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Peter Wilton Cushing was born on May 26, 1913 in Kenley, Surrey, England, to Nellie Maria (King) and George Edward Cushing, a quantity surveyor. He and his older brother David were raised first in Dulwich Village, a south London suburb, and then later back in Surrey. At an early age, Cushing was attracted to acting, inspired by his favorite aunt, who was a stage actress. While at school, Cushing pursued his acting interest in acting and also drawing, a talent he put to good use later in his first job as a government surveyor's assistant in Surrey. At this time, he also dabbled in local amateur theater until moving to London to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on scholarship. He then performed in repertory theater in Worthing, deciding in 1939 to head for Hollywood, where he made his film debut in The Man in the Iron Mask (1939). Other Hollywood films included A Chump at Oxford (1940) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Vigil in the Night (1940) and They Dare Not Love (1941). However, after a short stay, he returned to England by way of New York (making brief appearances on Broadway) and Canada. Back in his homeland, he contributed to the war effort during World War II by joining the Entertainment National Services Association.

After the war, he performed in the West End and had his big break appearing with Laurence Olivier in Hamlet (1948), in which Cushing's future partner-in-horror Christopher Lee had a bit part. Both actors also appeared in Moulin Rouge (1952) but did not meet until their later horror films. During the 1950s, Cushing became a familiar face on British television, appearing in numerous teleplays, such as 1984 (1954) and Beau Brummell (1954), until the end of the decade when he began his legendary association with Hammer Film Productions in its remakes of the 1930s Universal horror classics. His first Hammer roles included Dr. Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dr. Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula (1958), and Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959).

Cushing continued playing the roles of Drs. Frankenstein and Van Helsing, as well as taking on other horror characters, in Hammer films over the next 20 years. He also appeared in films for the other major horror producer of the time, Amicus Productions, including Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and its later horror anthologies, a couple of Dr. Who films (1965, 1966), I, Monster (1971), and others. By the mid-1970s, these companies had stopped production, but Cushing, firmly established as a horror star, continued in the genre for some time thereafter.

Perhaps his best-known appearance outside of horror films was as Grand Moff Tarkin in George Lucas' phenomenally successful science fiction film Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). Biggles: Adventures in Time (1986) was Cushing's last film before his retirement, during which he made a few television appearances, wrote two autobiographies and pursued his hobbies of bird watching and painting. In 1989, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to the acting profession in Britain and worldwide. Peter Cushing died at age 81 of prostate cancer on August 11, 1994.

Charles Rocket was born on 28 August 1949 in Bangor, Maine, USA. He was an actor, known for Dumb and Dumber (1994), Hocus Pocus (1993) and Dances with Wolves (1990). He was married to Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Crellin. He died on 7 October 2005 in Canterbury, Connecticut, USA.

Born into a wealthy and influential English family, Ian Fleming spent his early years attending top British schools such as Eton and Sandhurst military academy. He took to writing while schooling in Kitzbuhel, Austria, and upon failing the entrance requirements for Foreign Service joined the news agency Reuters as a journalist -- winning the respect of his peers for his coverage of a "show trial" in Russia of several Royal Engineers on espionage charges. Fleming briefly worked in the financial sector for the family bank, but just prior to the Second World War, was recruited into British Naval Intelligence where he excelled, shortly achieving the rank of Commander. When the war ended, Fleming retired to Jamaica where he built a house called "Goldeneye," took up writing full-time and created the character that would make him famous -- British Secret Service agent James Bond, in a novel called "Casino Royale." Fleming spent the rest of his life writing and traveling the world, but as his Bond character reached new heights of popularity on movie screens, Fleming was in ailing health. He died of a heart attack (his second) in England in August 1964 at the age of 56.

Ginger Baker was born on 19 August 1939 in Lewisham, London, England, UK. He was an actor and composer, known for The Harder They Fall (2021), Casino (1995) and Gonks Go Beat (1964). He was married to Kudzai Machokoto, Karen Loucks Rinedollar, Sarah Dixon and Elizabeth Ann Finch. He died on 6 October 2019 in Canterbury, Kent, UK.

Judith Furse was born on 4 March 1912 in Camberley, Surrey, England, UK. She was an actress and producer, known for Black Narcissus (1947), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) and Carry on Spying (1964). She died on 29 August 1974 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Eileen Way was born on 2 September 1911 in New Malden, Surrey, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Vikings (1958), Kidnapped (1960) and Sean's Show (1992). She was married to Felix Warden Brown. She died on 16 June 1994 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Sonia Dresdel was born on 5 May 1909 in Hornsea, Yorkshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Fallen Idol (1948), This Was a Woman (1948) and Wives and Daughters (1971). She died on 18 January 1976 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Anna Nicholas was born on 14 September 1947 in Simla, India. She was an actress, known for Cuba (1979), Tales of the Unexpected (1979) and Armchair Thriller (1978). She was married to Graham Smith. She died on 3 February 2014 in Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

John Warner was born on 1 January 1924 in George, South Africa. He was an actor, known for Potter (1979), The Cruel Sea (1953) and An Age of Kings (1960). He died on 19 May 2001 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Mrs. Tyrone Power was born on 1 March 1882 in Indiana, USA. She was an actress, known for Where Are My Children? (1916), A Texas Steer (1915) and The Planter (1917). She was married to Tyrone Power Sr.. She died on 29 September 1959 in Canterbury, New Hampshire, USA.

