HOW TO DIE LIKE DRACULA? LEE INTERVIEW CREDITS CHANEY SR! CAROLINE MUNRO BIRTHDAY AND VIDEO OF HAMMER FILM FEMMES AT WHITBY AND MORE ART ON CUSHING

#CHRISTOPHERLEE! it's not often Lee ever made any reference to how he played his many #Dracula death scenes for #Hammerfilms, but here in this short TV interview he does! #PeterCushing's Van Helsing, killed off Lee's Dracula THREE times! His slaying in the 1958 Dracula / Horror of Dracula is probably the best for many. You can watch the interview over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page

 

 

TODAY over at the PCASUK Facebook Page, we are asking everyone to join us in wishing actress #CAROLINEMUNRO a VERY Happy Birthday today! And right now, almost 600 friends and followers, have done just that! A wonderful actress and an absolute sweetie! Her Peter Cushing connection is of course her appearance in #Hammerfilms 'Dracula AD 1972' in which #PeterCushing played #VanHelsing and her co starring role in Amicus film 'At The Earth's Core' with Peter Cushing and Doug McClure. I know of no one who works harder on the convention circuit to make meeting her a special event! Many Happy Returns and Have Smashing Day, Caroline! 

 

BANNERS I made and shared here and at the Fan Page for a pretty neat interview with #CAROLINEMUNRO we share a few months ago, in partnership with our good friends at THE FLASH-BACK FILES!

ABOVE: HERE IS A clip I shot way back in 2010, when I first met Caroline Munro and a few other #HAMMERFILM actresses! Everyone was posing with a wax figure of Christopher Lee as Dracula in a photo op, so I too some shots for The Black Box Club website! 

OVER THE YEARS, it's thought that Peter Cushing was maybe offered and / or approached to play the role of the BBC TV Time Lord Dr Who, quite a few times during his career. Each time, he probably considered it and decided the tv role, wasn't for him. Which was a pity really... or was it? Over at the Facebook Fan Page, we've asked do you think Cushing should have seized the opportunity or not...and if he had, do you think he would have made a great Doctor Who with maybe a different interpretation to his playing of the role in the two theatrically released feature films in 1965 and 66? . . .

 

AND FINALLY,#PeterCushingArtwork we are so lucky to have so many very talented and skilled artists who take their time and skills to paint and create so many beautiful and often quite stunning portraits of Peter Cushing. Here is another I think you will agree, captures so much about Peter in this pose and the artist's interpretation of a quite famous photograph that appeared in the press back in the mid-1970's. How do you rate this artwork, please feel free to visit our Facebook Fan Page, where you find this post along with a MASS of other friends and followers thoughts on this too... another stunner? 

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE  

THE BARON VADER AND SCARANANGER : ARTWORK BADDIES AND THE WIFE!

#PeterCushingArt : Over at the  we've shared, 'Franky Created Cushing'... BEAUTIFULLY! Amazing artwork portrait by artist Frankie Smith of Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein from #hammerfilms 'Frankenstein Created Woman' in 1967! What do you think???  

 

A HUGE RESPONSE TO THIS photograph post at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page,I wonder just what Christopher Lee could be saying here? 🤔#ChristopherLee and his wife Brigit stand next to an extra dressed as Darth Vader as they arrived for the premiere of the new 'Star Wars Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith' in Berlin, back in 17 May 2005. I know it could never have happened, but I often wonder what kind of #VADER Christopher Lee would have made??

 

POSTING THIS BANNER I MADE  a short while also got lots of interest at the PCASUK Facebook Page this weekend.#ChristopherLee playing Francisco Scaramanga, was a real feather in his cap! He played evil baddy for Bond so well. It's a great shame that Peter Cushing never had the opportunity to play 'bond-baddy' but he did play the most evil character in the #StarWars universe though.... 'How do you think he would have fared as a Bond Bad guy??' got some interesting comments too... 

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE 

THE CAST OF HAMMER FILMS 'DRACULA' 1958 POSING IN IMPROVISED LOCATIONS AT BRAY STUDIOS!

#Hammerfilms 1958 Dracula : Cast and Characters in Improvised Locations! Over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page I have posted three stills, from a series of about six, taken back in January 1957 at Bray studios, by a stills photographer visiting from the international trade newspaper, 'Stage and Screen'. Here are TWO of them. The first a photograph of #PeterCushing as Van Helsing, but sitting studio office with wicker chair.. and 1950's Venetian window blind with microphone on a stand in the background! The next, an interesting, Melissa Stribling posing with a 1950's telephone, wearing that beautiful fur collared coat, that she wore in the film . . .

 

ALL CAST FEATURED are wearing their costumes. There is also a photograph that features Christopher Lee in full Dracula costume, on the set of what appears to be the Holmwood family home, 'biting' a woman in costume. Behind them, the Dracula coffin, rests on the arms of a wooden coach house seat! The victim could be Melissa Stribling... but, something ain't right, so I am not sure. One theory is, it could be the actress Barbara Archer who played Inga, the 'waitress' who appears in actor George Woodbridge's Inn, with Peter Cushing... she gives Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker's diary to him! Is it Stribling or Archer? Not sure. These photographs are thought to have been commissioned by John Springer, famous publicist and 'agent to the stars' which he fed to news and trade papers, world -wide.. all being part of the publicity machine after the success of Peter Cushing's and Christopher Lee's first Hammer films, 'The Curse of Frankenstein' in 1957.

