[11], Cushing wanted to enter the acting profession after school, but his father opposed the idea, despite the theatrical background of several of his family members. [111], Film director George Lucas approached Cushing with the hopes of casting the actor in his upcoming space fantasy film, Star Wars. '"[47], Unlike Frankenstein (1931) produced by Universal, the Hammer films revolved mainly around Victor Frankenstein, rather than his monster. 4 Grand Moff Tarkin. List of the best Peter Cushing movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Peter Cushing was born in Surrey, England on May 26, 1913, to George Edward and Nellie Marie Cushing, and was younger of the two brothers. "[77], Cushing and Lee appeared together in the horror film The Gorgon (1964), about the female snake-haired Gorgon character from Greek mythology and in She (1965), about a lost realm ruled by the immortal queen Ayesha, played by Ursula Andress. It'll be a glorious death, so long as I can hear what you're saying. [10] Cushing saw a promotional poster for The Mummy that showed Lee's character with a large hole in his chest, allowing a beam of light to pass through his body. . [137] Cushing also wrote a children's book called The Bois Saga, a story based on the history of England. We've done enough of these now to know what we're doing. They Dare Not Love. Cushing won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor in 1956. Hammer Studios' publicity department put out a story that when Cushing first encountered Lee without the make-up on, he screamed in terror. Peter Wilton Cushing was born in Kenley, then a district in the English county of Surrey, on 26 May 1913 to George Edward Cushing (18811956) and Nellie Marie (ne King) Cushing (18821961). His written candor was nearly too painful to read. [15] After Hamlet, both Peter and Helen Cushing accepted a personal invitation from Olivier to join Old Vic, Olivier's repertory theatre company, which embarked on a year-long tour of Australasia. In my macabre pictures, I have either been a monster-maker or a monster-destroyer, but never a monster. However, when producer Anthony Hinds proposed removing the character's deerstalker, Cushing insisted they remain because audiences associated Holmes with his headgear and pipes. The horror films were produced by Hammer Films in Britain.Peter Cushing, a British actor who chilled a generation of filmgoers as the evil Baron Frankenstein, died yesterday in a hospice in Canterbury, England. The Peter Cushing Companion David Miller 2002 Page 45 "Cushing's fee for The Face of Love was 74 guineas. [118], During this period, Cushing was honoured by the British Film Institute, which invited him in 1986 to give a lecture at the National Film Theatre. [34] Nevertheless, he continued to appear in several small roles in radio, theatre and film. Originally Doyle wanted to call his detective Sherrinford Hope. With the aid of advanced CGI, a walking, talking Cushing once again reprises his role as the sneering Imperial Officer Grand Moff Tarkin from the 1977 original Star Wars: A New Hope, even though. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Since the film's primary antagonist Darth Vader wore a mask throughout the entire film and his face was never visible, Lucas felt a strong human villain character was necessary. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were two of the most prolific actors in horror cinema. Lawrence broke off the engagement citing his frequent crying and bringing his parents on dates. As a Hammer Film actor, he portrayed Baron Frankenstein, Dr. Van Helsing, and . His stoic portrayals in Hammer horror films and Star Wars is legendary, but did you know that he also played Dr Who in two films? The first was J.B. Priestley's Eden End, which was televised in December 1951. "[31] Nearing middle age and finding it increasingly harder to make a living in acting, Cushing began to consider himself a failure. Lee once again starred as Dracula. It was also turned down by Christopher Lee, and eventually went to Donald Pleasence, another of Cushing's former co-stars. [6] Cushing loved dressing up and make believe from an early age, and later claimed he always wanted to be an actor, "perhaps without knowing at first. [21] One of Cushing's primary scenes involved Osric talking to Hamlet and Horatio while walking down a wide stone spiral stairway. Cushing appeared only briefly in A Chump at Oxford (1940) and his scenes took just one week to film, but he was proud to work with whom he called "two of the greatest comedians the cinema has ever produced. [10] Director Tim Burton and actor Johnny Depp both said the portrayal of Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow was intended to resemble that of Cushing's old horror