Peter Cushing

He turned down Donald Pleasence s role as Dr. Sam Loomis in Halloween .

He considered The Blood Beast Terror to be the worst film he ever made.

The costume boots they gave Cushing for Star Wars were too small and hurt his feet. Cushing told George Lucas this, and asked if he could wear slippers instead. Lucas agreed, and shot Cushing from the waist up for nearly all his scenes to compensate for Cushings slippers.

He was an artist, skilled in drawing and painting; as a young struggling actor, he supplemented his income by selling scarves that he hand-painted and later, as an established actor, had showings of his water colors.

He withdrew from the film Blood from the Mummys Tomb due to the death of his wife. His role was assumed by Andrew Keir.

He was guest of honor at the Famous Monsters of Filmland Convention in New York City in 1975. After receiving a thunderous ovation from those in attendance, he looked at everyone and said, "Have you ever felt unloved?".

His sketch of Sherlock Holmes became the official logo for the Northern Musgraves, a British Sherlock Holmes society.

He was preferred to original "Doctor Who" lead actor William Hartnell as star of Dr. Who and the Daleks because he was more widely recognized by American audiences.

During a television interview, he confessed that fellow actor Christopher Lee had telephoned him earlier that evening to "Wish me luck!".

He was good friends with Christopher Lee. After he died, Lee said in an interview that he never felt closer and more open to any of his other friends than he felt to Peter.

Carrie Fisher said in an interview that doing her scenes with him in Star Wars were difficult for two reasons: she thought the lines were ridiculous and she found Peter to be so polite and charming off camera that it was hard to project the sense of disdain that her character, Princess Leia Organa, held for his character, Grand Moff Tarkin.

George Lucas originally planned to use archival footage of Cushing from Star Wars for insertion into Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith . This would have made Episode III Cushings final, albeit posthumous, collaboration with Christopher Lee. However, none of the footage was suitable to Lucas needs. This may be because Grand Moff Tarkin only appears in long shots, due to the pain associated with wearing the boots Cushing was wearing. Therefore, Wayne Pygram was cast, and made to wear prosthetic make-up so that he would resemble Cushing. It was not until Rogue One that archive footage of Cushing could be digitally used to recreate an entire performance of his Tarkin character.

Prior to casting Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars , George Lucas considered using him as Obi-Wan Kenobi (a role that ultimately went to Alec Guinness ).

In his later years, he and Joyce DeWitt of "Threes Company" fame became transatlantic pen pals, when the two became part of the voice-over ensemble for the animated film Walpurgis Night. Peter recorded his role in England, while Joyce later commenced recording in California, alongside his old friend Ferdy Mayne. It was during this time that Joyce, being a fan of both classic films and Shakespeares works, and Peter, an admirer of the American West, enjoyed their friendship by post.

He was described by many presenters as the best interviewee they had.

He wrote to BBC program "Jimll Fix It" asking that a new rose be bred and named after his late wife. Jimmy Savile agreed and the process was filmed ending with the creation of a new strain of yellow rose being presented to Peter.

Cushing reprised his role, with dialog, from his last film Biggles in the video for the movies theme song "No Turning Back" by The Immortals. He appears at the end to tell the camera: "Im a restless sort of guy." Technically, this makes it his last performance and his last line of dialog.

He had appeared as Osric in Hamlet . This was also his first film with Christopher Lee. Alec Guinness also played Osric in John Gielgud s 1934 theatrical production. Cushing, Lee and Guinness all later appeared in the Star Wars films.

He was the only one of the main characters from Star Wars not to appear in the sequels (for the obvious reason).

He was so ubiquitous on live television in Britain in the early 1950s that one popular comedian joked: "You know what television is, dont you? Its Peter Cushing with knobs".

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1989 Queens New Year Honours List for his services to drama.

He was originally cast as Dr. Vesalius in The Abominable Dr. Phibes , but declined as his wife was in poor health at the time.

