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

 

RARE AND UNPUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS : PCAS ALBUM : AT HOME WITH PETER CUSHING : PART ONE

ON SEEING these rare and unpublished photographs for the first time, it isn't obvious who the man in the pics actually could be. A neat and trim moustache, the absence of a hair piece and several pounds of body weight along with clothing that wasn't the usual attire familiar to the thousands of cinema goers, who had watched him on the big screen and tv over the past three decades. 1971 was a year that changed Peter Cushing's life forever. The loss of his wife, Helen in February after many years of fighting her illness, set Cushing on a path of work, that would have psychically and emotionally exhausted many others.

THE GRIEF AND LOSS effected everything in Cushing's life, except as he saw, his one distraction away from the loneliness and pain. Work. These unpublished stills were taken in December 1971, as part of a Radio Times magazine feature, promoting a BBC radio programme Peter had recorded earlier on July 27th -29th July 1971 at his home in Whitstable. The programme 'Nature Spectacular' focused on the wildlife and birds of which Peter was very familiar and loved around his beach front home. I am sure you have seen the many watercolour's and sketches that Peter produced over the years, here on PCASUK. He was a lover of nature. The photo session produced quite a few unique captures of Peter, that we will be sharing over the next three weeks. . . 

THIS LOOK INTO Peter's home study, gives us a peep into the things that surrounded his day, the photo portrate of his late wife, the paperwork, the delicate bird figures he made and his desk, which I am very proud to be sat at, while writing this. Just a few weeks before these photographs were taken, Cushing had began his journey, in 'keeping busy' in March until April, he returned in his first film just weeks after Helen passed, Hammer films 'Twins of Evil', September he filmed his award winning performance as Arthur Grimsdyke in Amicus films, 'Tales from the Crypt' at Shepperton studios, work on Hammer's Dracula AD 1972' as Van Helsing with Christopher Lee as the Count, kept him busy from September 27th until November 5th along with several radio appearances from September 30th until early November. He brought the year to an end, with shooting Hammer films, 'Fear In The Night' with Ralph Bates and Judy Geeson' .... hence the little moustache, of his character headmaster, Michael Carmichael. Cushing was allergic to spirit gum that would hold on a false tash, so he grew his facial hair when roles required it! A busy time, indeed.

TO WHOM DOES THIS TROOP OF MODEL SOLDIERS BELONG?? THE TUESDAY TOUGHY!

CAN YOU TAKE A GUESS AT WHO OWNS the collection of MODEL SOLDIERS that Peter Cushing is setting up at a PUBLIC DISPLAY back in 1960? Below a rare and edited clipping from a UK newspaper, in which a small feature appeared about this PUBLIC DISPLAY at the time! We'll share the whole clipping and the ANSWER NEXT TUESDAY!  Have FUN!

LAST WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY, really did prove to be QUITE a tough one! Lots of interesting answers, but not one that was correct! The ANSWER was 'The HELLFIRE CLUB' from 1961, in which Peter played, MR MERRYWEATHER. The story and screenplay was written by JIMMY SANGSTER, who wrote so many of Cushing's best scripts, for his roles with Hammer films . . . despite, what Cushing once stated!!!!

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#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY! 1956 BEFORE STORM AND STUNNING PORTRAIT

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: Peter Cushing at his and Helen's London home, and a visit from the press . . . this was August 1956, just months before the release of Hammer films, The Curse of Frankenstein . . . and soon everything would change. Cushing had been the face of television drama since the early 50's... soon he would be the face of British Horror Films a label that would stick for the rest of his career. . . .

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY! : An excellent portrait of Peter Cushing from the 1967 'Frankenstein Created Woman' by the very talented Frankie Smith. Would it look good on your study wall??? For Frankie's Website Click : HERE!

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  

IT'S NOT JUST THE EYES THAT FOLLOW YOU AROUND THE ROOM!

WITH THE EXCEPTION of dear old Arthur Grimsdyke in 'Tales from the Crypt' Peter Cushing never did get to play a physical grotesque. Amazing when you consider that wonderful facial bone structure. A make up artist's dream! If ever you find yourself at The Prater in Vienna, and your heart can take it, you must go and seek out this animated digital 'painting' of Peter Cushing's likeness for yourself! Spooky? What do you think?

