NEW CLIP: HOW ARE THINGS IN GUATEMALA? THE LAST MEETING OF PETER CUSHING AND CHRISTOPHER LEE

AS PROMISED as part of today's Peter Cushing Birthday Celebrations.. here is a brand new, freshly edited addition to the series, 'Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee : The Last Meeting' I hope you enjoy it 🙂 This candid footage was shot on a camcorder, without prep, tripod or lighting. The day was May 17th 1994 and the location at a small studio in Canterbury, a short distance from Peter's home in Whitstable. At just under ten minutes long, it's our longest clip and is probably the most interesting. There is of course lots of Peter enjoying himself, laughing, weeping with giggles and Christopher Lee once again crushing any theories of what many though was, a man with no sense of humor! Here we see Lee present Cushing with a birthday card, Peter admits he has one for Lee too, and will save the cost of a postage stamp! 

BOTH CUSHING, LEE AND VINCENT PRICES'S birthdays were just over a week away. It would be Cushing last, a point that is poignantly given pause when with black humor Cushing asks Lee a question that, for once Lee bound with emotion, found very hard to give a reply, and defuses it with humor. Cushing almost blows the gaff on a some private work, Lee was undertaking on a film featuring Rasputin, their love of Warner Bros cartoons and their shared appreciation of actor, singer and comedian 'Snoozzle' Duarnte is displayed again, to great enjoyment and Cushing howls. Cushing introduces again, his assistant and close friend Joyce Broughton, to Lee, and asks for a 'Scotty' nose tissue! Cushing also floors Lee with a question about Guatemala! There is much to see and enjoy, and for first time too, we get to see the man who brought Peter and Christopher together for this day, Ted Newsom.

YOU'LL FIND THE WHOLE TWELVE CLIP PLAY LIST at the PCASUK YOUTUBE Channel RIGHT HERE! 

IT WAS TED NEWSOM'S IDEA to bring Lee and Cushing together for one last time to record the narration for his great tv documentary, 'Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror'. We have him to thank really for making this meeting possible. There is also a interesting piece on Lee being interviewed about his thoughts on remaking the Hammer film, 'The Devil Rides Out' There's lots to see and I hope you enjoy this clip . . feel free to leave your comments on this in the thread below, feel free to share with others and have fun, THEY most certainly did 😉😊 - Marcus (pcasuk)

MARKING AND CELEBRATING THE ANNIVERSAY OF PETER CUSHING'S BIRTHDAY TODAY!

TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY... Peter Wilton Cushing was born today, May 26th 1913.... Please join us in celebrating, leaving your comments and sharing our posts, to mark this very special day and help us to . . . keep the memory alive! 

ABOVE Look out for the NEW clip of 'Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee: The Last Meeting' here at the website, the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page and the PCASUK YouTube Channel. . . 

ABOVE: OUR Peter Cushing Birthday Celebration Competition, will be shared here and at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page TODAY!

HERE AT THE WEBSITE and over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we will be sharing some pretty special posts today, a BRAND NEW TEN minute clip of the last time Peter Cushing and and Christopher Lee met 1994, which I think you will love, and a competition to win five pairs of Hammer and Amicus films documentary dvd's... it's going to be a busy day, with more than our ONE standard daily post here at the website . . . all will continue into tomorrow and then into the shared birthday's of Christopher Lee and Vincent Price too . . so, let's begin, HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER CUSHING!

BY THE WAY, TODAY is INTERNATIONAL DRACULA DAY! Missing Christopher Lee's BIRTHDAY tomorrow, by HOURS! I wonder, what he would have thought of THAT? 😉😃

THE PERSONAL SCRAPBOOKS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE

THREE DAYS AGO it was announced that, Lady Lee, Sir Christopher Lee’s widow, had donated her husband's photographic archive, to the BFI National Archive. The collection, is presented in THREE scrapbooks. Lee would have been 97 years young on 27th May 2019'. The scrapbooks are made up of photographic prints compiled by Sir Christopher Lee himself.

ON DONATING THESE ALBUMS, Lady Gitte Lee in a press statement has said, “It was a great joy and an honour for my husband when he was awarded the BFI Fellowship in recognition for his lifelong contribution to the industry. I am therefore delighted that the BFI are helping to preserve the heritage of his legacy, by bringing Christopher’s photographic archive into the BFI National Archive. I am immensely proud of my husband’s achievements. One of Britain’s best-loved actors, he was a man who entertained audiences worldwide for more than 60 years. It gives me great pleasure that his photos will be seen and appreciated for generations to come.”

WELL, AS WE HOPED, the scrapbooks just about covers Lee's entire film career. It's a photographic archive which includes many previously unseen on-set photographs and contact sheets, plus photographic portraits from many of his roles including Hammer films 'Dracula / Horror of Dracula'  (1958) and its sequels, also The Wicker Man (1973) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). Some interesting choices are included, such as one of Lee's earliest film roles in the Ealing Studios classic, Scott of the Antarctic (1948), and ends, as one would expect, in the 2000s. It's an interesting Lee archive which manages to present a unique personal account of a prolific career, and also features  annotated musings, revealing his crisp, dry humour.

