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Jeri Ryan was a huge addition to the cast of Star Trek: Voyager. In fact, she was arguably the biggest late addition to any television cast ever. Maybe only that of Jonathan Frid in the daytime soap Dark Shadows can rival the impact Ryan had for a show well into its run. Her arrival was a boom period for the show, with plenty of hype and goodwill going to a show that needed it.

That said, Ryan's arrival as Seven of Nine wasn't what improved the show. It was the fact that Ryan was coming into a series and replacing one of the major names that the show couldn't seem to do anything with; Kes. Played by Jennifer Lien, Kes was the worst character on the show and maybe the worst character in Star Trek history.

Her look as Kes was awful, featuring a pixie cut that made her feel like a Wish.

The Sleepy Hollow International Film Festival (Shiff) is set to return to the historic towns of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, New York, from October 10 to 13, 2024. Nestled in the heart of America’s supernatural folklore, the festival promises an eclectic mix of premieres, tributes, and exclusive screenings, all designed to celebrate genre cinema in the birthplace of Washington Irving’s legendary tales.

This year’s Shiff boasts a line-up that will appeal to both classic cinema enthusiasts and fans of the supernatural. Among the highlights is a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Disney’s The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. To mark this occasion, D23—The Official Disney Fan Club—will guide festival-goers through an enchanting event filled with rare behind-the-scenes footage, special guests, and surprises that aim to bring Disney nostalgia to life.

Adding to the festivities is a tribute to iconic director Tim Burton, with a 30th-anniversary...

Legendary actress Kathryn Leigh Scott, best known for her roles in gothic soap opera Dark Shadows as Maggie Evans and Josette DuPres, will be appearing at The Mad Monster Expo in Atlanta 17th – 19th November 2023! TV Guide lists Dark Shadows as one of the all-time Top Cult Shows! What’S Mad Monster Expo 2O23 It’s a Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy themed convention that brings the world’s top genre celebrities and vendors together with their fans to trade stories, attend informative panels, buy autographs, and fun merchandise, and visit with old friends – and meet new like-minded monsters. Kathryn Leigh Scott is an author and actress. She played four roles, including Maggie Evans and Josette DuPres, in the original Gothic series, Dark Shadows and House of Dark Shadows (1970). She wrote Dark Shadows: Return to Collinwood and Dark Shadows Movie Book, among other books about the hit series. Her recent feature films include,...

This month has been full of sad reports of celebrity passings… and unfortunately, today is no different. It has been brought to our attention that Lara Parker, best known for starring in the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows and the 1975 horror classic Race with the Devil, has passed away at the age of 84. Her daughter confirmed to Variety that she died in her sleep at her home in the Topanga Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles on October 12th.

If you’re not familiar with Parker’s work on Dark Shadows, Variety has the information: “From 1967 to 1971, the Memphis native starred in Dark Shadows as the central antagonist Angelique Bouchard. Set in the fictional setting of Collinsport, Maine, the series follows the town’s founding family, the Collins family. In the show, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) spurns the besotted Angelique after a brief dalliance with her, unaware that she is a witch.

Lara Parker, who found the role of a lifetime at just 28 years old when she was cast by Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis as the beautiful, vengeful and altogether evil witch Angelique Bouchard Collins, died October 12 in her sleep in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer. She was 84.

Her death was announced by producer Jim Pierson of Dan Curtis Productions, on behalf of Parker’s family.

“I’m heartbroken, as all of us are who knew and loved her,” said her Dark Shadows co-star and longtime friend Kathryn Leigh Scott in a statement. “She graced our lives with her beauty, talent and friendship, and we are all richer for having had her in our lives.”

Parker, who also authored four popular Dark Shadows-related novels from 1998-2016, arrived on the supernatural soap opera in 1967, not long after Canadian actor Jonathan Frid had been cast as vampire Barnabas Collins. Frid...

Lara Parker, known for her role as the witch Angelique in the ABC gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows,” died in her sleep on Oct. 12 at her home in the Topanga Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, her daughter confirmed. She was 84.

From 1967 to 1971, the Memphis native starred in “Dark Shadows” as the central antagonist Angelique Bouchard. Set in the fictional setting of Collinsport, Maine, the series follows the town’s founding family, the Collins family. In the show, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) spurns the besotted Angelique after a brief dalliance with her, unaware that she is a witch.

