STILL ON THE STEPS OF POPULARITY WITH AUTOBIOGRAPHIES THAT STILL ENTERTAIN!

#PETERCUSHING : Sherlock HOLMES! This rare photograph was shared this weekend at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE to an enormous response of LIKES and comments! Once again, proving that Cushing's interpretation of  probably the most popular detective in the world... is still just as popular as ever!

PETER CUSHING 'Past Forgetting' . . the publishing of Cushing's First autobiography . . 'Peter Cushing An Autobiography' in 1986.. was such a surprising and success to both him and his publishers, that another volume was quickly written and published in 1988, 'Past Forgetting' contained stories and anecdotes from his career before and after his time with Hammer films and his success appearing in fantasy genre cinema. 

MANY READERS FELT they wanted more, and maybe had his health improved, we may have also have received a third volume? A short time after the Peter Cushing Centenary in 2013 both the volumes were repackaged and published as 'Peter Cushing : The Complete Memoirs', with some new photographs... this book sold out within days, copies flew off the shelves in bookshops and drained the publisher!

ONE OF THE MANY positive things about the publishing of Peter autobiographers was, for both volumes he 'stepped out' and made signing sessions at book stores around the country. After a what was almost a 15 year period of quite reclusive living, leaving home in Whitstable only to work... Cushing was shocked by the love, affection and gratitude he received from the his public.

ABOVE: A LOVELY STORY from one of our followers and friends at the FACEBOOK fan page,  Jake! : RIGHT HERE!

FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, it was common to see him on his bike in his home town, eating in public and appearing on chat shows and radio.. writing the books would be and were indeed, as his good friend Sir John Mills told him, 'Wonderful therapy'! . .. So, I am curious as to how many of us at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE actually own a copy, of either or both or the combined book..and have read it? I have therefore, requested everyone to feel free to snap a selfie of you or your book and share with us at the page! Who would have thought, so many copies! 😮😀 Stay Safe everyone... love and take care 😉 - Marcus

 

'#WATCHWITHCUSHING!' POISON DARTS PEARLS AND MURDER! LOCK-DOWN ENTERTAINMENT

#WATCHWITHCUSHING! IT'S GREAT TO SEE the sharing of #PeterCushing's #SherlockHolmes episodes have been so popular in our PCASUK 'Watch With Cushing Parties' 😊Those you messaging and requesting other episodes from the series, just need to dip into our post from the last three weeks. You will find them there😉 Meanwhile, here we have 'The Sign Of Four' my personal favourite from this Cushing BBC television series, though many see this episode as the weakest!?

OF THE SIX #surviving episodes, from the BBC's 'trashing and wiping tapes fiasco' The Sign of Four' I certainly find it more entertaining and interesting... Peter complained there was too little time for preparation, and some consider the direction of William Sterling, to be without map or steering device! I find these pressures to have enhanced the experience in my viewing. Cushing has to think, react and perform much more quickly. Recorded live, I am sure everyone was flying by the seat of their pants.. . 

NIGEL STOCK AGAIN proves to be a solid and dependable Watson and Cushing's Sherlock at times, leaves his tired and tested performance... all interesting stuff. Supporting actor honours go to John Stratton, another familiar face in the Cushing universe (he would go on to play the comically blustering asylum director in #Hammerfilms / Cushing's 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell', 1972), who gives a good account of himself as the clueless and supercilious Inspector Jones. Howard Goorney, a busy character actor whose credits include 'The Evil of Frankenstein' (1964), '#BloodonSatan’sClaw' (1970) and 'The Offence' (1972), also shows up in a small role. I hope this entertains, that you and yours are safe. Take care of yourself and each other, my friends

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THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY TODAYS WATCH WITH CUSHING!

BEFORE we begin a BIG shout out to . . Romina Bond, Kornelis Kalsbeek, Scott Brookman, John Bramwell, Marcia Loisel, Jeffery Kubitz, Jim Morrow, Michelle Lynn Brooks and Lyn Barnes .. . who I hope are going to very much enjoy another Peter Cushing #SherlockHolmes episode this evening.. and I hope you do too! 😃The Boscombe Valley Mystery is one of my favourites from the 1968 BBC television series and it's today's FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE Cushing seems to have much more fun making this episode and their is some amusing bits of business with him and Nigel Stock's #DrWatson too. Director Viktors Ritelis seems to have the right touch for Cushing's style as he directed this and two other episodes of the series, 'The Musgrave Ritual' and 'The Solitary Cyclist'.