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE 

HAMMER FILMS ACTOR JOHN RICHARDSON DIES AGED 86

NEWS HAS JUST BROKEN that actor, John Richardson has sadly passed away..... over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page many followers and friends are sharing their thoughts and memories of Richardson's work and his film with Peter Cushing 'She'. Here is a link to the post: HERE

 

JOHN RICHARDSON was born in Worthing, Sussex. He was spotted by a talent scout in local amateur theatre from 20th Century Fox who put him under contract. This lasted for two years, but frustrating for him, he did little. But his career did open up when he took some small roles in films for the Rank Organisation, including 'A Night to Remember' directed by Roy Ward Baker (1958), Sapphire (1959). His first role of note, was opposite fellow British actress Barbara Steele in the Italian gothic horror film, 'Black Sunday' in 1960. Directed by Mario Bava, the film went on to be a cult genre classic. Richardson decided to stay on in Italy for a supporting role in the swashbuckling 'Pirates of Tortuga' in 61. 

 

RETURNING TO BRITAIN, he had minor roles in 'Tender Is the Night' in 1962 and Lord Jim in 65. Richardson's big break came when film producer Ray Stark spotted him in the offices of Seven Arts Productions, and cast him as the male lead, alongside #PeterCushing and #ChristopherLee in 'She' in 1965, which at the time, they were co-producing with #HammerFilms. The film was the first of Hammer's 'bigger budget' productions and became a box office hit! When Hammer decided to make a sequel to She, Richardson was the only actor to reprise his role, for 'The Vengeance of She' in 1968.

 

HAMMER FILMS AND SEVEN ARTS used Richardson again supporting another female star, this time Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. in 1966. It Hammer were on a role, and the film was another big hit. Richardson later married his co-star, in the film, Martine Beswick.
 

IN THE LATE 1960'S, Richardson was considered for the role of James Bond in 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' when Sean Connery first left the James Bond franchise, but sadly, he lost out to George Lazenby. Richardson also starred in the spaghetti Westerns John the Bastard (1967), Execution (1968) and A Candidate for a Killing (1969) and had a supporting turn in Vincente Minnelli's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), starring Barbra Streisand. 

 

RICHARDSON spent most of the '70s working in Italy in such films as Frankenstein '80 (1972), Torso (1973), Eyeball (1975), Reflections in Black (1975), Duck in Orange Sauce (1975), Nine Guests for a Crime (1977) and War of the Planets (1977).

 

IT WAS A GREAT SHAME, that Richardson only appeared in one film with Peter Cushing. During their time on screen, they both gelled and his scenes with Christopher Lee and Andress, were probably some of the best of the film. A sad passing and a career, that for him should have presented more. 

 

John Richardson January 1934 - January 2021.  

 

 YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE   

ALL RIGHT AND PC IN THE UK!

 OK DISCS that are P: PLAYABLE C: and COMPATIBLE for the UK😉

 

I GET A  LOT of questions at the FACEBOOKBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGEfrom friends and followers here, asking if there is a list of which Peter Cushing blu rays releases are playable in the UK. What titles have been released in the UK and which of the imports from the US can be played on UK blu ray players. So, I asked my right hand guy, Jamie Somerville, an impressive font of knowledge on such matters, and he has kindly complied such a list together, for your scanning and reading. This list STARTS in 1948 and takes you all the way up to 1986. At the time of posting all these discs and releases are still available from their noted distributor and could also be still available in limited stock from other outlets later. You will also find full reviews on many of these releases here at the website. If you have some of these titles, let us know about it, the quality, the extras... all good to know, if you haven't read our PCASUK reviews 😊 If we have left out a title, please let us know and we'll add it to the throng! Tick your lists and maybe get your 'hammer' ready for that piggy bank 😊- Marcus

 

Hamlet - ITV

Time Without Pity - Indicator

The Curse Of Frankenstein - Lionsgate UK/Warner Brothers US

Dracula - Lionsgate UK/ Warner Brothers US

The Revenge Of Frankenstein - Indicator

The Mummy - Lionsgate

The Hound Of The Baskervilles - Arrow Video

The Brides Of Dracula - Final Cut

Cash On Demand - Indicator

Captain Clegg - Final Cut

The Evil Of Frankenstein - Final Cut

The Gorgon - Indicator

Dr. Terrors House Of Horrors - Screenbound

The Skull - Eureka

Dr. Who & The Daleks - Studio Canal

Island Of Terror - Screenbound

Daleks - Invasion Earth A.D 2150 - Studio Canal

Torture Garden - Indicator

Night Of The Big Heat - Screenbound

The Blood Beast Terror - Screenbound

Corruption - Grindhouse US /Indicator (2021)