An angry Angelique vows revenge and curses Barnabas into becoming a vampire, which precipitates a volatile love-hate relationship that lasts over multiple centuries.

Parker’s role as Angelique ended after her character’s death, but she continued appearing in the series in another role as Collins family member Catherine Harridge Collins.

After the end of the daytime serial,...

Lara Parker, who as the vengeful witch Angelique Bouchard spent centuries entangled in a love-hate relationship with Jonathan Frid’s Barnabas Collins on the gothic ABC soap opera Dark Shadows, has died. She was 84.

Parker died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Topanga Canyon in Los Angeles, her daughter, Caitlin, told The Hollywood Reporter.

On the big screen, Parker stood out as a prostitute whose client has a heart attack in John G. Avildsen’s Save the Tiger (1973), starring Jack Lemmon in an Oscar-winning turn, and she played the wife of Peter Fonda‘s character in the satanic horror film Race With the Devil (1975), also featuring Warren Oates and Loretta Swit.

Mere days after arriving in New York in 1967, the green-eyed Parker auditioned for Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis, who cast her as Angelique in a story arc that would detail the origin of the tortured vampire Barnabas.

This episode of the Horror TV Shows We Miss video series was Written and Narrated by Niki Minter, Edited by Adam Walton, Produced by John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

It’s not weird that we do this one first, right? Shhhh. We don’t have to actually tell anyone. One of you is going to give me shit, aren’t you? I think if we did do Dark Shadows Og, we’d have to do a whole Dark Shadows week. If you want that please send your love notes to the higher ups. That’s said, let’s crank the Joy Division and take a step into the trashy romance novels of horror soaps, Dark Shadows Revival 91. Yes, we’re adding the 91.

Dark Shadows was such an enormous thing. Just mentioning it brings certain folks out of the coffin to lend a pointy ear. My voyage with...

Though Dan Curtis’s 1970 film is a low budget affair, it looks like Cleopatra compared to the original Dark Shadows, a beloved but chintzy soap opera that ran on ABC between 1966 and 1971. Jonathan Frid returns as the undead Barnabas Collins, and he takes full advantage of the uncensored big screen—his blood-drenched escapades recall Christopher Lee’s sanguinary adventures in Hammer films.

The post House of Dark Shadows appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

About midway through Sony Pictures and Marvel’s Morbius—a monstrous union of bottom of the barrel intellectual property and fiscal year planning—Jared Leto’s title character is in the belly of the beast. Before this moment, Dr. Michael Morbius (Leto) has traded in his rare blood condition for a case of vampirism, a Faustian bargain that’s led the NYPD to finger him for murders throughout the five boroughs. Whether guilty or not, Michael reaches for Bill Bixby levels of grandeur as he broods and in a hushed whisper warns the coppers, “I’m getting hungry. Believe me, you wouldn’t like me when I’m hungry.”

My good doctor, we don’t like you now! And nothing that occurs before the credits roll changes that.

This might seem harsh for what on the surface is intentionally light entertainment—an attempt to mingle the bloodlines of modern superhero...

Mitchell Ryan, a veteran film and television actor who captivated daytime television fans in his role as Burke Devlin on the groundbreaking daytime soap Dark Shadows, has died. He was 88 years old and no cause of death was given.

His former costar Kathryn Leigh Scott shared the news on Facebook.

“My sweet, beloved friend Mitch died early this morning,” Scott wrote. “He was a great gift in my life. I cherish my warm memories of his beautiful soul. I’m heartbroken.”

Ryan and Scott played love interests Burke Devlin and Maggie Evans on Dark Shadows. That was before the vampire Barnabas Collins (played by Jonathan Frid) made a victim of Maggie. Ryan left the series in 1967 and was replaced by Anthony George in the role.

Born on January 11, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ryan made his acting debut in the play Thunder Road at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. From there, he moved to Broadway,...

Anne Rice and Bram Stoker, what other writers have done more to define vampire mythology and culture? Yes, there were stories before and more to come, but Interview with the Vampire, like Dracula before it, set the template for the classic and modern immortal nocturnal narrative.

