News In Brief

• We were sad to learn of the recent death of legendary make-up artist Dick Smith, who passed away this week at the age of 92. His Oscar-winning career encompassed pioneering prosthetic make-up for numerous films including The Exorcist, Little Big Man, The Godfather and Amadeus. His pioneering old-age creations were put to good use on Dark Shadows, memorably ageing Jonathan Frid's Barnabas for television and later on the big screen in House of Dark Shadows.
• Online broadcaster Hulu has recently expanded its library of original Dark Shadows episodes. 240 installments can now be viewed, beginning with the introduction of Barnabas, with more additions planned in the coming months. To watch online, click here.
  
•  Jonathan Frid's starring role in Oliver Stone's directorial debut Seizure is set to get a new lease of life with the release of an official restored Blu-Ray in September. The new edition can be pre-ordered on DVD and high-definition Blu-Ray by clicking here.
• A host of Dark Shadows stars can be seen in the new independent film Doctor Mabuse: Etiopomar, which has just been released in video-on-demand format. The retro-styled thriller features Jerry Lacy (Reverend Trask), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) and Christopher Pennock (Jeb Hawkes) and can be viewed online by clicking here.
• And finally, the team behind Dark Shadows-inspired online soap Ragged Isle are raising funds for a new horror project, On a Country Road, which will star Dark Shadows' very own Sharon Smyth-Lentz (Sarah Collins). To read more and donate online, click here.

Remembering Jonathan Frid Book Released

The life of Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) is celebrated in a new book from Evil Twin Publishing. Remembering Jonathan Frid is a 200-page paperback that gathers memories and insights from Jonathan's friends, colleagues and fans, illustrated throughout with rare and unseen photographs.

The book includes contributions from Lara Parker (Angelique), Marie Wallace (Eve) and Jonathan's longtime producer and writer Nancy Kersey, along with Dark Shadows News Page editor Stuart Manning. From the publisher:

Jonathan Frid was thought to be something of a mysterious figure: He disliked the celebrity spotlight, he never aspired to stardom and seldom spoke about his private life. What made him tick? What kind of a man was he? From his early days on the stage to his time as vampire Barnabas Collins on the cult television classic Dark Shadows, Remembering Jonathan Frid gathers friends, family and colleagues to share their insights and memories of this complex and talented actor, illustrated throughout with over 130 rare and unseen photographs.

Remembering Jonathan Frid is available in paperback and can be ordered at a discount price by clicking here. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the John H. Frid Foundation, the charity fund Jonathan that established in his name.

News Digest

• The departed Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) has been posthumously nominated for the Cineplex Legends Award, awarded by his native Canada's Walk of Fame Association. Jonathan is one of nine nominees this year, alongside Bonanza's Lorne Greene, who worked with Jonathan at the Toronto Shakespeare Festival in the 1950s. To vote for Jonathan online, click here. 
• David Selby (Quentin Collins) and Susan Sullivan (Ghost) are to star on stage in a new production of A Delicate Balance, which runs at Los Angeles' Odyssey Theatre from April 26-June 15. For more information and to book tickets online, click here.
• Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) and Lara Parker (Angelique) are to appear at Alabama's Mobicon convention, which takes place in Mobile on May 23-25. To visit the event website, click here.
• Big Finish Productions have announced several new Dark Shadows audio drama titles. Recent releases include Curtain Call, The Harvest of Souls, The Happier Dead and Carriage of the Damned with The Devil Cat and The Darkest Shadow due out in May and June. To order the stories online, click on the hyperlinked titles.

Barnabas Makes Headlines

• TV Guide have named Barnabas Collins one of TV's 60 Nastiest Villians of All Time. Barnabas placed at number eight: "The Dracula of daytime TV was a spooky and tragically romantic 200-year-old vampire who haunted Collinsport and pursued the local female population fangs first," says the magazine.
• The Hamilton Spectator has published an update on the fan campaign to get Jonathan Frid immortalised on Canada's Walk of Fame. In the piece, Jonathan's nephew Dave Howitt reveals that the original Barnabas cane, which the actor kept until the end of his life, has now been donated to the Smithsonian Museum. To read more, click here.
• And finally, original Dark Shadows writer Joe Caldwell was recently interviewed by Tor, discussing his involvement in the creation of Barnabas. "We never wanted to play to the metaphor, but instead, play the vampire straight," he explains. "The audience wouldn’t connect with Barnabas if he didn’t seem like a real person, with real problems... We almost wanted to make you forget he was a vampire sometimes." To read the full article, click here.

