FLASHBAK SADDEST FEATURE : STUNTMAN SUPREME EDDIE POWELL AND OSCAR QUITAK BIRTHDAYS!

A HEADS UP! Thank you to the several friends out there who sent me a link to a feature that has turned up on the nostalgia site FlashBak . . on Peter Cushing 😉 Here is a link to the feature HERE!

IT'S LOVELY HERE to see all the past clubs mentioned and a hand written letter from our founder and friend, the amazing Gladys Fletcher 😊 Also I've had a quite a few messages asking how to become a 'member' of PCASUK? Gosh, 'members' . . those were the days🌝 Sadly those days have also long gone, we do though have a this fab Facebook Fan Page fan page and super website 😉 ... and very lucky to have the support and interest of over 30K very friendly followers 😃😉Here below in the comments thread, for those of you who asked for info is the PCASUK promo trailer  HERE!... four years old now! Time for a new one? - Marcus

REMEMBERING EDDIE POWELL TODAY 😃 Here is a guy who who appeared in many many Hammer films...was Christopher Lee's favorite stuntman and stand in for the majority of his horror films. Dracula Prince of Darkness, The Mummy's Shroud, he appeared in several BOND films, Cushing's Dr Who, Daleks Invasion Earth. Later, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman in 1989... and not many of the fans of Ridley Scott's ALIEN, realise it was Eddie in the costume during many of the scenes and stunts!  

BLESS YOU EDDIE, you were a master and genius! PLEASE help us celebrate his birthday today, he sadly left us in August 11th in 2000. He has left behind a real archive of work and many friends and people who still miss him 😊 HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDIE!

PLEASE JOIN US in wishing actor, 94 years young Oscar Quitak today! Quitak has a huge CV of performances and work which started in 1946, in As You Like It, to 1993 in the BBC TV series 'Every Silver Lining'! His Cushing connection was playing Karl in Hammer's sequel to 'The Curse of Frankenstein', The REVENGE of Frankenstein in 1958. In quite limited screen time, he successfully squeezed every last drop of pathos for a man who wanted to be cured. Thereafter follows a carrer that saw him appear in some classic television dramas and british movies. From the BBC Colditz serial, ITC's Man In Suitcase, Doomwatch, Ace of Wands in the 1970's, BBC's Z Cars series, and in 1976, 'The Last of The Cybernauts' New Avengers episode, picking up where Peter Cushing's Paul Beresford left off in 1967 with 'Return of the Cybernauts'.   

QUITAK also appeared in Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil', the Hammer return TV series, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense episode, 'Black Carion' in 1984. The same year, he appeared as 'a doctor' in Kenny Everett's 'Bloodbath In The House of Death' black comedy, which also starred Vincent Price! Over four years, he turned up in various roles in Everett's BBC TV series and a total of eight shows!

OSCAR was married to actress Andree Melly (who is probably most famous for her role as Gina in Cushing's 'The Brides of Dracula' (1960) she sadly passed away on 31st January 2020.

FROM US ALL, a VERY Happy Birthday Oscar Quitak . . and many more to come😊

 

COMPETITION! TWO SETS OF PC BOOKS UP FOR GRABS WITH TWO GREAT RARITIES!

I AM SURE MOST of you will know TWO of these books, the one other maybe not. The first published in 1986, 'Peter Cushing An Autobiography' was reviewed at the time as ' Peter Cushing discusses his childhood, his early acting career in films and on stage, his BBC television work and his renowned years at Hammer, all with literary wit and charm. While Mr. Cushing's humour will tickle readers' funny bones, the everlasting love story between Mr. Cushing and his dear wife Helen will touch their hearts' It is I am happy to say, all that and more . . 

THE SECOND AUTOBIOGRAPHY , 'Past Forgetting : The Hammer Years' published in 1988 picks up from the end of the first, covers lots of anecdotal material from his TV and theatre years, he does dip into 'Hammer Time' but many thought at the time... not enough. It's a good read and links with Volume one perfectly

THE THIRD BOOK 'Peter Cushing' was edited and published by Donald Fearney in 1996. It's Mr Fearney...and a whole raft of actors, directors and friends paying tribute to Cushing, with personal stories and impressions of working with Peter. Every page carries one or more very nice photographs, beautifully produced with large-format glossy pages. The tributes include contributions from Ingrid Pitt, Christopher Lee, Joyce Broughton, Francis Matthews, Charles Gray, Barbara Shelley, Freddie Francis and many more. 

