WATCH CHRISTOPHER LEE AS SHERLOCK HOLMES : PLUS CLIPS AND GIFS!

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY: Christopher Lee throughout his career has had many connections with the world of Sherlock Holmes, today we are going to be featuring at some of them here and at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.

SHERLOCK HOLMES And The Deadly Necklace (1962) is when Lee first played the famous detective with Hammer regular Thorley Walters as Dr. Watson & directed by Terence Fisher. Filming took place in July and August 1962 in Ireland, London and the CCC-Studios in Berlin, with Lee donning a false nose.  

DEADLY NECKLACE was originally filmed in English, but the English language audio track used in the film was recorded in post-production, as was common with many European productions at the time and so another American actor dubbed Lee. The film had all the ingredients to be great, with Fisher at helm, Lee donning some great make-up, but unfortunately it was a misfire for many people, the biggest problem with the film not using Lee's voice & weak story, with both Lee and Fisher being disappointed in the final outcome.

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY: OUR SECOND LOOK at Christopher Lee's Sherlock connections, is from The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes (1970) directed by Hollywood legend Billy Wilder who Lee often referred to as the greatest director he ever worked with.

A WHOLE FEATURE AND GALLERY OF COLOUR STILLS ON 'PRIVATE LIFE'  CAN BE FOUND AT OUR BLACKBOXCLUB WEBSITE :  HERE!

HERE LEE PLAYS Mycroft Holmes the even smarter, mysterious older brother of Sherlock, Lee had the unusual distinction of being the only actor to play both brothers on screen. Lee considered this film a very important one in his career, as he believed this film to be the reason he stopped being typecast: "I've never been typecast since.”

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  . .

JENNIE LINDEN: THE ACTRESS WHO FACED DALEKS VAMPIRE GIRLS AND A NAKED OLIVER REED!

WITH IT'S infamous fireplace scene of two men wrestling naked, it was, in its day, one of the most controversial films ever made in Britain, with audiences flocking to cinemas to be shocked and scandalised. Ken Russell’s 1969 screen adaptation of D. H. Lawrence’s Women In Love was a vivid celebration of sensuality and sexuality.

THE STORY of the lives and loves of two sisters, Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, it was provocative and erotic, and the abundant nudity – both female and male – provoked outrage. An updated version of Lawrence’s story was produced and broadcast by the BBC in 2011. Beautifully made and brilliantly acted, it has no less flesh on view than in Russell’s film and yet no one batted an eyelid.

IT WAS a sign of the times and an irony that was not lost on Linden. Her luminous beauty lit up the screen and set male pulses racing the world over. Although nominated for a Bafta for her performance in Russell’s film, she gave up the chance of Hollywood because she wanted to bring up her son Rupert in England. . . .

BUT, before all this drama and promise of super-stardom, back in 1965 Jennie played Barbara, niece to Peter Cushing's Dr Who in the first of AARU's big screen adaptions of the BBC television series Dr Who. The programme and it's most popular aliens. THE DALEKS were taking the country by storm, and DALEKMANIA had started. Sadly, when the producers decided to make another Dr Who Dalek film, Jenny's role was taken by another actress, Jill Curzon . . . the reason? Maybe in time, we may all find out!

IMMEDIATELY, after work on 'Dr Who' with Cushing, Linden followed him  onto the stage in a production of Ben Traver's 'THARK' from August 3rd at the Garrick theatre and then in the West End at the Yvonne Arnaud, until December 1965. 

IN AN INTERVIEW at the time the play was running in Guildford, Cushing remembered that his character Sir Hector was called to share a four poster bed with his nephew, Ronnie (Alec McCowen) in the 'Haunted House' of 'Thark'. The rake (slope) of the stage was exceptionally steep and the bed, on castors, would edge closer and closer to the edge of the stage. 'We were, in danger of going 'Over The Top'! Director, Ray Cooney suggested that they push the bed back up stage, to the encouragement of the audience..!

JENNIE LINDEN was born in Worthing to Marcus and Freida Fletcher, an architect and housewife. She attended the Central School of Speech and Drama at the age of 17 on a scholarship. Her classmates included Julie Christie and Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave. Her earliest film appearances were as the heroine in Hammer Film's 'Nightmare' (1964) and Barbara in 'Dr. Who and the Daleks' (1965).

HER MOST widely known film role was as Ursula in Women in Love (1969), for which she received a BAFTA nomination, and she also appeared opposite Lee Remick and Ian Holm in the film version of Iris Murdoch's novel 'A Severed Head' (1970). Her later film appearances included 'Vampira' (1974), 'Hedda' (1975), 'Valentino' (1977), and 'Charlie Muffin' (1979).