film performances. Crisp and executive producer Kevin Francis both in turn sought to portray them as two old-fashioned men in a rapidly changing world. "[7] A fan of comics and toy collectibles in his youth, Cushing earned money by staging puppet shows for family members with his glove-puppets and toys. Saint Peter settled in the town of Capharnaum around the year 26-28. He scrutinised the costumes and screenwriter Peter Bryan's script, often altering words or phrases. A Tale of Two Cities. He was known for being a Movie Actor. [10] As with the Frankenstein film, critics largely disliked Dracula because of its violence and sexual content, deeming it inferior to the 1931 Universal version. Many actors turned down the role as a result, but Cushing accepted,[89] and the BBC believed his Hammer Studios persona would bring what they called a sense of "lurking horror and callous savagery" to the series. Whether playing Baron Frankenstein witnessing the awful results of his brilliance or Professor Van Helsing in hot . Peter Cushing was born in Surrey. [14][28] They fell in love and were married on 10 April 1943. [63] The next year, Cushing appeared in I, Monster (1971),[10] which was adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, alongside Lee as the Jekyll/Hyde figure. Majendie, Paul (7 August 1986). [49], Cushing so valued preparation for his role that he insisted on being trained by a surgeon to learn how to wield a scalpel authentically. Ryan and Slater agreed, and Cushing later said performing the part was his most pleasant experience since his wife had died four years earlier. [5] With the exception of art, Cushing was a self-proclaimed poor student in most subjects and had little attention span for that which did not interest him. [108] Another was The Ghoul, where he played a former priest hiding his cannibalistic son in an attic. one didn't go to work if you had children. Witching Time/The Silent Scream. [10] Cinematic roles proved somewhat difficult to find, however, as film producers were often resentful of television stars for drawing audiences away from the cinema. [104], For Tales from the Crypt, an anthology film made up of several horror segments, Cushing was offered the part of a ruthless businessman but did not like the part and turned down the role. Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin exemplified how ruthlessly cold and callous the Empire's leadership really was. He made me believe he was evil and cruel. "[22] Around this time actor Robert Coote, who met Cushing during a cricket game, recommended to director George Stevens that Cushing might be good for a part in Stevens' upcoming film Vigil in the Night (1940). I remember quite vividly the sincere anguish he so openly expressed to me when his beloved wife Helen passed away. Among them were Land of the Minotaur, where he played Baron Corofax, the evil leader of a Satanic cult opposed by a priest played by Donald Pleasence. [120] The close-up shots of Cushing aboard the Death Star, shown right before the battlestation is destroyed, were actually extra footage taken from previously-shot scenes with Cushing that did not make the final film. Missing Helen To underscore just how difficult Helen's passing was for Peter Cushing, he ended his first autobiography, published in 1986, with her death: Peter felt his life effectively ended with Helen's passing. [121], When Star Wars was first released in 1977, most preliminary advertisements touted Cushing's Tarkin as the primary antagonist of the film, not Vader;[122] Cushing was extremely pleased with the final film, and he claimed his only disappointment was that Tarkin was killed and could not appear in the subsequent sequels. [10], Cushing joined the cast in May 1976, and his scenes were filmed at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood. The film failed to make a mark in critical terms as its source material (the classic novel Seven Keys to Baldpate) had already been adapted several times before. He appeared in Corruption (1968), a film that was billed as so horrific that "no woman will be admitted alone" into theatres to see it. [68] However, Cushing was able to star in Twins of Evil (also 1971), a prequel of sorts to The Vampire Lovers, as Gustav Weil, the leader of a group of religious puritans trying to stamp out witchcraft and satanism. A necessary requirement to having a family and children is of course, having a spouse. [63] Cushing appeared in Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), a Hammer modernisation of the Dracula story set in the then-present day. [106] Make-up artist Roy Ashton designed the costume and make-up Cushing wore when he rose from the dead,[106] but the actor helped Ashton develop the costume, and donned a pair of false teeth