#toocooltuesday:
WEDDING DAY, Birth of your children, Their graduations...aside, the day
I had the opportunity to spend time with the one and only, Vincent
Price, is up there! ..please don't let my wife read this... If you
dislike tales of reminiscing, clumsy name dropping... you are excused
now!
IT CAME AROUND by default. In 1980, make up artist Roy Ashton rang
me...no I didn't have a hot line to him or any stars, we spoke once in a
while, he was lovely... he was ringing to tell me he was making plans
to start work on a film for Amicus films producer Milton Subotsky,
starring Vincent Price at Elstree studios, in two weeks time...AND that
it looked like Peter Cushing had signed up too! As it worked out, he
hadn't. But that's another story. By the end of that day, through sheer
luck, and by Milton Subotsky's and Roy's invitation, I had an invite to
join them for the day on the set of 'The Monster Club' at Elstree
studios!
BY THIS TIME, through sheer cheek and through what became known as 'the
Cushing Connection' I had met and interviewed around 30 to 40 actors who
had worked with Peter. Just the mention of his name, opened doors to
the kindest of people and their generosity. Milton Subotsky was a fan at
heart, a shy man who loved to talk books, comics and films. we
certainly wasn't on buddy-back-slapping terms, but he was always
friendly, loved to talk shop and the kind that, if he could help you, he
would suggest he could... both he and Michael Ripper, validated my
application for my Actors Union, Equity card!... and so, on this day he
made the meeting happen.
MEETING VINCENT PRICE was a blast, Milton introduced me during a break
in shooting. Vincent peered around Milton to see me and announced,
'Peter Cushing's WHAT? Ap-prec-iation Society?' I sheepishly nodded.
'How is the OL GOAT?' he said laughing. I took this as my cue, and
stepped up. He pointed at an empty canvas chair, with name on it and...I
sat next to him and John Carradine for the next FOUR hours, only
wandering off during lunch.
AFTER THE FIRST HALF an hour, I indicated to Subotsky, that should I
now...'come over there' and leave them in peace?.. Milton came over and
asked if there was a problem. When I asked him again, he just smiled,
'No. It's fine. You can stay there'. Vincent over heard our stage
whispers and bellowed, 'Just don't touch ANYTHING or fall over the
CABLES!
I HAD A SMALL CASSETTE tape recorder with me which I used for a short
interview, which eventually strayed into relaxed conversation...his love
of chocolate,Peter, Whitstable oysters...he was talking to me, but also
playing to everyone else too. I changed tapes three times! It was all
very funny and entertaining.
I HUNG ON EVERY WORD, joke, aside and anecdote. Both he and Caradine
were called away several times, after the stand in's had helped set up
their shot, the dressers brushed their clothes, someone fussed with
Vincent's hair, he blew his nose and off they went filming the 'Family
Tree' scene, sat at their coffin table, with Roy Ward Baker directing.
Then they came and sat back down in their canvas chairs.
AFTER THE FIRST HOUR OR SO, it just seemed the most natural thing in the world
to be sitting and chatting... he was very fond of Peter, loved
Christopher Lee and as a joke, kept telling me 'We have birthday's on
the same day you know. Now it's that strange? Peter is the day before
us! Did you know that?'... after the third time he told me, he laughed
out loud,'You KNEW that didn't you!' He was a kidder. He was extremely
kind to me that day, and it's an experience I will never forget. I have
never told this story before. I don't dine out on or make a habit of
recalling ' and then Robert Quarry said to me' stories, I never had a
little black book of contacts either! I was just a fan, a very lucky one, Now... isn't that just...TOO COOL? : Marcus Brooks
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