Peter Cushing was a horror mainstay who played both heroes and villains, often appearing opposite Christopher Lee.  By most accounts, Cushing was a kind and old-fashioned British gentleman, one who was beloved by both his colleagues and his fans.  Christopher Lee described him as being his best friend and reportedly, never fully recovered from his sadness over Cushing’s death in 1994.

(Cushing’s long screen collaboration actually first started in 1948’s Hamlet, in which Cushing played Osric and Christopher Lee had an uncredited role as a spear carrier.)

Though Hammer Films often cast Cushing as the mad Baron Van Frankenstein, I preferred his work as the stern but kindly Dr. Van Helsing.  This scene from 1958’s Horror of Dracula, in which Van Helsing drives a stake through Lucy and ends her eternal suffering, features Cushing at his best.  In this scene, we see both Van Helsing’s determination and also some hints of the kindness that Cushing brought to the role.