that he previously used in a disguise during the Sherlock Holmes television series. [123] In 1989 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions to the British film industry. Answer (1 of 2): His former secretary and the executor/manager of his estate was apparently pleased with the result. That person is so close to you that you are able to share some things only with him. Wesley Snipes has taken out more in single scenes, no doubt. [10] He did not enjoy the repetitive nature of stage performances, and once compared it to a painter being forced to paint the same picture every day. [10] However, Cushing was very proud of his experiences with the Hammer films, and never resented becoming known as a horror actor. "Talking toPeter Cushing". In an interview published in 1966, he added, "I do get terribly tired with the neighbourhood kids telling me 'My mum says she wouldn't want to meet you in a dark alley'." He and his older brother David were raised first in Dulwich Village, a south London suburb, and then later back in Surrey. Dr Who . In May 1982, Cushing was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He appeared in several horror films and was in Lawrence Olivier's Hamlet. At times, this put him at odds with writers and producers; Hammer Studios producer Anthony Hinds once declared him a "fusspot [and] terrible fusser about his wardrobe and everything, but never a difficult man. Cushing was just a fabulous actor. Cushing reprised the role of Baron Victor Frankenstein in five sequels. [68], Around the same time, he portrayed the detective Sherlock Holmes in the Hammer production of The Hound of the Baskervilles (also 1959), an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel of the same name. [92] Cushing himself was not a particular fan of horror or science fiction films, but he tended to choose roles not based on whether he enjoyed them, but whether he felt his audience would enjoy him in them. Knight, Chris (1971). [45] Produced by American writer and director Ted Newsom, his contribution was recorded in Canterbury, near his home. One day Peter went missing, having wandered off in his frock to paddle in some puddles. [135] Also that year, a sketch Cushing drew of Sherlock Holmes was accepted as the official logo of the Northern Musgraves Sherlock Holmes Society. As a Hammer Film actor, he portrayed Baron Frankenstein, Dr. Van Helsing, and Sherlock Holmes. Cushing later appeared in The Vampire Lovers (1970), an erotic Hammer horror film about a lesbian vampire, adapted in part from the Sheridan Le Fanu novella Carmilla. Actor: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. [76] The next year, Cushing starred as an Ebenezer Scrooge-like manager of a bank being robbed in the Hammer thriller film Cash on Demand (1961). O'Brien, John (20 April 2002). He got fair grades only through the help of his brother, a strong student who did his homework for him. The former seaside home of film legend Peter Cushing has gone on the market for 1.4 million. 1. (1972), a sequel to The Abominable Dr. Phibes, and then co-starred with Price again in the film Madhouse (1974). When Cushing died, Lee said, "At some point of your lives, every one of you will notice that you have in your life one person, one friend whom you love and care for very much. [21][28], He earned praise for playing the lead male role of Mr. Darcy in an early BBC Television serialisation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1952). In the film, Clive tries to shoot himself twice but the gun misfires, then he fires a third time at a pitcher of water and the gun works perfectly. Fisher said she liked Cushing so much that it was difficult to act as though she hated Tarkin,[10] and she had to substitute somebody else in her mind to muster the feelings. And then when that person is gone, there will be nothing like that in your life ever again. Barker, Dennis and Malcolm, Dennis (12 August 1994). [112] However, Cushing has claimed that Lucas originally approached him to play the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and only decided to cast him as Tarkin instead after the two met each other. [86], Cushing took the lead role in two science fiction films by AARU Productions based on the British television series, Doctor Who. He appeared in several horror films and was in Lawrence Olivier's Hamlet. He looked like a schoolteacher that would struggle to hold the attention of the children. [78] Among his final Hammer roles was Fear in the Night (1972), where he played a one-armed school headmaster apparently terrorising the protagonist, played by Judy Geeson. He is survived by his daughters Antonia and Sashy, as well as his five grandchildren. His first film for the studio was 1957's "The Curse of Frankenstein," in