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!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: PAINTING INTO A CORNER?

THERE WERE MANY 'could have been's' in the long career of Peter Cushing. On both small and big screen, and scanning the long litter of tantalizing titles and scripts, are as exciting, as they are frustrating. Putting aside the Daddy of all these no-goes, John Carpenter's 'Halloween', two names that appear to come up frequently as culprits of numerous Cushing non starters are the BBC and, as you would expect, Hammer films. The later was a company where the fate of a go-green light was finely balanced on a thumbs up OR down, following the flashing of some titillating artwork on a poster, unveiled at a meeting of money types looking to make a profit. The long and sad cry of projects that never got beyond treatment stage, makes for an emotional read! With Hammer it was always the bottom line of finance, the BBC was often crippled by it's own business model of, creativity by committee.

DISPITE THIS, during the 1950's and 60's Aunty Beeb did a tremendous job of presenting much ground-breaking, and exciting drama. However, it was the same BBC though that in its urge to unwrap a tv Christmas schedule that would keep the viewers glued to their programmes , that was instrumental in causing Cushing's absence from what could have been another Peter Cushing / Christopher Lee Hammer film smash. Based on the Barry Lyndon's play, 'The Man in Half Moon Street', or as Hammer came to re-tittle it, 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death', would have been that film. As it turned out, only Lee would appear in a minor supporting role, with actor Anton Diffring starring as the 'Man', one Dr. Georges Bonnet.

AFTER A VERY busy year and completing Hammer films one and only dip into Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes library, with The Hound of the Baskervilles, by October 1958, Cushing was looking forward to spending some time on preparing an exhibition of his paintings in the new year. The BBC however, were keen to get him on-board in their line up of stars appearing in their programming during the Christmas scheduling of 58.  Michael Barry (1910 – 1988) producer, director and executive at the BBC was very busy preparing a production of George Du Maurier's 'Trilby' for the festive programming, and very much had his eye on Peter Cushing to play the role that had brought much critical acclaim to  John Barrymore on screen and Herbert Beerbohm- Tree on stage. On September 9th Michael Barry received some sobering correspondence from Cushing television agent, Angela Hepburn : 

'I have some more information from Hammer films as to their plans for Peter's next production  for them. which ..... is to be 'The Man in Half Moon Street. At present they plan to start shooting this picture on or about the 10th of November. It will be a six to seven week schedule- generally six. Hound of the Baskervilles, on which he has just commenced work this week - and the start of Half Moon Street gives an available period of October 20th - 9th November approximately'. 

BARRY, DESPITE his impressive and long production experience must have chewed a couple of pencils on that one! But despite the tight schedule and restrictions, he was still very keen to go ahead with Cushing. In his reply to Angela Hepburn, Barry noted, 'Svengali belongs to a period that requires breadth and colour which I believe Peter would join me in appreciating' Barry had in 1952, he succeeded Val Gielgud to become the Head of Drama at BBC Television, a position he was to occupy for the next decade. He was responsible for commissioning several important productions, including the Quatermass science-fiction serials, and in 1954 suggested Peter Cushing to play Winston Smith in the famous adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. This latter production caused much controversy due to its supposed horrific scenes and subversive content.

THROUGHOUT the 50's Peter Cushing was Mr Television. Hardly a week went by without him appearing in the BBC's listings. He was the BBC's Mr. Darcy in their flagship 1952 production of 'Pride and Prejudice', he had won several television awards, a BAFTA and the BEEB still saw him as one of their stars. Also, since the launch of the 'Other-side', Independent Television the loss of their monopoly on the little screen, was starting to make Aunty wobble. ITV were starting to nibble away at the BBC's hold, and the Independent Television regional stations had started to broadcast around the UK. Whispers of competition, ratings and stars jumping ship, were staring to be heard along the hallowed corridors of Alexandra Palace and the Riverside studios. Which is why, when Barry was faced with the timing problem, he offed to reschedule and postpone the transmission of Trilby to Boxing Day, rather than loose Cushing.

Despite this, the casting of Cushing in Trilby, was not to be. The whole idea was shot down in a letter to producer Christopher McMaster from Angela Hepburn on November 27th 1958.

