ACTOR FREDDIE JONES DIES AGED 91

THE VERY SAD NEWS of the passing of actor FREDDIE JONES reached us last night, has been marked with many comments and shared messages of condolences at the PCASUK Facebook Fan Page, yesterday and today. Freddie was 91 and had an impressive film, television and theatre career that stretched over a very busy sixty years.  Most #Hammerfilm and #PeterCushing fans will know him for  two Hammer classics, first Hammers Frankenstein Must be Destroyed and 'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula'. 

MORE ON FREDDIE JONES and 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' HERE!

IN 'DESTROYED' Freddie gave us a Baron's creation that was full of pathos and sadness. Who can forget his duel with Cushing in the final moments, where Professor Richer cranks up the tension by trapping Cushing's Baron in a blazing house!? Jones's portrayal of Frankenstein's indulgence, is probably is most complex of all Hammer films 'Frankenstein Monsters', who manages to spin the title of 'Monster' neatly into the lap of Cushing's Baron. There are few actors who could so convincingly share the interplay between Cushing Hammer characters and themselves. The tension and  dread was pushed even a little further in the scenes which Freddie Jones and Cushing shared in #hammerfilms 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula'. Freddie's Professor Julian Keeley wobbles and sways from fear, to dread, lust and disgust in a shared A two-hander scene with Cushing, that is probably the highlight of the film. 

MORE ON FREDDIE JONES and 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' in our PCASUK GALLERY and REVIEW : HERE!

FREDDIE JONES also frequently worked with David Lynch with roles in 'The Elephant Man' (1980), 'Dune' (1984) and 'Wild at Heart' (1990 ) His role as Inspector Baynes in Granada television's 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes' in 1988, with Jeremy Brett as Holmes is a gem. Freddie Jones always brought much to every role. You never knew quite what was going to be on the table, but it was always entertaining, convincing and very real.

THE ZOO GANG : LESSER SEEN CUSHING SEASON : REMEMBERING SIMON WARD

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! Here's the SECOND in our weekly series of 'lesser seen Peter Cushing Roles'. Last week, 'Some May Live' this week, it's an episode which some of you in the UK may remember, from the tv series The ZOO GANG, called The Counterfeit Trap (1974) Peter Cushing plays Judge Gautier . .. . another accent! Let us know what you think about this little gem! BTW Our season is playing out at our PCAS YOUTUBE channel and PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGEtoo . . . .

REMEMBERING: Born today, Simon Ward. If you take a look at the raft of obituaries for Simon Ward who sadly passed away in 2012, it's a common fault that they state that his career was kick started when he was 'plucked from obscurity' and appeared in Richard Richard Attenborough’s 'Young Winston' in 1972. Maybe that is how the press and publicity agents remember it....but for Ward, it was not so.

WARD ACKNOWLEDGED Hammer films 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' made in 1969 as the film 'that started it all' and the generous help and assistance from his co star Peter Cushing, that made anything afterwards possible... In a interview with PCAS in 1979, Ward acknowledges his debt to Cushing, who he said, '..had time and patience with me. I knew nothing of the technique needed for working with a camera or about the studio floor. Peter was extremely kind, taking time to explain the simple but very important rules of pace and nuance, so the editor can get in there. This and try to not fall over the cables. He did so much for me. Quite extraordinary. I mean, no one has the time to do that, everyone is busy. But he did it for me, many times through out the film. And it's something I've always remembered, and not come across since... a very kind, gentle, gracious man. He really did save my skin'.

IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA .

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: CHRISTOPHER LEES MEDALS GO UNDER THE HAMMER AND ITS FREDDIES 90TH!

NEWS: Sir Christopher Lee's awards, including WW2 medals, will go on sale for as little as £100! Here's a feature from a UK newspaper TODAY. What do you think?? 'The widow of Sir Christopher Lee is to sell the honours he amassed during his lifetime, from wartime medals to film accolades and the badge he received upon being knighted.

Around 50 awards will go under the hammer, representing a remarkable screen career that took Sir Christopher from Hammer Horror to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and a role as one of the great Bond villains, Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun. The actor died in June 2015, aged 93. In interviews he was reticent about his war record, but he kept a certificate recording the fact that he was mentioned in dispatches in 1944. It will be offered for auction alongside his campaign medals.

Christopher Lee ,  Peter Cushing, and Veronica Carlson with the cast of Hammer films, 'Dracula Has Risen From The Grave' being presented with the Queen's Award for Industry at Pinewood studios.