Stoker’s Dracula was as much a feral creature as the historical figure from whom Stoker borrowed the name. Rice’s characters came from her imagination and had as much of the human essence in their psyches as the flesh between their fangs. They contemplated existential horrors, averted their eyes when loved ones died, and debated the ethics of nutritional hemoglobin, straight from the tap. They did it unblinkingly, and not only because of post-mortem ocular putrefaction.

Interview with the Vampire was originally a 38-page short story Rice wrote in late 1968 through early 1969. She extended it out of grief in 1972. Her five-year-old daughter, Michelle,...

Robert Rodan, a retired actor who had a memorable role as the Frankenstein's monster-like character Adam on the classic TV series Dark Shadows, has passed away. Per Deadline, news of Rodan's death was announced on the Dark Shadows newsletter Shadowgram, revealing that the actor died on March 25 due to heart failure. He was 83 years old.

"We're sad to share the news that #DarkShadows actor Robert Rodan has died at the age of 83," Dark Shadows News posted on Twitter. "Robert played the Frankenstein-esque Adam during on the show in 1968. Robert passed away in Oregon on March 25 of heart failure. His ashes will be scattered off Catalina Island."

Born Robert Trimas in Newark, New Jersey, Rodan is best known for playing Adam on Dark Shadows in the late 1960s. Boasting superhuman strength and childlike innocence, the character served as the "Frankenstein's monster" of the series, inspired by Mary Shelley's classic horror novel Frankenstein.

Robert Rodan, an actor whose brief career made a lasting impact on young Dark Shadows fans enthralled by his performance as the supernatural soap’s Frankenstein-like character Adam, died March 25 of heart failure in Oregon. He was 83.

His death was announced on the Dark Shadows newsletter Shadowgram.

The imposing Rodan, born Robert Trimas in Newark, New Jersey, was cast in 1968 to play the ABC daytime drama’s latest addition to its stable of monsters. Following the introduction of a vampire, a witch and various ghosts, the Dan Curtis production decided to add a storyline based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

With stitches scarring his face and manacles often on his feet, Rodan’s Adam began as a silent, childlike innocent who turned violent and monstrous after various mistreatments.

Unlike other performers on the series, Rodan did not portray a multitude of characters; when the Adam storyline came to a close within the year, Rodan left the series. He starred in the 1969 grindhouse drama The Minx before pursuing a real estate career in Southern California.

Rodan returned to the Dark Shadows universe in the early 2000s with occasional appearances on a series of audio dramas.

Rodan is survived by daughters Mandi and Laura, son Jordan and granddaughter Brianna.

The actor’s death marks the third Dark Shadows cast member to pass away in recent weeks. Geoffrey Scott, who played the soap’s Sky Rumson, died Feb. 23 from Parkinson’s disease, and Christopher Pennock, who played a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde character on the show, died Feb. 12 following a battle with cancer.

We're sad to share the news that #DarkShadows actor Robert Rodan has died at the age of 83. Robert played the Frankenstein-esque Adam during on the show in 1968. Robert passed away in Oregon on March 25 of heart failure. His ashes will be scattered off Catalina Island. pic.twitter.com/KmdddO0y5i

— Dark Shadows News (@DarkShadowsNews) March 27, 2021...

Malcolm Marmorstein, screenwriter of the 1970s Disney hits Pete’s Dragon and Return from Witch Mountain and a decade earlier was a key element of the Dark Shadows writing staff when ABC’s gothic soap opera famously introduced vampire character Barnabas Collins, died Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 92.

The cause of death was cancer, his stepdaughter Romy Fleming told Deadline.

A New Jersey native, Marmorstein began his career as a stagehand and stage manager on Broadway, working on such iconic productions as A Streetcar Named Desire with Marlon Brando and Damn Yankees with Gwen Verden.

Before moving to Los Angeles in 1967, Marmorstein began writing for the New York-based soap The Doctors, where he was head writer before being hired away by Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis in late 1966. During Marmorstein’s early tenure on what was then a failing Jane Eyre-style melodrama, Curtis and his small writing staff began...

This article contains House of Dark Shadows spoilers.

In 1970 House of Dark Shadows flipped the vampire subgenre on its head. While certainly a B-horror in the Hammer mold, this chiller wasn’t satisfied with one bloodsucker, or even two. Instead Dark Shadows would turn nearly its whole cast into the ravenous undead, indiscriminately slaughtering beloved heroes and heroines, not caring for a second that they were also the stars of a daytime soap opera—one that was appointment TV for millions of kids across America.