He bought a seafront home in 1959 in Whitstable, Kent, England upon retiring. There is a pub there today dedicated to his memory, "The Peter Cushing".

He and Christopher Lee appeared together in two films outside of the Hammer Studio Horror genre: their first film together was Hamlet , and they appeared together in Moulin Rouge (1952) . They later went to appear in separate films in the Star Wars series: Cushing in Star Wars , and Lee in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith . They would also appear separately in adaptations of Alexandre Dumas peres Musketeer novels: Cushing appeared in The Man in the Iron Mask , while Lee appeared in The Three Musketeers , The Four Musketeers and The Return of the Musketeers .

Although he and Christopher Lee were often mortal enemies on-screen, off-screen they were inseparable friends.

In 1945 with no money for presents, he found a large piece of silk, cut it into a neat square, painted Dickens characters on it and gave it to his wife as a present. She later loaned it to a friend who wore it to a party where it was seen by a textile manufacturer who gave Peter a contract as a silk scarf designer. Amongst those he designed were those for the Festival of Britain and the Coronation.

He made seven films with Michael Ripper : The Revenge of Frankenstein , The Mummy , The Brides of Dracula , Torture Garden , The Creeping Flesh and Legend of the Werewolf .

Along with Arnold Marl and Wolfe Morris , he was one of only three actors to reprise their roles from "BBC Sunday-Night Theatre" {The Creature (#6.5)} in the film remake The Abominable Snowman .

He appeared in 13 films directed by Terence Fisher : The Curse of Frankenstein , Dracula , The Revenge of Frankenstein , The Hound of the Baskervilles , The Mummy , The Brides of Dracula , Sword of Sherwood Forest , The Gorgon , Island of Terror , Frankenstein Created Woman , Night of the Big Heat , Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell .

He made five films with Miles Malleson : Dracula , The Hound of the Baskervilles , The Brides of Dracula , The Hellfire Club and Fury at Smugglers Bay .

He was the brother-in-law of Reginald Beck.

He was considered for the role of Dr. Hans Fallanda, Sir Percy Heseltine and Dr. Armstrong in Lifeforce .

He made four films with Michael Gough : Dracula , Dr. Terrors House of Horrors , The Skull and Top Secret! . The last film is the only one of the four in which Christopher Lee did not also appear.

Whitstable based British band The Jellybottys has written a song about him, with lyrics about him living in Whitstable, riding on his bicycle and buying vegetables. The song is called: Peter Cushing lives in Whitstable.

He made four films with Patrick Troughton : Hamlet , The Black Knight , The Gorgon and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell . Of the four films, The Black Knight is the only one in which Christopher Lee did not also appear.

He appeared in a total of 24 films with his close friend Christopher Lee : Hamlet , Moulin Rouge (1952) , Alexander the Great , The Curse of Frankenstein , Dracula , The Hound of the Baskervilles , The Mummy , The Devils Agent , The Gorgon , Dr. Terrors House of Horrors , She (1965/I) , The Skull , Night of the Big Heat , Scream and Scream Again , One More Time , The House That Dripped Blood , I, Monster , Dracula A.D. 1972 , Horror Express , Nothing But the Night , The Creeping Flesh , The Satanic Rites of Dracula , Arabian Adventure and House of the Long Shadows .

He had three roles in common with his Hamlet co-star Laurence Olivier : (1) Olivier played Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice while Cushing played him in "Pride and Prejudice" (1952) , Cushing played Rudolf Hess in "You Are There" {The Escape of Rudolf Hess (#1.20)} while Olivier played him in Wild Geese II and Cushing played Professor Van Helsing in Dracula , The Brides of Dracula , Dracula A.D. 1972 , The Satanic Rites of Dracula and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires while Olivier played him in Dracula .

