Peter Cushing

"My criterion for accepting a role isn't based on what I would like to do. I try to consider what the audience would like to see me do and I thought kids would adore Star Wars."

- Peter Cushing

Peter Cushing (May 26, 1913–August 11, 1994) was the actor who played Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin in A New Hope. He was best known for his work in horror films produced by Hammer Studios, as well as some other British B-movies. These films often had him collaborating with his good friend and frequent co-star Christopher Lee, who played Count Dooku in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. In another Hammer Studios Film, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell Peter Cushing plays Dr. Victor aka Dr. Frankenstein. The Monster he creates in the film is played by David Prowse who would later play Darth Vader in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi.

A New Hope
Peter Cushing played Wilhuff Tarkin at Elstree Studios. He often complained that the boots for playing Tarkin were too small, and so the Director allowed him to wear a pair of slippers, shooting him from the waist up.

Other Roles
Peter Cushing also played Dr. Carl Victor aka Dr. Frankenstein in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell and Professor Van Helsing in The Satanic Rites of Dracula. He also had many appearances in other films.