DOOMWATCH INSEMINOID FEAR IN THE NIGHT AND DIAGNOSIS MURDER! A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JUDY GEESON!

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to actress JUDY GEESON today! We interviewed JUDY GEESON back in the early 1980's, in her dressing room, at a London theatre, where she was appearing in a play at the time. She was sharp, bright as a button, and chomped her way through a pawn salad, as she regaled us with stories for our Marantz audio recorder and microphone!

JUDY GEESON had only worked with Peter once in FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972), and Christopher Lee in 1975 in a film called, DIAGNOSIS MURDER. Thankfully, she had much to share on both. She also commented on his Cushing's laugh...and his pleasure on finding out that Judy kept a parakeet, and had a pet dog. She even brought the bird to the set of Fear In The Night, so Peter could sketch and paint it! It's interesting that most reports and reviews of Cushing's films that you read about, from this period of time, are usual tinged sadness, and concerned with Peter Cushing's grief and loss, of his wife, Helen. It's good to know, he did have sunny days, some light and shade.

JUDY GEESON was born in Arundel, Sussex, in 1948, Her father moved the family to London when she was 10 years old and enrolled her and sister Sally Geeson into the Corona Academy, Chiswick. Judy initially wanted to be a ballet dancer, but had to change course when she suffered from terrible headaches as a result of some of the moves. Acting had always been a great interest, however, and she chose to pursue this, making her first TV appearance in Dixon of Dock Green (1955) aged 12. 

HER FIRST MAJOR FILM ROLE was as wayward teenager Pamela Dare opposite Sidney Poitier in To Sir, with Love (1967) at the age of 18. I am sure you can all name your personal favourite Judy film... I will vote for Fear in the Night and To Sire with Love... but there are many others, 10 Rillington Place, Doomwatch, Brannigian with John Wayne and a HEAP of tv dramas too! Please join us wishing Judy the BEST of birthday's today!

RALPH BATES REMEMBERED : BORN TODAY 1940

 

REMEMBERING: Born today in 1940, RALPH BATES. Sadly, no longer with us. A talented actor and a truly gentle and kind man.

RALPH BATES WAS THE GREAT, GREAT nephew of the renowned French scientist Louis Pasteur developed into a strangely handsome dark haired, pale complexioned English actor. Ralph Bates was born in 1940 in Bristol, England and attended the University of Dublin and studied at the Yale Drama School. His dramatic talents first came to audiences attention playing the evil Emperor Caligula in the well received BBC TV series The Caesars (1968). However, the Hammer studios resurrection of the horror genre was then in full stride, and Bates was soon engulfed in the swirling cloak of Hammer's success as he appeared in several horror films in quick succession.

ABOVE: A few fated coincidences here with these two chaps that appeared in 'The Caesars' tv series . . .Ralph Bates and Freddie Jones

FIRSTLY IN A SUPPORT ROLE as demonic Lord Courtley in Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), followed as the lead character Baron Frankenstein in The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), then as Giles Barton in the sexy Lust for a Vampire (1971) and as the well meaning Dr. Jekyll in an unusual spin on the Robert Louis Stevenson story in Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971) and 'Fear in the Night' with Peter Cushing in 1972. Bates brought a new zest to Hammer and with his stylish dialogue delivery and film acting methods, he quickly won himself quite a few fans in both critics and regular film goers!

UNFORTUNATELY, by the early 1970s there had been a downturn in Hammer studios fortunes, and Bates then found himself turning to more traditional character work in other production houses and he appeared in several films before snaring other superb villainous role as George Warleggan in the 18th century period piece Poldark (1975).

ABOVE: RALPH BATES and JUDY GEESON : HAMMER FILMS 

 FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972)

AFTER POLDARK, Bates himself kept busy in TV shows and television film roles which did not really do justice to his remarkable talents. In the late 1980s his health rapidly deteriorated, and he sadly passed away from cancer aged only 51 on 27th March 1991.

REMEMBER! 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  

NEWS: STUDIOCANAL AND PARK CIRCUS TO RELEASE EIGHT NEW HAMMER FILM BLU RAYS!

#NEWS: #STUDIOCANAL AND #PARKCIRCUS to release EIGHT NEW #HAMMERFILM titles to #BLURAY! #Studiocanal and #ParkCircus are to present brand New Restorations of 8 classic Hammer Horror titles. This year, 2017 is the 60th Anniversary of the birth of Hammer Horror and Studiocanal have chosen 19th September as Hammer Day given that it would have been the birthday of producer/screenwriter Anthony Hinds who was very instrumental in all their horror films…The Titles : Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Scars of Dracula, Horror of Frankenstein, To The Devil A Daughter, Fear In The Night, Straight On Till Morning.  DETAILS UPDATING . . . .MORE NEWS TO COME

**** #BLOODFROMTHEMUMMYSTOMB and #DEMONSOFTHEMIND are the other TWO titles making the eight. Not included in montage, as artwork for the blu rays isn't available yet . .

A SENSE OF FUN, A NAUGHTY SENSE OF HUMOR AND CUSHING AT CANNES

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: CHRISTOPHER LEE once said that Peter Cushing had a laugh that could clear a restaurant in 30 seconds flat! And it must be said, if you ever get the chance to catch a clip of Peter laughing, it was a belter!  It also seemed to get even louder, when he was in the company of Christopher Lee! We interviewed JUDY GEESON back in the early 1980's, in her dressing room, at a theatre, where she was appearing in a play at the time. She was sharp, bright as a button, and chomped her way through a pawn salad, as she regaled us with stories for our Marantz audio recorder and microphone! 

JUDY GEESON had only worked with Peter once in FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972), and Christopher Lee in 1975 in a film called,  DIAGNOSIS MURDER. Thankfully, she had much to share on both. She also commented on his Cushing's laugh...and his pleasure on finding out that Judy kept a parakeet, and had a pet dog. She even brought the bird to the set of Fear In The Night, so Peter could sketch and paint it! It's interesting that most reports and reviews of Cushing's films that you read about, from this period of time, are usual tinged sadness, and concerned with Peter Cushing's grief and loss, of his wife, Helen. It's good to know, he did have sunny days, some light and shade.

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: Marketing the Cushing Film in the 1970's..... from the Cannes film festival to US Home Video entertainment!

AND HERE IS another one from pit of...probably best forgotten releases..there can't be surely, any cheaper publicity poster, as lame and as penny pinching as this beauty from 'Black Jack: Death At The Casino' in which Peter had a guest star role.... this is the 'hold-the-front-page, Betty!' blinding monochrome poster for the trade-show at Cannes in 1981. There was later, a colour version, but it wasn't around very long...a bit like the film, I guess?

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 reach our 30K following total for Peter Cushing BIRTHDAY on MAY 26th 2017 AND Help Keep The Memory Alive!

#MONSTERMONDAY: A KNOTTY PROBLEM!

#MONSTERMONDAY: 'I have always taken a special interest in knots, i find them not only excellent therapy but most rewarding in the study of character formation" . . . As a conversation opener, it takes some beating!! Peter Cushing's Michael Carmichael, is a strange one... and he keeps us, and Judy Geeson's character in Fear In The Night, on edge... he's one of my favourite Cushing roles. Again, Cushing does so much with just a few lines... BUT Carmichael...Victim or Monster? What do YOU think?

 FULL REVIEW AND PICS AT OUR FEATURE : HERE

TOMORROW JOIN US FOR #TOOCOOLTUESDAY 

PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY ON FACEBOOK HERE