Peter Cushing - Fond memories of a great actor

Peter Cushing - May 26, 1913 - August 11, 1994

Often playing a good variety of character parts over the years, Peter's career seems to go back to 1939 playing a bit part as second officer in Man in The Iron Mask. This was long before Hammer Film studio relationship.

I think the first Hammer Film I recall seeing Peter Cushing in, was a film called The Amominable Snowman in 1957. It was a combination of Peter Cushings performance and the authentic looking locations that made the whole fantasy work. The so called Yeti beast was not really shown on film until the end as the old Hammer horror films often did. But the result is some pretty taught suspence but the time the beast emerges.

Peter Cushing had that ability to put the audience across a point (regardless of a film's budget) where you as the audience really began to care about the character he was portraying. Whether he was some scientist up against an alien invasion such as Island of Terror in 1966 or whether he was involved some aspect of a tangled plot in the role of Sherlock Holmes or even in his later film credits when he appeared in Star Wars.

Peter was always believable and was able to make nearly anything work so that the audienced believed him. Suspension of belief on lower budget was rare for some film studios but somehow, the Hammer films always seemed to work and had the element of gothic horror and the right lighting and mood. The other films I remember Peter Cushing (along with Chris Lee) for were a whole series of Frankenstein and Dracula remakes in the late 50s early 60s.

There were films like:

Frankenstein (1958)
Dracula (1958)
Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
The Mummy (1959) Very nice remake.
Brides of Dracula (1960)
The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
The Gorgon (1964)
Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (1965)
The Skull (1965) which I remember originally had portions in 3-D
Island of Terror (1966)
Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
The Mummy's Shroud (1967)
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1970)

These are not by many means all the movies that Hammer put out with Peter Cushing but some of the most memorable ones that come to mind.

If you are looking to relive some old movie memories, try searching All Posters Search Engine Below for your favorite B Movie Actor.