Clearly it was a different time. And therein lies its charm.

When the television series Dark Shadows premiered in 1966, it wasn’t an instant pop culture phenomenon. Creator Dan Curtis was savvy enough to see the appeal in a daytime melodrama draped in a Gothic aesthetic, but he didn’t yet have the necessary hook for his central character as she stepped off a train in New England.

John Karlen, the Dark Shadows actor who loosed a 200-year-old vampire from a chained coffin and two decades later won an Emmy Award for playing a detective’s husband on Cagney & Lacey, died yesterday of congestive heart failure in hospice in Burbank, California. He was 86.

Karlen’s death was announced via Twitter on the Dark Shadows News page. The actor had been in declining health for a decade. Last March, the ShadowGram Dark Shadows newsletter posted that Karlen had suffered a stroke.

Kathryn Leigh Scott, the actress-turned-author who played Dark Shadows‘ heroine (and frequent victim) Maggie Evans, has written books about the show and participated in the show’s many annual fan festivals, wrote on her blog, “Memories, memories… this morning I’m awash in memories of darling John Karlen, who left us yesterday. I’m told he passed peacefully, for which I’m grateful, but hardly seems in character for our Johnny.

1970: ABC aired the final episode of The Best of Everything.

1984: All My Children's Tad was celebrated at his bachelor party.

1996: Days of our Lives' Sami and Austin married.

1998: One Life to Live's Bo grieved his son, Drew."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1967: On Dark Shadows, while Willie Loomis remained in a coma, Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall) attempted to hypnotize David Collins (David Henesy) to stop his prying into Barnabas' (Jonathan Frid) affairs.

1970: ABC aired the final episode of The Best of Everything,...

The CW has given a pilot script order to “Dark Shadows: Reincarnation,” a one-hour gothic horror drama based on the original Dark Shadows soap opera by Dan Curtis.

The reimagined show will be a modern-day continuation of the strange, terrifying, and sexy saga of the Collins family of Collinsport, Maine — a mysterious, influential, publicity-shy group hiding a ghastly secret: For the past 400 years, they’ve lived under a curse that bedevils their blueblood with every imaginable supernatural creature and horror.

Warner Bros. Television is the studio, and Mark B. Perry will write and executive produce. Michael Helfant, Bradley Gallo, Tracy Curtis and Cathy Curtis will also executive produce, with Tracy Mercer for Amasia Entertainment.

Reincarnation is a the third TV iteration of Dark Shadows — the original series aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971. Curtis was also behind a 1991 remake of the horror series which was canceled after one season.

The original...

Through its initial airings (from 1966–1971) and reruns of Dark Shadows, generations of horror fans spent afternoons in the formative years at the Collinwood Mansion, where the vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) crossed paths with devious humans and all manner of monsters. Now, The CW and Warner Bros. TV are looking to bring viewers back to the Collinwood Mansion in Dark Shadows: Reincarnation, a potential new sequel series that would continue the story of Dark Shadows in the modern era.

Deadline reports that The CW and Warner Bros. TV are developing Dark Shadows: Reincarnation, with Mark B. Perry writing the pilot episode and executive producing with Amasia Entertainment’s Michael Helfant, Bradley Gallo, and Tracy Mercer, as well as Tracy Curtis and Cathy Curtis—the daughters of Dan Curtis, the creator of the original Dark Shadows series.

According to Deadline, "re-imagined show will be a modern-day continuation of the strange, terrifying,...

Kayti Burt Sep 10, 2019

Dark Shadows: Reincarnation would continue the story of the supernatural Collins family.

Dark Shadows is coming back to TV. According to Deadline, The CW and Warner Bros. are developing a Gothic horror drama called Dark Shadows: Reincarnation based on the TV soap created by Dan Curtis. The series, should it be picked up, would be an hour-long drama.

Dark Shadows: Reincarnation would be a sequel of sorts to the 1966 cult classic that came before, a modern-day continuation that follows the Collins family of Collinsport, Maine who are—yes, reader—in fact a family of supernatural creatures. The most popular of the original show was vampire Barnabas Collins (played by Jonathan Frid), whose appearance 10 months into the airing of the show rocketed the series into popularity. The show also featured ghosts, werewolves, zombies, witches, warlocks, time travel, and your traditional parallel universe. Basically, it was a show that...

