"Dark Shadows" (1966) TV series 1966-1971

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Creator:

Dan Curtis

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

27 June 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

The rich Collins family of Collinsport, Maine is tormented by strange occurrences.

Plot Keywords:

Maine | Gothic | Death | Magic | Cult Favorite

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Jonathan Frid	...	Barnabas Collins / ... (594 episodes, 1967-1971)
Grayson Hall	...	Dr. Julia Hoffman / ... (474 episodes, 1967-1971)
Nancy Barrett	...	Carolyn Stoddard / ... (402 episodes, 1966-1971)
Joan Bennett	...	Elizabeth Collins Stoddard / ... (387 episodes, 1966-1971)
Alexandra Isles	...	Victoria Winters / ... (337 episodes, 1966-1968)
Louis Edmonds	...	Roger Collins / ... (321 episodes, 1966-1971)
Kathryn Leigh Scott	...	Maggie Evans / ... (309 episodes, 1966-1970)
David Selby	...	Quentin Collins / ... (307 episodes, 1968-1971)
David Henesy	...	David Collins / ... (276 episodes, 1966-1970)
Lara Parker	...	Angelique / ... (269 episodes, 1967-1971)

Also Known As:

"Shadows on the Wall" (USA) (working title)
"The House on Storm Cliff" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (1225 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1966-1967) | Color (1967-1971)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Essex, Connecticut, USA

Company:

Dan Curtis Productions

Trivia:

Despite their low-budget look, the special effects were very costly for a daytime soap opera. In order to keep within the budget, producer Dan Curtis decreed that no more than five characters could appear in a single episode (this was occasionally relaxed for sweeps-week episodes in which major plot twists took place).

Quotes:

Victoria Winters: My name is Victoria Winters. My journey is beginning. A journey that I hope will open the doors of life to me and link my past with my future. A journey that will bring me to a strange and dark place, to the edge of the sea high atop Widows' Hill - a house called Collinwood. A world I've never known, with people I've never met. People who tonight are still only shadows in my mind, but who will soon fill the days and nights of my tomorrows.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Gilmore Girls: Come Home (#5.12)" (2005)

Neat, stumbling charm

As a kid, I waited every day for 4pm for DARK SHADOWS to appear on TV. I watched in fascination all the going ons with Barnabas the vampire, time travel (I wanted that staircase that took you to the 19th century!) corpses rising from their graves. When the show came to an end in 1970, it was a sad day.

The show resurfaced in the early 1980's. As an adult, I could see all the flaws, all the signals that told us, this was live television, done on a very low budget. I appreciated Director/Creator Dan Curtis and company going against all odds.

As with all soap operas, the actors in DARK SHADOW had to stretch the material (Remember they had a collective 2 hours plus every week to cover.) Many actors would repeat what the other actor just said (Example BARNABAS: "This room was once filled the scent of lilacs." GIRL (in awe...) "....the scent of lilacs!" Flaws normally covered by alternate takes came up (much of this was live TV) We saw boom mikes, camera catching the edge of set, and the most celebrated goof- a pesty fly that won't leave vampire Barnabas Collins' (Jonathan Frid) nose, while Barnabas delivers a menacing monologue. But, all in all, it was fun. A thrill. It's always great to see this old soap opera once and a while.