HAPPY BIRTHDAY : STAN LAUREL REMEMBERED

#throwbackthursday A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. Stan Laurel played Stan / Lord Paddington, Oliver Hardy is Ollie! The film is of particular note to us, because Peter Cushing also featured in the cast..SEE the actual contract below!

STAN LAUREL was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on the 16th June 1890, at 3, Argyle Street, Ulverston, Cumbria, England. He travelled to the US with the Karno trope, and after a long period eventually Laurel signed with the Hal Roach studio, so did Oliver Hardy, who was a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players...and the rest is history! If I were to pick anyone from this era of cinema history, Stan and Olyy get my vote every time.

IF YOU HAVE NOT seen A Chump At Oxford, I highly recommend it, not just for an opportunity to see a young Peter Cushing at work, but also the joy of watching the skill and talent of the two 'boys'. It never got better. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Stan, you still remain head and shoulders above the rest!

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#TOOCOOLTUESDAY : MEETING VINCENT PRICE ON THE SET AT ELSTREE

#‎toocooltuesday‬: WEDDING DAY, Birth of your children, Their graduations...aside, the day I had the opportunity to spend time with the one and only, Vincent Price, is up there! ..please don't let my wife read this... If you dislike tales of reminiscing, clumsy name dropping... you are excused now!

IT CAME AROUND by default. In 1980, make up artist Roy Ashton rang me...no I didn't have a hot line to him or any stars, we spoke once in a while, he was lovely... he was ringing to tell me he was making plans to start work on a film for Amicus films producer Milton Subotsky, starring Vincent Price at Elstree studios, in two weeks time...AND that it looked like Peter Cushing had signed up too! As it worked out, he hadn't. But that's another story. By the end of that day, through sheer luck, and by Milton Subotsky's and Roy's invitation, I had an invite to join them for the day on the set of 'The Monster Club' at Elstree studios!

BY THIS TIME, through sheer cheek and through what became known as 'the Cushing Connection' I had met and interviewed around 30 to 40 actors who had worked with Peter. Just the mention of his name, opened doors to the kindest of people and their generosity. Milton Subotsky was a fan at heart, a shy man who loved to talk books, comics and films. we certainly wasn't on buddy-back-slapping terms, but he was always friendly, loved to talk shop and the kind that, if he could help you, he would suggest he could... both he and Michael Ripper, validated my application for my Actors Union, Equity card!... and so, on this day he made the meeting happen.

MEETING VINCENT PRICE was a blast, Milton introduced me during a break in shooting. Vincent peered around Milton to see me and announced, 'Peter Cushing's WHAT? Ap-prec-iation Society?' I sheepishly nodded. 'How is the OL GOAT?' he said laughing. I took this as my cue, and stepped up. He pointed at an empty canvas chair, with name on it and...I sat next to him and John Carradine for the next FOUR hours, only wandering off during lunch.

AFTER THE FIRST HALF an hour, I indicated to Subotsky, that should I now...'come over there' and leave them in peace?.. Milton came over and asked if there was a problem. When I asked him again, he just smiled, 'No. It's fine. You can stay there'. Vincent over heard our stage whispers and bellowed, 'Just don't touch ANYTHING or fall over the CABLES!

I HAD A SMALL CASSETTE  tape recorder with me which I used for a short interview, which eventually strayed into relaxed conversation...his love of chocolate,Peter, Whitstable oysters...he was talking to me, but also playing to everyone else too. I changed tapes three times! It was all very funny and entertaining.

I HUNG ON EVERY WORD, joke, aside and anecdote. Both he and Caradine were called away several times, after the stand in's had helped set up their shot, the dressers brushed their clothes, someone fussed with Vincent's hair, he blew his nose and off they went filming the 'Family Tree' scene, sat at their coffin table, with Roy Ward Baker directing. Then they came and sat back down in their canvas chairs.

AFTER THE FIRST HOUR OR SO, it just seemed the most natural thing in the world to be sitting and chatting... he was very fond of Peter, loved Christopher Lee and as a joke, kept telling me 'We have birthday's on the same day you know. Now it's that strange? Peter is the day before us! Did you know that?'... after the third time he told me, he laughed out loud,'You KNEW that didn't you!' He was a kidder. He was extremely kind to me that day, and it's an experience I will never forget. I have never told this story before. I don't dine out on or make a habit of recalling ' and then Robert Quarry said to me' stories, I never had a little black book of contacts either! I was just a fan, a very lucky one, Now... isn't that just...TOO COOL? : Marcus Brooks

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ONE MORE TIME : LEE AND CUSHING GUEST SPOT MONSTERMONDAY

#‎monstermonday‬ IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN, and boy don't those weeks fly by fast? This week our monster offering is a twosome, but with a twist! Both Lee and Cushing took up the offer of appearing in Hammer-film-fan Sammy Davis Jr's wacky way -out sequel to the film 'Salt and Pepper', entitled 'One More Time' in 1970...and thank goodness, it WAS just only ONE time 😊 I have never, as yet met one person who likes the film! Anyway, both Lee and Cushing get a very quick cameo as the Baron and the Count. We've posted that clip below. But for those of you who HAVE seen their cameos. What do you think it? Hit or Miss??

Stars of 'ONE MORE TIME Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis jr and director Jerry lewis...we'll be posting Cushing and Lee's clip next. I think judging by this high octane pic from behind the scenes, it was a film made with help from...the 'BBC'..( Big Bag of Chemicals!)