Anthony Coburn was born in 1927 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was a writer and producer, known for Warship (1973), The Borderers (1968) and The View from Daniel Pike (1971). He was married to Joan Moon. He died on 28 April 1977 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

David Legge MBE (1947 - 16 January 2012), known as Dave Lee, was a British comedian known for his work in pantomimes around Kent and his work on television. Lee also founded his own charity (Happy Holidays) to help disadvantaged children. During his lifetime, it raised £2 million for many of Kent's sick, disabled and under-privileged children to enjoy holidays and outings with their families. In the 2003 New Year Honours, Lee was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to the community in Kent. On the 10th of January 2012, Canterbury announced that Lee would be given the Freedom of the City. Lee died six days later of pancreatic cancer, age 64. His funeral was held at Canterbury Cathedral on the 30th of January 2012 with an attendance of 1200, including actors Shaun Williamson, Shane Richie & John Altman, & fellow comedians Joe Pasquale, Jim Davidson, Bobby Davro, Richard Digance, as well as the Lord Mayor of Canterbury. He received the Freedom of the City posthumously. A bronze statue of Lee was unveiled outside the Marlowe Theatre in May 2014.

Leonard Smith was born in Fordwich, Kent in 1934 to his father Aurther Henry Smith and his mother Carrie Apps. He is a younger brother to Myrtle Todd (1930).

At the young age of 9, he was walking to school one morning, eating an apple, when a camera man took his picture. He was then given the part of Leslie in the film 'A Canterbury Tale'.

When Leonard left school he became a Dental Technician and apart from serving three years in the Royal Air Force (1954-1957) he remained so until his retirement.

He married Jean Thompson, in Scotland in 1960 and lived with her in the outskirts of Glasgow for 18 years.

He has two children, Derek Smith (1965) and Norma Smith (1968), and four grandchildren, Oliver, Francesca, Kieran, and Megan.

He now lives in Herne Bay, Kent, with his wife and his family close by.

Jessie Evans was born on 1 August 1918 in Mountain Ash, Wales, UK. She was an actress, known for The Orchard End Murder (1981), Stage by Stage (1954) and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950). She was married to Donald Bain. She died on 2 March 1983 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Richard Preddy was born on 3 September 1966 in Farnborough, Kent, England, United Kingdom. He was a writer and actor, known for Harry Enfield and Chums (1994), Gates (2012) and Tracey Ullman: A Class Act (1993). He died on 7 July 2020 in Canterbury, Kent, England, United Kingdom.

Litsa Menounos was born on 2 September 1954 in Kalamata, Greece. She was an actress and costume designer, known for Adventures of Serial Buddies (2011), Operation Shock and Awe... some (2008) and Chasing Maria Menounos (2014). She was married to Constantinos Menounos. She died on 2 May 2021 in Canterbury, Connecticut, USA.

Roy Stannard was born in 1931 in Paddington, London, England, UK. He was a production designer and art director, known for Never Say Never Again (1983), A Bridge Too Far (1977) and Journey to the Unknown (1968). He died in March 2008 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Born on 18 September 1949 in Watford, Mo Mowlam went to school in Coventry and read Social Anthropology at the University of Durham. After gaining a PhD in 1978 from Iowa University, she lectured at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and worked at Northern College, Barnsley. Mowlam was elected Labour MP for Redcar in 1987 and held various Opposition posts until her appointment as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when Labour came to power in 1997. After two years, she became Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, an office she held until stepping down as an MP at the General Election of June 2001.

Judge Dread was born on 2 May 1945 in Kent, England, UK. He died on 13 March 1998 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

James Tamsitt was born on 22 October 1931 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Canterbury Tale (1944). He died on 4 May 1996 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Michael Hardwick was born on 10 September 1924 in Bramley, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Sherlock Holmes (1964), Out of the Past (1969) and The Cedar Tree (1976). He was married to Mollie Hardwick. He died on 4 March 1991 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Middleton Woods was born on 20 September 1886 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Whispering Smith vs. Scotland Yard (1952) and The Swingin' Maiden (1962). He died in 1974 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

David Todd was born in 1939 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Canterbury Tale (1944). He died on 19 July 2018 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Murray Carson was born on 17 March 1865 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He was a writer, known for Rosemary (1915). He was married to Mary E.S. Donald. He died on 19 April 1917 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.

Roy Jowitt was born on 23 December 1938 in London, England, UK. Roy is known for Another Life (2001). Roy died on 6 April 2012 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.