By Steve Vertlieb: I had the honor and distinct pleasure of both knowing and sharing correspondence with British actor Peter Cushing for several years during the late Sixties and early Seventies.  He was a wonderfully gifted, intelligent, sensitive, and witty artist who somehow found solace from my words of comfort during a very difficult period in his life following the death of his beloved wife and partner, Helen.  Here are some deeply moving, truly heart-breaking letters from Peter from that troubling period. His honesty, humanity, and compassion are most expressively captured in these searingly candid personal letters of correspondence.

We met at last at Forry Ackerman’s “Famous Monsters of Filmland” convention in New York City during the Summer of 1975. Our meeting was, for me, a precious dream come true. When I reminded him of our long correspondence, he said “Ah, Yes…You used to write me with your brother…just like Laurel and Hardy.” The “in joke” there was, of course, that Peter had appeared with the famed comedy duo in A Chump at Oxford in 1939.

He was a gentle, adorable soul. His presence in my life for a time continues to fill my heart with both joy and tenderness, as he remains never far from my memories and thoughts.

Remembering Peter Cushing: 05/26/1913 – 08/11/1994