HAPPY BIRTHDAY! HELP US CELEBRATE AND REMEMBER PETER CUSHING

Peter Wilton Cushing was born on the morning of MONDAY 26th May 1913, at 'Ormandy', Godstone Road, Kenley, Surrey, UK...to father George Edward Cushing and mother, Nellie Maria Cushing. Peter's father was a quantity surveyor and Nellie was the daughter of a carpet merchant.

Little Peter had an elder brother, David, three years his senior. It appears that mother Nellie had her heart set on having a girl. 'Wanting 'one of each' she had mitigated any disappointment in my arrival by dressing me in girls frocks!', Cushing recalled..'allowing my hair to grow in long curls, tied with a pink ribbon. Eventually, 'father exerted his gentle authority' ... and Peter was more appropriately attired! .....All of that, began so long ago.

Peter Wilton Cushing ' ...long curls, tied with a pink ribbon'. 

Aged just two in 1915.

THE CUSHING FAMILY: from bottom to top, David Cushing, Peter's older brother, Mother: Nellie Maria Cushing, Father George Edward Cushing and a young Peter Cushing at the top! This photograph was taken in the garden of 'Clearview', an Art Deco house on St James Road, Purley, Surrey, Peter's father, a quantity surveyor built the house in the year this photograph was taken, 1926.

This is 'Clearview' as it looks TODAY!, An Art Deco house on St James Road, Purley, Surrey. Peter's father, George a quantity surveyor built the house in 1926. It was recently for sale last year!

Today, we REMEMBER and CELEBRATE. Happy Birthday, PETER CUSHING!

YESTERDAY we  reached another milestone at our Peter Cushing Facebook Fan Page TWENTY TWO THOUSAND FOLLOWERS!  You are most welcome to join us. Just CLICK HERE

THE YEARS MAY PASS . . .

REQUESTED REPOST: I am sure that it hasn't escaped many of you, that TOMORROW marks the anniversary of Peter Cushing's Birth MAY 26th...and of course, the day after, also marks the birthday's of BOTH Christopher Lee AND Vincent Price. We will of course be celebrating here tomorrow with some special posts. TWO NEW UNSEEN pieces of footage from 'The Last Meeting : Interview'....The candid footage of Peter and Christopher Lee's very relaxed chatter with each other, all captured by an eavesdropping camera, recording their stories, anecdotes and much laughter. TWO new clips! There's also a collection of new unpublished photographs from Peter Cushing's long career and time for you to also make any requests you may have!

The following day, we will mark Lee and Price's anniversary too. So, much to see and take part in. So please DO join us during the day!

So when DID YOU see 'STAR WARS'  for the first time?

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TWENTY TWO THOUSAND FOLLOWERS AND FREINDS : THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

TODAY, thanks to everyone who visits our Facebook Fan Page, we have hit another amazing milestone! The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page now has Over 22 THOUSAND Friends and Followers! This has only been archived with your fantastic support, your likes, shares, interaction...which I am, as always very humbled by and most grateful.

PCAS was founded back in 1956, but in 1979 Peter Cushing decided that, because he was then committing to less work, that the public would lose interest, and requested that his fan clubs around the world be closed. I took over the society in 1978 and made a decision to carry on, believing that there would ALWAYS be an interest in Peter Cushing and his work... here we are in 2016 and the interest is even greater! You make it so... and that I am sure, would have warmed Peter's heart tremendously .. Here's to the next milestone and the fun along the way. Thank You - Marcus Brooks

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#TOOCOOLTUESDAY : PETER CUSHING AND PATRICK TROUGHTON 'THE BLACK KNIGHT' (1946)

#‎TOOCOOLTUESDAY‬: The Black Knight (1954)...Yes, it is hokey, Yes, Ladd is short, And, yes to a million one other reasons many have expressed that this film is a 'sword and sandal' medieval mess up...BUT Peter Cushing, as ever gives a top notch performance. Not only does he play the role very well indeed, he looks very COOL.... In our short clip here, Cushing appears with Patrick Troughton  who is on fine form.  The clip also gives to actors known for their connection with  Dr / Doctor  Who!

MANY ON SEEING  publicity stills from the film, find it hard to believe it's our man playing Sir Palamides. Also I can always find time to watch Andre Morell, Harry Andrews and Patrick Troughton. Worth a watch for those four reasons alone!

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CHRISTOPHER LEE : MONSTER MONDAY : EMMA SAMMS AND FLYING CARPETS!

