A TIPPLE AT DARTMOUTH, FULL RED FOR HAMMER'S DRACULA AND NEAT MODELS OF CUSHING'S FINEST!

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY: What a splendid way to end a day of shock, terror and fighting supernatural forces, having a tipple with your friend in a cosy Olde pub, with log fire burning... in Dartmouth, Devon! Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we've asked, IF you had one chance and opportunity of sharing a drink with these two fine chaps.... no doubt you would have raised your glass and toasted them?? WHAT would have been YOUR toast?  - Marcus

 

 

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY : A close up of the Count, with Christopher Lee wearing full RED haptic contact lenses for the first time. 'TASTE THE BLOOD OF #DRACULA' (1970). Lots of interest in the rare pic, over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, including at COMMENT from SFX ARTIST Brian Johnson,' . . . Brian Johnson’s first movie as FX Supervisor!'  As most of you, I am sure know,  Johnson is a award winning special and visual effects designer and director who for over 40 years provided his services to a multitude of film and television productions.... 'Empire Strikes Back', 'Alien' Cushing's 'Captain Clegg', 'When Dinosaurs Rules the Earth' . . and 'Taste the Blood of Dracula' . .  

 

 

TWO VERY NICE,  small models of #PeterCushing as Baron Frankenstein and Van Helsing, unpainted. These were very kindly sent to us by our good friend Marcia Loisel... she and her husband are keen collectors of figures and models, and he recently treated her to this pair when he came across them. I hope we get to see both figures after Marcia has painted them too??! Lots of interest on where these can be ordered and Marcia has been kind enough to provide the details too! 'Bears Head Miniatures makes the Frankenstein and we got the Van Helsing through Wargames Illustrated!'  BEARSHEAD HERE and WAR GAMES ILLUSTRATED HERE!   

 

 

 

WAR GAMES, SUSPENDED PLANES AND MODEL SOLDIERS : PETER CUSHING MASTER MODEL MAKER AT HOME

More Images of Peter Cushing Hobbies, Toys and Games: Peter inspects his model aircraft, suspended by fishing wire from the ceiling in his studio at Whitstable. Painting his figures for a American Civil War encampment tableau. Engrossed in a 'LITTLE WARS' with his figures, consulting his 'War Games' hand book written by H.G.Wells and finally inspecting his William Britain figures at home in number 9, Hillsleigh Road, Notting Hill..... 

Peter Cushing secretary remembers: ' Hillsleigh Road was originally stables in the 1900's and it had been rebuilt as a house. It only had two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a beautiful sitting room and dinning room and at the far end, were three or four steps into a huge studio which housed Peter's enormous collection of soldiers, all his paintings and things, a vast collection of books and a huge games table!'

ASK MY WIFE SAYS PETER CUSHING : WOMANS ANGLE MAGAZINE 1961

When Peter Cushing agreed to star in 'CAPTAIN CLEGG'- his ninth film for Hammer films - he consulted one of his numerous collections of text books relating to the history of the period of the film, 18th century Britain. For Mr Cushing is a perfectionist.

We tried to find out something more of this most successsful actor- the only one to win Britain's 'Best Actor Of The Year Award' three times in succession. But he referred us to his wife. 'She knows me better than anyone", he said.

And that is how we came to be sittting in the tastefully furnished lounge of a delightful regency house in London's Kensington district, which Peter Cushing uses when he is filming.

After a superb lunch, cooked by our charming and elegant hostess- she does all her own coooking- Helen Cushing told us something about her husband.

'Whatever he does, he  likes to do well", she began. 'He  is modest nad retriring - too modest sometimes' He Always thinks he knows less than anyone else. He is always learning and willing to learn. If he takes a ride in a London taxi, he will have learned a great deal about it ,it's driver, and the route on which he has been driven, before he returns! He has an enquiring mind."

'I think his greatset attribute is is the fact that he has the courage not to try and impress. He is fundamentally honest and truthful. We don't go to cocktail parties but spend most of our leisure time reading and listening to music. Of course , my husband spends a good deal of time painting, especially when we are at home in Whitstable.

"In our married life, I have never known him swear or behave other than a gentleman, and he can't bear gossip. He is exceptionally neat and tidy. It makes him soundlike a paragon, doesn't it, But I really can't think of any fault. He does occasionally lose his temper, of course, but it is usually if it's someone who can't fight back'

We asked Mrs Cushing what sort of roles does her husbandlike to play. '"He doesn't mind what what he plays as long as it's good", she haid. 'He would rather do good work for nothing than bad work for a high price. He has played a good many heavy roles lately and I think producers have forgotten how excellent his in sophisticated comedy. He had wonderful press notices when he appeared with Anne Todd in 'Tovarich' for BBC television"

We tried to get Mrs Cushing to talk about her own career- she was an actresss before she married. But she refused to talk about beyond saying she was never dedicated to the art like her husband. She was quite happy to give up her promising career to dedicate herself to him. They have never been parted, no matter where Mr Cushing has been working.

"I love travelling", says Mrs Cushing. 'I did a great deal before I was married. But Peter is the original Ancient Briton, he much prefers to stay at home!" When he is working , Helen Cushing is perfectely content to get on with the housework, sewing, and cooking, or working in a neat and pretty garden in Whitstable.

The feeling that struck us that had we had asked Peter Cushing the secret of his success, he would have replied - My Wife! For Helen Cushing is the woamn who is content to stay in the background, a tower of strength and comfort to her husband, happy in the knowlledge that with her support and encouragement Peter Cushing has become one of Britain's best known and best liked actors.

Source: Woman's Angle Magazine 1961