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed - Warner Brothers

The Vampire Lovers - Final Cut

The House That Dripped Blood - Second Sight

I Monster - Indicator

Twins Of Evil - Network

Tales From The Crypt - Final Cut

Dracula AD 1972 - Warner Brothers

Fear In Night - Studio Canal

Dr. Phibes Rises Again - Arrow Video

And Now The Screaming Starts - Severin

From Beyond The Grave - Warner Brothers US

Asylum - Second Sight

The Satanic Rites Of Dracula - Warner Brothers

Horror Express - Arrow Video/ Serevin US

The Beast Must Die - Indicator

Frankenstein The Monster From Hell - Lionsgate

The Uncanny - Serevin US

Star Wars - 20th Century Fox

Shock Waves - Blue Underground US

Biggles - ScreenboundTV

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE   

'BARBARA SHELLEY 'A DARLING YOUNG GIRL!' CHAT #PETERCUSHING AND #CHRISTOPHERLEE

FOLLOWING OUR NEWS of the passing of actress Barbara Shelley yesterday, over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page  I have posted THIS from 'The Last Meeting' video feature from the PCASUK Youtube Channel, where Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee discuss Barbara Shelley in 1994 😊 They call her a 'Darling Girl' and she was 62 , at the time! #RIPBarbaraShelley. Not many people know, Barbara Shelley was a close friend with Christopher Lee, right until he passed in June 2015. This segment was posted first back in May 17th 2014. You can catch them mention her on this clip from the PCASUK 'The Last Meeting of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee' series  and the whole 12 parts are at the pcasuk youtube channel   HERE! 

 

 MORE TO COME IN #2021!

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE  

#BARBARA SHELLEY HAMMER FILM ICON AND ACTRESS DIED TODAY

Very sad to bring the news that actress Barbara Shelley has died today . . you are invited to please share your condolences, messages and comments  at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page  where you will find a full obituary  . . .

 

BARBARA SHELLEY was one VERY versatile actress and herself had the character and values of a force to be reckoned with! Like many British actresses of this era, it was her strength of character and no nonsense core values, that carried her and her career through the making of some of the most iconic and respected fantasy features of the 50's and 60's. They were personal qualities that she displayed and served her well, until her end . .

 

"On returning back to PCASUK in 2010, she was the first actress I met at an event in London. She had agreed to record a short jingle, for some pod casts I was thinking of launching. During a short break, she called me over and said, 'If we are to get the best out of me, during this recording, I will need to be in the sun!' I again told her it was an audio recording, and we weren't videoing her for the jingle, and that the video camera she could see a friend holding was just for my personal use. Nope. If there was a camera, she wanted LIGHT! Fair enough, I thought! So, we moved her to an upstairs room, drew back some very large, grand red curtains, we got her a very royal velvet armchair to sit in. She sat, in the sun light and wanted to see, on the play-back, what the framing and set up would be looking like, on my 'personal memory of behind the scenes', she wanted to see how she looked, before we did the audio recording. She was happy if the camera didn't come THAT close. I followed her instruction. I recorded her 'voice-over' for the jingle speech, of 45 seconds. After one take, she listened to the play back. She was happy. I thanked her, and gave her a hug.

 
My last memory of Barbara, is her walking out of the room, back to her signing duties. 'Thank you Barbara. Most kind of you!' I said, 'Oh you are most welcome... and you can close those curtains now!' she said
 

We did and now, . . so has she, bless her" - Marcus Brooks (pcasuk)

Barbara was at her busiest in the late 1950s with 'Blood of the Vampire' and in the 1960s, she became Hammer Horror's number-one female star, with The Gorgon (1964), Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966), Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966), and Quatermass and the Pit (1967) among her credits. She also appeared in Village of the Damned (1960). By fans of Hammer films and the fantasy genre, she was quite deservedly crowned as a 'scream queen'! Her most famous scream role was probably in #Hammerfilms, 'Dracula Prince of Darkness' when to her annoyance, she was dubbed by co-star Suzan Farmer.

 

Her television appearances include the first Danger Man episode, "View From A Villa" (1960), plus a subsequent episode that season, "The Traitor" (also 1960); The Saint (1962), an episode of The New Phil Silvers Show (1963), two episodes of 12 O'Clock High (1965 and 1966); The Avengers episodes "Dragonsfield" (1961) and "From Venus With Love" (1967); the TV miniseries Prince Regent (1979); The Borgias (1981); the Blake's 7 episode "Stardrive" (1981); the Crown Court episode 'Proof Spirits' (1981), the Doctor Who serial Planet of Fire (1984), and surprisingly, EastEnders in 1988.

 

 

In her later years, Barbara became a well known and much wanted face on the autograph and movie collectors events and conventions circuit. She made many friends from fans and admirers during these events, was always happy to pose for snaps, helped with animal charity work and loved the interest and affection. In her 70's she had become one of the few British fantasy actresses, still standing, and wore her 'Scream Queen' crown with much pride!

 

Barbara died on 4 January 2021. She was admitted in hospital in December 2020 for a muscle check up and in that process she contracted COVID-19. She then recovered from the disease. Her agent reported that underlying issues are the cause of death.

BARBARA SHELLEY (Barbara T. Kowin)
13 February 1932 – 4 January 2021

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE