 | |
| Stanley Preston | |
| Continuity: | Hammer Horror |
| Notability: | Antagonist |
| Type: | Businessman |
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Human |
| Location: | England Mezzara, Egypt |
| Relatives: | Barbara Preston Paul Preston |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Born: | 1867 [1] |
| Died: | 1920 |
| First: | The Mummy's Shroud |
| Actor: | John Phillips |
Stanley Preston is a fictional businessman and a secondary antagonist featured in the Hammer Horror line of films. He appeared in the 1967 film The Mummy's Shroud where he was played by actor John Phillips.
Biography[]
Stanley Preston was a wealthy and arrogant British entrepreneur. One of his many ventures involved financing an archaeological dig outside the city of Mezzara in Egypt. He hired archeologist Sir Basil Walden to head up the dig, which included his own son, Egyptologist Paul Preston. Amongst his staff was a sycophant named Longbarrow, who arranged for Stanley and his wife Barbara to stay at a suite in the Mezzara Hotel.
Stanley sought to uncover the Tomb of Kah-to-Bey, in the hopes of laying to rest a debate relating to the royal authenticity of a supposed mummified Pharaoh that scholars believed was Kah-to-Bey. Preston asserted that the mummy that they had recovered twenty years earlier was actually a slave servant of Kah-to-Bey named Prem.
When Sir Basil's expedition went missing, Stanley Preston held a press conference, confirming that rescue parties were being sent out to find the archeological team. Under pressure by the media, Stanley Preston attended one of the rescue parties himself, along with Longbarrow.
The group journeyed toward the Rock of Death region and succeeded in reuniting with Basil Walden's team. Preston was present when they opened up the Tomb of Kah-to-Bey and recovered the young Prince's remains, thus confirming his theory that the mummy that resided at the Restoration House was Prem, and not Kah-to-Bey. During this affair, a radical Muslim named Hasmid Ali warned the group against defiling the Tomb of Kah-to-Bey, but his concerns were ignored.
When everyone returned to Mezzara, Stanley Preston had no intention of sharing any of the fortune and glory that he believed was rightfully his. He had Sir Basil Walden committed to an insane asylum after the latter suffered an injury from a poisonous snake bite. When his son Paul confronted him on this, Stanley chaffed at the audacity that Paul demonstrated for accusing him of such a thing, but never denied it either. It remains unclear whether Stanley actually had Sir Basil committed or not.
Soon after, Hasmid Ali used an incantation to awaken the mummy Prem and set him forth to take vengeance against all those who entered the Tomb of Kah-to-Bey. Prem first murdered Basil Walden, then killed the team's photographer, Harry Newton. The murders earned the attention of Chief Inspector Barrani. Barrani interviewed Stanley, asking if Sir Basil had any enemies, and Preston replied that he did not know of any. As the murders continued to mount, Barrani requested that Stanley and the rest of the party remain in Mezzara.
Stanley despised being told what he could or could not do, so either out of fear or spite, decided to ignore Barrani's wishes. He told his personal assistant, Longbarrow, to go to the Landing stage and book passage back to England for himself, his wife, Paul and Claire. Barbara did not fear the alleged curse that seemed to be hanging over them, as she was never at the dig site. As such, she refused to leave. Paul and Claire also decided to stay, feeling that no resolution could be made by running away.
Barrani approached Stanley Preston a second time, and again, requested that he remain in Mezzara. Preston feigned acquiescence, but had no intention of staying in Egypt any longer than he needed to. He again instructed Longbarrow to go to the dock and book passage back to England.
When Longbarrow failed in this venture, Stanley decided to go himself. While walking through the back streets, he came upon Hasmid Ali. Preston was unaware that Hasmid was the one responsible for awakening the mummy. Hasmid feigned friendship and offered to hire Preston a gharry to take him the rest of the way to the boat. In truth, he merely wanted to stall Preston, allowing the mummy enough time to catch up to him. Prem the mummy strangled Stanley Preston to death, then dashed his head against the stone pavement.
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Stanley Preston was created by director John Gilling and writer Anthony Hinds.
- Stanley Preston married his wife Barbara in the year 1894. Barbara states that they have been married for twenty-six years per the year 1920.
- Actor John Phillips's first work in horror was the 1954 TV short, The Monkey's Paw. His first major film work in the horror genre was playing General Leighton in Village of the Damned in 1960.
- Actor John Phillips is also known for playing a magistrate in the 1979 film Quadrophenia, which was directed by Franc Roddam, who also directed The Bride in 1985.
See also[]
Appearances[]
Keywords[]
1894 | 1920 | A-Hole | Businessman | Head injury | Landing stage | Mezzara Hotel | Strangulation
References[]
- ↑ Date approximated based upon the relative age of actor John Phillips.