Jonathan Frid: Nancy Kersey Remembers

As a writer for Clunes Associates, Jonathan Frid's production company, Nancy Kersey worked closely with Jonathan for over a decade on his one-man shows. She shares her memories of a loyal employer and dear friend...

Jonathan Frid was one of the funniest people I have ever known. That fact befuddles those I have said this to... "Barnabas? Funny? Really?" Yes, really. And then some. John (I called him 'John', 'Uncle Gaunty' and 'Friddlesticks') was like a multi-layered banana; you could peel and peel and never quite pin him down. Forget trying to predict him. He was a complex individualist, disliking going with the flow for the sake of just keeping the status quo. He had no interest in keeping the status quo.

He refused to capitalise on his fame as Barnabas Collins when Dark Shadows was in its heyday and that refusal cost him work. He wanted to explore being a talk show host, a nod to his constant curiosity about world and national affairs. That didn’t pan out. He could have taken the many horror roles offered to him, but Jonathan disliked the genre in general and didn’t pursue that kind of work either. Most actors would say that was kind of dumb, but that's how Jonathan was – he did what he wanted. If other people understand why, fine, if they didn't... well, that was fine too.

Jonathan Frid: Dark Shadows Colleagues Pay Tribute

When Jonathan Frid passed away last month, the Dark Shadows world said goodbye to its greatest star and the show's community of actors lost a dear friend. We asked Jonathan's colleagues to share their memories of a remarkable man at work and beyond...

Kathleen Cody Hallie Stokes

I was only 15-16 years-old and frankly, a bit in awe of Jonathan for the entire time I was a cast member on Dark Shadows. But I will forever be so thankful and honoured that I was given the privilege to know and work with him. I, along with everyone else who loves Dark Shadows and Jonathan’s unforgettable portrayal of Barnabas Collins, will miss him so very much.

I am looking forward to going to see Johnny Depp and Tim Burton's new Dark Shadows film. What the new Dark Shadows film does bring home to my heart in a new way now, is joy that Jonathan got to live his final days knowing that, as one who loved his craft, he will forever be remembered as the actor who created a role that captivates and enthralls audiences the world over. To this day, continued attempts are made to recapture, improve upon, or even perhaps give a completely different spin to the telling of the story of Barnabas Collins.

Jerry Lacy Reverend Trask 

As I look back now, I remember days at the studio when I marveled at the way Jonathan was able to bring so much sympathy to his character – to the point that Barnabas could be forgiven for anything. The success of Dark Shadows was totally due to his ability to portray the vulnerability of his Barnabas – to show us the inner feelings, the unspoken sadness, the terrible longings. Without that depth, the character would never have found its way into the hearts of so many. His talents were broad, and his kindness, his warmth, his friendship will be missed by all.

Lara Parker Angelique

Jonathan and I played countless scenes together as passionate lovers and as blood-lust enemies, and he was always surprising, deeply mysterious, and dedicated to his craft – even though he sometimes couldn’t remember his lines. There were often times when I had to help him out a little in the middle of a scene. Still his performance always amazed us. With his classical actor’s expertise, he could be mesmerizing on the screen. 

After the show went off the air and Jonathan stopped coming to the festivals, years went by before I saw him again. The occasion was a television special in 1994, 50 Years of Soaps, that featured famous couples – or adversaries – from all the daytime series. Jonathan arrived looking dashing as usual and sporting, to my surprise, a sexy little goatee. Although we had only one line apiece once, he insisted, characteristically, on rehearsing and rehearsing, just like the old days. Even after years of performing on camera, somehow these mini-appearances can be the most terrifying, and I was shaking in my shoes while we waited backstage to go on. 

