REMEMBERING TERENCE FISHER AND STAN LAUREL

A MAN WHO CERTAINLY  needs no introduction to anyone who regularly visits this page. Today we mark the birthday of the late Terence Fisher, a director whose trade mark blend of fairy-tale, myth and sexuality, gave us some of Cushing's and Hammer films greatest hits. The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Gorgon, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed..... and many, many others. All absolute gems. Happy Birthday Terence Fisher!

CUSHING, Thorley Walters and director, Terence Fisher take a break, at Bray studios, during the making of, 'Frankenstein Created Woman' (1967).  .

DURING POST PRODUCTION  work on The Devil Rides Out he was hit by a motor bike while crossing a road and suffered a fractured leg. This resulted in him being replaced by Freddie Francis as director on Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. Just few years later, the incident happened again, resulting in Fisher taking an early retirement . .

TODAY BACK IN 1965, we said goodbye to Arthur Stanley Jefferson... Stan Laurel. Laurel traveled to the US with the Karno trope, and after a long period eventually Laurel signed with the Hal Roach studio, so did Oliver Hardy, who was a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players...and the rest is history! If I were to pick anyone from this era of cinema history, Stan and Olly get my vote every time. 

A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. Stan Laurel played Stan / Lord Paddington, Oliver Hardy is Ollie! The film is of particular note to us, because Peter Cushing also featured in the cast. If YOU HAVE NOT seen A Chump At Oxford, I highly recommend it, not just for an opportunity to see a young Peter Cushing at work, but also the joy of watching the skill and talent of the two 'boys'. It never got better.

PETER CUSHING'S CONTRACT (bearing his signature) with Hal Roach Studios for A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Cushing recalled it was in the evening when they filmed his final scene getting tossed into the pond. Laurel and Hardy personally made sure that every actor who got wet received towels and hot drinks. Cushing was star struck by Laurel and Hardy and would remember them fondly for the rest of his life.

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#HAMMERFILMSATURDAY AND LAUREL AND HARDY!

ON COMPLETING his first Hollywood film with 'The Man In The Iron Mask' shot in 1939 with 'Frankenstein' director, James Whale, he learned that Hal Roach Studios required English actors for his latest Laurel and Hardy picture, A Chump At Oxford'. Cushing auditioned and was accepted to play the role of Oxford student Jones.

CUSHING worked with the legendary comedy duo for one week. Cushing was very lucky to appear in one of the duos funniest comedies. The film contains some priceless comedy moments. 'A Chump At Oxford' print was later extended for European release by adding a chaotic dinner-party scene during the opening of the film. This was in fact, a remaking of an early Laurel and Hardy silent short form 1928 called ' From Soup to Nuts!'. Sadly Cushing was not included in this addition footage. 

ARRIVING at the collage, they arrive by cab wearing ETON collars, much to the amusement of Cushing and the fellow students, 'But, you are wearing ETON collars' says one of them. 'Well, that's swell..' says Stan, '..We haven't EATEN since breakfast!'. It's noticeable that Cushing gets more lines than the fellow students, possibly because he was the only genuine English sounding actor there! He looks every inch a star, with his pencil mustache, waved hair and his rakish mortar board hat. CATCH A CHUMP AT OXFORD in co,our just uploaded to our PCAS YOUTUBE Channel!

#HAMMERFILMSATURDAY: TWO great peeps behind the scenes on Hammer films, 'Dracula Has Risen From The Grave' (68) Veronica Carlson up in the roof top set and Les Bowies, 'Dracula's Remains!'

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!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY : STAN LAUREL REMEMBERED

#throwbackthursday A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. Stan Laurel played Stan / Lord Paddington, Oliver Hardy is Ollie! The film is of particular note to us, because Peter Cushing also featured in the cast..SEE the actual contract below!

STAN LAUREL was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on the 16th June 1890, at 3, Argyle Street, Ulverston, Cumbria, England. He travelled to the US with the Karno trope, and after a long period eventually Laurel signed with the Hal Roach studio, so did Oliver Hardy, who was a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players...and the rest is history! If I were to pick anyone from this era of cinema history, Stan and Olyy get my vote every time.

IF YOU HAVE NOT seen A Chump At Oxford, I highly recommend it, not just for an opportunity to see a young Peter Cushing at work, but also the joy of watching the skill and talent of the two 'boys'. It never got better. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Stan, you still remain head and shoulders above the rest!

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