Dark Shadows: The Beginning (1 Viewer)

[Mark Collins]

Scott remember you let this Genie out of the bottle.

The kinescoped episode's 351 which MPI got right for DVD the VHS lost dialog. So many in 1967 to name them all. Some in 1795 flash back. The last working back Parallel Time 1006 and maybe 1009.1897 Trask and Pansy in front of mirror I think was 822. 797 1897 and 683 1969. 1968 509 and maybe more. I have a record of pre empt's from my reel to reel tape recorder which I used as a kid starting in 1795 flashback.

I only have certain episodes and they are great time capsules during the credit audio. I have the great in"Yesterdays Episode" over the Dark Shadows waves. Summary of ep 671 and ep 756 which was Laura Collins 1897. I have not listened to these tapes in years. They lay buried in my basement forever. I watched the show starting with ep 1 in 1966.I turned it off and returned a few episodes before David locked Vicky in the West Wing.

I was hooked on every ep from then on. The show ran a delayed broadcast at 4:30 CST and so I did homework in front of the tube. I was very very lucky I was able to pull in the Chicago feed and our local station which was a delay of one week. So I watched the episodes twice.

I was pulled from school from poor health for the rest of term in 1967. The writers strike hit all daytime soaps were running old game shows. DS was the only one on the air. I think it really helped the show. ABC moved it to 2:30CST where we know it stayed until summer 68. The local began to air it in it's time slot. Laura's storyline wrapped up before the time slot move. I was able to watch all the build up for Barnabas. I can remember ABC running promos for the show. The one I remember most was "Barnabas Collins throws a party" do not miss it.

I even wrote the show and will share the response letter.

3/5/68 The time DS is shown may have changed in your area if so it is due to network rescheduling beyond our control. In order to receive information or pictures of cast members please write to the individual actor in care of the above address. There are three paperback books now in print about DS all by Marilyn Ross, Victoria Winters, Strangers at Collins House, and Dark Shadows. To receive these books write to the following address. Thankyou for your interest Sincerely Judy Seamans Show Secretary Dan Curtis Productions inc.

The 1897 build up to Laura had me really going. I knew she was coming back. The Cottage had returned and I just had the feeling. She came back on the last day of spring break. I said I was sick the following Monday. No matter how fast I ran I would miss the show. But never fear I picked up another feed. This station aired it at 3:30CST with a 1 show delay. So I was able to pick up 2 different eps. How cool was that. My health improved when the show ended.

I heard Diana Millay was to return to the show in 1971 present time if the show had gone on. I enjoyed her role in Night of DS which I read Virginia Vestoff did not want.

Well back inside my bottle. Please do not worry I will not plague you guys anymore. I give my word. I will just sit back and enjoy reading all those great fresh comments.

PS in 4th grade maybe I read this book and bought a copy some years ago. Here it is.

David and the Phoenix by Edward Ormondroyd

 

[GeorgeJA]

Ok - now waiting for the next disk:

I have to admit this story is keeping me guessing... I thought Laura Collins was orchestrating this whole bit with the painting, but she is not at all pleased when Vicky brought it home and gave it to David, and she wanted to take it away from him. She seems like a very nice person who loves her son, but yet, there is the whole mystery with the fire at her apartment and now the duplicate locket.

 

[Ockeghem]

Mark,

Thanks for joining this thread. Some of what you've written above has recalled a few cherished memories of my own. I used to come home after school and watch it twice -- once from 3:30 to 4:00, and then from 4:00 to 4:30. The first half hour of the current day was the same episode as the second half hour from the previous day. So, if I missed a day, then I'd have two episodes to look forward to the next day. Mostly, I would just watch the repeated episode and then a new once each day.

Thanks for sharing your letter, and the kinescope information. I have thought of purchasing a few of the kinescopes that are for sale via the Darkshadowsfestival site. I may still do this one day, since I love them so much, and because I tend to be a collector.

George,

The locket is a very nice touch. But the mystery of who died in the fire (and why) is also quite intriguing. Enjoy!

 

[Mark Collins]

Thankyou Scott !! I really will retire though. I just do not want to not stifle anyone. I just wanted to thankyou for your welcome. The book I mentioned I really did read it in the 3rd or 4th grade. I bought the book as an adult. I thought I had an edge because of it. The cottage went away in 1967 not to resurface as you know until 1969. The drawing room secret entry only used by Roger once in 1966 came back in late 1968. The secret room in the Old House used in 1966 returned in spring 1968 and was not used again until 1897 maybe here I could be wrong. There is a great interview by Diana Millay on VHS 26 ???? I also had problems with my DVD on the April 27 ep. Barnabas summons Laura. I have never been to the conventions but have always wanted to go. Vacation never allows for it.

Well everyone enjoy this great storyline!!! I roll mine out every year on Thanksgiving Eve. They just ended last weekend. Then I pick up 1897 with Laura's short return right before Easter weekend. The episode's seemed to be filmed in blocks for 1897.

Sorry for breaking my word. I shall retire now looking forward to great reading.