A new entry in the world of “Dark Shadows” is in the works at The CW, Variety has confirmed.

Based on the original series created by Dan Curtis, the one-hour drama “Dark Shadows: Reincarnation” is described as a modern-day continuation of the strange, terrifying, and sexy saga of the Collins family of Collinsport, Maine — a mysterious, influential, publicity-shy group hiding a ghastly secret: For the past 400 years, they’ve lived under a curse that bedevils their blueblood with every imaginable supernatural creature and horror.

Mark B. Perry is attached to write and executive produce the project. Tracy and Cathy Curtis will also executive produce along with Michael Helfant, Bradley Gallo, and Tracy Mercer of Amasia Entertainment. Warner Bros. Television will produce.

The original “Dark Shadows” aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971 for over 1,200 episodes. The series featured a wide variety of supernatural storylines and creatures, but is perhaps best remembered for the vampire character Barnabas Collins,...

The CW has given a pilot script order to “Dark Shadows: Reincarnation,” a one-hour gothic horror drama based on the original “Dark Shadows” series by Dan Curtis, TheWrap has learned.

Warner Bros. Television is the studio, and Mark B. Perry will write and executive produce.

The reimagined show will be a modern-day continuation of the strange, terrifying, and sexy saga of the Collins family of Collinsport, Maine — a mysterious, influential, publicity-shy group hiding a ghastly secret: For the past 400 years, they’ve lived under a curse that bedevils their blueblood with every imaginable supernatural creature and horror.

Also Read: CW Superhero Shows 'The Flash,' 'Arrow' and 'Supergirl' to Get Audio Series

Michael Helfant, Bradley Gallo, Tracy Curtis and Cathy Curtis will also executive produce, with Tracy Mercer for Amasia Entertainment.

“Reincarnation” is a fitting name for the project, as this is a the third...

Exclusive: The CW and Warner Bros Television have made a deal to develop Dark Shadows: Reincarnation, an hourlong gothic horror drama based on the 1966 Dan Curtis-created cult classic TV soap opera. The pilot will be written by Mark B. Perry, whose credits include Revenge, Ghost Whisperer and Brothers & Sisters. He will be exec producer along with Amasia Entertainment’s Michael Helfant, Bradley Gallo and Tracy Mercer, along with Tracy Curtis and Cathy Curtis.

The re-imagined show will be a modern-day continuation of the strange, terrifying, and sexy saga of the Collins family of Collinsport, Maine — a mysterious, influential, publicity-shy group hiding a ghastly secret: For the past 400 years, they’ve lived under a curse that bedevils their blue blood with every imaginable supernatural creature and horror. The intention here is to harken back to the original, which was so popular it actually saw Shakespearean actor Jonathan Frid become as...

1968: The Doctors' Mike returned home.

1991: Wayne Northrop returned to Days of our Lives as Roman.

2004: General Hospital debuted a new opening.

2010: Atwt's Bob revealed Nancy Hughes had passed away."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On The Doctors, Mike Powers (Peter Burnell in his debut) returned home, much to the delight of his father, Dr. Matt Powers (James Pritchett).

1968: On Dark Shadows, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) and Willie Loomis (John Karlen) went to the crypt where Tom Jennings (Donald Briscoe) kept his coffin,...

1986: Another World's "Marissa" made her way to Bay City.

1991: Santa Barbara's Dash and Katrina grew closer.

1998: All My Children's Junior was locked in a cage.

2009: One Life to Live's Fish didn't remember his night with Stacy."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1967: On Another World, Liz (Audra Lindley) was happy to hear that Bill (Joseph Gallison) suspected Madge of Danny's murder.

1967: Australian Broadcasting Corporation soap Bellbird premiered. It remained on the air until December 1977.

1968: On Dark Shadows, Julia (Grayson Hall) protected...

1977: Leslie Charleson assumed the role of Monica on Gh.

1992: Elizabeth Keifer debuted as Blake on Guiding Light.

2007: The 10,000th episode of One Life to Live aired on ABC.

2007: As the World Turns' Luke and Noah shared an historic kiss."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1933: On radio soap opera Ma Perkins, Ma (Virginia Payne) has found out about Cousin Sylvester's marriage proposal to Penny, and she wondered what kind of men the cousins were.

