Peter Cushing exhibition to open in his home town

A new exhibition looking at the life of actor Peter Cushing is set to open in the Kent town where he lived.

The display at Whitstable Community Museum & Gallery, which opens on 17 July, features "several items that have never been seen before", its organisers said.

Peter Cushing's six-decade career included appearances in Star Wars, more than 20 Hammer Horror films and two popular Doctor Who movies in the 1960s.

He lived in Whitstable with his wife Helen for 35 years until his death in 1994.

Among the previously unseen objects are a head and shoulders sculpture of Cushing as his Star Wars character Grand Moff Tarkin.

There is also the bicycle which he used to ride around the town, a full-size Dalek and a life-size cast of his face used for prosthetic special effects for his part in Top Secret.

An assortment of the actor's art is also on show, from sketches to watercolours.

The exhibition also has a cabinet displaying various published books about his life.

Erected on the walls are many stills of his screen career. There is also an area concentrating on his life in Whitstable.

A museum spokesperson said: "Throughout the exhibition we have tried to show Peter’s sense of humour.

"His comments can be very witty."

The exhibition is planned to continue until September 2025.

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