Peter Cushing

As far back as Peter Cushing can remember, he always wanted to get into the theater and although his father was a Quantity Surveyor, Peter Cushing came from a family which had many connections with the theater. His grandfather had been with Sir Henry Irving and had accompanied him on his tours of Canada and the United States. His aunt had acted with Gertie Miller and his step-uncle, Wilton Herriot, was a well-known actor in his day, and had been one of the principals in "Charley's Aunt". All this was before he was born, however, and when he wanted to go on the stage, he had to do so through his own efforts.

Cushing was brought up in Kenley, a small Surrey village, and was educated at Shoreham Grammar School and the Purley County Secondary School, where he most enjoyed painting lessons, rugger, and amateur theatricals.

His first professional encounter with the stage was when he was eleven years old. He and his brother ran a puppet show for the family and friends. An uncle had advised him not to charge an admission for fear of losing his audience, so Peter allowed his customers to watch for nothing.

At the end of the show, however, his cagey brother stood at the door withan upturned hat and charged three pence per head to leave the room. Cushing found his first job with the Purley Urban District Council and a title of Surveyor's Assistant, which he says was little more then a glorified office boy. At twenty-one, he answered an ad in "The Stage" for a position with the Worthing Repertory Company, but his application was not even answered. Neither were the next fifteen letters which he sent to the manager over the succeeding months.

One morning, however, he did receive, at last, a reply and an invitation to go see the manager, Bill Fraser. Cushing immediately quit his job and left for Worthing with high hopes. When he met Mr. Fraser, he was merely told to stop being such a nuisance with all his letter writing.

"But I can't go back now. I've given up my job," explained the would-be actor tearfully. This must have stirred the manager's sympathy,for Peter went on stage that very night as a debtor in Priestley's play "Cornelius." Cushing worked at the Worthing for several months as the Assistant Stage Manager which he regales as the best possible training he could havehad for a dramatic career. He was only paid a shilling a week, -about $210- but he did not live too badly. He was allowed to eat all the food which a well-known grocery companies gave to the theater for "eating scenes" in return for a credit in the program. For this reason he grew especially fond of Coward and Lonsdale plays, for in nearly all of them, there was "a pork pie at least".

He then moved to Southampton where he played small parts and later worked with various companies all over England gradually working his way up to playing juvenile leads. Like many an actor before him Cushing had a strong desire to go to "the Coast", so after nearly four years in English repertory, he left for America with 60 pounds -$140- he had managed to save up until then.

He spent his first week trying to make contacts in New York, and then went straight to Hollywood, where he fortunately found work after only two weeks. This was in James Whale's film, "The Man in the Iron Mask", in which Louis Hayward played both parts of the good and the bad brother.

A split screen technique was used to enable both brothers to appear atthe same time, and Cushing was employed as the "dummy" during the making of such scenes. Cushing did not, there for, appear in the finished product, but the experience was very valuable to him. He was able to study at first hand the performances of several leading film stars and see himself on the screen in the rushes for the first time, which, he says, nearly made him faint.

The best part was that he received $75 a week, and four months steady employment, which amounted to what looked like a small fortune to him at the time. In the end, he also got a bit part on the film-a part for which he had very little difficulty in learning his lines, or rather line, for all he had to do was to gallop up on a horse and call!: "The Captain wishes to see you, Sir!"

His next job was in George Stephen's film, "Vigil in the Night", as second leading man with Carole Lombard. Cushing says he was chosen be cause of his ability as a dialectician. No sooner was this film finished than war was declared between England and Germany. The British film colony in Hollywood, which included David Niven and Richard Green, went for their army medicals. Peter Cushing was graded 4c, our equivalent is 4f, all and was declared unfit for military service.

After a short time, however, he be came very home sick and decided to return to England. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to get a place on a ship in war time, so he went to New York to work in Broadway plays, and then traveled to Canada.

While saving up money for his passage home; he held a variety of jobs-night porter in a YMCA, where he received free board; a parking lot attendant, an usher in a Montreal movie house. Eventually, he secured a place on a ship leaving Halifax for Liverpool. He took the place of a deserter on the S.S. Tilapa, which had been a banana boat before the war.

He later learned that the 30 ship convoy with which she sailed was thefirst to use the peace time Atlantic route because the commodore decided it was "too obvious for the Germans" to mine.The gamble was successful, and the convoy reached England unharmed in March, 1942, after only ten days at sea. Cover Page Index