The lots include the British Film Institute Fellowship Award presented by Johnny Depp in 2013 (estimated to fetch £2,000-£3,000) and the Knight Bachelor badge bestowed by the Prince of Wales when Sir Christopher was knighted in 2009. The star's Bafta Fellowship is the one award that will remain with the family. They will be offered with no reserves, allowing fans the opportunity to acquire a piece of memorabilia for a relatively modest price. The evening auction will take place at Spink's in London on November 1. Lady Lee said: "Christopher was greatly appreciative of the recognition of his fans and his peers, and these honours and awards adorned our apartment for many years, bringing him great pleasure. "It's fitting that now a wider audience might have the opportunity to enjoy them, and to celebrate so many high points of his life.

Christopher Lee was  awarded the BAFTA FELLOWSHIP in 2011 

"These awards represent a lifetime of dedicated work and diverse experiences, starting with his role as a young RAF officer in the Second World War, a period that went on to influence him throughout his life. "He remains sorely missed but his family hope that the forthcoming auction will be a celebration of his life and achievements, and a catalyst for future owners of his awards to have many happy memories of their own."

 Bestowed by Prince Charles, he became Sir Christopheri Lee Knighted in 2009

A percentage of the sale proceeds will be donated to Denville Hall in north London, a retirement home for actors.

Please join us in wishing #Happybirthday to the one and only Freddie Jones, who is the grand age of 90 TODAY! Freddie is an actor who is always a joy to watch. Always surprising and entertaining. His voice and delivery are unique, as is, his style and the line he follows in all his performances. Never the obvious, always the unpredictable path. There are have been many highs in the Freddie Jones career, but for us here today, we focus on his roles where working with Peter Cushing, brought us EXTRA value and entertainment. 

As the wrecked and manipulated, Professor Julian Keeley in Hammer films, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' in 1973, to the pathetic and trapped Professor Richter in 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' in 1969.

Freddie Jones still works, as busy as ever...some would say wasted in a disposable soap opera... but disposable or not, Freddie has played the role of Sandy Thomas since 2005, and in all 552 episodes of ITV's 'Emmerdale', with the same level of authenticity and investment, as any role he has played since he began his long career back in 1960. Fifty six years, and still you can't take your eyes off him! Happy Birthday Freddie From Us All!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY:! I LOVE it when you send in pics, comments, reviews...candy! This was sent in today by Mark Waddington from the UK. How many of you remember this magazine and this PETER CUSHING GALLERY????

 

 IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA 

FRANKENSTEIN TRAPPED! #GETTHECUSHION SUNDAY CLIP

#Getthecushionitscushing...SUNDAY !: Baron Frankenstein in 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' (1969) has been over the years, singled out by critics and fans alike as Cushing's most his most evil and vicious portrayal of the Baron. 'Destroyed' presents us with a black-mailing, murdering, lying and cruel twisted monster. And yet...and yet, come the climactic ending of the film, we are praying for his escape, and hoping he 'gets out of this one'!

ON SEEING THIS FILM for the first time in the early 70's, this scene really did have me on the edge of my seat. The panic in the score, the hopeless situation that Frankenstein finds himself trapped in, the fire, poor Freddie Jones, Veronica Carlson, and Simon ward ... Ward's escape, a missed opportunity in a sequel, if ever there was one... this scene has it all. Rates as NUMBER THREE in my all time fav Cushing Frankenstein scenes. Ok. You can come out from behind that cushion, when he music stops....!

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR FACEBOOK LAST WEEK

LAST WEEK, PETER WAS TREDING FOR QUITE A WHILE! #TRENDING and Mask! TWO great things making me smile today. Tarkin trending..who would have ever thought it? And discovering the plaster cast that Peter had made of his face for the make up in 'Top Secret' with Val Kilmer, was instrumental in bringing the #Tarkin effects to #RogueOne! It's a #happyfriday

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER LAST WEEK :

No performance from 2016 was met with quite the fascination of Guy Henry's turn in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — and he wasn't even one of the few actors not involved in the film's worldwide media blitz.
 

The British actor was tasked with playing Grand Moff Tarkin, with his performance capture work and visual effects wizardry helping resurrect the character played by the late Peter Cushing in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope. Rather than recasting the role, Industrial Light & Magic recreated Cushing's actual likeness for a performance not quite like any in film history. 

Reached by phone in Great Britain Friday, Henry spoke about the unprecedented responsibility he felt to honor Cushing ("It was genuinely frightening"), his offer to let director Gareth Edwards recast him ("I won't be offended") and speculation that the story of Carrie Fisher's Leia might continue through such technology. ("He declined to comment on Fisher, but did offer this of the technology: "I think and hope it won't be a commonplace thing.")

During the 18 months you kept this a secret, did your family know what you were doing?

The very, very closest of my family and friends — I graciously allowed them into the secret, because I think I would have gone mad otherwise. My name began to be associated with it occasionally. People would ask. At work, [the team behind the BBC One series] Holby City had to know I was doing something in it, but even my agent, when I was asked to meet Gareth Edwards, she didn't really know why. They didn't tell her. It was quite a responsibility really, and I'm glad it was kept secret right up until the very last moment.

