Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, and Peter Cushing;
The trio combined made over 400 movies – most in the horror genre.
Each of these 3 genuinely charming character actors brought their own flavor to their roles;
Price played the sinister, revengeful villain….in movies like The Fly, The House of Wax, and Theater of Blood….although, I like him best as the kindly old inventor in Edward Scissorhands. His voice-over work was used by Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson on his song Thriller. He even recorded his own remake of The Monster Mash.
Cushing was the icy, menacing figure portraying Victor Frankenstein, Van Helsing, and Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars. (Because his costume boots hurt his feet, George Lucas allowed him to film the movie in his slippers.)
Lee, always the deadly charmer, played Dracula (in 9 films, no less), Rasputin, Frankenstein’s monster, and even the Mummy. Lee also contributed his talents to Star Wars movies, as Count Dooku, and the Lord of the Rings as the wizard Saruman.
Although the 3 were great friends, and almost share the exact birthday – Price and Lee were born May 27, Cushing; May 26 – It’s hard to believe that they only made one movie together; The House of the Long Shadow.
The Bat Pack may be gone from this earth now, but the screen legacy of these brilliant actors will continue to chill…….
THE CAVENDER DIARY 