Filmography /TV guest appearances
1. Flesh and Blood -1997- -voice- Narrator/Himself
2. More Than 30 Years in the TARDIS -1993- -V- Dr. Who
3. Biggles: Adventures in Time -1986- Colonel William Raymond aka Biggles
4. Top Secret! -1984- Bookstore proprietor
5. Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues -1984- -TV- Professor Charles Copeland
6. Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death -1984- -TV- Sherlock Holmes..aka Masks of Death -1984- -TV- aka Masks of Death, The -1984- -TV-
7. House of the Long Shadows -1983- Sebastian Grisbane aka House of Long Shadows -1983-
8. Sword of the Valiant -1982- Seneschal aka Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Gawain and the Green Knight -1982-
9. Monster Island -1981- William T. Kolderup aka Jules Verne's Mystery on Monster Island' -1981- -USA: TV title- aka Misterio enla isla de los monstruos -1981- aka Mystery on Monster Island -1981-
10. Tale of Two Cities, A -1980- -TV- Dr. Manette
11. Black Jack -1980- Sir Thomas Bedford aka Asalto al casino -1980-
12. Arabian Adventure -1979- Wazir Al Wuzara
13. Touch of the Sun, A -1979- Commissioner Potts aka No Secrets-1979-
14. Hitler's Son -1978- Heinrich Hussner
15. Standarte, Die -1977- Major von Hackenberg aka Battle Flag-1977- aka Ultima bandera, La -1977- -Spain-
16. Uncanny, The -1977- Wilbur Gray
17. Star Wars -1977- Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin aka Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope -1980- -USA: new title-
18. Shock Waves -1977- SS Commandant aka Almost Human -1977- aka Death Corps -1977-
19. Great Houdini, The -1976- -TV- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle akaGreat Houdinis, The -1976- -TV-
20. At the Earth's Core -1976- Dr. Abner Perry
21. Dirty Knight's Work -1976- Sir Edward Gifford aka Choice ofArms, A -1976- aka Choice of Weapons aka Trial by Combat -1976-
22. Land of the Minotaur -1976- Baron Corofax aka Devil's Men,The -1976-
23. Ghoul, The -1975- Doctor Lawrence aka Thing in the Attic,The -1975-
24. Legend of the Werewolf Paul Cataflanque aka Plague of the Werewolves -1975-

25. Tender Dracula -1975- MacGregor aka Grande trouille, La -1975--France- 26. Beast Must Die, The -1974- Dr. Christopher Lundgren aka BlackWerewolf -1974- -video title-
27. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell -1974- Baron Frankenstein
28. Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, The -1974- Prof. Van Helsing aka 7 Brothers Versus Dracula -1974- aka 7 Brothers and a SisterMeet Dracula -1974- aka Dracula and the Seven Golden Vampires -1974- aka Seven Brothers Meet Dracula, The -1979- -USA-
29. Madhouse -1974- Herbert Flay aka Deathday -1974- aka Madhouse of Dr. Fear, The -1974- aka Revenge of Dr. Death, The -1974-
30. Satanic Rites of Dracula, The -1974- Professor Larimer Van Helsing aka Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride -1974- aka Dracula Is Aliveand Well and Living in London -1974- aka Dracula Is Dead and Welland Living in London -1974- aka Rites of Dracula -1974-
31. Shatter -1974- Paul Rattwood aka Call Him Mr. Shatter -1976--USA-
32. And Now the Screaming Starts! -1973- Dr. Pope aka Bride ofFengriffen -1973- aka Fengriffen -1973- aka I Have No Mouth ButI Must Scream -1973-
33. Creeping Flesh, The -1973- Emmanuel Hildern
34. From Beyond the Grave -1973- Antique Shop Proprietor aka Creatures-1973- aka Creatures from Beyond the Grave -1973- aka Tales fromBeyond the Grave -1973- aka Tales from the Beyond -1973- aka Undead, The -1973-
35. Dracula A.D. 1972 -1972- Lawrence Van Helsing/ Professor Larimer Van Helsing aka Dracula Today -1972-
36. Fear in the Night -1972- Michael Carmichael aka Dynasty of Fear -1972- aka Honeymoon of Fear -1972-
37. Incense for the Damned -1972- Dr. Walter Goodrich aka Bloodsuckers-1972- aka Doctors Wear Scarlet -1972-
38. Asylum -1972- Smith aka House of Crazies -1972-
39. Dr. Phibes Rises Again -1972- Ship's Captain