THIS BOOK RARELY sits on eBay, but when it does it sells for £25 and up to £40, depending on its condition. This one is mint! You can enter this competition either by sending your entry via email to 'theblackboxclub@gmail.com' label YOUR entry 'BOOK COMPETITION' OR you can zip along to the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE and send your entry via the chat / message box! Any entries posted onto the post or the thread below the post, will be deleted and not entered into the competition.   Good luck Everybody! Have fun!

ABOVE: IF YOU ALREADY OWN the Peter Cushing autobiographies, if you haven't read them yet... have you CHECKED them??? READ HERE!

ORIGINALLY POSTED AND SHARED HERE  two years ago. ANOTHER great story, with a Peter Cushing Autobiography connection: READ HERE!

MODELS AND COLLECTABLE MAGAZINES: ARTHUR IS BACK!

YEAH! YOU WANT HIM? I KNOW I want him! But sadly, he...gone! ☹️😢 This neat little figure of Peter Cushing as 'Revenge . .  Dead and Walking' Arthur Grimsdyke from Amicus films, 'Tales from the Crypt' 1972, was made by Readful Things, as a static figure mode and presented as a 'collectable model in it's packaging' for display on your shelf or display case only. NOT for playing with 😉 . . a one of a kind sculpted piece, has no moving parts & should remain in packaging.

BUT HOW NEAT is that? Sadly, out of stock and unlike Arthur, probably never to return. It's a great figure that captures one of the rare times Cushing wore THAT kind of make up. A job that both he and master make-up artist, Roy Ashton, loved creating. The 'Tales from the Crypt' story is a firm favourite with many, BUT sooooo hard to endure and watch. 'Snifffffff!. . . Gosh, it's sad. A bit like this figure, a missed opportunity to own 😢 What do you think?- Marcus : MANY thanks to Rob Shaw who posted the link to us earlier 😉

A FUN DAY HERE and at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE,yesterday! We celebrated #worldbookday, with some interesting comments and messages. No doubt you may be wondering where the #PCASUK #competition is for winning those cracking Cushing books???

THAT will be posted tomorrow 😉 'Issues' on this side of the page, has delayed it, my apols. Meanwhile, today over at the  FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE still on the subject of paper matter, books and mags... I've been asking, if you can recall what was the FIRST book or mag you bought with Cushing in it... that you purchased because he was the reason??? Going back a bit huh? No prob if it has long gone, but if not snap a pic I would love to see it and attach it to your comment.

 

ABOVE HERE is mine. Purchased after my loving Gran bought me two Famous Monster for my eight birthday 😊😄 I bought it, at the wee age of 13 years old, from a REAL dodgy newspaper shop . .. a LOT of top shelf oddities.. cough... in Blackpool on holiday with a Aunty, as you do 😝😜😆 .. I wandered in not knowing WHAT kind of magazine store it was! Well, THAT'S my excuse. 😉 What it was doing in there, on a carousel rack, I have no idea. But this well worn magazine, went with me everywhere for a long time, school, visiting family, church (HA!) I still love it and the cover is amazing 😊 Next, I asked everyone, What did they buy and lets see?? There were some great mags!

THIS VINTAGE CRACKER FROM M. MONTAGRIFF

 

AND THIS GREAT ISSUE 86 FAMOUS MONSTERS

 ISSUE FROM M.H. ROLLIE!  

#WORLDBOOKDAY2020 COMPETITION : THE AMAZING AND STRANGE BOOKS THAT HAVE FEATURED PC!

TODAY is #International / #WorldBookDay2020 😐What a great opportunity to share and take of the best of books, that feature #PeterCushing and his work, his autobiographies, their contents, repackaging, YOUR favourite books that include PC and what maybe the rarest of books that covers a specific time and studio he for who he may have produced some for his best fantasy genre work. PLUS there's a chance to WIN a nice bundle of Peter Cushing books too 😊 So, which are YOUR favourites and how do they compare to other Cushing books??? 😉- Marcus

#WORLDBOOKDAY2020 : IF A BOOK is considered to be rare, because of it's limited edition run .. . then this one I think ticks the box . .. BUT there's more! 😉 'Amicus : The Vault of Horror' was published back in 2014. Its author Donald Fearney was at that time, raising funds to support the budget of his planned 2 and a half hour long dvd documentary, of the same name. Over three years, a vast bank of material was brought together, a small fortune spent in order to support the needs of the documentary visuals. Contact sheets, rare photographs, posters, scripts, correspondence and more is used in the subject matter... every theatrical released film, that the company Amicus produced!

