LATEX TISSUE PAPER WAX AND GORE : THE ANSWER TO THE MYSTERY BOX

BOX CLEVER ANSWER: Yesterday, I posted a photograph of an 'interesting' multi layer case-box and asked you if you could identify what it was, who was its owner ..and maybe it's contents! A larger version of the pic was also posted at the website, so you get a closer look, if needed. It was quite a puzzle for some, as the compartments of the box also contained, cotton wool balls, pencils, paint brushes.. and two knives and forks!!

ABOVE : ROY ASHTON MODELS HIS FANGS, that were used by David Peel in Hammer films, 'THE BRIDES OF DRACULA' (1960) Peter Cushing's second outing as Van Helsing!

SUGGESTIONS OF  'Something to do with model soldiers?' from Darren Park, was a good guess, as the box has a connection with Peter Cushing and this could have easily been a handy box for his painting and making of his mass collection of model soldiers and model theatres 😉 Daniel Worlsey suggested something similar in 'Is it it not Cushing’s “bit box”, wherein he keeps all the tools for gaming miniatures, paints and the left over bits and bobs of such a hobby?' Mateja Djedovic, asked if it was 'A vampire hunter tool kit box' ! 😁. It could have been, that fork looked nasty! 😉 Stephen Johnson said 'Is it Peter's private make up box, as he was allergic to the studio make up?🤔' which was a good answer and certainly on the right track! Donna Vallois Broughton thought it was a 'Fishing box' 🤔. Hmm...I too have seen plastic versions of these boxes used for that job too. One of the clues was that weird fork 😉 Colleen Crouch suggested 'It looks like a make-up kit. I'd guess Phil Leakey's. Wonder what the fork is for...🤔 The Cushing Connection would be Curse of Frankenstein, among other films.

THIS FORK LEAD QUITE A FEW to the ANSWER : Roy Ashton's Make Up Box. Roy had three. He said, 'One to beautify, one for extras and crowd and the other... for more extensive jobs, like monsters!' This box held fangs, latex vampire bite marks, noses, ears and of course two bottles of 'Kensington Gore'... blood! The Knife and Fork, Roy used '..for lunch'! Often he would find himself on location, or unable to leave work for the 'canteen or catering truck, so would bring his own lunch.. and use THAT knife and fork!

A ROY ASHTON QUIZ from the past! You can find the answers to 'NAME THE MONSTER' HERE! 

NAME DROP ALERT! I did three interviews with Roy, and one quite detailed video interview while he worked. He was always very kind and I was very fortunate to meet him and his wife at home too. You wouldn't think such a charming, calm gentleman could devise and create such works of terror and horror... but he did 😊 

THE BOX IN QUESTION has many connections to Hammer films, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, Amicus and Tyburn productions. Roy told me he only replaced the 'monster box once.. in 1960. The other one the hinges broke!!'😕 So I asked him, which films and creations was THIS box in partnership with himself responsible for?' He replied ' Well. Most of them after 1960... certainly one you would be interested in with Peter. Arthur Grimsdyke in 'Tales from the Crypt'! He then pulled things from the box, that would have been typical of the materials he used over the period of working with Peter on the character, latex, make up sticks Leichner 'Greasepaint 'G' Stick - Light Blue, Black and Greasepaint Stick - Light Grey.. and TISSUE PAPER for Grimsdyke's skin! So HERE was THE box!

QUITE A FEW OF YOU cracked it, but WELL DONE Robert Withers, who got it in 20 minutes with ' Roy Ashton’s box of tricks' 😀 Also, Deb Duncan-Faul, Ben Smothers took two guesses, but got it. No one guessed the movie, lots of suggestions, but not the title I was looking for. . .

ABOVE : ACTOR DANIEL JOHNS who was transformed by Roy Ashton into a 'living wax mannequin' with Peter Cushing in Amicus films 'ASYLUM' (1972)

MIKE GIACOLONE, was almost there with 'Jimmy Sangster's lunch box!!' Sangster was probably there for most of Roy's work in some fashion or another, having written most of the Hammer films on which he did the make up. Thanks for everyone who took part, had a go. I hope you like the photographs too! 😉 Another one soon 😉 - Marcus

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VERONICA! THE AMAZING KRESKIN AND CARRY ON CUSHING : TUESDAY TOUGHY!

