGE. The many, many, come back suggestions and results were very interesting indeed. If YOU want to add your suggestion to the list in the comments thread, PLEASE do! Here is a link to THAT post, join it with a click HERE! ANY news on the planned evening, I will share as NEWS here at the website, FACEBOOK and other PCASUK social platforms. Stay TUNED 😉   

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAME DIANA RIGG TODAY!

''WOMAN OF MY AGE ARE STILL ATTRACTIVE. Men of my age are not' ... so said, this amazing icon of entertainment last year. And you know, Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE...does have point! Many actors from her era have either left us, or look like an unmade bed! We all know the Cushing Connection here, Mrs Peel in the Brit 1960's TV series, The Avengers, where PC played the very dashing Paul Beresford, a smooth operator, pushing all the buttons as romantic interest for Rigg's all action Mrs Peel and a finger on the button of death that commanded his deadly Cybernaut!

DIANA RIGG'S CAREER also features the splendid 'Theatre of Blood' with Vincent Price. She also worked with Christopher Lee in the Avengers tv series.in 'Never, Never Say Die' in 1967. Currently starring in the international hit tv series, Game of Thrones, Rigg is in no hurry to retire, and I think like Mrs Peel, she'll be 'socking it to us' for a while yet Happy Birthday Diana Rigg, born today in 1938.

ABOVE AN INTERESTING look on the chemistry of Cushing's BEREFORD and Rigg's MRS PEEL, in the 'Return of the Cybernauts' episode, HERE with GALLERY: RIGHT HERE!

ABOVE OUR FULL PCASUK REVIEW with GALLERY on the 'RETURN OF THE CYBERNAUTS' episode starring Peter Cushing when it FIRST appeared on DVD! CLICK HERE!