SURPRISES ON FIRST WATCH PLUS REMEMBERING ACTOR JOHN MILLS

RIGHT NOW, over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, we've asked you to tell us about when, 'ON FIRST VIEW WHICH PETER CUSHING FILM REALLY SURPRISED YOU AND WHY?' and we are getting some great comments and answers. 

HERE ARE A FEW: 

D POWLEY says, 'Corruption. Both Peter Cushing and Sue Lloyd managed to convince me that they were mad in that film. It was a great shocker!' 

N. SANTIAGO says, 'Horror Express. I had no expectations for it. Turned out to be a very well made film with Mr. Cushing in fine form mixing it up with Mr. Lee and Telly Savalas. The movie itself was an entertaining mix of horror, science fiction, adventure and mystery. Really enjoyed it and of course the GREAT Peter Cushing!'. 

While V. Kirk says,' I was surprised by the nimble jump he did at the end of 'Brides of Dracula'. I remember rewinding to see if it was actually a stunt double but it wasn't.'. 

G. RENEHAN : 'The Blood Beast Terror! I saw it as a B movie in the cinema aged (too young)! It scared me to heck and back!'

S.COLMAN: 'Both TV appearances but I love his brilliantly nuanced performance in 1984 and the cold malevolence he channels in The Silent Scream.

A. GUNN : 'Top Secret. Peter caricatures himself - revealing his own sense of humour and strength of character. Taught me how to laugh at myself and consequently become a stronger person. Thanks, PC!' 

 M. LOISEL : ' Not a film, but the "Down the Avenue" skit on Morecombe & Wise. I wish he had done more light comedy or song and dance like that.' 

M DAWSON: 'In 1961 my father took me to see my first horror film or X film . In those days if you were under 16 you could only see those films with an adult and you got 2 films. The first film to be shown was Jack the Ripper 1959 then there was the interval when the ice cream lady would sell choc ices and ice creams, then the main feature was shown. It was 'The Curse of Frankenstein'. That film and that night I can remember it as if it was yesterday. I have had the film on video, DVD and now Blu-ray and watch it on the tele. I never tire of watching it. I dont think I ever saw a bad film he was in. But for me the favourite or favourites has to be his performances as the ruthless Baron Frankenstein'.

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TODAY WE MARK THE BIRTH of one, Lewis Ernest Watts Mills... or as we knew and loved him... Sir John Mills. He was without doubt, one of our most popular and beloved English actors and born today February 22nd 1908. In a career that stretched over eight decades, Mills appeared in over 120 films, debuting in 1932 in 'Midshipmaid Gob' right up until 2009 in 'The Snow Prince'. Many of his roles like Pip in 'Great Expectations' in 1946, Shorty Blake 'In Which We Serve' in 42, Captain Scott in 'Scott of the Antarctic' in 48 and the alcohol troubled Captain Anson in 'Ice Cold in Alex' in 58 would make him an internationally renowned star.

MILLS APPEARED in three films with Peter Cushing, 'The End Of The Affair' the second in 1976 entitled 'Trial by Combat' aka 'A Dirty Knight's Work' as Sir Edward Gifford. It was no more than a guest appearance, slotted in when another project on Cushing's slate fell through. The third though, was a much grander enterprise with Tyburn films and marked Cushing's return to the character of Sherlock Holmes...and Mills as Watson! In 'The Masks of Death' they made such a terrific team as a much older duo, that another Cushing /Mills / Sherlock film from Tyburn was planned entitled 'The Abbot's Cry', but was scuppered owing to Cushing's fragile health.

JOHN MILLS AND CUSHING also appeared together in an episode of the TV series The Zoo Gang, 'The Counterfeit Trap' which was released last year as part of the series on remstered blu ray by Network.  
 

LIKE CUSHING, Mills was in his private life a sensitive romantic, in January 2001 at the age of 92, he and wife Mary, age 89, renewed their marriage vows at St. Mary's Church, next to their home, Hills House, in Denham, England. When they had wed 60 years earlier, he was denied a church service because he was serving in the Army during World War II. Happy Birthday, Sir John!
 

A MUG AND SOME MYSTERIOUS INITIALS : ON THE SHERLOCK TRAIL OF CUSHING'S DESK TOP

#petercushing A WONDERFUL GIF of Peter Cushing featuring his role as OSRIC in the Sir Laurence Olivier directed classic of 1948.... Another rare chance to see Peter's gift of comedy.

 

#‎sherlocksunday‬ ONE OF THE PROBLEMS with the BBC's Cushing Sherlock series was it's slightly staged appearance '... but when the script called for Cushing to react or quicken up the pace... I guess he was gagging to get going .. in this gif..he does just that!

#SHERLOCKSUNDAY: PETER CUSHING'S NIC-KNACKS, A CASE FOR DETECTION: This is the table top of a small portable desk top, that Peter used in his home study...displayed as a exhibit for visitors inspection at the PeterCushing@100 exhibition at Whitstable museum back in 2013. Some interesting items here, the Sherlock Holmes business card, and magnifying glass, headed not paper for Peter and Helen's address in London, pack of Peter's favourite cigarettes, some undelivered personal correspondence, a note for the newspaper shop, two photographs of Peter with his wife, Helen...BUT two curious things here, a china 'mug'. I can't ever see Peter drinking from a mug! Can you? A man who would not use or frequent tea rooms or restaurants that used sugar cubes, or those little foil packed squares of butter, would not, I think...drink from a mug! Second, that desk calendar? What do you suppose the initials of FBT would stand for??? Hmmmm?

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