Jonathan Frid: Jim Pierson Remembers

Jim Pierson has worked on Dark Shadows-related projects for over two decades, both for Dan Curtis Productions and as director of the Dark Shadows Festivals. He shares his memories of working with Jonathan Frid and his impressions of the actor away from the spotlight...

I have so many memories of Jonathan Frid beyond Barnabas Collins, the role that brought his stage-honed, Shakespearean talents to millions of captivated viewers and made him an indelible pop culture icon. Back in 1989, when I began working for Dan Curtis, the creator of Dark Shadows, I looked after Jonathan in Las Vegas where he was to appear at the Video Software Dealers Association convention, helping to launch the series' release on home video. To see Jonathan draw a still-adoring crowd alongside the likes of such superstars as Jane Fonda was quite marvellous.

But what impressed me most about Jonathan was his total disinterest in pursuing fame and his commitment to the art of performance. Above all else, Jonathan wanted to make his characters human and believable. This meant that playing a vampire would not involve presenting the standard, bloodthirsty villain, but something much more powerful and real. Jonathan was a classically-trained actor and wanted to find the truth when he acted. He loved nothing better than to entertain a small group of enthralled listeners with run-throughs of his reader's theatre presentations in the cozy comfort of his New York apartment. He was a master storyteller.

Jonathan took his work very seriously, which meant that when I would book him and his Dark Shadows colleagues on TV talk shows such as Good Morning America, he would bristle whenever a host would bring up the "bloopers" for which the daytime series was infamous. Jonathan had a huge amount of material to memorize for each episode of Dark Shadows, and he found nothing funny about his mistakes, even decades later. He was a dedicated craftsman at heart. Make no mistake, Jonathan had a fine sense of humor too. His one-man show Fridiculousness displayed his penchant for blending comedy and drama.

After moving back to his native Canada in the mid-1990s, Jonathan retreated from the Dark Shadows afterglow for a dozen years, finally returning to celebrate Barnabas' 40th anniversary in 2007. It was a joyful homecoming and Jonathan rediscovered the impact of his portrayal and the ongoing affection all those years later. He gained a renewed appreciation of Dark Shadows at large, recognizing the unique qualities of the show and uncovering many moments he found to be "magical".

It was poignant taking him to England to appear in a cameo for the Johnny Depp Dark Shadows film last year. It was an exhausting experience for Jonathan to travel, but when meeting Depp, who was in costume as Barnabas, Jonathan expressively gave Depp a thorough examination and then amusingly complimented his successor's replication of the trademark Barnabas hairstyle.

Jonathan Frid, in his life and his work, represented a bygone period of great dedication, civility and romanticism. As with Barnabas, he seemed to be a figure from another era but, like that fictional creation, Jonathan has transcended time with a legacy that is destined to live on for centuries to come.

Picture of the Week: Without Whom...

David Henesy (David Collins) and Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) pose for publicity in 1967. This one is for all those children who grew up with Barnabas haunting their dreams...

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net.

Johnny Depp Leads Tributes To Jonathan Frid

People Magazine have published a statement from Johnny Depp commenting on the death of Jonathan Frid. As we reported earlier today, Jonathan passed away peacefully last week. Depp has spoken before of his childhood fascination for Jonathan's portrayal of Barnabas, and the pair met last summer on the set of the new Dark Shadows movie, in which Jonathan has makes a cameo appearance:

"Jonathan Frid was the reason I used to run home from school to watch Dark Shadows," says Depp. "His elegance and grace was an inspiration then and will continue to remain one forever more. When I had the honour to finally meet him, as he so generously passed the torch of Barnabas to me, he was as elegant and magical as i had always imagined. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. The world has lost a true original."

Elsewhere, original Dark Shadows co-stars Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) and David Selby (Quentin Collins) have each published tributes of their own online. "He was a warmhearted and compassionate man with a lovely sense of humour," commented Lara on her website earlier today. "A staggeringly charismatic actor... personally responsible for the lasting success of the Dark Shadows TV show in so many ways."

Kathryn echoed these thoughts in on her own blog: "I am so grateful to have worked with Jonathan, and to have known him as the charismatic, entertaining, complex and plain spoken man that he was," she comments in a blog post. "What fun we had working together! He was irascible, irreverent, funny, caring, loveable and thoroughly professional... the whole reason why kids ran home from school to watch Dark Shadows.”