1967: On Dark Shadows, Julia (Grayson Hall) warned Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) not to become too chummy with Barnabas (Jonathan Frid).

1967: On Another World,...

1945: As word spread about the end of World War II, listeners were glued to the radio for updates."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1945: President Harry S. Truman announced that Japan had surrendered to the Allies (World War II). Thousands thronged into the streets throughout the United States to celebrate V-j Day. The official ratification of the surrender didn’t take place until September 2, in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri.

1945: On Pepper Young's Family, Harry, Betty, Pepper (Mason Adams) and Mrs. Green discussed Harry and Betty's upcoming marriage.

1982: Days of our Lives' Jessica and Joshua were married.

1984: A Martinez debuted as Cruz on Santa Barbara.

1993: Maurice Benard debuted as Sonny on General Hospital.

2001: Bold and the Beautiful's Tony told Kristen he was HIV+."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, Adam (Robert Rodan) vowed to kill Victoria, the woman Barnabas loved, unless Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) made someone for him to love.

1980: On The Edge of Night, April (Terry Davis) confronted Emily (Margo McKenna) with the fact that "Kirk Michaels" was dead.

1986: Another World's Zane Lindquist died after being shot.

1998: Guiding Light's Dolly the clone after taking an aging formula.

1999: Sunset Beach's Ricardo vowed to get revenge.

2010: General Hospital's Brenda returned."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1967: ABC broadcast Dark Shadows in black and while for the final time. The episode was actually the first one taped in color but ABC aired it in black and white (a Friday episode). Having fainted at the sight of Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) began...

1979: The Edge of Night's Steve saved Paige's life.

1981: General Hospital's Mikkos hosted a dinner party.

1984: Santa Barbara's Joe broke into the Capwell estate.

2004: Martha Madison debuted as Belle on Days of our Lives."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1945: On radio soap opera Portia Faces Life, Kathie was shocked to see Portia's late husband, Walter (Bartlett Robinson), alive and well!

1967: On Dark Shadows, Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) returned to the Blue Whale Café -- and ran into her former tormentor, Barnabas Collins...

Sy Tomashoff, the seven-time Daytime Emmy winner who created the gothic atmosphere for the ABC soap opera Dark Shadows and spent 13 years on CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful, died Sunday at his Los Feliz home in Los Angeles. He was 96.

Seymour Tomashoff was born on September 11, 1922, in New York City. He attended Curtis High School on Staten Island and New York's City College before being sent to the Engineering Officer Training Program at Carnegie Tech at the outset of World War II.

He eventually served as a rifleman under General George S. Patton and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and a Bronze Star for valor.

Back home, Tomashoff received a bachelor's degree in architecture from Carnegie Tech in 1950, then landed a job as a scenic artist at ABC Studios in New York. In the '50s and '60s, he worked as an art director on such...

Sy Tomashoff, the seven-time Daytime Emmy winner who created the creepy atmosphere for the ABC soap opera Dark Shadows and spent 13 years on CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful, has died. He was 96.

Tomashoff died Sunday at his Los Feliz home in Los Angeles, his daughter Ivy told The Hollywood Reporter.

Tomashoff joined series creator Dan Curtis at the beginning of Dark Shadows, which aired from June 1966 through April 1971. The daytime drama starred Jonathan Frid as vampire Barnabas Collins and — though filmed in a tiny New York studio — was set in a brooding mansion in the ...

On the same day (and time slot), Guiding Light's Reva Shayne declared herself "The Slut of Springfield" and Santa Barbara premiered."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: NBC Radio aired the final episode of Hilltop House. The show had run on and off since November 1, 1937.

1968: On Dark Shadows, after trying and failing to kill Barnabas (Jonathan Frid), Cassandra (Lara Parker) continued to age rapidly, thanks to Nicholas.

1973: On The Doctors, Dr. Mike Powers (Peter Burnell) assured Penny Davis (Julia Duffy) that she did not cause any of his troubles.

1967: Dark Shadows' Maggie remained frustrated locked in a cell.

1983: General Hospital faced a hostage crisis.

1993: As the World Turns' Hal and Barbara were remarried.

1996: All My Children's Hayley and Brian wanted to relive their prom."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1967: On Dark Shadows, locked in a cell in the Old House basement, Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) opened the music box when she heard Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) coming, pretending that she had been listening to it. He didn't believe her and...