He has two roles in common with Christopher Plummer : (1) Cushing played Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles , "Sherlock Holmes" and The Masks of Death while Plummer played him in "The Sunday Drama" {Silver Blaze } and Murder by Decree and Cushing played Professor Van Helsing in Dracula , The Brides of Dracula , Dracula A.D. 1972 , The Satanic Rites of Dracula and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires while Plummer played him in Dracula 2000 .

He has two roles in common with Tom Baker : (1) Cushing played Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles , "Sherlock Holmes" and The Masks of Death while Baker played him in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and Baker played the Doctor in "Doctor Who" while Cushing played him in Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. .

Both he and his Asylum (1972/I) and And Now the Screaming Starts! co-star Herbert Lom played Professor Van Helsing in films starring Christopher Lee as Count Dracula: Cushing in Dracula , Dracula A.D. 1972 and The Satanic Rites of Dracula and Lom in Nachts, wenn Dracula erwacht . Cushing also played the role in The Brides of Dracula and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires , in which Lee did not appear.

He has two roles in common with both Dennis Price and Mel Brooks : (1) Cushing played Victor Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein . The Revenge of Frankenstein , The Evil of Frankenstein , Frankenstein Created Woman , Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed , One More Time and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell , Price played him in Drcula contra Frankenstein and La maldicin de Frankenstein and Brooks played him in Young Frankenstein and Cushing played Professor Van Helsing in Dracula , The Brides of Dracula , Dracula A.D. 1972 , The Satanic Rites of Dracula and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires , Price played him in Son of Dracula and Brooks played him in Dracula: Dead and Loving It .

He was an ardent vegetarian for most of his life and was the patron of the Vegetarian Society from 1987 until his death.

After retiring from acting, he wrote and illustrated a childrens book of Lewis Carroll-style humor, The Bois Saga.

He played Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles , "Sherlock Holmes" and The Masks of Death and his creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in The Great Houdini .

He has two roles in common with Nigel Davenport , Frank Finlay and David Warner : (1) Cushing played Professor Van Helsing in Dracula , The Brides of Dracula , Dracula A.D. 1972 , The Satanic Rites of Dracula and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires , Davenport played him in Dracula , Finlay played him in Count Dracula and Warner played him in "Penny Dreadful" and Davenport played Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in "The Edwardians" {Conan Doyle (#1.4)} , Cushing played him in The Great Houdini , Finlay played him in The Other Side and Warner played him in Houdini .

He died only four days after his Torture Garden and Tales from the Crypt co-star Robert Hutton.

He appeared in three films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Hamlet , Moulin Rouge (1952) and Star Wars . Hamlet won Best Picture.

In addition to starring in Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. , he was considered for many guest roles in "Doctor Who" - Solon in "The Brain of Morbius", General Grugger in "Meglos", Borusa in "Arc of Infinity", Azmael in "The Twin Dilemma", Lord Ravensworth in "The Mark of the Rani", Dastari in "The Two Doctors" and De Flores in "Silver Nemesis". He was also considered for Borusa in Doctor Who before the character was removed from the script.

He and his best friend Christopher Lee were once asked to leave a theater showing a Sylvester and Tweety cartoon, because they were laughing hysterically.

Was nicknamed "Props" because of his skill with using props to make his performances more natural. His characters frequently were fussing with one object or another in ways that made sense in the story or gave depth to the character. When cast in a role, he would often surprise the director with a list of things that the character would be carrying in their pockets, and how they would use them. This skill is often studied by actors today.

When Helen passed on six years ago I lost the only joy in life that I,ever wanted. She was my whole life and without her there is no meaning.

I am simply killing time, so to speak, until that wonderful day when we,are together again.

Television is rather a frightening business. But I get all the,relaxation I want from my collection of model soldiers.

In the early days I played a lot of comedy in the theater and on,television. But once an actor becomes well known in any kind of part,he tends to get stereotyped. After I played Frankenstein, I was only,thought of in that light. Of course, some actors are better at drama,and some are better at comedy. But they can certainly have a stab at,both. An actor should be able to do it all.