An eminent centenary today - one of the masters of the Hammer Horror genre, Mr Peter Cushing.
Famous for playing Doctors Frankenstein, Van Helsing and Who, he was also a recurring guest on the Morecambe and Wise Show.
As I said in my blog back in 2009, it is worth pondering on a bizarre coincidence...
Peter Cushing was born on 26th May. Christopher Lee and Vincent Price were both born on 27th May.
Three horror icons, contemporaries, sharing birthdays on two consecutive dates. Even better, the three men were good friends.Mr Cushing's home town of Whitstable in Kent appears to be about the only notable place where this milesone is being celebrated, with an exhibition of his life and works until 23rd Jun 2013.
Of his meeting Christopher Lee in 1968, Vincent Price said, “I had heard he was very pompous, and I was really a little worried about meeting him. Well, we took one look at each other and started laughing… We find each other hysterically funny.”
On meeting Peter Cushing on the set of The Curse of Frankenstein. Christopher Lee wrote, “Our very first encounter began with me storming into his dressing-room and announcing in petulant tones, ‘I haven’t got any lines!’ He looked up, his mouth twitched and he said dryly, ‘You’re lucky. I’ve read the script'.” And from that moment on the two men became friends for life.
"Who wants to see me as Hamlet? Very few. But millions want to see me as Frankenstein so that's the one I do."
Peter Wilton Cushing, OBE (26th May 1913 – 11th August 1994)
Christopher Lee was the HOTTEST Dracula EVER. Funnily enough, having seen him bothdark-haired and silverhaired, I always considered him MUCH better-looking once he started to go gray...so distinguished -looking!
ReplyDeleteI think I first encountered Peter Cushing in the Dracula genre as van Helsing, ("Brides of Dracula" I think it was), but of course his best-known role to the present generation would be "Moff Tarkin" in Star Wars. I thought he looked PERFECT for the part!
I think Mr Cushing was perfect for any part that required that particular brand of quiet, sinister menace... Jx
DeleteIn that picture of the four, who is the fourth man, in the hat? I recognize all of them except him!
ReplyDeleteThat is John Carradine, another horror films stalwart and patriarch of the Carradine family (father of David, Robert, Keith and Bruce). Jx
DeleteThank you! I think I recall seeing him in a horror movie, now that I think of it!
ReplyDeleteHere's a TRUE STORY about David Carradine; (I know it's true because he told me himself!) I was a body piercer back in the day, and one day D.C. and his then GF Marina walked into my studio. While he was there DC told me that he'd had a "prince albert" done a while ago,and had had a custom ring made in 18kt. gold with a 1 carat diamond set into the bead. Well, somebody went into his bedroom during a party at his house and STOLE the ring (he wasn't wearing it at the time, of course). So, somewhere out there in the world is David Carradine's PENIS ring!
Bless him, he won't be needing it now... Jx
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