THE COMFORT OF CAT AND SLIPPERS : HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEVIN CONNOR DIRECTOR OF 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE'!

PETER CUSHING: The Comfort of Slippers and a CAT! I am sure many of you will enjoy this rare photograph, of Peter relaxing, not at home... but sitting in the study of his long time friend and secretary, Joyce Broughton, in Herne Bay, near Peter's home in Whitstable, Kent. For those of you who know Peter's work well, I am sure you'll see the interesting connections in this photograph . . despite the terrible time his character Wilbur Gray endured in the 1977 film 'The Uncanny', personally he did have quite a passion and love of animals, birds, cats, dogs and wildlife. This cat lived in Joyce's home, a family pet...along with a dog too.

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, neither Peter or his wife Helen, ever had pets at home . . they preferred to enjoy the children and pets of their friends . . and have a quiet life! The slippers...well, we ALL know the connection there, I am sure . . 😊 This photograph was taken by and is the property of photographer Colin Bourner. 😉 Marcus *NOTE the book on the foot stool 😉

HAPPY BIRTHDAY director KEVIN CONNOR . .born today in 1937. He joined the Amicus films train, a little late in their journey, but in his very first outing as director, did amazing job on 'From Beyond The Grave' in 1974. It was also the first time he worked with Peter Cushing. Connor's timing, having served as an editor, brought a tighter beat to the Amicus style, managing to create what certainly looks like much higher production values, but I am sure the budget was as tight as ever. Released during the opening tip -toe, death march steps, of the collapse and fall of the British film industry.. From Beyond The Grave arrived a little late, when horror and fantasy films had moved on from spooky supernatural to full on exorcisms and gore . . though it did feature the lifting of nasty and mischievous Elemental demon . .

IT WOULD TAKE until the arrive of Home Cinema and the arrival of VHS and BBC double bills on TV, before it started to get the praise and recognition it deserved. Conner was also director and working with Peter on the last Amicus film, 'At The Earth's Core', managing to make a good ol family feature and get the best from Peter's almost second cousin to his Dr who. It was a huge production to manage.. at the time filing most of Pinewood studios lots with staggering jungle sets, caves, lava and men in suits! Hey! It's for the kids!

SOMEWHERE around this time, Peter stepped in with a guest appearance in another Connor directed feature called, 'Trail By Combat' aka 'A Dirty Knights Work' with John Mills... Connor also directed other very popular Amicus / AIP fantasy films too.. The Land That Time Forgot (1975), The People That Time Forgot (1977), Warlords of Atlantis (1978) by this time, Connor was certainly off Milton Subotsky's Christmas card list... but he did manage one more with Peter Cushing, 'Arabian Adventure' in 1978, with Peter making a guest appearance alongside it's star, Christopher Lee with...Milo O'Shea, Oliver Tobias, Emma Samms and...Mickey Rooney!

SINCE THOSE DAYS, Connor now spends most of his time and working and living in Hollywood directing films like Motel Hell (1980), The House Where Evil Dwells (1982), Sunset Grill (1993) and Domestic Import (2006), as well as many TV miniseries and films, including Goliath Awaits, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Great Expectations, Diana: Her True Story, Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story, Mother Teresa: In the Name of God's Poor, In the Beginning, Frankenstein, Blackbeard, Marco Polo and many more, as they say... 

TODAY, we thank Kevin Connor for bringing out some very entertaining films which thankfully also included Peter, if not starring, certainly in the mix. Beyond The Grave for many, is in their top three of the Amicus portmanteau productions, and deservedly so...as we will all see when it is released on blu ray by Warner Brothers next month.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEVIN CONNOR, have certainly entertained us, took us BEYOND the grave, into the CORE, all while certainly making your mark as part of the Amicus adventure !!

A REMINDER: BACK LAST WEEK we shared the news that Warner Archive had just announced that the Amicus films 'From Beyond The Grave' (1974) . . . . .starring Peter Cushing, Donald Pleasence, David Warner plus a rostra of other stars names, in the true Amicus portmanteau tradition, and directed by Kevin Connor . . was coming to blu-ray. Warner have also announced that this release will be a NEW 2019 1080p HD MASTER too! The SPEC as we have right now is as follows: FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (1973) Running Time 98:00.Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, 16 X 9 WIDESCREEN: Product Color COLOR Disc Configuration BD 50. TO PLACE YOUR PRE-ORDER JUST CLICK : HERE!

#NATIONALDOGDAY! CANINES IN CUSHING FILMS

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY Today is National Dog Day, so here is Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing with a canine friend during the filming of The House Of The Long Shadows (1983)

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! Christopher Lee with a less friendly canine in Hammer's 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' (1959)

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! Holmes and Watson, Cushing and Nigel Stock ...and canine! BBC tv 'Sherlock Holmes' (1969)

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  

SILENT BUT DEADLY : ANOTHER CRYPT LOAD OF GIFS FOR WEDNESDAY!

ANOTHER CRYPT LOAD of animated silent, but deadly, GIFS! As requested by you our dear and faithful readers and followers!

ABOVE AND BELOW for ERIC FRANKLYN two great GIFS from THE AVENGERS tv series. Peter Cushing appeared as the fiendish Paul Beresford in 'RETURN OF THE CYBERNAUT' in 1967. The very cool Patrick Macnee starred as very reliable STEED, and Diana Rigg as his female equal and partner, Mrs Peel. Stuntman Terry Richards, filled the Cybernaut's boots and hat! And below, Mrs Peel swishes in a red leather chair from the iconic title sequence!