1974: The first Daytime Emmys ceremony was held in New York.

1980: All My Children's Benny tried to get Estelle help.

1990: General Hospital's Shep Casey looked familiar to Anna.

2013: The Young and the Restless aired a special Jeanne Cooper tribute episode."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On The Doctors, Liz (Pamela Toll) reassured Penny (Jami Fields) when they talked about feeling different.

1970: On Dark Shadows, Maggie Collins was trying to preserve her marriage to Quentin (David Selby) unaware his first wife, Angelique, had...

1967: Dark Shadows' Maggie struggled to retain her identity.

1981: Another World's Cecile told Rachel that Mac had a son.

2004: Days of our Lives' Alice was very much alive.

2005: The truth about One Life to Live's Daniel was exposed."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1964: On Another World, Mary (Virginia Dwyer) pleaded with Pat (Susan Trustman) to get a chaperone for her weekend with Tom.

1967: On Dark Shadows, Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) accused Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott), dressed in Josette's wedding dress,...

1967: Dark Shadows' Barnabas gave Maggie a music box.

1984: Guiding Light's Nola wanted help from The Wizard.

1985: Santa Barbara's Eden was unhappy after her interrupted wedding.

1996: Victor clashed with Jill in a primetime Y&R episode."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1952: On Young Widder Brown, after leaving the Tea Room in a black rage, Dr. Anthony Loring drove out to the farm of Uncle Josh for some comforting advice.

1953: On Love of Life, Vanessa Dale (Peggy McCay) attempted to help her nephew,...

1979: Ryan's Hope's Maeve reminisced.

1984: Guiding Light's Mindy was rushed to the hospital.

1989: The original Dynasty ended its run.

1990: Dallas' J.R. was double-crossed by James."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1964: On Another World, Jim (Leon Janney) questioned Pat (Susan Trustman) about her date with Tom Baxter (Nicholas Pryor).

1970: On Dark Shadows, William Loomis (John Karlen) continued to interview Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) for his book.

1972: NBC aired the 2,000th episode of Another World.

1976: The 3rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were...

1967: Dark Shadows' Barnabas bared his fangs (upside down).

1981: The art auction began on General Hospital.

1987: Days of our Lives' Harper arrived in Salem.

2008: Noelle Beck debuted as the new Lily on As the World Turns."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1959: CBS aired the 2,000th episode of Search for Tomorrow. The network released a celebratory photo with the following caption: "Mary Stuart, who for nearly eight years has played the stellar role of Joanne Tate on the program, shows off a...

1984: Days of our Lives' Alex didn't believe Stefano was dead.

1985: Santa Barbara's Eden left a trail of notes for Cruz.

1997: As the World Turns' David met James Stenbeck.

2001: Tamara Braun debuted as Carly on General Hospital."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1949: A Woman to Remember debuted in the 7:30-7:45 p.m. timeslot on the DuMont Television Network. The show was an early attempt to bring soap opera to early evening television. The leading character, Christine Baker (Patricia Wheel), was...

1968: Dark Shadows' Angelique appeared to Barnabas in a dream.

1986: Santa Barbara's Pearl remembered his name under hypnosis.

2002: Passions' Sheridan came face to face with Luis.

2008: As the World Turns' Luke and Noah shared a kiss."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, Angelique Bouchard Collins (Lara Parker) appeared to Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) in a dream and told him that he could not escape her or her revenge. She warned him to beware of dreams, as that is the way...

1961: Atwt's Penny wasn't sure about Ellen's custody case.

1967: Dark Shadows' Barnabas met Roger and Carolyn.

1978: Faith and Tom were married on Ryan's Hope.

1983: All My Children's Angie and Jesse enjoyed married life."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1961: On As the World Turns, Penny (Rosemary Prinz) told Ellen (Patricia Bruder) the Bakers had extended the lease of the house she and Jeff lived in. Penny question whether Ellen should continue her custody battle, especially after Mitchell Dru told her she didn't have a case.

1983: All My Children's Verla Grubbs told Phoebe about her father.

1985: Todd arrived in Salem. on Days of our Lives.

1990: Bo Brady returned to Days of our Lives.

