Peter Cushing

Peter played Van Helsing (Dracula (1958)), nemesis of the infamous Dracula, who was played by Peter's close friend Christopher Lee.

Peter spent the last 23 years of his life a bachelor after his wife passed away in 1971.

Peter's last ever on screen appearence before he died was on This Is Your Life.

Peter was offered the role of Tarkin because his friend Christopher Lee turned the role down and suggested Peter to director George Lucas.

It has been rumored that Grand Moff Tarkin, the character that Peter made famous, will live on in the upcoming Star Wars live action television series.

Both Peter and his close friend Christopher Lee played the role of Dracula during their careers.

Peter Cushing was and still is a horror movie icon.

When working for 'Hammer Films', Peter worked closely with Christopher Lee. Both Peter and Christopher would end up appearing in George Lucas's Star Wars saga.

After his death in 1994, Peter has lived on in video games making voice appearances in Star Wars: Battlefronts and Lego Star Wars 2: The Original Trilogy.

Peter made the whopping sum of $5,000 for his appearance in the film Shock Waves (1977). This is a mere pittance compared to what actors of his caliber receive today for a role.

Prior to being cast as Tarkin in Star Wars (1977), George Lucas considered using Peter as Obi-Wan Kenobi (which ultimately went to Sir Alec Guinness).

George Lucas originally planned to use archival footage of Peter from Star Wars, for insertion into Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. This would have made Episode III his final, albeit posthumous, collaboration with Christopher Lee. However, none of the footage was suitable to Lucas's needs. This may be because Tarkin only appears in a long shot, of which Cushing only appears in a handful, due to the pain associated with wearing his boots. Therefore, Wayne Pygram was cast, and made to wear prosthetic make-up so that he would resemble Cushing.

Carrie Fisher said in an interview that doing her scenes with Peter in the Star Wars (1977) 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, held for his character, Tarkin.

Peter 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.

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

Peter was preferred to original Doctor Who (1963) lead actor William Hartnell as star of Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) because he was more widely recognized by American audiences.

Peter's sketch of Sherlock Holmes became the official logo for the Northern Musgraves, a British Sherlock Holmes society group.

Peter 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?"

Peter withdrew from the film Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971) due to the death of his wife. His role was assumed by Andrew Keir.

As a young struggling actor, Peter supplemented his income by selling scarves that he hand-painted and later, as an established actor, had showings of his water colors.

Peter was an highly skilled artist, he specialised in drawing and painting.

The costume boots they gave Peter for Star Wars (1977) were too small and hurt his feet. Peter told George Lucas this, and asked if he could wear slippers instead. Lucas agreed, and shot Peter from the waist up for nearly all his scenes to compensate for Peter's slippers.

Peter considered The Blood Beast Terror (1968) to be the worst film he ever made.

It's an odd but true fact that Vincent Price and Christopher Lee were born on the same day (27th May) and Peter was born on the 26th.

Peter was 5'11½" (1.82 m) tall.

Peter wrote 2 autobiographies: Peter Cushing: An Autobiography, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, released in 1986, and Past Forgetting: Memoirs of the Hammer Years, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, released in 1988.

Peter was married to Violet Helen Beck (called Helen) from 1941 until her death in 1971; they never had any children.

Peter was the first choice to play "Dr. Sam Loomis" in Halloween, but turned down the role. Christopher Lee also rejected the role.