Peter Cushing

Peter Cushing was an unforgettable presence in cult cinema of the fifties, sixties and seventies, and remains one of Britain's best-loved film stars. Cushing made a huge impact in the groundbreaking television adaptation of Nineteen Eighty-Four, and went on to find international fame as Baron Frankenstein and Doctor Van Helsing in the most acclaimed films from the Hammer studio. During his lengthy career, Cushing also played Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes and Grand Moff Tarkin, the villain of the original Star Wars. Author David Miller has written a definitive guide to the stage and screen career of a legendary star, drawing upon conversations with Cushing's friends and colleagues, archive material held by the BBC and Hammer Film Productions, and previously unpublished correspondence with Cushing himself. This in-depth research forms the basis for a revealing re-assessment of the career and achievements of this much admired and very private actor.

From their first pairing in Hamlet (1948) to House of the Long Shadows (1983), British film stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing forged perhaps the most successful collaboration in horror film history. In its revised and expanded second edition, this volume examines their 22 movie team-ups, with critical commentary, complete cast and credits, production information, details on cinematography and make-up, exhibition history and box-office figures. A wealth of background about Hammer, Amicus and other production companies is provided, along with more than 100 illustrations. Lee and Cushing describe particulars of their partnership in original interviews. Exclusive interviews with Robert Bloch, Hazel Court and nearly fifty other actors, directors and others who worked on the Lee-Cushing films are included.

Peter Cushing was widely known as 'the gentleman of horror', his kind and sensitive nature a sharp contrast with the sinister roles that dominated his work from the 1950s onwards. This is Cushing's own account of his remarkable career, and the devastating loss he suffered following the death of his wife.

“In All Sincerity... Peter Cushing” by Christopher Gullo with a foreword by Peter Sasdy In All Sincerity...Peter Cushing is a new book examining the career of the gentle man of horror. In a career spanning six decades and many mediums, including film, television, theatre, radio, and writing, Peter Cushing has been hailed as a consummate actor who was loved by both fans and co-workers alike. Whether through his early days touring with Laurence Olivier, becoming England’s first television star, recreating the characters of Baron Frankenstein and Abraham Van Helsing for Hammer Films, or appearing in Star Wars, the most famous science fiction film ever produced, Peter Cushing exemplified dignity, preparedness and dedication to his craft. Four years in the making, “In All Sincerity...Peter Cushing” breaks down the actor’s career into decades from his very beginnings in local theatre, his stint in Hollywood, and his rise to fame as the king of horror and beyond. Over eighty actors, actresses and directors have contributed to the book, including Val Guest, Robert Quarry, Francis Matthews, Brian Cox, Forrest J. Ackerman, Yvonne Monlaur, Mark Hamill, John Carpenter, Ted Newsom, Caroline Munro and the late Sir Nigel Hawthorne. Featuring dozens of pictures, “In All Sincerity...Peter Cushing” includes some rare candid and never before published photos of Peter Cushing on the sets of The Curse of Frankenstein, The Gorgon, The Skull, Frankenstein Created Woman, and Tendre Dracula, at leisure; indulging in his love of painting, the 1975 Famous Monsters convention and the 1992 opening of ‘Cushing’s View.’ Also featured is a dedication from his life-long love Helen Beck six months before their marriage. In All Sincerity...Peter Cushing offers fans a personal look at a truly talented man. Author Christopher Gullo has been a life-long admirer of actor Peter Cushing. He has spent the last four years collecting rare materials and conducting interviews with Cushing’s co-workers for his research on the book. In the beginning of 2000, he took over the running of The Peter Cushing Association, a club for all fans of the great actor, which was created under the guidance of Peter Cushing’s former secretary, Joyce Broughton. YOU COULD OWN A GENUINE PIECE OF PETER CUSHING MEMORABILIA: Author Christopher Gullo is offering all fans who order the book and e-mail him at [email protected] (including their name, mailing address, and e-mail address) the chance to win an actual letter written by Peter Cushing to the BBC in 1986. It is on a piece of Mr. Cushing’s official stationery, written on both sides, and signed by him. All names and addresses will be kept on file, and at the time of the book’s publication will be entered into a draw - the first one drawn will win Peter Cushing’s letter.

From his film debut in The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) through Biggles (1985), here is the movie career of Peter Cushing, known as "the gentle man of horror." From interviews and extensive personal correspondence, the authors are able to provide Cushing's own views on many of his 91 films. A plot synopsis for each film is followed by production data and credits and contemporary reviews.

This book is a complete guide to the career and films of Peter Cushing, one of Britain's best-loved actors, who has played such classic roles as Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes.

The career of Christopher Lee has stretched over half a century in every sort of film from comedy to horror and in such diverse roles as the Man With the Golden Gun, Frankenstein's monster, Fu Manchu and Sherlock Holmes. From Corridor of Mirrors in 1948 to Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones in 2002, this reference book covers 166 theatrical feature films: all production information, full cast and crew credits, a synopsis, and a critical analysis, with a detailed account of its making and commentary drawn from some thirty hours of interviews with Lee himself. Two appendices list Lee's television feature films and miniseries and his short films. The work concludes with an afterword by Christopher Lee himself. Photographs from the actor's private collection are included.

Since the turn of the century, Sherlock Holmes has captured the imagination of readers, and, after his move to both television and movies, generations of viewers. While Holmes has been portrayed by many distinguished actors, few have done it with the class, humor, and aplomb that Peter Cushing brought to the role. Written by noted British film journalist Tony Earnshaw, An Actor and a Rare One: Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes follows the career of Peter Cushing, one of England's finest actors, as he worked his way up from regional theater to the role of the world's most famous consulting detective. This book details Cushing's career as Holmes through anecdotes and reminiscences as told by his colleagues and Cushing himself. A fascinating, often humorous behind-the-scenes look at one of the century's great actors in one of the century's greatest roles.