THIS WEEK'S ‪#‎MONSTERMONDAY‬ candidate comes from Joe Arnold who makes an interesting suggestion... a film that many forget about when listing the films in which Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee have both appeared in..alas not together, but it was great to have the treat of seeing those names in the cast credit.

COSTUME DESIGNER, Rosemary Burrows attends to Peter Cushing's costume during the making of ARABIAN ADVENTURE (1979) , pretty much the  same way she did on countless Hammer films,  over the past twenty years!

ALWAYS up for a giggle... Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing on the set of 'Arabian Adventure' (1979)

PETER CUSHING'S time may have been brief on the set on 'Arabian Adventure' ...but he managed to fit in a meeting with friend, Christopher Lee.

CHRISTOPHER LEE, OLIVER TOBIAS AND PETER CUSHING... 'I was working on a live tv programme in Bristol, way back in 1984 on which Oliver Tobias was a guest. He was really charming, made time afterwards to chat and had only good things to say about his memories of the few scenes he shot with Peter on Arabian Adventure...he mentioned the glove, which funny enough, is in the photograph of him with Peter and Christopher Lee on set'... - Marcus Brooks

A YOUNG EMMA SAMMS as Princess Zuleira  in Arabian Adventure in 1979, her very first film!

SO, 'ARABIAN ADVENTURE... Star Wars with Magic Carpets...the poster campaign claimed. Well, maybe not quite...but fun, just the same. The highlight is of course Lee's evil, Caliph Alquazar ...who banishes, Cushing's Wazir Al Wuzara to the dungeons... I wont give away anything else, as this is one many have not seen . But remember, 'It's for the KIDS!' No blood, no gore...nothing too disturbing, but with Emma Samms, Mickey Rooney and Oliver Tobias, it's worth a view and Lee's Caliph Alquazar , a MONSTER and a Tyrant.??..You decide ...

JUST ONE LAST behind the scenes photograph from 'ARABIAN ADVENTURE'   this time with director, Kevin Conner joining the photo op. Lee making this film marked the first time he had returned to a British studio to work for over two years,  'Arabian Adventure' also gave him his first 'baddie' role in almost eleven years! I chose this pic more so though, for that look on Peter Cushing's face....

You can find MORE on the cast and the film 'ARABIAN ADVENTURE' in our FEATURE and GALLERY elsewhere on our website, here is a quick link! HERE

LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, FEATURES AND LINKS on the PETER CUSHING SHERLOCK HOLMES CONNECTION : EVERY MONDAY here at the website and our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

#SHERLOCKSUNDAY : COMPETITION : PRIZES FOR THE PASSIONATE COMPETITION FOR THE COMPETITIVE!

Good Luck! Any queries, please EMAIL me.TWO great prizes here for TWO lucky winners! Tony Earnshaw's book on Peter Cushing Sherlock Holmes tv and film work is my bible. It's info on the Cushing BBC series is second to none. An outstanding book. It's an expensive one to buy now, if you can find it...and Peter Haining's Holmes Scrapbook, is packed with 'Holmes Goodies' worthy of a place on any Holmes fan book shelf! Have fun and Good Luck! - Marcus

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#SHERLOCKSUNDAY 'HE WAS LIKE PETER PAN!' FRANCIS ON CUSHING PLUS COMPETITION

Producer Kevin Francis, close friend of Peter Cushing remembers Cushing's time working on the Tyburn film, THE MASKS OF DEATH with John Mills who played his, Dr Watson. In photograph: Left to right: Peter Cushing, John Mills, Kevin Francis and Anthony Hinds / John Elder script  writer of 'Masks of Death

AND TODAY....

TWO PRIZES, for TWO LUCKY WINNERS of Tony Earnshaw's , 'An Actor and a Rare One' and 'The Sherlock Holmes Scrapbook' edited by Peter Haining are up for grabs in this week's #SHERLOCKSUNDAY.

Our competition will be posted here and at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE TODAY at  6pm GMT 14:00 Sunday, Eastern Time, 11:00 Sunday, Pacific Time (PT) 13:00 Sunday, Central Time (CT) 04:00 Monday, in Canberra ACT, Australia, 20:00 Sunday, in France..... this competition is OPEN TO EVERYONE...Wherever you are, for SEVEN DAYS!

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#ONSETSATURDAY ANNOTATED SCRIPT AND THAT WIG!

#‎onasetsaturday‬ : HERE'S A PAGE from Peter Cushing personal script for Amicus films, 'And Now The Screaming Starts' lots of notations from Peter in his own hand. Much here about his attention to detail concerning the costume, the boots and... that wig. Despite in later years, he support the opinion that the wig made him 'look like Helen Hayes'...it was at Peter's own request that the wig should be used and that he should wear it..'

