HAPPY BIRTHDAY VERONICA! THE AMAZING KRESKIN AND CARRY ON CUSHING : TUESDAY TOUGHY!

A SPECIAL DAY.. A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY: Join us in wishing VERONICA CARLSON a VERY Happy Birthday TODAY! Image: Veronica Carlson and Peter Cushing pose for a publicity photograph during the making of #hammerfilms 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' at Elstree film studios in 1969. You can read more about Veronica and her career, in our excellent series feature by BRUCE HALLENBECK HERE plus the work she did with Peter Cushing in Tyburn films, THE GHOUL and  FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED

VERONICA CARLSON : WOMEN IN GOTHIC PART FIVE WITH GALLERY : HERE!

MORE VERONICA CARLSON AND CUSHING in THE GHOUL! JUST CLICK HERE

 

ABOVE THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY! Good luck with this one and feel free to pop along to the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE and post YOUR answer in the THREAD! MEANWHILE, below here is LAST WEEKS ANSWER!

ANSWER: DAVID KRESKIN an American Mentalist who was very popular on television in both the US and UK during the 1970's. In 1973 he broadcast a daytime TV series on ITV in the UK. Kreskin always claimed to be an 'entertainer', never a psychic, he operated using the power of suggestion, not paranormal or supernatural. In JULY 1973 Peter Cushing appeared as a guest on the daytime UK show and took part in a ten minute feature, where he was invited to write a NAME of his choice, on a piece of paper. Kreskin did not see the name, as it written and folded up. This paper was then set alight with a match, placed onto a china plate and the ashes from the paper were then rubbed lightly, onto the bare arm of Cushing, where the name HELEN then magically appeared! Helen was Cushing's late wife, who had died just two years previously. Kreskin at the beginning of the trick, did mention he had no prior knowledge of the name that Peter Cushing had chosen to write on the note paper. As with all magic tricks . . . the trick is in the preparation!

ABOVE: TELEVISION LISTING MAGAZINE TV TIMES with the listing of Cushing's appearance on the show. BELOW: Not AUSTIN POWERS but KRESKIN, during his tv show . . .

AT THE TIME when Cushing was still still in deep moaning for his late wife, I personally think, this was such an odd event and choice from Cushing. He never truly recovered for the twenty years odd years, he outlived Helen. Granted, he did a few years later also include a photograph of Helen in the Tyburn film, THE GHOUL'. But this, just seems weird and more than a little mawkish? Maybe it's just me, but I remember seeing this show as a teenager when it was broadcast, and even then, thought it odd. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. It's a tv appearance which many would not now remember and is hardly ever mentioned. I am sure there will be several comments on this at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY. PLEASE feel free to join in with your comments and thoughts too!

PLAQUE RETURNS TO THE WHITSTABLE CUSHING'S VIEW BENCH!

AS PROMISED, at our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE here is a nice little video clip, shot yesterday of CUSHING'S VIEW in Whitstable Kent, of the REPLACED brass dedication plaque on the Peter and Helen Cushing bench, and sneak peep of the view 🙂 Many thanks again to PCASUK Follower, Spencer Aldren for this exclusive clip today!

ABOVE IS A FEATURE we posted back in 2016, of your trips to #WHITSTABLE and your fun following the #CUSHINGTRAIL! Just CLICK HERE!

FAREWELL FENELLA AND THANKS FOR ALL THE FUN!

SAD NEWS TODAY, that an actress who actually never worked with Peter Cushing has left us. Ninety years seems to prompt usually lots of 'well, she had a long life . .' and sentiments of she lived well..' But, I have to be honest, whatever time Fenella was going to leave, for me, was always going to be . . . too soon. Fenella Fielding, was unique, always entertaining, eccentric and surprising. It seems we were the only people who were aware of her age, because she most certainly wasn't. 

FENELLA was fortunate to have landed a film role back in 1966, when the Cushing Frankenstein films, were at their height and gave a line, that would follow her, for the rest of her days... 'Do you mind, if I smoke?' as Valeria Watt in 'Carry On Screaming' was gold. As was she. Three years previous to this role, she appeared in a film joint venture with both Hammer films and William Castle in THE OLD DARK HOUSE. Which kind of started a path, in which she played attractive but spooky strange femme's! No matter the role, Fenella made it her own, in the way only she could do. That voice. At 90, she was still working and will be working her magic on us all for a long long time to come. Bless you, Fenella!

THERE IS A FULL THE OLD DARK HOUSE REVIEW complete with some rare stills GALLERY from at our supplement website, THE BLACK BOX CLUB. RIGHT HERE!

DOOMWATCH INSEMINOID FEAR IN THE NIGHT AND DIAGNOSIS MURDER! A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JUDY GEESON!

