waltt@tekecs.UUCP (Walt Tucker) (08/24/83)
In a previous article, I mentioned "Dark Shadows" in my header, but
forgot about it in my article (no detailed info on this since my book
just covers prime-time stuff, so I'll have to go from memory). Anyway....
Dark Shadows was an afternoon soap opera with a twist: the main
character was a vampire named Barnabas Collins (played by Jonathan Frid
[what ever happened to him?]). I think the show came on about 3:30
to 4:00 in the afternoon, just in time to watch when we got home from
school. I remember the series in 1966-67 (in black and white), and
then going to color in the 1967-68 season. It could have started a
year earlier and gone on a year longer, but those are the two years
I remember.
The show took place in modern times in the U.S. in the town of Collinsport
(you guessed it, named after Barnabas' family, who had been in the area
for a few hundred years). The main plot involved interaction with
the towns people about the strange goings-on in the Collins Mansion.
In a later season, Barnabas left the show for a while and the setting
was moved back to the Collins house in the 1700's. Barnabas later
came back to series, though, and was convienently written back in.
I also remember that the local hangout in the modern town was a tavern
called the "Blue Whale". As a matter-of-fact, an instrumental song was
released on 45 from the series called "Theme from the Blue Whale" that
became a minor hit.
Anyone else remember any other details?
The show is on late night television (1 AM) in the Portland, OR area,
where I have caught it a couple of times (helped to jog my memory).
-- Walt Tucker
Tektronix @ Wilsonville, ORoz@rlgvax.UUCP (THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ) (08/26/83)
Guest star time folks! I don't remember many details, but someone else here does, if it is inaccurate, send your flames towards Buffalo where they can be used as one of the ingredients for Buffalo style chicken wings! Barnabus had a cousin named Angela (who was also a vampire). There was a minor subplot where a guest turned into a werewolf (named Joe?). There were some un-dead people (no the idea did not originate with ABI, sorry ATTIS) More on this story as it develops, The dictated to, OZ seismo!rlgvax!oz