'It is with the greatest regret I have to tell you that Peter Cushing will not be available to play Svengali for you on the postponed filming date. As you may or may not know, Peter is under contract to Hammer films to do five films for them within the period of 18 months. This means virtually that he has approximately ten days to a fortnight off between each film and therefore his periods of availability are not only limited but also spaced far apart. In actual fact the film he is about to do (on a 12 week schedule) is not for Hammer but for another company - and therefore it follows that as soon as it is completed he has to return immediately to Hammer to start work on his next film for them. I explain this to you so that you can see how very little point there appears to be in postponing your production with the idea of Peter being available at a later date. I have just talked with Peter on the telephone and he liked the script very much indeed, and he is extremely sorry that he will not be able to play it.'

WITH CUSHING'S decision to not engage with the BBC festive drama roll out, a chill descended on their relationship. A reluctance to invite Cushing into new productions on reflection, is quite evident, though there were several inquiries from his agent, and the idea to explore to reboot interest in a production of 'Cyano de Bergerac', Cushing would not appear in any major BBC production for at least another five years in 1963.

THERE SEEMS TO be no defiant answer to the question, 'Why didn't Peter Cushing appear in Hammer films, 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' ..other than, if there were a reason, it probably had more to do with Peter feeling, after an intensive period of work, and production companies pulling him this way and that, he was due some me time...and a focus on his passion for painting. Just weeks after all the fuss calmed down with the BBC, on December 3rd 1958, Cushing unveiled 'Here and There: An Exhibition of Water-Colours by Peter Cushing, at the Fine Arts Society in Bond Street, London. The 'non Hammer film' that Angela Hepburn mentioned in her correspondence, that would have made Cushing's BBC appearance impossible, never happened...and there is no paper trail or evidence of what it could have been. Cushing did not start work at Bray with Hammer, until later than predicted, on February 25th 1959 when THE MUMMY started to roll. By this time, having spent time needed, the exhibition was launched and open to visitors.
 

IT'S DIFFICULT to prove now, years on, but maybe it wasn't just about Peter making time for his exhibition, maybe there was something about that TRILBY script, politics or health matters, that lead Cushing to opt-out. The invitation to play Svengali for Cushing, would have been a terrific opportunity. Did Cushing really do the right thing, and pass on this chance, for his love of painting? Whatever it was, I can't help feeling that Cushing did feel a loyalty to the BBC, and when he had time to think about it, knowing his exhibition had to take priority, both  projects 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' AND 'Trilby' had to go. Maybe in dropping out of the unknown film and 'Cheat Death' Cushing hoped it would be seen as a 'walking on glass' gesture to appease Michael Barry, Christopher McMaster at the BBC. Maybe Cushing hoped it would sooth what would turn out to be a definite sting, and ultimately sour their working relationship.

A FULL COLOUR DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD IN THE KINEMATOGRAPH WEEKLY APPEARED ON APRIL 30TH 1959 ANNOUNCING THE RELEASE OF THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH WITH LEE BUT MINUS CUSHING.

WHATEVER HAPPENED, 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' did middling business, even though it didn't lack drama and had very good production values, with it's  beautiful sets from the previous Hammer hits, Dracula / Horror of Dracula, Hound of the Baskervilles and the Revenge of Frankenstein. Diffring did a great job under Terence Fisher's direction. Hazel Court shines. But for all of this, I don't think that the inclusion of Cushing and Lee together in this film, would have made it a better film... Their casting would have certainly made it a, different film.  Another classic maybe? Another opportunity to mine that rich seam of chemistry, that both Cushing and Lee demonstrated with wonderful results in twenty two other films, together. You may think, well, twenty two is a good number. I would have to answer, any opportunity to cast, the two greatest exponents of British Fantasy cinema, that was lost.... should make us all feel, quite, CHEATED.

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ON LAST FRIDAY'S #FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY we had a 'Monster From Hell' theme and shared this gif of Baron Frankenstien (Peter Cushing) examining a new set of eyes from Hammer's Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974) This shot of Peter looking through a magnifying glass has been used in many of his films and was even spoofed in Top Secret (1984)

WE FOLLOWED ON with another gif featuring the Baron going to any lengths for his work in this well known and quite gruesome scene from Hammer's Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974) This scene was censored during the films original release, recently restored for the blu-ray.



