Peter Wilton Cushing was born on May 26, 1913 in Kenley, Surrey, England, t… Read Full Bio ↴Peter Wilton Cushing was born on May 26, 1913 in Kenley, Surrey, England, to Nellie Maria (King) and George Edward Cushing, a quantity surveyor. He and his older brother David were raised first in Dulwich Village, a south London suburb, and then later back in Surrey. At an early age, Cushing was attracted to acting, inspired by his favorite aunt, who was a stage actress. While at school, Cushing pursued his acting interest in acting and also drawing, a talent he put to good use later in his first job as a government surveyor's assistant in Surrey. At this time, he also dabbled in local amateur theater until moving to London to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on scholarship. He then performed in repertory theater, deciding in 1939 to head for Hollywood, where he made his film debut in The Man in the Iron Mask (1939). Other Hollywood films included A Chump at Oxford (1940) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Vigil in the Night (1940) and They Dare Not Love (1941). However, after a short stay, he returned to England by way of New York (making brief appearances on Broadway) and Canada. Back in his homeland, he contributed to the war effort during World War II by joining the Entertainment National Services Association.
After the war, he performed in the West End and had his big break appearing with Laurence Olivier in Hamlet (1948), in which Cushing's future partner-in-horror Christopher Lee had a bit part. Both actors also appeared in Moulin Rouge (1952) but did not meet until their later horror films. During the 1950s, Cushing became a familiar face on British television, appearing in numerous teleplays, such as 1984 (1954) and Beau Brummell (1954), until the end of the decade when he began his legendary association with Hammer Film Productions in its remakes of the 1930s Universal horror classics. His first Hammer roles included Dr. Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dr. Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula (1958), and Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959).
Cushing continued playing the roles of Drs. Frankenstein and Van Helsing, as well as taking on other horror characters, in Hammer films over the next 20 years. He also appeared in films for the other major horror producer of the time, Amicus Productions, including Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and its later horror anthologies, a couple of Dr. Who films (1965, 1966), I, Monster (1971), and others. By the mid-1970s, these companies had stopped production, but Cushing, firmly established as a horror star, continued in the genre for some time thereafter.
Perhaps his best-known appearance outside of horror films was as Grand Moff Tarkin in George Lucas' phenomenally successful science fiction film Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). Biggles: Adventures in Time (1986) was Cushing's last film before his retirement, during which he made a few television appearances, wrote two autobiographies and pursued his hobbies of bird watching and painting. In 1989, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to the acting profession in Britain and worldwide. Peter Cushing died at age 81 of prostate cancer on August 11, 1994.
After the war, he performed in the West End and had his big break appearing with Laurence Olivier in Hamlet (1948), in which Cushing's future partner-in-horror Christopher Lee had a bit part. Both actors also appeared in Moulin Rouge (1952) but did not meet until their later horror films. During the 1950s, Cushing became a familiar face on British television, appearing in numerous teleplays, such as 1984 (1954) and Beau Brummell (1954), until the end of the decade when he began his legendary association with Hammer Film Productions in its remakes of the 1930s Universal horror classics. His first Hammer roles included Dr. Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dr. Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula (1958), and Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959).
Cushing continued playing the roles of Drs. Frankenstein and Van Helsing, as well as taking on other horror characters, in Hammer films over the next 20 years. He also appeared in films for the other major horror producer of the time, Amicus Productions, including Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and its later horror anthologies, a couple of Dr. Who films (1965, 1966), I, Monster (1971), and others. By the mid-1970s, these companies had stopped production, but Cushing, firmly established as a horror star, continued in the genre for some time thereafter.
Perhaps his best-known appearance outside of horror films was as Grand Moff Tarkin in George Lucas' phenomenally successful science fiction film Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). Biggles: Adventures in Time (1986) was Cushing's last film before his retirement, during which he made a few television appearances, wrote two autobiographies and pursued his hobbies of bird watching and painting. In 1989, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to the acting profession in Britain and worldwide. Peter Cushing died at age 81 of prostate cancer on August 11, 1994.
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In Dracula AD 1972
Peter Cushing Lyrics
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Glamdolly30
I'd love to see the whole movie. I read that Peter Cushing's beloved wife died before they began filming. He was devastated and lost so much weight, that producers were shocked at how badly he had aged. He was to have played Stephanie Beacham's father, but they felt he looked to old so changed it and made him her grandfather instead.
I was lucky enough to meet the great Christopher Lee professionally in 2000. He was a charming, elegant man who made all heads turn when he entered a room - still very handsome in old age, and very tall! And what a beautiful, melodic voice he had. The actors of Lee. Cushing and Vincent Price's generation had such class and star quality.
Glamdolly30
@RIP USSR I've only just seen your reply, apologies! I didn't know that about Christopher Lee. What an amazing story! Incidentally, I also met Christopher Lee's stunning Danish wife Birgit that night, a former model, who was with him at the Bond 40th anniversary tribute in 2002.
He was 81, she then in her late sixties. They made a striking and beautifully dressed pair, and I wasn't surprised to read they were once voted the most stylish couple over 50.
Glamdolly30
@Ahsan Siddiqui DAMN!!!!
Ahsan Siddiqui
I downloaded the entire film then deleted It ! LOL
RIP USSR
I envy you, I wish I had got to meet him he was a great man. Did you know when he was a baby he met one of the guys who killed Rasputin?
Tom Hudnall
That LOOK that Lee gives as he remembers Van Helsing’s face. Pure hatred, then a thirst for vengeance. Lee was an absolutely unearthly talent.
Ron Delby
I wish they would have also added the death by sun rays from first film too. It would have been fantastic.
StormyWeather
Had an amazing screen presence even without much dialogue. Have you seen him as Saruman and The Mummy from the Hammer horror films? Great costuming there
Magallanes Agustin
The hate in Dracula's face when he sees his old enemy again is just... I can't describe it. Christopher Lee is the best Dracula.
StormyWeather
I agree, nobody beats Lee