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REMEMBERING: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC MORECAMBE

Today marks the birthday of Eric Morecambe, one half of the most successful comedy team in the UK. Still missed, loved by all, with Eric's passing back in 1984, it left a hole not only in the entertainment world but also in people's hearts. With his partner, Ernie...they provided one of tv's longest running gags, 'Peter Cushing and his Money!'... he did eventually get it , but not until the boys, had a lot of fun with it, stretching over many years and several programmes. God bless, Eric, Happy Birthday and thanks for all those precious memories and laughs.

 

You'll find all of the Peter Cushing Morecambe and Wise clips that are available on our MORECAMBE AND WISE AND CUSHING ALBUM AT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

ERIC AND ERNIE AND PETER : THE SHOWS LONGEST RUNNING JOKE

CATCH OUR GALLERY OF CLIPS OF PETER CUSHING'S APPEARANCES ON THE MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOWS OVER A TWENTY YEAR SPAN AT OUR YOUTUBE PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY CHANNEL: HERE

THE BEST OF PETER CUSHING WITH ERIC AND ERNIE STARTING AT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

A quick look at the PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY YOUTUBE CHANNEL will reveal a bit of an overhaul. All clips now have relevant custom thumbnails and descriptions, making clips easier to find. Interviews, trailers, vinatge clips, documentaries and promos, lots to see. We've also gathered clips into themes and play-lists. We are currently compling a selection of clips and segments of Peter Cushing many appearnces on the MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOWS. I've assembled a small  selection of GIFS taken form the clips on offer for your viewing so far. The quest of Peter Cushing's desparate struggle to get his £5 appearance fee, from his first guest appearance on the show, was one of the duo's longest running jokes from 1971 until it's very satisfying climax in Eric and Ernie's Christmas Show of 1980. When the comic pair jumped allegiance from the contract with the BBC to the independent TV station, ITV they took their material AND the running joke with them!

Over the next few weeks we'll be adding more clips and gifs. Plus there's an extensive feature on the ins and outs of Peter Cushing's time with one of the best loved comedy partnerships in British Light Entertainment coming up here soon....

ALL CLIPS TO BE FOUND AT OUR PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW!

TWO PERSPECTIVES ON ACTING: TEETH, TOOTHBRUSHES, TYPECASTING, LEADING MEN AND WEARING THE BLACK HAT!

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TWENTY YEARS ON TODAY: ROY HUDD REMEMBERS PETER CUSHING:

ROY HUDD REMEMBERS PETER CUSHING:

"I made my first appearance in a feature film mid September 1967. It wasn't quite 'Gone with The Wind', but a small budget horror film called 'The Blood Beast Terror'. I had a smashing little part as the mortuary attendant. I could hardly believe my luck when I looked at the script and saw i had two scenes with Peter Cushing!

I religiously leaned every word of my dialogue, backwards and sideways. Anyway, I arrived a good hour before I was called, around five am, at a tiny studio off the Goldhawk road. Eventually, I was called for make up and there, in the next chair , was the great man himself. "Good morning" he said 'I'm Peter Cushing" - as if I didn't know. "Have you seen the script for today?" he asked, Had I seen it? - Seen it?? I'd LIVED it for the past seven days. "oh yes" I stuttered. "Not very good is it?" said Peter. "Well..." I blustered. "No we can do better than that", he said. "Can we?", I said. "How can we make it funnier?" asked the great man. "Well...." I advised.. And that was the start. Together we rejigged the whole two scenes. Peter was very patient, encouraging, and VERY inventive. It was his idea to have me eating pickled onions from the jar between the legs of the cadaver!

If you have never faced a studio full of camera people, lighting guys, production staff, actors and extras then you don't know what FEAR is! I was, petrified! So anxious not to make a fool of myself. The director shouted, "Lets rehearse" but Peter said, "No, Roy's never done a film before, so I just want him to feel at home" He held up shooting for a good half hour while he showed me the set, where the lights would be, and where the camera would move, the lot!'

He did make me feel at home and that, all too short morning spent in his company has stayed with me for forty odd years. A GREAT star, taking time and trouble to make a raw beginner feel able to give his best.

Thank you Peter. You were a gentle, dear and wonderful man...

Photograph: Peter Cushing and Roy Hudd on right, on set during the making of 'The Blood Beast Terror' (1967)

VINTAGE RADIO TIMES: MADELINE SMITH : 'UP POMPEII, TWO RONNIES, DRACULA AND FRANKENSTEIN'

Another snippet from the UK listing magazine Radio Times... on Maddie Smith who starred with Peter Cushing in 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell'. Madeline also appeared regularly in a variety of UK tv comedy shows..one show and actor connects her to a Hammer Dracula film actor..who is that actor and can you name the show?

MORECAMBE AND WISE: PETER CUSHING 'WHAT ABOUT MY MONEY?'

 

WHAT ABOUT MY MONEY?: This is lovely and we'd thought you'd like it too. Eric Morecambe was one half of a much loved comedy duo called Morecambe and Wise. Eric, whose real name was Eric Bartholomew took his stage name from the town in which he was born.. Morecambe in Lancaster, UK. There are several pieces of public art around the town commemorating Morecambe's most famous son. This is one can be found near a statue of Eric on the sea front, it names all the famous actors and celebrities who appeared on their shows and some 'one liners' of dialogue, this one of course refers to Peter's never ending saga of trying to get his cheque for his appearance in 1970. The gag ran for several guest appearances over a ten year run!