Peter Cushing (1913-1994) and Peter Ustinov (1921-2004) – a small selection of four original and one copy correspondence between the two actors. In 1955, whilst Cushing was appearing in a BBC drama based upon a play written by Ustinov, they commenced an exchange of humorous correspondence by fictional characters they created. Although their correspondence ended shortly after the play was broadcast, they remained great friends and occasionally reprised their characters’ correspondence in later years, usually with deliberate mis-spellings of names and events.

Included in this lot is:

1. A Comical handwritten telegram from Peter Ustinov (of Houltworthy, Riller, Riller, Spraffe & Bullim, Solicitor-at-law) being a summons (to Peter Cushing) for non-payment of monies. Laid down to a single, plain sheet of A4 paper;

2. A photocopy of Peter Cushing's reply, an autographed letter, dated 23. Feb. 1955, 'mie veree dere Morrie' . . . Cushing has acknowledged the receipt of the telegram which has left him 'hart-broken', appeals to Ustinov to 'retrackt your ackshun’, and suggests they ‘meat at a mewtually conveneant tyme and playce’ to sort it out ‘frend too frend’, signed Peter;

3. Orginal autographed letter signed from Peter Cushing, to Messrs. M. & D. Grosvenor, also dated 23. Feb. 1955, hand-written on the reverse of the page of an unknown play or film script. Cushing states . . . 'I am in receet of yore a/c receeved of toodai’s dayt and franklee, sirs, I am horryfyed – I never – repeet NEVVER – had me nipples done and me switch’s arr spynsters tew thys veree dai – further moor – yore pryces arr Xorbeedant. Reelucktantlee I am refurring thee whole soordyd ayefare too mi solelissiturs – Messurs Renfrick, Renfrick & Renfrick & Sons Ltd who no dout wil bea getting in touch wiv yew (?) Moyst unfaythfooly Yrs Peter Cushing';

4. A further original autographed letter signed from Peter Cushing, also dated 23. Feb. 1955, sent to Mie Veree dere Morris (Ustinov) in which he states 'as old frends and busyness assosheates . . . he was ‘hart-broken' to have received the letter from his solicitors, Howuntrusty, Riller, Riporf, Swagge and Bullion, and asks how he (Morris/Ustinov) could have done it knowing his (Cushing’s) ‘sirkumstanzez’ with a wife, several children and his mother-in-law to feed, Cushing pleads with him to ‘retrackt yore ackshun’ and to meet at a ‘moochully conveneant tyme and playce and diskuss this busyness in a atmossfear of konvivealitty’ signing ‘Yrs Sinceerley, Peter’;

5. A further autographed letter signed from Peter Cushing to Morris Grsovenor, dated '24 of Feb 1955', written from Hotel D’Or, Place de la Konkord, Paris, France, in which he says he has gone for a ‘breff vaykayshun wiv the family. I cannot nor I will not be kowtow’d by yore attitood which I do not lyke. I am on too a good busyness deel hear (tyres and sundries) and if yew dew rite by me, I mite be abel to kut yew inn on a gude thing. I shal be a abzentea from the Kalleydonian Road for sum tyme and wil deam it only write if you wil cease yore insessant korrespondence until such tyme as I am abel too meet yew harf way. Yrs without ackrinimy, Peter Cushing’;

Provenance: ex- Peter Cushing Collection: Canterbury Auctions, 2023.