"What is it about love that made Dark Shadows so needed by millions? They loved you, Jonathan, as did I," suggests David in a dispatch on his official site. "You carried the heavy past with such grace and allure. That need to watch had something to do with love, a love for you."

Jonathan Frid: 1924-2012

It is with tremendous sadness that we report that Dark Shadows legend Jonathan Frid has died. As television's first reluctant vampire, Barnabas Collins, Jonathan brought a faltering Dark Shadows runaway success, giving the show its most enduring character.

Jonathan passed away peacefully in the early hours of April 14 in his native Hamilton, Ontario, at the age of 87. Nephew Donald Frid, in a statement from the family said that: "His health had been declining in recent weeks and he died peacefully in his sleep in a local hospital. At Jonathan's request, there was no funeral and there will be no memorial service." It was a characteristically modest exit for a man who had so often shunned the spotlight.

A gathering of family and friends took place yesterday on April 18 – 45 years to the day from Jonathan's debut appearance on Dark Shadows. Donations in his memory may be made to Hillfield-Strathallen College, the school where he first began acting. To visit them online, click here.

Like so many pop culture stars, Jonathan had an conflicted relationship with the role that made him famous. While he was justifiably proud of the character of Barnabas, he was left disenchanted by the violent depiction of the vampire in the House of Dark Shadows movie. His perfectionist streak left him ambivalent about many of his performances and he was undoubtedly typecast by the time Dark Shadows was finally cancelled.

As a performer, Jonathan's heart truly belonged with the theatre, and in the years that followed, he carved out a niche presenting a series of successful one-man shows. With these, he could indulge his love of storytelling in its purest form, performing his favourite pieces of writing on his own terms. Television may have brought him peak audiences of 20 million, but it was undoubtedly these small, intimate productions that gave him the greatest professional satisfaction.

In time, Jonathan came to appreciate the lasting popularity of his Dark Shadows work, attending many conventions, right up until last year's 45th Anniversary celebrations in Brooklyn. Now in his 80s, he had taken to using his original wolf's-head cane from the show as a walking aid, no longer a memento, and though he tired easily, was happy to make the long journeys and oblige those original fans, still in awe of him four decades later.

Last July, Jonathan and some of his Dark Shadows co-stars flew to England, to film a cameo scene alongside Johnny Depp for the new Dark Shadows feature film. As Jonathan stood in the cavernous new Collinwood set built at Pinewood Studios, the new Barnabas – himself a schoolboy viewer of the original show – maybe summed it up best when he told his childhood hero "None of this would be here if it wasn't for you." Dark Shadows will be released in cinemas in a few short weeks, and it's truly fitting that Jonathan's final screen appearance both affirms and celebrates his most enduring role.

Jonathan was a humble man, at times self-effacing to the point of appearing brusque. I suspect he was baffled by the affection he commanded from his fans, and the reaction his death has received today would have probably astonished him. But quite simply, Jonathan Frid was adored. As a powerful figure in the childhoods of so many viewers – sometimes scared of him, but always entranced – those viewers held him dear long after Dark Shadows left the airwaves, making Jonathan and the character of Barnabas immortal.

In the coming days we'll be celebrating Jonathan's life and career with tributes and personal remembrances from friends and colleagues. In the meantime, on behalf of Dark Shadows fans worldwide, we would like to extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Picture of the Week: Old Friends Reunited

This week, Dark Shadows past meets Dark Shadows present in a special behind-the-scenes photograph from the set of the new movie, courtesy of actress Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans). Kathryn and co-stars Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), Lara Parker (Angelique) and David Selby (Quentin Collins) flew to England last summer to film a cameo scene and are seen here in costume backstage at Pinewood Studios. 

"Here we are, almost ready for our close-up," Kathryn tells us. "Lara and I still had to finish doing our hair!" Both Kathryn and Lara have written about their experiences on the set in the new book Dark Shadows: Return to Collinwood, which features more exclusive photos from the production. You can also keep up with Kathryn's latest activities by visiting her official website. 

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net.

Picture of the Week: A Looming Legacy?