ABOVE: FRIENDS SENT IN AND POSTED PICS OF THEIR FAV CUSHING BOOKS TO ON THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE

IT WAS QUITE THE HAUL and much of the material, due to time restrictions, was not included in the edited documentary. This plus the visuals that made the final edit and included in doc make up the contents of this book! The hardback glossy cover with sepia tint, features Peter Cushing in one of his most loved and sad performances, Arthur Grimsdyke from the Amicus 1972 'Tales from the Crypt' ... there after a forward by director of Amicus films, 'I,Monster' Stephen Weeks, rolls out a pretty impressive huge collection of full page, minus boarders behind the scenes photographs, studio photographers contact sheets back / white and colour too, set drawings and set designer plans .. and more. The matt finish to the pages, is a nice touch. What is more, after Week's intro page... there isn't a word of text! Not a titter! The visuals say it all. A brave move, an even more interesting point is, this book only had a VERY limited run of ONE DOZEN COPIES. No more. It's asking price was reachable and certainly worth it.The book was promoted in a whisper, on the release of Fearney's Amicus documentary . . and before you knew it, gone! Many of the contents I have shared here for you on the Facebook PCASUK Fan page and website over the last few years. Yup it's a go to book for material alright . . I think both Milton and Max would have liked it too! -

AT THE TIME OF THE release of the AMICUS  : VAULT OF HORROR dvd documentary and the BOOK, we gave away many copies of the Doc as PRIZES in PCASUK Competitions too... BUT understandably, NOT the book 😀😊

UPDATE: EVEN THOUGH ALL DOZEN COPIES vanished very quickly. . .with one copy being given away as a prize, connected to the release of the DVD, where a 'Torture Garden' packet of seeds inside the DVD case contained an exclusive 'prize entry draw number'. That gave book owners the chance of winning a copy of the book . .  BUT following a comment by follower Ann Keil on the PCAS Facebook Page last night, it appears there is the chance of buying just one copy NOW.... The copy THAT was won by the lucky seed packet winner, yesterday decided to part with their copy! Maybe they saw the post on the PCAS Facebook Fan Page post??? It's  currently on EBAY and sitting with a bid of £899.00. This copy also contains 18 signatures and autographs of actors and people connected with Amicus films, including Amicus producer, Milton Subosky's actual past-port photograph, attached to the inside of the cover!!! 😮😀... We'll keep you posted on the progress of the bidding 😉😀

 

ONE LAST WORD ON THIS BOOK... as if a low publishing number wasn't tempting enough, there was also just TWO copies that had an extra supplement of a further 60 pages... One thing for sure, Fearney published his books like his documentaries, packed and full of rare material - Marcus (PCASUK) 

#WORLDBOOKDAY2020 : ANOTHER BOOK OF NOTE... and probably one of the strangest books I have ever read, certainly on the subject of Peter Cushing is ..... 'Peter Cushing: Spending Time with #Frankenstein' written by Nicolas Gadd, published also in a limited run by it seems #PeterCushing's own little label 'Sea Way Publishing' .. priced £15.00, soft cover, held together with like a binder! This appeared in the last few years of Peter's life, had his full support and supplied endless hours of access to him personally... Gadd, his wife and Cushing were close friends.. for a while. No doubt it reads as weird, it also reveals some very odd and private details, which has for years has had me more than scratching my head. It was around for about a year.. then puff, vanished! 😳😯 I would love to chat with ANYONE who also holds or owns a copy of this, as in my experience of the last ten years NO ONE wants to discuss this book, but I would love to hear what they make of it too..Message me at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE OR email me @ theblackboxclub@gmail.com. If you are missing some pages, I will gladly supply them for you, as this book is not only strange, it's fragile too! 

RARE THE GORGON BEHIND THE SCENES COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH PLUS CUSHING IN OZ!

HERE'S A VERY NEAT colour photograph of Peter Cushing and actress Barbara Shelley during the making of The Gorgon at Bray studios. I purchased the original negative for this publicity photograph back in the late 1970's, it's been posted here once before, but it's a good one.