40. Horror Express -1972- Dr. Wells aka Panic in the Trans-SiberianTrain -1972- aka Panic on the Trans-Siberian Express -1972- aka Pánico en el Transiberiano -1972- -Spain: dubbed version-
41. Nothing But the Night -1972- Sir Mark Ashley aka Devil's Undead, The -1972- aka Resurrection Syndicate, The -1976- -USA: reissue title-
42. Tales from the Crypt -1972- Arthur Edward Grimsdyke -Poetic Justice-
43. Twins of Evil -1971- Gustav Weil aka Gemini Twins, The -1971- aka Twins of Dracula -1971-
44. I, Monster -1971- Frederick Utterson
45. Vampire Lovers, The -1970- General von Spielsdorf
46. House That Dripped Blood, The -1970- -segment "Waxworks"- Philip Grayson
47. One More Time -1970- -uncredited- Dr. Frankenstein
48. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed! -1969- Baron Victor Frankenstein
49. Scream and Scream Again -1969- Major Benedek aka Screamer-1969-
50. Mummy's Shroud, The -1967- -voice- Narrator
51. Blood Beast Terror, The -1967- Inspector Quennell aka Blood Beast from Hell -1967- aka Deathshead Vampire, The -1967- aka Vampire-Beast Craves Blood -1969- -USA-
52. Corruption -1967- Sir John Rowan
53. Frankenstein Created Woman -1967- Baron Victor Frankenstein aka Frankenstein Made Woman -1967-
54. Night of the Big Heat -1967- Dr. Vernon Stone aka Island of the Burning Damned -1971- -USA- aka Island of the Burning Doomed -1971--USA: TV title-
55. Some May Live -1967- -TV- John Meredith aka In Saigon, SomeMay Live -1967- -TV-
56. Torture Garden -1967- Lancelot Canning
57. "Sherlock Holmes" -1964- TV Series Sherlock Holmes -1967-
58. Daleks': Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. -1966- Dr. Who aka Dr. Who: Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. -1966- -USA: video title- aka Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. -1966-
59. Island of Terror -1966- Dr. Brian Stanley aka Creepers, The-1966- aka Night of the Silicates -1966- aka Night the Creatures Came, The -1966- aka Night the Silicates Came, The -1966-

60. Blood Suckers, -1965-
61. Monica -1965- -TV- aka Thirty-Minute Theatre: Monica -1965- -TV
62. Skull, The -1965- Dr. Christopher Maitland
63. She -1965- Maj. Horace Holly
64. Dr. Who and the Daleks -1965- Dr. Who
65. Gorgon, The -1964- Dr. Namaroff
66. Caves of Steel, The -1964- -TV- Elijah Baley aka Story Parade:The Caves of Steel -1964- -TV- -UK: series title-
67. Evil of Frankenstein, The -1964- Baron Frankenstein
68. "Spread of the Eagle, The" -1963- -mini- TV Series Cassius aka "Antony and Cleopatra" -1963- -mini- aka "Coriolanus"-1963- -mini- aka "Julius Caesar" -1963- -mini-
69. Captain Clegg -1962- Rev. Dr. Blyss -Capt. Clegg- aka Night Creatures -1962- -USA-
70. Man Who Finally Died, The -1962- Dr. von Brecht
71. Naked Edge, The -1961- Mr. Wrack
72. Devil's Agent, The -1961- -scenes deleted- aka Namen des Teufels, Im -1961- -West Germany-
73. Cash on Demand -1961- Fordyce
74. Cone of Silence -1961- Capt. Clive Judd aka Trouble in the Sky -1961 -USA
75. Fury at Smugglers Bay -1961- Squire Trevenyan
76. Brides of Dracula, The -1960- Dr. Van Helsing
77. Hellfire Club, The -1960- Merryweather
78. Suspect -1960- Professor Sewell aka Risk, The -1960- -USA-
79. Sword of Sherwood Forest -1960- Sheriff of Nottingham
80. Mummy, The -1959- John Banning
81. John Paul Jones -1959- Captain Pearson 82. Hound of the Baskervilles, The -1959- Sherlock Holmes
83. Flesh and the Fiends, The -1959- Dr. Robert Knox aka Fiendish Ghouls, The -1959- aka Mania -1961- -USA- aka Psycho Killers -1959-
84. Revenge of Frankenstein, The -1958- Dr. Victor Stein aka Frankenstein
85. Violent Playground -1958- The Priest
86. Dracula -1958- Doctor Van Helsing aka The Horror of Dracula" -1958--USA-
87. Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas, Dr. John Rollason aka Snow Creature, -1957-
88. The Curse of Frankenstein, -1957- Baron Victor Frankenstein
89. Alexander the Great -1956- Memnon aka Alejandro Magno -1956--Spain: dubbed version-
90. Magic Fire -1956- Otto Wesendonk aka Frauen um Richard Wagner-1956-
91. Time Without Pity -1956- Jeremy Clayton
92. End of the Affair, The -1955- Henry Miles
93. Creature, The -1955- -TV- Dr. John Rollason
94. 1984 -1954- -TV- Winston Smith
95. Black Knight, The -1954- Sir Palamides
96. Number Three -1953- -TV- Simpson
97. Moulin Rouge -1952- Marcel de la Voisier
98. Hamlet -1948- Osric
99. Return From Nowhere -1944- -uncredited- Awakening Man -uncredited- Bit aka Fear-1942-
100. Woman in the House,
101. They Dare Not Love -1941- Sub-Lieutenant Blacker
102. Dreams -1940-
103. Hidden Master, The -1940- Robert Clive of India
104. Vigil in the Night -1940- Joe Shand
105. Chump at Oxford, A -1940- Jones
106. Howards of Virginia, The -1940- Leslie Stevens
107. Laddie -1940- Robert Pryor
108. Women in War -1940- Captain Evans