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
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!