You can follow and catch our posts FIRST at the Facebook PCASUK 

Fan Page here! 

WHEN THIS PIC WAS POSTED at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE yesterday someone asked if I wasn't worried about posting such a rare pic, on Facebook... So I explained, I post pics for people to do exactly that, to share. Anything I have, own or is sent to me by good folk out there I share. BUT I also include a bit of promo text on the pic, to share where it has been cleaned and repaired if necessary... here. In the majority of cases these are pics on which, we do not own the copyright, this is a hobby, no money exchanged or made. :) There are authors and collectors out there though, that are under the impression that the little watermark is implying I or we own them... nope. This pic today I do own, hence my name. Happens rarely. If you post something on the net, it's gone, the world owns it today. If anyone wants to repost or share a pic that's wonderful. If you want to take it and take off the watermark, that's not really the game.. but your choice, so many here are posted for the first time, so people who know their stills... know where it has come from and that someone has lifted the watermark. Weird that people would do that, unless they maybe dislike or hate the page 😄😉... or us having fun and a reward for working so hard on the posts for fans and keeping the memory of Peter Cushing alive and relevant. . . who knows???  But, I am sure... some do 😉😊

THE LATEST painting by artist, #DARYLJOYCE 😊 This one is a cracker, you think? 😊 After the not so roaring success of the sequel to #DrWho and the Daleks (1965) film, 'Dalek Invasion Earth 2150 AD' (1966) the planned next #Dalek / Dr Who / #PeterCushing feature film, based on the #BBC tv episode 'The Chase' sadly didn't happen... BUT what a treat it could have been, if it HAD! Congrats to Daryl on another fine piece of work! 😊😉

REPOST : CUSHING IN AUSTRALIA 1977!  The text taken from Cushing's second book Past Forgetting: Memoirs of the Hammer Years published in 1988.

'In western Australia, where I thoroughly enjoyed working with John Izzard of swan television in 1977, I had quite an extraordinary experience with an ostrich, a tobacco addict! It stalked me, its beady eyes watching my every move and each time I lit a cigarette, it shot its neck out (like a chameleons tongue catching some runaway insect) and snatched the fag from my lips!! Perhaps Rod Hull encountered that same bird, and got the idea for his act with emu?'

CHRISTOPHER LEE once said that Peter Cushing had a laugh that could clear a restaurant in 30 seconds flat! And it must be said, if you ever get the chance to catch a clip of Peter laughing, it was a belter!

Photos in panel:
Top Left:#PeterCushing and close, life time friend,Peter Gray.
Next right: Cushing in costume with lead actor Robert Stack on the set of John Paul Jones (1959)
Next Right : With CEO of #Hammerfilms, James Carrreras at the premier of The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957
Middle: Peter and wife #HelenCushing on holiday in #Norwich.
Far Right: Peter and #ChristopherLee, on set at Bray studios during the making of Hammer films, 'The Gorgon' (1965)
 

BEHIND THE SCENES ON HAMMER FILMS 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' a full feature with #contactsheets and press stills! RIGHT HERE!

MANY HAPPY RETURNS TO 'THE LOVELY AIMI MACDONALD' BUBBLY CYBERNAUT GIRL!

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to actress AIMI MACDONALD TODAY! Aimi maybe isn't so well known in other countries, but is face most people over 50 will recognise in the UK , from her acting on tv including The Avengers, The Saint, Man at the Top, Sez Les, Shirley's World, Dixon of Dock Green and Rentaghost. Her appearance in 'The Avengers' (Peter Cushing's "Return of the Cybernauts" in 1967) was as a mini-skirted secretary, Rosie who gets stunned by the Cybernaut!

AIMI'S BLONDE BOBBED hair style and bubbly zany attitude, high squeaky voice, soon made her the go to in several shows in the 60's and 70's. MacDonald came to national attention in 'At Last the 1948' Show, for which she had been spotted by David Frost. At the opening and closing of the show and between longer sketches, she would present short pieces on the theme of her loveliness 😊 

Her excitable, squeaky voice was likened to "a choir of frantic mice" Aimi is still working and still loved and remembered for those shows, 'Rent-a-Ghost' in particular! Do YOU remember Aimi?? Happy Birthday and hope you are having a great day Aimi! 😉😃