SO, WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE? Well, it's three scrapbooks put together it seems in the early 1970s and annotated by Lee himself, all spanning the years from 1948-1972. ALBUM ONE covers Lee’s first decade and a half, as a jobbing actor. Here we see some of his earliest roles including the World War II drama They Were Not Divided (1950) and Captain Horatio Hornblower (1950) in which Lee played supporting parts, his annotation to They Were Not Divided quips “back to camera, as usual”. It's interesting to see, over a ten year period how he spent the time in his choices and casting opportunities, to enable him to hone his craft in supporting roles, before his breakthrough performance, as The Creature in Hammer Studios’ The Curse of Frankenstein (1957). It's no secret that, Lee at one time held the 'Guinness World Record' for the most on-screen sword fights! This album records an early and memorable example, with  Lee’s infamous sword fight with Errol Flynn in The Dark Avenger (1955). It was at this time, Flynn accidentally cut through Lee’s little finger! A story Lee loved to share! The album also includes a striking pair of portraits of Lee, where he is almost unrecognisable, during his screen test for John Huston’s Moby Dick (1956), a part that was ultimately played by another actor.

ALBUM TWO spans through the 1960s, and includes much of the horror and fantasy genre classics, such as his sequel to the successful 1958 Dracula film, Dracula Price of Darkness in 1965 and The Devil Rides Out (1967). It's also interesting to see Lee alongside other fellow horror legends, including Peter Cushing in Amicus films, The Skull in 1965, Vincent Price The Oblong Box, 1959 and Boris Karloff in The Curse of the Crimson Altar produced in 1968. Good to see Lee chatting and working on set, with Hammer director Terence Fisher during the making of The Gorgon in 1965. Included too are his appearances in two separate series of popular UK TV programme, The Avengers in 1967 and 1969 ALBUM THREE covers a much shorter period, from his role in Julius Caesar in 1970 to the low budget cult film Death Line, with Donald Pleasence in 1972. This scrapbook also has space to showcase some of the special make-up and make up artists like Wally Schneiderman and Pearl Tipaldi who were deployed in films such as The Scars of Dracula (1970) and includes many make up prep images with make up artist Harry Frampton from Amicus films, I, Monster (1971), a role that which Lee often described as ‘one of the best things I’ve ever done’. There are also a number of behind-the-scenes stills from Billy Wilder’s late masterpiece, and one of Lee’s favourite films, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1971).

LEE FELT TYPECAST for much of the period of time covered by these albums, but they nevertheless show his great versatility as an actor across a variety of characters, films and genres. So, it's interesting that alongside the iconic images showcased, he has chosen to include some quite surprising, often funny and interesting choices. Many of the photographs have never been published, so they are all the more special for being selected, arranged and annotated by Lee himself.

NATHALIE MORRIS, Senior Curator – Special Collections, BFI said, “We’re delighted to have been entrusted with this marvellous group of photographs which were collected and kept by Christopher Lee, one of the all-time cinema greats. These images wonderfully demonstrate Lee’s versatility and charisma as an actor, taking us on a journey from his early small parts through to his starring roles and then beyond, as directors sought him out for high profile supporting roles and cameos. The albums are fascinating for being assembled by Lee himself, especially as they also include his occasional, wryly-observed, comments. The BFI National Archive is incredibly grateful to Lady Lee for this generous donation.”

CHRISTOPHER LEE'S SCRAPBOOK collection will join other significant personal archive collections including those of Alfred Hitchcock, Alan Parker, David Lean, Ken Loach and Dirk Bogarde at the BFI National Archive John Paul Getty Jnr Conservation Centre in Berkhamsted, stored in optimal archival conditions. Once catalogued, the collection will be available to view by appointment, with selected material made accessible digitally through the BFI Reuben Library.

PRYDE VS TARKIN! TIN PIN TARKIN STILL STANDING AS PRYDE JOINS THE SAGA!

OF ALL the items in the PCAS collection, this is something I have a real soft spot for 🙂 It's a Peter Cushing Tarkin Pin / Badge! It was given to me by Gladys Fletcher, who started PCAS back in the 1950's. Seems it was given to her by a fan back in 1977, and she passed it on in 1978. I love the font and considering how old it is now, it's aged rather well. I don't collect pins and I have only worn it to a convention back in 1980. It's lived in a little box for safe keeping since then. There are now many pins, badges, fridge magnets and all sorts depicting Peter as 'the most evil man in the universe!' but as I have never seen this pin anywhere else, it's pretty special . . Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we've invited everyone to share images of any special or vintage Cushing, Tarkin or Star Wars pins, and the results are quite interesting!