OUR FINAL GIF from Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell (1974)… featured the touching moment between Sarah (Madeline Smith) and The Monster (Dave Prowse) before he is destroyed by the inmates of the asylum. Again, this is another of the restored shots that were included in the blu ray release, that had been removed from the US theatrical release of the film back in 1974.

OUR NEW #HAMMERFILMSSATURDAY brought us some interesting posts and comments too! This often requested contact print photograph of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (below) meeting the press during the making of THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA Hammer films.

SUNDAY'S #GETTHECUSHINGITSCUSHING we also marked the passing of John Carradine, who we sadly lost on this day in 1988. A highly prolific actor who career covered nearly all genres of film from horror to dramas to westerns. He co starred with Peter Cushing in Shockwaves (1977) and House of the Long Shadows (1983)

 
#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING:This week, our Cushing Clip was a big fav among 'Cushing-Van-Helsing-Fans'.During its final years Hammer was trying different experiments with films in an attempt to find new angles on old stories, one of them was their final vampire film The Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires (1974) a co-production with the Shaw Brothers, was a hybrid of the Kung-Fu and Horror.Christopher Lee did not return as Dracula and instated was played by John Forbes Robinson. However Peter Cushing once again returned as Van Helsing and really gets involved in the action of the film. While the film was not a success at the time, it reputation has grown over the years as it features plenty of memorable scenes including this one, the final battle with The Seven Golden Vampires. What are some of your favourite moments from the film?

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING: Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) to the rescue as he stakes the final golden vampire from Hammer's 'The Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires' (1974)

ON MONDAY we remembered the life and career of actor ANDRE MORELL and his passing in 1978.Today we remember Andre Morell, who we sadly lost on this day in 1978. A celebrated actor whose career had more than a few teamings with Peter Cushing and the fantasy genre.In 1938, Morell joined the Old Vic theatre company, and appeared in several of their high-profile productions both at their home theatre and on tour throughout Britain and across the rest of the world, appearing with both Alec Guinness and John Gielgud.'

HE KICK STARTED his association with 'creepy cinema' with Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, and playing Arthur Conan Doyle's character Doctor John H. Watson, in Hammer Film Productions' version of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959). In 1960. He played Captain Edward Manningham in 'Cone of Silence' in 1960 also starring Cushing, Michael Craig and Bernard Lee. His wonderful portrayal as the 'bounder' Colonel Gore-Hepburn in Hammer's 'Cash on Demand' in 1961 makes very entertaining viewing, as he piles the pressure on Cushing's tormented bank manger, Harry Fordyce and 65 as Haumeid in Hammer's 'She'..with rather odd dubbing.

THERE WERE OTHER VERY GOOD HORRORS and thrillers too, Hammer's 'Plague of the Zombies' in 66 and the rather limp 'The Mummy's Shroud' again for Hammer in 1967, along with Michael Ripper's Longbarrow, one of the few times where supporting actors are more interesting then the central 'monster'. But, his stand out performance with Cushing, for me has to be in the BBC live televised production of George Orwell's '1984', as the chillingly good O'Brien. It's interesting that Morell played a very good Prof Quatermass in the BBC Quatermass tv series (1958-59) but when offered the role of the Prof in Hammer's 'Quatermass and the Pit' in 1967, turned it down.

MORELL ALWAYS LOOKED very at home in Hammer's early horrors, but inside personally felt a little more than embarrassed by the subject matter of some of the films, and often forbid his family to actually see them at the local cinema. By all accounts, a rather private man, but very generous on screen and made an outstanding contribution to some of Hammer and Cushing's best work.

FINALLY AS IT WAS ALSO #MONSTERMONDAY yesterday, Christopher Lee got the #MONSTERMONDAY treatment: Today our candidate for Monster Monday is Franklyn Marsh a snobbish art critic played by Christopher Lee from Amicus's Dr Terror's House Of Horrors (1965)

PAINTER ERIC LANDOR (Michael Gough) bears the brunt of one of Marsh's tirades, but gets even by humiliating the critic publicly, but when he takes it to far, Marsh gets revenge by running over Landor, casing him to lose his hand, unable to paint again he commits suicide. 

NOW THE QUESTION IS, Franklyn a true monster or just someone who got caught up in a situation that got out of control? You Decide  . . .

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