PETER CUSHING'S own frame of reference to the wig he wore in 'And Now, The Screaming Starts', 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' and as Count Gerard De Merret in LA GRANDE BRETECHE, an episode of Anglia Television's popular series 'Orson Welles Great Mysteries' in 1973.

IN HIS NOTES above he has made reminder to make up and hair that, the 'back of wig should be round neck line' and '..full at sides, not flat on top'. The notes cover everything from the appearance of the boots or plimsolls, the colour of the trousers, his watch chain and gun... all researched, spot on and accurate for the period of the film... which uncharacteristically Cushing gives himself a little leeway with 1790...ISH!

Interestingly... a flick through our scrapbooks shows that Peter's association with this style of wig started way before 1973... it's first appearance turns up in this a very rare vintage Radio Times clipping from the BBC's BEAU BRUMMELL play, broadcast on 14th and 18th March 1954 with Peter as George Bryan Brummell...

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#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY : IS YOUR FAVOURITE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN SCENE INCLUDED TOO?

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY : HERE IS A GREAT digest featuring some of  the HIGHLIGHTS of Peter Cushing's first Frankenstein feature film for Hammer films. It also connected and began the on screen partnership of Cushing with Christopher Lee, here he plays the creation this marks Lee's first Hammer film too. Is YOUR favourite scene included too?

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#THROWBACKTHURSDAY : UNCLE HARRY AND THE MAN FROM THE LITTLE PET SHOP OF HORRORS

#‎throwbackthursday‬: For the next few weeks, we are making our ‪#‎throwback‬ themed.. we'll be digging through the collection to bring you some rare and not so well known television appearances from the 1950's, 60's and 70's. Peter was very fortunate to have had an extremely successful television career, long before his success on the big screen. To kick us off with our FIRST , Peter Cushing Telly #throwbackthursday post . . .

 . . . . a photograph from the BBC play 'UNCLE HARRY' which was broadcast on 8th May 1958 and starred Peter Cushing, Beryl Measor, Gerald James and the actress in the pic, Mary Morris. The play was based in Wales and BBC Wales produced this television adaptation of Thomas Job's stage play. The story revolved around Harry Quincey (Uncle Harry played by Cushing) who lives with his two rather quarrelsome sisters, who look after him, but feels stifled. He thinks up a desperate plan to free himself.

TRIVIA: After it's run on Broadway in 1942, it was adapted shortly after into a film starring George Saunders entitled, The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry.... it's script and story bore little resemblance to the  theatre production or tv play!

#throwbackthursday: MORE Throw Back Cushing Telly: Peter Cushing as Martin Blueck, the owner of a suspicious pet shop in 'The Silent Scream' an episode of the short lived TV series 'Hammer House Of Horror' (1980) co-starring Brian Cox and directed by Alan Gibson who had worked with Peter and for Hammer directing Dracula AD 1972 and The Satanic Rites Of Dracula (1974) This was the final time that Peter worked for Hammer films.

MORE Cushing Telly Throwbacks NEXT Thursday

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REVISTED : CAPTAIN CLEGG CUSHING STUNT : IS IT HIM OR ISN'T IT??

FOLLOWING ON from our previous post of GIFS here and at the PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE one GIF in particular has promoted some enquiries. The GIF from Hammer's Captain Clegg / Night Creatures, illustrates the shot where after the reveal of the Captain's TRUE identity, he tries to make a dash for it. This involved the charector climbing onto the pulpit and taking a leap at a near by over head light-fitting, to swing over the heads of the congregation and make his escape!  Despite some theories about this stunt being performed by a stuntman, because producer Anthony Hinds and the film's insurance would not have taken the risk in their lead risking an accident... we find, Peter Cushing indeed get his wish...and performed the stunt....!

It's an easy mistake to make! The  common trick and practice of editors and directors, was to show an actor with a rope, or chain whatever, about to leap...and then just as they moved to make that leap,  the shot was followed by long shot cutaway...it HAD to be a long distance shot, in order to show the actual stunt, and this worked well to hide the replacing of the actor with a suitably dressed stunt man, so the shot it didn't look out of place.. But audiences soon wised up to this practice. In this case, they followed the formula and the long shot hid the fact that it was Cushing performing the stunt.

BUT WHILE WE ARE ON THE THEME OF STUNTMEN, here are just three unsung heroes, who often stood in for Peter and Christopher Lee through out their careers. Above JOCK EASTON, and below Eddie Powell. Peter Munt, Fred Haggety in the light suit and Peter's driver and stand in Paddy Smith.

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