The Abominable Snowman

Dr. John Rollason (Peter Cushing), his wife, Helen (Maureen Connell), and assistant, Peter Fox (Richard Wattis), are guests of the Lama (Arnold MarlÃ©) of the monastery of Rong-buk while on a botanical expedition to the Himalayas. A second expedition, led by Dr. Tom Friend (Forrest Tucker) accompanied by trapper Ed Shelley (Robert Brown), photographer Andrew McNee (Michael Brill) and Sherpa guide Kusang (Wolfe Morris), arrives at the monastery in search of the legendary Yeti or Abominable Snowman. Rollason, despite the objections of his wife and the Lama, decides to join Friend's expedition. Whereas Rollason is motivated by scientific curiosity to learn more about the creature, Friend seeks fame and fortune and wants to capture a live Yeti and present it to the world's press.
The expedition climbs high into the mountains and finds a set of giant footprints in the snow, evidence of the Yeti's existence. As the tensions between Rollason and Friend rise, McNee is injured by a bear trap laid by Friend to catch the Yeti and later dies in a fall. Kusang flees back to the monastery from where Helen and Fox decide to mount a rescue mission. Meanwhile, Shelley succeeds in shooting and killing a Yeti, an act that enrages the creature's fellows. When Shelley is killed in a failed attempt to catch a live specimen, Friend finally decides to cut his losses and leave with the body of the dead Yeti. The Yeti close in on the two survivors, however, and Friend is killed in an avalanche.
Rollason takes refuge in an ice cave and watches in amazement as a number of Yeti arrive and take away the body of their fallen compatriot. He realises the Yeti are an intelligent species biding their time to claim the Earth when humanity has destroyed itself.
The rescue party finds Rollason and brings him back to the monastery where, when questioned by the Lama, he claims the expedition found nothing.
Casting[edit]




John Rollason (Peter Cushing) and Tom Friend (Forrest Tucker) in a scene from The Abominable Snowman. The claustrophobic feel created by Val Guest in the film is evident.



Forrest Tucker as Dr Tom Friend: The American producer Robert L. Lippert co-produced many of Hammer's films in the early 1950s, including The Abominable Snowman.[1] Under these co-production deals, Lippert provided an American star in return for the rights to distribute Hammer's films in the United States.[2] For The Abominable Snowman, Lippert approached Forrest Tucker, who had previously appeared for Hammer in Break in the Circle (1954), also directed by Val Guest.[3] Nigel Kneale considered Tucker's performance to be on a par with Stanley Baker, who had played the part in The Creature, saying, âBaker played it as a subtle, mean person, Forrest Tucker as more an extroverted bully but they were both good performances and I found very little to choose. Tucker was, I think, an underrated and very good actorâ.[4] According to make-up artist Phil Leakey, Val Guest was disappointed with the casting of Tucker; he recalled, "Forrest Tucker might have been very good at some things but, to many people's minds, acting wasn't one of them and I think he rather spoilt the picture".[5] The Abominable Snowman was the first of three horror films Tucker made in Britain around this time; the others being The Strange World of Planet X (1958) and The Trollenberg Terror (1958).[6]
Peter Cushing as Dr John Rollason: Cushing reprised the role of John Rollason that he had played in The Creature. At this point in his career, he was best known as a television actor, having starred in productions of Pride and Prejudice (1952) and Beau Brummell (1954) as well as the Cartier/Kneale production of Nineteen Eighty-Four.[7] The Abominable Snowman was his second picture for Hammer; the first had been The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), the film that would bring him international fame and establish his long association with the Hammer horror brand.[7] Recalling how the cast and crew were entertained by Cushing's improvisation with props, Val Guest said, âWe used to call him 'Props Cushing', because he was forever coming out with props. When he was examining the Yeti tooth, he was pulling these things out totally unrehearsed and we found it very difficult keeping quietâ.[8]
The film also stars

Maureen Connell as Helen Rollason
Richard Wattis as Peter Fox
Robert Brown as Ed Shelley.[9]
Michael Brill as Andrew McNee
Wolfe Morris as Kusang
Arnold MarlÃ© as Lhama
Anthony Chinn as Majordomo
Like Cushing, Arnold MarlÃ© and Wolfe Morris reprised their roles from The Creature as the Lama and Kusang, respectively.[4]

Question: who considered Tucker's performance to be on a par with Stanley Baker?
Answer: Nigel Kneale