1991: Another World's Kathleen unintentionally interrupted

Cass & Frankie's wedding."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1966: On Peyton Place, Ann Howard (Susan Oliver) hired Steven Cord (James Douglas) to investigate Chris's fall from the bluff years earlier, convinced she had nothing to do with it.

1967: On Dark Shadows, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) spoke to the portrait of Josette,...

1961: As the World Turns Lisa clashed with Ellen.

1967: Jonathan Frid debuted as Barnabas Collins on Dark Shadows.

1990: General Hospital's Robin tried to save Casey.

1991: Another World's Jake wanted another chance with Marley."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1961: On As the World Turns, Lisa Hughes (Eileen Fulton) told her in-laws, Chris (Don MacLaughlin) and Nancy (Helen Wagner), she was convinced they were having a boy. Lisa told Chris she would love to name the baby after him. Later, Lisa complained to Penny (Rosemary Prinz...

Tony Sokol Apr 17, 2019

A new Dark Shadows documentary remembers the vampire. An occult icon talks about Angelique, the witch who turned Barnabas into one.

The recently released documentary Master of Dark Shadows is a loving look at the iconic '60s TV series Dark Shadows, a Dan Curtis production, as every episode reminded us at the end. The film centers on the creator and the star of the show, Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid. The spooky soap opera centered on a reluctant vampire, in love and remorseful, and a powerful witch, in love and vindictive. But the documentary downplays the importance and magnetism of the witch Angélique, played by Lara Parker, whose love for Barnabas fueled the show. It's her curse which turned him into a vampire in the first place. Parker’s Angélique is one of the most recognizable witches from the television age, up there with Elizabeth Montgomery's Samantha on Bewitched.

Documentary Master of Dark Shadows lovingly tells how Dan Curtis's cult hit changed TV horror.

Culture

Dark Shadows was an original. The first of its kind, there was nothing on TV like it when it first aired, and nothing on TV like it for a long time after the final stake pierced its ABC network heart. This is because the man at its center, Dan Curtis, was a madman, in the best possible way. Called the “King of TV Horror,” he also made Trilogy of Terror, Burnt Offerings, television adaptations of Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula, as well as the series Kolchack: The Night Stalker. Curtis defined TV horror for a generation.

Narrated by Ian McShane (Deadwood), the new documentary Master of Dark Shadows is more a tribute to the man who went on to make his mark with the ultra-expensive but super-successful Winds of War than the series itself.

1967: Barnabas Collins first appeared on Dark Shadows.

1978: Ryan's Hope's Pat was furious with Delia.

1985: Guiding Light's Beth and Lujack made love.

2009: One Life to Live's Talia was murdered."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1942: The final episode of Frank and Anne Hummert's Orphans of Divorce aired on the Blue Network.

1967: On Dark Shadows, Jason confronted Willie (John Karlen) about his suspicious interest in the Collins family history. Victoria told Elizabeth that she was uncomfortable having Willie at Collinwood. Elizabeth agreed, and...

April 16th’s home media releases feature a small but eclectic array of titles, including Glass, the latest from M. Night Shyamalan, Replicas featuring Keanu Reeves, the Master of Dark Shadows documentary, and a trio of genre classics from Scream Factory: The Manitou, Grave of the Vampire, and Superstition. Other titles headed to Blu-ray and DVD this week include Cynthia and Close Calls.

Glass

Night Shyamalan brings together two of his standout original films—Unbreakable and Split— in this explosive comic book thriller. Elijah Price, also known as Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson), finds David Dunn (Bruce Willis) pursuing Kevin Wendell Crumb's superhuman figure, The Beast (James McAvoy), in a series of escalating encounters. Price, armed with secrets critical to both men, emerges as a shadowy orchestrator.

Alternate Opening Deleted Scenes The Collection of Main Characters A Conversation with James McAvoy and M. Night Shyamalan Bringing the Team Back Together David Dunn vs.

1976: Mary made her Channel R News debut on Ryan's Hope.

1981: Another World's Mac was furious with Rachel.

1993: Bryan Dattilo debuted as Lucas on Days of our Lives.

2009: As the World Turns' Noah was kidnapped."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1966: On Another World, Katherine Corning (Ann Sheridan) left for San Francisco where she planned on packing up and moving back to Bay City to be near her daughter, Missy Palmer (Carol Roux). Actress Ann Sheridan died after a battle with cancer nine months...