A SPECIAL DAY.. A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY: Join us in wishing VERONICA CARLSON a VERY Happy Birthday TODAY! Image: Veronica Carlson and Peter Cushing pose for a publicity photograph during the making of #hammerfilms 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' at Elstree film studios in 1969. You can read more about Veronica and her career, in our excellent series feature by BRUCE HALLENBECK HERE plus the work she did with Peter Cushing in Tyburn films, THE GHOUL and  FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED

VERONICA CARLSON : WOMEN IN GOTHIC PART FIVE WITH GALLERY : HERE!

MORE VERONICA CARLSON AND CUSHING in THE GHOUL! JUST CLICK HERE

 

ABOVE THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY! Good luck with this one and feel free to pop along to the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE and post YOUR answer in the THREAD! MEANWHILE, below here is LAST WEEKS ANSWER!

ANSWER: DAVID KRESKIN an American Mentalist who was very popular on television in both the US and UK during the 1970's. In 1973 he broadcast a daytime TV series on ITV in the UK. Kreskin always claimed to be an 'entertainer', never a psychic, he operated using the power of suggestion, not paranormal or supernatural. In JULY 1973 Peter Cushing appeared as a guest on the daytime UK show and took part in a ten minute feature, where he was invited to write a NAME of his choice, on a piece of paper. Kreskin did not see the name, as it written and folded up. This paper was then set alight with a match, placed onto a china plate and the ashes from the paper were then rubbed lightly, onto the bare arm of Cushing, where the name HELEN then magically appeared! Helen was Cushing's late wife, who had died just two years previously. Kreskin at the beginning of the trick, did mention he had no prior knowledge of the name that Peter Cushing had chosen to write on the note paper. As with all magic tricks . . . the trick is in the preparation!

ABOVE: TELEVISION LISTING MAGAZINE TV TIMES with the listing of Cushing's appearance on the show. BELOW: Not AUSTIN POWERS but KRESKIN, during his tv show . . .

AT THE TIME when Cushing was still still in deep moaning for his late wife, I personally think, this was such an odd event and choice from Cushing. He never truly recovered for the twenty years odd years, he outlived Helen. Granted, he did a few years later also include a photograph of Helen in the Tyburn film, THE GHOUL'. But this, just seems weird and more than a little mawkish? Maybe it's just me, but I remember seeing this show as a teenager when it was broadcast, and even then, thought it odd. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. It's a tv appearance which many would not now remember and is hardly ever mentioned. I am sure there will be several comments on this at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY. PLEASE feel free to join in with your comments and thoughts too!

STAR WARS WITH MAGIC CARPETS ALONG WITH CHRISTOPHER LEE, EMMA SAMMS AND PC!

PETER CUSHING as the brief but interesting WAZIR AL WAZARA in ARABIAN ADVENTURE in 1979. Often see as another AMICUS film, the film was in fact produced in April 1978 EMI Films announced they would make the film as part of a series of films they wanted to produce with the newly formed Orion Pictures. Granted both the partnership of the Amicus Kevin Francis and John Dark were on board, and both Christopher Lee and Cushing were starring and almost, guest starring, but Amicus it aint. The budget was much more than what Dark and Connor ever had to tackle their Land that Time Forgot, At The Earth's Core or Warlords of Atlantis, but it wasn't as successful. The promo strap line of 'Star Wars with Magic Carpets!' promised much, but fell well short of anything close to the new benchmark of children and family entertainment on the big screen. 

OUR PCASUK FEATURE AND GALLERY ON ARABIAN ADVENTURE HERE!

WHEN CUSHING does finally arrive, his appearance as the cell trapped Wuzara, it is a bit of shock. Sporting what looks like 15 years over growth on the handle-bar moustache he wore as Dr Naramrov in Hammer films, The Gorgon, his character is dusty, grubby and broken. Cushing gave the role, however short, his full attention and commitment and the facial hair he grew and wore, for the role of  Commissioner Potts in the truly weird and way off, A Touch Of The Sun with Oliver Reed, remained. Work on TOUCH on location in Zamiba had only wrapped two weeks, so what little of Cushing's face we could see was, certainly sun kissed for the Arabian climate!