How did Gareth Edwards and Industrial Light & Magic's John Knoll convince you this would all work out?

 
I felt I couldn't feel too responsible in the sense of the way that it looked. I had to trust John Knoll and Gareth and the team, who were convinced they could make it work. Vocally, I'm not a mimic. I'm genuinely not an impressionist. I'd be doing my very best to do my Tarkin, the rolled "r" and the voice as best I could, and Gareth would say, "OK relax on that. Just be a bit more Guy now." I had to trust that they saw something in the reel of my work that convinced them it could be the tribute to Cushing everyone wanted it to be. It was very, very frightening, in all seriousness.

Did the reshoots affect you much?

Because the story was changing all the time, I kept thinking I had finished. "The responsibility has lapsed. Thank God, I can lie down." Then they'd say, "Actually, can you come in next week and do half a line here and half a line there?" It was genuinely frightening, because I didn't want to let down a huge movie, and equally, I didn't want to let down Peter Cushing.

Do you remember much about what changed and when you finally ended your work?

It was quite difficult to remember what the last bit was. I would literally be called back to do half a line a bit differently. Half a line that had a bit more stress to it because something else had altered slightly what had happened to a different character. It was immensely detailed. It's something of a blur.

Did you have doubts this would work?

Normally as an actor, you are you pretending to be another person. Here, I was me pretending to be Peter Cushing pretending to be Tarkin. I said at one point, "I won't be offended if you feel the voice isn't good enough or isn't right or is too young." There is a famous impersonator here called Rory Bremner. I said, "I won't be offended if you want to get him. I just want it to be good. Don't worry if you have to ditch my voice." They stuck with me gamely.

When did you finally see what it would look like?

They snuck me in to show me [early]. I thought, "We might be all right here." It was only after the London premiere I knew for sure it worked. I'd had several glasses of white wine. I wasn't able to eat, I was so frightened. "If I haven't done good enough here, it's going to be so sad. That would be very bad." I don't mean bad career-wise. I had not done any interviews. "Don't bother about my name." I'd be referred to as a stand-in and a voice double who was a disaster, and I could go on. But I didn't want to let Peter Cushing down.

Have you heard from the Cushing estate? One of its executors has praised your performance.

I haven't first hand. If that is the case, which I gather it is, I'm so delighted. The reason for doing it was honorable. When people were talking about the ethics of bringing someone back who was long dead, I could see that if it was done for the wrong reason or something a bit seedy or just for the sake of it, that would have been wrong. When John Knoll pitched the film, obviously Tarkin is such a big part of the original. Not to have Tarkin in it would be just a shame, and I think they have done it very honorably.

Before Carrie Fisher's death, Lucasfilm said Tarkin was a special case and it likely wouldn't be done again. Do you think this will become more prevalent in other Hollywood films?

MORE ON TARKIN: Some of the more eagle eyed of you out there spotted this quick shot in the video feature we posted a few days ago about the technology behind the creating of Cushing's Tarkin for Rogue one. In the background of one shot, we see a set up of Guy Henry, as Tarkin.... and the back of Princess Leia! A shot obviously not featured in the film, Rogue One. Weird? Odd? What do we make of that??

FREDDIE JONES' Professor Richter is a masterclass in pathos and madness. In 1969 Richter was Cushing's Frankstein's latest creation off the slab . . and it was Richter was reigned down the ultimate in revenge on his creator, Frankenstein. Does this make him our Monster this week ...or just another victim of the Baron's quest to create life…!

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#HAPPY BIRTHDAY FREDDIE JONES

Please join us in wishing #Happybirthday to the one and only Freddie Jones, who is the grand age of 89 TODAY! Freddie is an actor who is always a joy to watch.

Freddie Jones on set during the making of The Satanic 

Rites of Dracula

Always surprising and entertaining. His voice and delivery are unique, as is, his style and the line he follows in all his performances. Never the obvious, always the unpredictable path. There are have been many highs in the Freddie Jones career, but for us here today, we focus on his roles where working with Peter Cushing, brought us EXTRA value and entertainment. 

As the wrecked and manipulated, Professor Julian Keeley in Hammer films, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' in 1973, to the pathetic and trapped Professor Richter in 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' in 1969.

Freddie Jones still works, as busy as ever...some would say wasted in a disposable soap opera... but disposable or not, Freddie has played the role of Sandy Thomas since 2005, and in all 552 episodes of ITV's 'Emmerdale', with the same level of authenticity and investment, as any role he has played since he began his long career back in 1960. Fifty six years, and still you can't take your eyes off him! Happy Birthday Freddie From Us All!