NEXT UP a spot of shooting, not for the grouse season... but for the sake of science! PLEASE don't try this at home. Peter Cushing with a slightly 60's tailored looking Baron Frankenstein and Thorley Walters as his assistant, Dr Hertz in Frankenstein Created Woman, the latest of the Baron's adventures back in 1967. Walters REALLY does jump at the bang! Hope this makes you happy, Bradley Moore?

THE QUESTION WAS, 'Do You Have Any Footage of Christopher Lee, Behind The Scenes... Putting His Teeth In?' One of the weirdest questions we have been asked, and knowing that Lee didn't wear dentures...though PC DID have a plate with of ONE FRONT TOOTH (You heard it HERE first, Folks!) I am taking a stab that, NORA THOMAS is referring to, Lee's false FANGS used in his Hammer Dracula features? Fingers crossed, but not a cross in sight, as Christopher Lee add those two things, that make all the difference, on the set of Dracula AD 1972. I hope this makes you smile too, Nora?

HERE IS ANOTHER ONE from Dracula AD 1972, that since it's first appearance a few years ago, gets asked for quite often. It's the press launch for the film, and both Cushing and Lee were in attendance... and having a good time, by the looks on their faces! MARION NOLAN, you asked, we provided! Hope this makes your day, as you said it would! 

HERE FOR OUR MATE, NICK DIGILIO AT WGN CHICAGO, what I am sure is HIS favorite GIF. Peter Cushing as Major Holly, strutting his funky moves on the dance floor of the local casba in Hammer films, SHE in 1965. They just don't make moves, like that anymore..... 

THIS WONDERFULLY SUBTLE prologue is one of  of two great openers, that set the scene and signal to the audience, where they will be going over the next 90 minutes in Cushing's 1969 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed'. Here is one fellow, following a night at his gentleman's club or on the tiles, won't be waking up with a headache!  For FRED LEWIS, I hope this is the scene you were hinting at? Cushing did have a bit of a time of it with HEADS. One on a bed post in Frankenstein Created Woman, One in a  refrigerator in Corruption, Drilling one in THIS film later, as well as this head ended up being kicked around the lab! So, when you said, 'The Cushing film With That Head Scene, and the BLOOD' I would put a bet on it...this has to be it!

FINALLY, for FRANK NEAL something a little calmer, Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville, being caught doing a little eves dropping, by Andre Morell's Dr Watson, in Hammer films, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' (1959) starring Peter Cushing as Holmes. The look on Lee's face here, is priceless!

MORE NEXT WEDNESDAY: SEND US YOUR REQUEST FOR YOUR GIFS TO

PETERCUSHINGPCAS@GMAIL.COM

DO YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT? YES? 
THEN WHY NOT JOIN US AT OUR PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE : JUST CLICK HERE!

DOUGLAS WILMER AND CUSHING AT THE BBC WITH HOLMES

Marking the sad passing of  #Douglaswilmer this week, here is some interesting background about Wilmer's and Peter Cushing's time at the BBC making the SHERLOCK HOLMES tv series in the 1960's

#douglaswilmer #petercushing #sherlockholmes

CUSHING, SHERLOCK AND HIS PIPE : PUFFING AND SUFFERING FOR HIS ART!

Peter Cushing in one of his many signature roles, Sherlock Holmes , in a rare publicity photograph from Hammer films 'The Hound of The Baskervilles' (1959) Pictured here with his pipe, that would bring him the 'Pipeman of the Year Award' in 1969, which turned out to be a bit of a mixed blessing...

 

 

NEWS: CUSHING SMOKING JACKET FROM AMICUS HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD UP FOR SALE

NEWS: If you've ever had the whim to re-enact Peter Cushing's terrifying 'Waxworks Nightmare' scene from the Amicus film, 'The House That Dripped Blood' in the comfort of your own living room...or you are looking for that genuine one off piece of Cushing costume memorabilia to really top your collection... this maybe just what you're looking for! 

This week, Tuesday 21st April, Peter Cushing's smoking jacket costume from 'The House That Dripped Blood' was put up for sale at The Luke Honey Stand 115 at Battersea Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair. 

Here is their description of the smoking jacket:

"This splendid scarlet coloured wool smoking jacket belonged to Peter Cushing, star of both stage and screen. We think it came from the actor’s personal wardrobe (rather than a studio costume department) and is tailored by Simpson’s of Piccadilly, He most certainly wore it in the 1960’s BBC television adaption of Sherlock Holmes, and latterly, the 1971 Amicus horror flick, “The House that Dripped Blood”. We’re selling it with full provenance, certificate of authenticity and a BBC press still showing Peter Cushing wearing it on camera." 

I spoke with Stephanie Connell from Connell Art and Antiques and the owner of the jacket a few minutes ago and as of 5.00pm today (Monday 27th April 2015) it hasn't found a buyer. Stephanie told me, 'We offered the jacket at the fair with an asking ticket price of £2,500, however it remained unsold. Therefore if anyone out there would like to make an offer for the jacket or receive more information relating to its provenance do let me know.'

Soooo..If your distant Aunty Mary has just left you a bundle in her will. If you've just had windfall..or you would just love to own a most stylish piece of Peter Cushing, Amicus, BBC Sherlock Holmes history... here is your chance!

Serious enquiries contact me BY EMAILING theblackboxclub@gmail.com only please. Marcus :)

REMEMBERING: NIGEL STOCK

Remembering Today: NIGEL STOCK a superb Watson in the BBC 'Sherlock Holmes' television series of the 60's, with Peter Cushing as Holmes. Sadly, Stock left us in 1986, aged 66....Today would have been his birthday...

BBC 'THE SIGN OF FOUR' starring Peter Cushing and Nigel Stock

review with gallery HERE