Dark Shadows, the TV Series

A History of the 1966 Dark Shadows TV Soap and its 1991 Sequel

Feb 17, 2009

It's been many years since the original Dark Shadows TV series starring Johnathan Frid as Barnabas Collins aired, but the show remains a cult legend.

The original Dark Shadows series started in June of 1966. It was the first daytime soap opera to have a supernatural or gothic theme. Governess Victoria Winters travels to Collinsport, Maine, to Collinwood Mansion, the traditional gothic mansion by the sea, plagued by ghosts and the supernatural.

Dark Shadows - The First Supernatural Soap Opera

Vampires, werewolves, witches and curses made the daily fare of the long-running television show produced by Dan Curtis. The show was not an overnight success, but over time built up a devoted audience. At the time it aired, gothic romance novels were very popular, and the time was right for a television drama with a supernatural theme. The original series ended its long run in 1971, but remains available on DVD. The show, with its leading character Barnabas Collins, was responsible for creating numerous fan clubs, and remains a cult legend, even today.

The Original Cast

The series had a strong cast of talented actors which included Alexandra Moltke as governess Victoria Winters, Jonathan Frid as vampire Barnabas Collins. Other major characters were Laura Parker, who played Angelique, the witch responsible for the vampire curse, and Quentin Collins, a werewolf.

Barnabas Collins

It was almost a year into the show when vampire Barnabas Collins made his dramatic entrance. Played by Johnathan Frid, Barnabas cut a mysterious, romantic figure in dark, swirling cape. A traditional vampire in every sense of the word, he never appeared before dark, which roused suspicion among the household and neighboring town, as did the dead bodies drained of blood.

His sense of loneliness and his unwavering love for Victoria Winters made him an appealing outcast hero, an intriguing mixture of good and evil.

The Sequel

After many rumors of sequels, NBC produced a second serial show in 1991, also directed by Dan Curtis. In this series, Ben Cross played the role of Barnabas Collins. The series was canceled after a short run, despite growing interest. I

The director, Dan Curtis, passed away in 2006. However, the film rights to the Dark Shadows TV series were purchased by Warner Brothers in 2007. It is rumored that a new film is in the works based on the original Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp as the new Barnabas Collins.

Dark Shadows films:

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