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Known for:	Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Dracula 1958, Top Secret!
Birth name:	Peter Wilton Cushing
Birthday:	26 May 1913, Kenley, Surrey, England, UK
Height:	5' 11½" (1.82 m)

Turned down the role of Dr. Sam Loomis in Halloween. Isn't it odd that Vincent Price and Christopher Lee were born on the same day (27th May) and Peter Cushing was born on the 26th. Considered The Vampire-Beast Craves Blood to be the worst film he ever made. The costume boots they gave Cushing for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope were too small and hurt his feet. Cushing told George Lucas this, and asked if he could wear slippers instead. Lucas agreed, and shot Cushing from the waist up for nearly all his scenes to compensate for Cushing's slippers. He was an artist, skilled in drawing and painting; as a young struggling actor, he supplemented his income by selling scarves that he hand-painted and later, as an established actor, had showings of his water colors. Withdrew from the film Blood from the Mummy's Tomb due to the death of his wife. His role was assumed by Andrew Keir. 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?" His sketch of Sherlock Holmes became the official logo for the Northern Musgraves, a British Sherlock Holmes society. He was preferred to original Doctor Who lead actor William Hartnell as star of Dr. Who and the Daleks because he was more widely recognized by American audiences. During a television interview he confessed that fellow actor Christopher Lee had telephoned him earlier that evening to "Wish me luck!" 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. Carrie Fisher said in an interview that doing her scenes with him in the Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope 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. George Lucas originally planned to use archival footage of Cushing from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope for insertion into Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. This would have made Episode III Cushing's final, albeit posthumous, collaboration with Christopher Lee. However, none of the footage was suitable to Lucas' needs. This may be because Tarkin only appears in long shots, due to the pain associated with wearing the boots Cushing was wearing. Therefore, Wayne Pygram was cast, and made to wear prosthetic make-up so that he would resemble Cushing. Prior to casting Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, George Lucas considered using him as Obi-Wan Kenobi (a role that ultimately went to Alec Guinness). In his later years, he and Joyce DeWitt of Three's Company fame became trans-Atlantic pen pals, when the two became part of the voice-over ensemble for the animated film "Walpurgis Night" . Peter recorded his role in England, while Joyce later commenced recording in California, alongside his old friend Ferdy Mayne. It was during this time that Joyce, being a fan of both classic films and Shakespeare's works, and Peter, an admirer of the American West, enjoyed their friendship by post. Described by many presenters as the best interviewee they had. Wrote to BBC program 'Jim'll Fix It' asking that a new rose be bred and named after his late wife. Jimmy Saville agreed and the process was filmed ending with the creation of a new strain of yellow rose being presented to Peter. Cushing reprised his role, with dialog, from his last film Biggles (1986) in the video for the movie's theme song "No Turning Back" by The Immortals. He appears at the end to tell the camera: "I'm a restless sort of guy." Technically, this makes it his last performance and his last line of dialog.

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