which he played Frankenstein's monster opposite actor Peter Cushing. The order of these top Peter Cushing movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Peter Cushing movies will be at the top of the list. You have my permission to publish that really, you know, dear boy, it's all just killing time. More information Peter and Helen Cushing with the neighborhood children Comments More like this Old Hollywood Actors Hollywood Stars Classic Hollywood Classic Movie Stars Cushing considered this among the favourites of his films,[21] and some critics believed it to be among his best performances, although it was one of the least seen films from his career. Cushing and Lee did switch roles for one Hammer film . [134] The final notable roles of Cushing's career were in the comedy Top Secret! This caused a great deal of pain for him during shooting, but the costume designers did not have enough time to get him another pair. It was his final stage performance for a decade, but he continued to stay active in film and television during this period. Although Cushing's protagonist was derived from television scripts used for First Doctor serials, his portrayal of the character differed in the fact that Cushing's Dr. Who was a human being, whereas the original Doctor as portrayed on TV by William Hartnell was extraterrestrial. He married actress Helen Beck in 1943. The actor has to smoke a pipe, but he did not like it. [21] It was filmed on location in County Wicklow in the Republic of Ireland. [35] His largest television success from this period was the leading role of Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, (1954) an adaptation by Nigel Kneale of George Orwell's novel of the same name about a totalitarian regime. [51] Many felt Cushing's performance helped create the archetypal mad scientist character. [10] He appeared alongside actor John Mills as Watson, and the two were noted by critics for their strong chemistry and camaraderie. But millions want to see me as [Baron] Frankenstein, so that's the one I do. Peter Wilton Cushing, actor: born Kenley, Surrey 26 May 1913; OBE 1989; married 1943 Helen Beck (died 1971); died Canterbury 11 August 1994. The film gave Cushing the highest amount of visibility of his entire career, and helped inspire younger audiences to watch his older films. [44] In 1959, Cushing originally planned to appear in the lead role of William Fairchild's play The Sound of Murder, while shooting a film at the same time. He continued to perform in occasional stage productions, such as Robert E. MacEnroe's The Silver Whistle at Westminster's Duchess Theatre in 1956. Peter Cushing was not a handsome man. Peter Cushing (and, until her untimely death in 1971, his wife Helen), lived in this one: As you can see, it is adorned by a blue plaque, and it is notably the only one in that row to have large bushes growing in its front garden. Peter Bogdanovich's passing was announced by one of his daughters, Antonia, on Thursday, January 6. He has adorned our screens as Dr. . They immediately accepted, and among the works Cushing recorded was The Return of Sherlock Holmes, a collection of thirteen one-hour stories. His is most identified with the horror films of Hammer Pictures, often sharing the screen with Christopher Lee. [13], One of his earliest professional stage performances was in 1935 as Captain Randall in Ian Hay's The Middle Watch at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing. Cushing had recently undergone dental surgery and he was trying not to open his mouth widely for fear of spitting. Known for a number of iconic roles, Peter Cushing's career stretched across multiple genres. During filming he asked director Terence Fisher for permission to drive a harpoon through the mummy's body during a fight scene, to explain the poster image. ", British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council, Entertainments National Service Association, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, "Great Britons" commemorative postage stamp, Lawrence Van Helsing and Lorrimer Van Helsing, Medalla Sitges en Plata de Ley Award for Best Actor, "Horror actor Peter Cushing dead at age 81", Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Haeritage of Horror, Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror, "The effect was achieved by drawing on preexisting footage of the actor, particularly his work in A New Hope", "the CGI used to repurpose the footage may not age well", "Rogue One VFX head: 'We didn't do anything Peter Cushing would've objected to', "CGI resurrection of Peter Cushing is thrilling but is it right? [84] In 1965, Cushing appeared in the Ben Travers farce play Thark at Westminster's Garrick Theatre. 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