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to actress JUDY GEESON today! We interviewed JUDY GEESON back in the early 1980's, in her dressing room, at a London theatre, where she was appearing in a play at the time. She was sharp, bright as a button, and chomped her way through a pawn salad, as she regaled us with stories for our Marantz audio recorder and microphone!

JUDY GEESON had only worked with Peter once in FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972), and Christopher Lee in 1975 in a film called, DIAGNOSIS MURDER. Thankfully, she had much to share on both. She also commented on his Cushing's laugh...and his pleasure on finding out that Judy kept a parakeet, and had a pet dog. She even brought the bird to the set of Fear In The Night, so Peter could sketch and paint it! It's interesting that most reports and reviews of Cushing's films that you read about, from this period of time, are usual tinged sadness, and concerned with Peter Cushing's grief and loss, of his wife, Helen. It's good to know, he did have sunny days, some light and shade.

JUDY GEESON was born in Arundel, Sussex, in 1948, Her father moved the family to London when she was 10 years old and enrolled her and sister Sally Geeson into the Corona Academy, Chiswick. Judy initially wanted to be a ballet dancer, but had to change course when she suffered from terrible headaches as a result of some of the moves. Acting had always been a great interest, however, and she chose to pursue this, making her first TV appearance in Dixon of Dock Green (1955) aged 12. 

HER FIRST MAJOR FILM ROLE was as wayward teenager Pamela Dare opposite Sidney Poitier in To Sir, with Love (1967) at the age of 18. I am sure you can all name your personal favourite Judy film... I will vote for Fear in the Night and To Sire with Love... but there are many others, 10 Rillington Place, Doomwatch, Brannigian with John Wayne and a HEAP of tv dramas too! Please join us wishing Judy the BEST of birthday's today!

A VICTORY FOR ANY ACTOR : CHRISTOPHER LEE SATURDAY!

HERE IS A TWO PART POST that was shared on the FACEBOOK  PCASUK FAN PAGE today. There were some very interesting comments and opinions, which you can contribute to and read by just CLICKING HERE!

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY! . . . PART ONE: Here's an interesting quote from the late Christopher Lee, taken from an interview with the Daily Telegraph in 2015. It's the first time I can recall, reading a quote from Lee where he compares his performance as DRACULA to other actors who played the role. This was also at a time when the mention of the 'D' word, was taboo in interviews, certainly interviews with the press. Lee ends this interview with the request, ' “Please don’t describe me in your article as a ‘horror legend’. I moved on from that.” . . .Was Lee's performance as the Count, just too good, he made a role from which he could not escape.. and that is why he became typecast? Or was it really about the attraction of the films were then pushing boundaries, in colour, blood, lust and horror, and that was the real attraction? What do you think?

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY! PART TWO : As we have read in the previous post today and along with your very interest comments and opinions.. the role of Dracula was indeed one of Christopher Lee's finest. He often said, that he made too many, should have quit playing the Count earlier. Budgets and payments that should have been higher, better scripts . . he also mentioned these factors too. Personally, I never tired of watching any film that had Lee as Dracula and whatever he feelings were later about the role, he could not dismiss the fact, it was always good, Very good. For any actor, after a career as long as his indeed his was, in a business so fickle and unpredictable ...that has to be, for this actor... a sure victory?

FEMME FATALE FRIDAY! ANOTHER MUCH LOVED BRITISH ACTRESS LEAVES US . .

A VERY MUCH LOVED actress has left us today, Liz Fraser... many will know her from the early British Carry On films, working with Peter Sellers in Two Way Stretch in 1960, 'The Pure Hell of St Trinian's' with Terry-Thomas,Thorley Walters and George Cole and so may of the classic priceless Brit Comedy films. Like other actresses during the 1960's she also appeared in several of the great Brit tv shows like The Avengers, Randell and Hopkirk, Dad's Army, The Benny Hill Show..the list is impressive and endless. She appeared in the 1961 Peter Cushing film, 'Fury At Smuggler's Bay' as Betty with Bernard Lee (Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell) William Franklyn (The Satanic Rites of Dracula).

TWO GIFS of LIZ FRASER in THE AVENGER tv series episode,  THE GIRL FROM AUNTY with Bernard Cribbins, Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee in 1961

LIZ WILL BE MISSED by so many fans, because she was able to steer a career, that give her opportunities to work with outstanding actors and actresses of the time, in film and tv shows, that are still very popular today and have stood test of time. Funny, beautiful and even though often playing the 'dizzy blonde' was herself, intelligent and very very smart 🙂 Liz was 88 and died yesterday at London's Brompton hospital . . missing you already, Liz!  

MANY ARE LEAVING their tributes and memories about LIZ FRASER at the FACEBOOK PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY FAN PAGE . PLEASE feel free to come and join us !