THE REASON WHY this film is being included in our usual COMIC TURNS and MAGAZINE themed WEDNESDAY, is because the press office for the movie managed to pull two quite interesting stunts in the drive for publicity. ONE was the fabulous FULL COLOUR photo that graced the cover of an EARLY issue of blood splat and gore effects screamarama, that is now FANGORIA magazine. Granted this was only issue three, and the magazine would soon being making off in a completely different direction, but brownie points to the press office. SECOND was the wave of alternative cinema and press design posters that were drawn up and produced on the release of the film. One poster carried a selection of COMIC STRIP panels on a full colour cinema quad poster. Rarely does this kind of artwork feature on a cinema poster, but the well intended move to capture the attention of the target audience kiddies, was still much more impressed and still dizzy from the hi tech visuals, of 'A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY'. Magic carpets were for this crowd, were seen as thread bare and dated. It would be a long time far far in the distance, before those impressive visuals would stop tinting any fantasy adventure on the big screen. . .

A FACE YOU WILL SURELY KNOW! Ever wondered whatever happened to ACTOR MILTON REID. FIND OUT : RIGHT HERE!

FIND MORE and DAILY with LOTS of opportunity to comment and share your opinions and thoughts at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!

MARKING PETER CUSHING PASSING : 23 YEARS AGO TODAY.

REQUESTED: This is the first time we have posted the televised #NEWS #OBITUARIES from UK television, that were broadcast on August 11th 1994. It's a sign of the times, that today obituaries on tv do tend to get a little 'over egged' these days. I think, both the BBC and ITV did quite respectful tribute. So as requested by Juan Talos, Maria B, Anthony W . . . the two obituaries as broadcast by the BBC and UK ITV

TODAY AUGUST 11TH marks the 23rd Anniversary of Peter Cushing's passing. It's an anniversary we mark here every year, but in a style we think Peter Cushing would have probably approved of . . in celebration of his life 🙂 I have three posts for you today, that show some of the diversity of Peter's life . . . please feel free to share any images and comments on the threads below our posts or on the section to the right, called 'Posts by Others' Although for much of his life Peter was a private man, we have learned he was as busy at home, as he was on the screen. He loved music, reading and his many hobbies filled his life, a life for the most part, he lead with good humor...and it's his sense of humor we see in this clip. 

We are slowly building the MORECAMBE AND WISE CUSHING APPEARANCES

Playlist at our PCAS YOUTUBE Channel. Just ONE more CLIP to complete it! You

Can WATCH Peter Cushing's GUEST Appearances on the shows : CLICK HERE!

A REGULAR GUEST on the Morecambe and Wise Show, where their long running joke about Peter never getting paid for his first appearance back in 1969, always made us laugh. Anytime Peter turned up to try and get his money, Eric and Ernie, tried their best to get rid of him. In this rarer clip from Eric and Ernie's 1970 Christmas Show, Eric thinks has the perfect solution, with his Xmas party magic trick.... 'Ladies and Gentlemen... Sawing A Peter Cushing In Half! ENJOY!

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  

THE GREATEST PUT DOWN MOST REQUESTED FRANKENSTEIN CLIP!

#FrankensteinFriday: Our most requested Peter Cushing 'Frankenstein' clip by a long chalk! Cushing timing and delivery is quite magical...and certainly puts the stuffy gossips in their place.

THE FOLLOWING OF OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE IS GROWING EVERY DAY. WHY NOT COME AND JOIN THE ALMOST 30,000 READERS AND FOLLOWERS TO THE PAGE. IT'S UPDATE AT-LEAST TWICE A DAY WITH RARE PICS, FEATURES AND PRIZE COMPETITIONS: JUST CLICK HERE AND THEN CLICK LIKE THERE!

BORN ON THIS DAY: WE REMEMBER FREDDIE FRANCIS

Today we remember the wonderfully talented director and cinematographer Freddie Francis, who worked for both Hammer and Amicus, directing such films as THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN and DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS and many more …

Hammer Films and Universal studios REBOOT the Frankenstein story with Freddie Francis directing THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN HERE

MORE Freddie Francis and Peter Cushing THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN HERE 

The work of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee under Francis direction in some of the films they made for AMICUS films is explored in PART THREE and FOUR and FIVE of  A TALENT TO TERRIFY HERE

Part FOUR of our series THE AMICUS FILMS OF PETER CUSHING also includes FREDDIE FRANCIS work with Cushing on Amicus films, 'TALES FROM THE CRYPT.

Finally, in our suggested Francis features, we take a close look at the 'magic of Francis' direction, in what he always suggested was an improvised scene in Amicus films, THE SKULL. Just click HERE

A VERY Merry Christmas to all our FREINDS and FOLLOWERS here at our website and at our very busy, FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  UPDATED DAILY and through out the Festive Season! Please come join us!