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  . 

HAPPY THANKS GIVING AND BORIS HAS A BIRTHDAY!

TO ALL OUR FRIENDS, FOLLOWERS AND SUPPORTERS HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING TODAY!

#HAPPYBIRTHDAY #BORISKARLOFF . .TODAY marks the 130th anniversary of Boris Karloff. Born William Henry Pratt, in 36 Forest Hill Road, Camberwell, London, England . . Karloff is for some the Crown King of Fantasy films, his portrayal of Frankenstein's Monster, Imhotep in The Mummy, Fu Manchu..and MANY other classic horror creations. Like Peter Cushing, Boris the actor and family man couldn't have been further from the nasties he played on the big and small screen. Karloff set the benchmark for many others to follow, including other Universal films actors Chaney, Glen Strange, Lee and Co... Happy Birthday Boris, your legacy is as influential as ever!

TOD MORTEN has written in to ask, 'Did Peter Cushing ever work with Boris Karloff?' Hello Todd and Welcome... no, it's a great shame that Peter never got the opportunity to work with Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, yes...Peter sadly no. Here is a photograph of Lee and Karloff on set during the making of The Curse of the Crimson Altar', one of two films that Lee made with Karloff, the other being Corridors of Blood in 1958. Interestingly, Curse of the Crimson Altar was directed by Vernon Sewell who in the same year, 1968, also directed Peter Cushing in the 'Blood Beast Terror'.

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  . .

LAUGHTER ON THE SET BUT HOOTS STOPPED FOR DRACULA GIFS! GIFS! GIFS!

#SILENTBUTDEADLYGIFS! ON SET during the making of Amicus Films, 'MADHOUSE' it's two leading stars, Peter Cushing and Vincent Price walk through their characters greeting on meeting each other . . . cue laughter and jokes about Price's poor Paul Toombes, having been 'away' at the local Hollywood asylum for the last five years. It was by all accounts a difficult film to produce. Under written characters, bulked out in late night writing session between co star Robert Quarry and Vincent. All things considered, you would never know it, when watching the film . . . 

#SILENTBUTDEADLYGIFS! . . . Not so deadly, this one...more charming! Taken from our collection of video clips of the last time Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee worked together...well saw each other, while recording a narration for a Hammer Films documentary.... still playful, still fun and still very much devoted friends. You can find all the clips on the The Last Meeting: One Last Time at our PCAS PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL, listen and watch what made their friendship so special . . .

#SILENTBUTDEADLYGIFS! I REALLY DID feel sorry for Christopher Lee's character in this film . . he was pompous, and opinionated... but what a twisted thing to do...and a twisted story! Can you name the film, this gif was taken from? Take a look at the vintage still below, and see if you can 'solve' that question too?

#SILENTBUTDEADLYGIFS : A NICE touch from Peter Cushing's General von Spielsdorf in 'The Vampire Lovers' (1970) . . . whenever Peter met a woman, female, lady, in public either for the first time or anytime, he always greeted them with a gentle kiss upon the back of the hand. I have read many features and interviews where the female interviewer or journalist, recounted this and saw it as a wonderfully gallant and profound act of gentlemanly manners . . . I am not so sure that, if Peter were around us today, he would feel safe to make such a gesture either!

#SILENTBUTDEADLYGIFS! IT WAS CHRISTOPHER LEE who one said, when he and Peter Cushing attended the US premier of Hammer films, 'Dracula /Horror of Dracula (1958) that when THIS shot appeared at the end of the opening credits, a roar of laughter and hoots went up, from the attending audience. Lee was ready to leave the cinema right then. Cushing, placed his hand of Lee's arm and told him, to stay with it. A few minutes after, hoots still prevailing, for the first time Lee's Dracula stood at the top of the long stairs inside Castle Dracula, he walked down them to meet Jonathan Harker . As soon as he spoke, the whole cinema, fell silent. It was the first time his Dracula was seen on the screen, and it would be one of the very few times, he would speak . . .through out the ENTIRE SEVEN FILM series! 

 

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  . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN REMEMBRANCE OF INGRID PITT . .

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY! Today, had she lived.. would have been Ingrid Pitt's 80th birthday. Any regular visitor here will already know, how highly we valued her friendship to our society, her skill as an actress and as a beautiful person who touched everyone's heart who ever met her. We spent last weekend, celebrating her life and career...today, we mark her birthday and make a little space, to share how much we still miss her . . . Happy Birthday, Ingrid . . .

IN CASE YOU MAY have missed them, here are the links to last weekend's features and galleries on INGRID: HERE  AND 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  . .