Peter Cushing

Peter Cushing in The Ghoul

Peter Cushing (1913 - 1994)

Film Deaths

• The Black Knight (1954) [Sir Palamides]: Stabbed in the stomach with a dagger by Alan Ladd at the top of the steps outside the castle after attempting to beat Alan with a mace; his body falls down the steps and into the courtyard afterwards. (Thanks to Brian)

• Alexander the Great (1956) [Memnon]: Killed in combat with Richard Burton's army, after Peter's offer of surrender is rejected. (Thanks to Garrett)
• The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) [Baron Victor Frankenstein]: Executed (off-screen) by the guilotine; the film ends as the blade drops. (Note: His character returns in the 1958 sequel, having survived, but I'll list it as it was intended as a death.)
• The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) [Baron Victor Frankenstein]: Beaten up by his patients in the hospital; he later dies in his laboratory when Francis Matthews tries to save him. He is brought back to life when Francis transplants his brain into a body that looks just like him (that Peter had prepared earlier).
• Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960) [Sheriff of Nottingham]: Stabbed repeatedly in the back with a dagger by Oliver Reed in the castle. (Thanks to Garrett and Uwe)
• Night Creatures (Captain Clegg) (1962) [Rev. Dr. Blyss a.k.a. Captain Clegg]: Harpooned through the stomach by Milton Reid. (Thanks to Garrett and Uwe)
• The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) [Baron Victor Frankenstein]: Killed (off-screen) in an explosion inside his chateau after his creature accidently sets fire to his laboratory. (Note: His character returned in the 1967 sequel, having survived, but I'll list it as it was intended as a death.)
• The Gorgon (1964) [Dr. Namaroff]: Collapses after attempting to behead the gorgon (Prudence Hyman) in the castle. It's unclear whether he turned to stone from looking directly at the gorgon's face (which is fatal) or whether he just fainted from seeing her reflection (which is not fatal) on the blade of his sword, because he collapses behind a curtain and is not seen or metioned after that, so I'll list it as an ambiguous death rather than a confirmed death.
• The Skull (1965) [Dr. Christopher Maitland]: Bitten on the throat (off-screen) by a disembodied skull in his bedroom; the scene ends as the skull floats towards him. His body is shown afterwards.
• Night of the Big Heat (Island of the Burning Doomed) (1967) [Dr. Vernon Stone]: Dies (off-screen) of heatstroke near a field when the invisible aliens raise the temperature around him; we only hear his scream. (Thanks to Garrett)
• Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) [Baron Victor Frankenstein]: Frozen to death (off-screen) in his laboratory when Thorley Walters and Robert Morris put him inside a criogenic tube (under Peter's instructions). He is brought back to life when Thorley unfreezes him and releases him from the tube.
• Torture Garden (1967) [Lancelot Canning]: Head caved in with a candlestick by Jack Palance in Peter's celler.
• Corruption (Carnage; Laser Killer) (1968) [Sir John Rowan]: Slashed/burned to death by the surgical laser in his laboratory after it goes out of control. (The entire movie turns out to be Peter's dream, but the final scene indicates that it's coming true.)

• Scream and Scream Again (Screamer) (1969) [Benedek]: Killed when Marshall Jones applies a death-grip to his shoulder in Peter's office.
• Frankenstein Must be Destroyed (1969) [Baron Frankenstein]: Seemingly burned to death (off-screen) in a house fire along with Freddie Jones. (Note: The 1974 sequel, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, revealed that he had survived the fire, but the filmmakers did intend this as an actual death before deciding to make a sequel, so I'll list it.)
• The House That Dripped Blood (1971) [Philip Grayson]: Decapitated (off-screen) with an axe by Wolfe Morris in the wax museum; the scene ends as Wolfe brings the axe down. His severed head is later shown on display in the shop window.
• Twins of Evil (1971) [Gustav Weil]: Hit in the back with an axe thrown by Damien Thomas on the landing inside inside the castle when he runs for the stairs; Damien then throws his body over the banister, and it lands on the stairs before rolling down into the hallway. His body is shown again when his friends and family gather round him in the hallway. (Thanks to Garrett)

• Asylum (House of Crazies) (1972) [Smith]: Accidentally shot to death when his own gun goes off during a struggle with Barry Morse. (Thanks to Garrett)

• Dracula AD 1972 (1972) (Dracula Today) [Professor Van Helsing]: Playing the 20th century Van Helsing and his 19th century anscestor, the 19th century Van Helsing is fatally injured when his coach crashes during a struggle with Christopher Lee; he dies shortly after managing to impale a wooden spike through Christopher's heart. (The 20th century Van Helsing survives the movie.) (Thanks to Garrett)

• Tales from the Crypt (1972) [Arthur Edward Grimsdyke]: Commits suicide (off-screen) by hanging himself in his home; his body is shown afterwards. He later comes back to life as a zombie.

• From Beyond the Grave (1974) [Antique Shop Proprietor]: Dies (off-screen) before the film begins; he appears as a ghost throughout the film.

• Madhouse (Deathday; The Madhouse of Dr. Fear; The Revenge of Dr. Death) (1974) [Herbert Flay]: Pushed down a flight of stairs by Vincent Price. (Thanks to Garrett)

• The Ghoul (1975) [Dr. Lawrence]: Commits suicide (off-screen) in his office by shooting himself in the head; we hear the gunshot. His body is shown afterwards.

• Trial by Combat (A Choice of Arms; Choice of Weapons; Dirty Knight's Work) (1976) [Sir Edward Gifford]: Stabbed to death with a sword by a man in medieval knight's armor. (Thanks to Garrett and Uwe)

• Land of the Minotaur (1976) [Baron Corofax]: Destroyed along with his other satanists, when Donald Pleasence throws holy water around and on them and says a prayer.

• Shock Waves (1977) [SS Commander]: Drowned by one of the zombies while trying to escape through the marsh. We only see him being pulled under; his body is not shown afterwards.

• The Uncanny (1977) [Wilbur Gray]: Falls down a flight of stairs after being attacked by a group of cats. (Thanks to Garrett)

• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Star Wars) (1977) [Grand Moff Tarkin]: Killed (off-screen) in an explosion (along with the rest of the Death Star crew) when Mark Hamill blows up the Death Star.
• House of the Long Shadows (1983) [Sebastian Grisbane]: Hanged, it's later revealed that Peter was faking his death.

TV Deaths

• The Avengers: Return of the Cybernauts (1967) [Paul Beresford]: Electrocuted by a short-circuiting Cybernaut, when Patrick Macnee tries to disable the Cybernaut while it's trying to crush Peter to death. (Thanks to Garrett)

• Hammer House of Horror: The Silent Scream (1980) [Martin Blueck]: Dies (off-screen) after being caught in his own inescapable trap; the episode ends with him screaming in the cell.

Gallery

Peter Cushing a split-second before the explosion of the Death Star in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

The Death Star explosion (that kills Cushing and 1 million others) in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Peter Cushing's death in Tales from the Crypt.

Peter Cushing in Asylum.

Peter Cushing just before his death in The Gorgon