SADLY, BOTH EPISODES were victims of the 'BBC great '#junking, wipe and reuse' exercise of the 60's, 70's and 80's. Although the practice was once very common, wiping is now practised much less frequently and since the establishing of an 'archival policy' for television began in 1978, BBC archivists and others have over the years used various contacts in the UK and abroad to try to track down missing programmes. It is hoped maybe one day, the missing #PeterCushing Sherlock Holmes episodes will be found . .and we can enjoy them all! Meanwhile, I trust you are all safe and well and your holiday weekend, finds you and yours in good spirits 😀Please stay in, stay well and safe 😀 - Marcus

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BARBARA SHELLEY IN GORGON MAKE UP : THE FILM FATES OF CUSHING AND CENTENARY OF SHERLOCK'S NIGEL STOCK

FOLLOWING ON from the rare behind the scenes clips we shared with you last week...here's a question for you, again concerning Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee's Hammer film the 1964 'THE GORGON' . .. it's known that actress Barbara Shelley who played Megaera's 'other side' Carla Hoffman, was quite happy to also play the make up laden, three pound head-dressed Gorgon Megaera too! She also stated she wasn't afraid of 'snakes' if they had to be used in the head-dress too! It was Shelley's contractual commitment to other work, that prevented her from playing the role. The whole planning and design of the Gorgon make up had taken much longer than planned.. she HAD to leave and move on to other work.

BUT LOOKING at her in the make up, makes you wonder . . what kind of Gorgon do you think she would have made on the screen. A point that is often made on the hit miss results of the big reveal and drama of the ending of the film... has been, would it have been easier to except the dual identity, if The Gorgon DID look a little like her other identity played by Shelley.... Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, we've asked what do YOU think?

THE MANY FILM FATES OF PETER CUSHING . . . in his own words, text from his second autobiography 'Peter Cushing: Past Forgetting' 1988, Weidenfeld & Nicholson. Cushing had many a dramatic ending for some of his roles, not as many as his good friend, Christopher Lee though 😮😃 . . AGAIN, over at our Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, we are asking . . which PC character 'bow-out' do you find the most interesting, dramatic, emotional? - Marcus

A HEADS UP! a VERY popular series that kicked off  when PCASUK first came to FACEBOOK, 'The Twenty Two  Screen Deaths of Peter Cushing', wrapped through lack of time, quite sometime ago. For those  who enjoyed these posts, you'll be pleased, maybe . . to hear we are  picking up where we left off, in just a few days time 😀😃 Look out for additions to the series soon . .

TODAY ALSO MARKS the Centenary of the birthday of actor, NIGEL STOCK! Stock, played 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. The marking of remembering Stock today, is being well supported with comments and opinions at the PCASUK Facebook Fan Page. .  

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! Ok... The last time two of these people were on screen together, the set up was quite different...there was a table then too, but the 'lady' was the meal 😮What film was that? Who are the two sitting at the table and name THIS film too! Btw.. we posted the little insert photograph a few weeks ago, but no one then could site where that strange photograph car from...well, today you just might find the answer 😉 At the PCASUK Facebook Fan Page we are suggesting to Lee fans, they SHOULD now nail this quite quickly . . yes? -Marcus

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! BFI ANNOUNCE CUSHING ACTOR OF THE 70'S AND WE REMEMBER 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...

NEWS: #THROWBACKTHURSDAY!THE BFI (British Film Institute) have announced they are BUILDING an online film database in which they are breaking down which UK actors appeared in the MOST films in each decade . .. . Peter Cushing represents the 1970's. Wow! What do you think of THAT???

'To launch its online filmography database, the BFI also broke down statistics by decade. The men with the most film appearances are John Le Mesurier (1960s), Peter Cushing (1970s), Robbie Coltrane (1980s), Keith Allen (1990s), Sir Michael Gambon (2000s) and Jim Broadbent (2010s). For actresses, Marianne Stone dominated the 1960s-1970s, followed by Liz Smith (1980s), Sadie Frost (1990s), Shirley Henderson (2000s) and Kate Dickie (2010s) . .. 'The Daily Telegraph' Sept 20th 2017.

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY!: Here is a meeting of the casts from TWO hammer films in released 1971. . . . almost 46 years ago. Eric Porter from 'Hands of the Ripper', the Collinson Twins and Peter Cushing from 'Twins of Evil' .... in the middle producer / director Michael Carreras.

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     

HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES : AT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

A NEW ADDITION at our PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC adaption of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES from 1969. It's a TWO PARTER and part two follows soon. Meanwhile, click the thumbnail below and watch the upload here or at our YOUTUBE CHANNEL! Enjoy!

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BREAKER OF THE MOLD : WATSON WITH INTELLIGENCE AND STYLE : STOCK REMEMBERED PLUS GIFS

REMEMBER 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!

FULL REVIEW AND GALLERY RIGHT HERE

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