This week, it's one of my favourite images from Dark Shadows – actor Jonathan Frid (Barnabas) snapped while being menaced the poster of Bela Lugosi as Dracula that hung in the show's rehearsal room. In 1969 journalist Donald Freeman, writing for the Toledo Blade, noted the picture and asked Frid if Hollywood's vampire had influenced Collinwood's resident fiend:

"Barnabas is like Macbeth, a hero of sorts, but very guilt-ridden," Jonathan suggested. "Every woman among our viewers wants to accept him. Women love to see men admit guilt. Women love men to be vulnerable." By comparison, "Bela Lugosi's vampire loved being a monster, but Barnabas, while being a rotten character, has the emotional qualities of a hero."

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: TV's Cool Ghoul

Here's an original bubblegum wrapper featuring Barnabas Collins, part of a trading card set that launched in towards the end of 1968. As ABC-TV began targeting Dark Shadows merchandise at a youth audience, Collinwood's resident vampire formed the focus of their strategy, with the tagline "TV's cool ghoul" appearing on several products. It's interesting to note that the title Dark Shadows doesn't appear anywhere on the packaging – brand identity was a concept still in its infancy.

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: Barnabas Visits The White House

We're getting in the Halloween spirit as we take a trip back to 1969, when Jonathan Frid appeared as guest of honour at a UNICEF party for underprivileged children held at the White House. Joining Barnabas to meet the crowds was first daughter Tricia Nixon.

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: Portrait of a Vampire

This week, it's a solemn early portrait of Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins, complete with some covert branding from ABC-TV peeping in from the sidelines.

As the show's resident fiend, Jonathan was always keen to play down the perception of Dark Shadows as a campy show: "You can't kid me that people watch the show month in and month out hung up on the camp aspects," he asserted in a 1969 chat with the Montreal Gazette. "Sure, there's a kind of university following in the dorms... This team came up from the University of Miami to interview me the other day. They were pretty cool about it all. Certainly didn't treat it as camp."

Well, that's that cleared up, then.

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: A Famous Monster

This week it's a stunning artwork cover of Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins from Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, originally published in October 1968. The portrait, by famed horror artist Basil Gogos, was to accompany an interview with Barnabas himself titled Who's A-Frid of the Big Bad Vampire?

"I was fascinated by [big screen Dracula] Bela Lugosi," revealed Jonathan. "His performance was like ballet. Yet his vampire was a bloodless, evil, relentless monster... I never took that tack. The Dark Shadows writers gave full life to Barnabas. He was a human being, more like Mr. Hyde with a lust for blood."

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: Frid Talk

It's all smiles in this snapshot from the set of The Mike Douglas Show, where Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) gave one of his first on-camera interviews discussing Dark Shadows. Originally broadcast on July 16, 1968, this particular edition unfortunately no longer exists. Mike Douglas also paid host to Joan Bennett (Elizabeth Collins Stoddard) repeatedly in 1967 and 1970. One of Joan's surviving appearances is included on the Dark Shadows Reunion DVD.

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: All in a Flap

"Terror flies by night!" in this wonderful photographic cover for the Gold Key Dark Shadows comic series, featuring Jonathan Frid and an eye-popping colour palette. From issue seven, Wings of Fear, first published in November 1970. Incidentally, this instalment was recently reprinted by Hermes Press in Dark Shadows: The Complete Collection – Volume One.

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: Stuck on You

Here's a behind the scenes shot from 1968, featuring Jonathan Frid being made up by Vincent Loscalzo at the Dark Shadows studio. Barnabas' distinctive bangs were actually glued down with spirit gum, ensuring that the vampire's hairdo could withstand any supernatural assault. "The minute his make-up goes on, mentally he becomes Barnabas," Vincent told Flip magazine in 1969. "Jonathan really believes in the character he portrays."

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net

Picture of the Week: Showbiz Frid

Jonathan Frid (Barnabas) holds court in his dressing room at the studio. "I just wish Dark Shadows would settle down," he told Flip magazine in April 1969. "It's become such a fad. We're so far 'in' this year that by next year we could be way, way 'out' of it! And I hope that doesn't happen."

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net