Friday, May 26, 2006

Happy Birthday to 3 Horror Greats





This weekend marks the birthdays of three of the greatest horror actors of all time. Today, May 26th, is the birthday of Peter Cushing (1913-1994) best known for his many roles for hammer Studios, particularly as the heroic Van Helsing, and as the villainous Baron Frankenstein. He was also seen in the original "Star Wars" (Episode IV: A New Hope) as Grand Moff Tarkin.

Tomorrow, May 27th, is the birthday of Cushing's close friend and frequent co-star, Christopher Lee (1922-) who played Dracula in many hammer films. He's known to modern audiences for his roles in the 2 most recent "Star Wars" films, the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and Tim Burton movies such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Sleepy Hollow", and "The Corpse Bride".

Also on May 27th, is Vincent Price's (1911-1993) birthday. Price brought a lot of class and a bit of ham to his many roles, primarily Roger Corman's Poe cycle, and William Castle's "The Tingler" and "House on Haunted Hill." He can also be heard in Tim Burton's "Vincent" and seen in Burton's "Edward Scissorhands."

Celebrate the birthdays of these greats with a few of their best films. For Cushing I recommend "Brides of Dracula"; Lee "The Devil Rides Out" and for Price "The House on Haunted Hill."

1 comment:

Phill Weber said...

Thanks for the movie tips. I'll check those out. On a side note, I think you might also agree that Lee is phenomenal in "The Wicker Man."