THERE HAS BEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, of what is seen by some fans as an interesting addition to the army of #STARWARS characters of actor! British actor #RICHARDEGRANT is playing #GeneralPryde, a villain of similar #TARKIN proportions in #THERISEOFSKYWALKER, released this December, is most exciting! I wonder if we will be sharing vintage tin pins of Grant's Thrawn in 40 odd years time??? I do  hope, Grant is my top five favourite actors. We wait, with much anticipation and I don't think, we 'Over Estimate His Chances!' 😉😊😀

NEWS! CHRISTOPHER LEE PERSONAL SCRAPBOOKS DONATED TO THE BFI

NEWS: Released today is the interesting story that BFI has acquired 'never before seen' scrapbooks, that belonged to CHRISTOPHER LEE! The actor’s wife Lady Birgit Lee has donated THREE never-before-seen scrapbooks – which contain promotional shots, stills from films and annotations, and span from 1948 to 1972 – to the BFI archive, where they will be available to the public via its research access service at its Southbank location in London 😊 A very kind and considerate donation, let's hope the BFI honor their intentions 😉😉

MARKING THE BIRTHDAYS OF A SIR AND A LORD WITH PC CONNECTIONS!

TODAY 22ND OF MAY, has brought us the opportunity to celebrate the BIRTHDAY of one of PETER CUSHING's favourite writers and one of his close friends. of his early days in theatre and film . . .

TODAY WE REMEMBER Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who was born on this day a writer best known for his detective fiction featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. Originally a physician, in 1887 he published A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels about Holmes and Dr. Watson. In addition, Doyle wrote over fifty short stories featuring the famous detective. 

OUR PCASUK feature on the BBC TWO PART episode of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' with gallery is BARKING AND RIGHT HERE! 

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES stories are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction. Peter Cushing played Sherlock Holmes in Hammer's THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, then in the BBC TV SERIES and finally in Tyburn's THE MASKS OF DEATH As a cherry on the cake, Cushing also got to play Conan Doyle in a TNT 1976 film, 'The Great Houdini' . . thank you to Mark Iveson for Facebook PCASUK Fan Page that reminder 😉
 

FEATURE AND GALLERY on Peter Cushing in the BBC episode, THE SIGN OF FOUR RIGHT HERE!

A RARE JAPANESE phone card, depicting Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Stock as Watson from the BBC Television series . .

TODAY WE REMEMBER an acting legend! Laurence Olivier who was born on this day in 1907. Olivier dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He also worked in films throughout his career, playing more than fifty cinema roles. Late in his career, he had considerable success in television roles. Among Olivier's best known films are Wuthering Heights (1939), Rebecca (1940), and a trilogy of Shakespeare films as actor-director: Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948), and Richard III (1955). OLIVIER'S LATER FILMS included The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968), Sleuth (1972), Marathon Man (1976), and The Boys from Brazil (1978). For his on-screen work he received four Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. 

THE NATIONAL THEATRE'S  largest auditorium is named in his honour, and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards, given annually by the Society of London Theatre. PETER CUSHING co-starred and was directed by Olivier in Hamlet (1948) with Cushing playing Osric. Another notable thing about the film although they shared no scenes together it was the first film to star both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who had an uncredited role as a spear carrier with no spoken lines.

REMEMBERING JON PERTWEE : A RARE COLOUR TRANSPARANCEY PLUS STUNNING RESIN CRYPT MODEL KIT PICS!

REQUESTED from Phil Randell
ANOTHER dip into the colour images from rare contract sheets of Christopher Lee and Veronica Carlson in 'Dracula Has Risen From The Grave', the last for while, this is a request, so here we go.... an interesting shot from the studio's publicity photographer, with the intention of trimming the pic later, to remove those lighting cables on the floor out of the shot. I think, this was between poses too, both seem to be listening to the photographer. . .

TODAY WE REMEMBER Jon Pertwee who we sadly lost on this day in May 1996. Pertwee became best known for spending 18 years (1959–1977) playing Chief petty officer Pertwee in the popular series The Navy Lark on BBC Radio. But achieved world wide recognition from playing the Third Doctor in Dr Who whom he played from 1970 to 1974.

AFTER DOCTOR WHO He had continued success in TV playing the title character in the television series Worzel Gummidge from 1979 to 1981 (reprising the role from 1987 to 1989). Judging by the response, to this post at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE it is wonderful to see, Pertwee's admirers and following is just as strong as ever. He is still very much, appreciated and remembered!  

DOES THIS 'THE MUMMY' kit figure grab you? I get sent quite a lot of photographs of figures and model kits, but this one is very good , I think. Resin Crypt's "Deadly Intruder" sculpted by Robert Price and.artist Nick DeAngelo has done an very good job painting and building the piece.

YOU SEE IT PRESENTED here, before the paint and after. The kit consists of 16 pieces and is 1/6th scale, which features include both figures of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing along with a highly detailed elaborate base including, globe, rifle and nameplate . . 

THIS IS ALL reproduced from the stunning action scene, that takes part in the Hammer film of 1959, The Mummy, directed by Terence Fisher...and make up by the amazing Roy Ashton! Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, we have asked for YOUR opinion on the figure, and the feed-back has been MOST postive!

CATCH UP with our FEATURE and GALLERY on Hammer films 'THE MUMMY' starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Yvonne Furneaux : JUST CLICK HERE!