 

[Ockeghem]

Marc,

Now I'm curious. I need to find out if that interview of Diana Millay is different from her interview on Dark Shadows: The Beginning (DVD Collection 4). I just listened to that one last week. And I own VHS copy 26 (red series), so I will check tonight.

I remember seeing that secret passage that Roger used early in the series. I believe he used it when he went searching for Victoria, who had been locked in the East Wing by David. I didn't remember that it was used in 1968. Great stuff!

 

[Mark Collins]

Scott only for you Pal would I do this. My Easter Vacation has begun it is 83 unheard of for Chicago and I had a rotten day. April Fools joke played on me which worked. My mail had charges from my Ex Doctor for services never performed. Computer error was the response not even an I am sorry and barely civil. Tree trimmer pounding on my door upsetting my 110 pound Lab. He deals in prices like a used car sales men. I told him about as civil as the Doctors office was with me to get lost. The limbs from the ice storm look like heck I don't care. Scott this is what you get when you get me. Tons of useless info of useless baggage or garbage.

Ok I ventured into my basement which resembles the Old House basement. I found the tape. Here goes vhs collectors series 25 has a different interview with Diana. There is also a very nice interview with her and Louis Edmonds on DVD 26 DS 25th Celebration. The Collectors Series has every 5th tape a fresh interview with the prime actors of the series. 1 thru 54. 54 has 3 complete bonus episodes 1st 1968 2nd 1897 3rd 1969. Complete with comercials.

Get this I had a deal with an MPI distributer. When the VHS copies came out and the Matt Morgan story ramped up. I received the tapes in the mail before they even reached the stores. Discount rates too. They are out of business now so what the heck for telling.

I grew up without a Dad and gave Barnabas that title. I carried his picture to school every day. I thought I guess he would ward off the bullies. How screwed up is that!!!!! The picture was from a newspaper article. I collected all the Press on the show and the dumb mags. I still have it all.

See what I mean about me stifling people. The secret passage was used by David and Amy December 1968. Ben showed Vicky the secret room at the old house in 1795 a few weeks before the story line ended. You will just love the lines Louis gets during this whole Laura story. There is one he says to Diana and she is laughing before he states it to her.

The whole David Burke father thing. Laura goes into again with another actor. The line she states can be taken two ways. I perfer to think he is Collins. Alexandra and Nancy can barely hold back laughter in scenes with Louis. Fun to watch. Vicky talking to Roger about what Liz should know about what happened in the Collinwood fire place is classic.

There is also a nice laid back scene in the cottage which suggest Roger and Laura are quite cozy. There is the suggestion Laura has or has not during her return been with Burke.

Have a great Easter my Friend.

 

[Ockeghem]

Marc,

Thanks for sharing those memories.

I own the 54 volume (blue and black) VHS Collector's Series as well as the 200 volume (red and black) Original Series on VHS. I love them, and I still watch them every week or so. Those interviews are wonderful. You're right -- there are times when Vicky and Carolyn (or rather, Alexandra and Nancy) cannot keep a straight face when they are in scenes with Roger (Louis Edmonds). You must have heard the one where Louis thought his scenes were over for the day, and then he had to be called back for one more -- and as a result of the rush, there he was, reciting dialogue as he was standing there in his underwear. From what I understand they filmed him in that scene from the waist up--LOL.

You must have a nice basement if it resembles the Old House. I wish I could have visited the Pratt House (Tarrytown, N.Y.) before it burned down in 1969.

 

[Ockeghem]

We watched episodes #147-#152 today and tonight. The arc is really very interesting at this point. There was one kinescoped episode in the bunch, and it (thankfully) occurred for one of the most thrilling of the episodes.
This was the one when Josette appears, finishes the painting (she adds David to it), and then disappears. What was particularly chilling about the episode was that this scene also had what I refer to as 'level 3' ghost music (used often for Angelique vodoo segments) as well as 'level 2' ghost music (used when Josette is dancing outside of the Old House in episode #70). This scene had both bits, and it was wonderful to hear them juxtaposed as they were, and in a kinescope to boot. Great episode, great writing, and great music.
The episode also had the wonderfully gruesome shrieking that is heard as the painting is being burned in the fire. The scream was -- unnatural, and as a result, very effective. One of the episodes (I believe it was #151) had a snippet of a kinescope. It was spliced in during the segment when Carolyn is in David's bedroom, talking to him about Laura and discovering that instead of studying, he has been playing with his army toys.

 

[Ockeghem]

At 10:30 last night, fresh off of watching episodes of Knight Rider (the new series) and All In the Family, my oldest girl walks into the room with a bag of candy and asks to watch some Dark Shadows. I resisted the candy, but not the show.

We watched episodes nos. 153-154 last night. Grave yards, a haunted-looking house, and jasmine all figured nicely into this segment focusing on Frank Garner, Victoria Winters, and Elizabeth Hanscomb.

I really love the Blue Whale segments. The atmosphere is wonderful when they use those sets.

Side note: I also watched Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed with the children last night. It got me to thinking about the original animated Scooby Doo - Where Are You! (ca. 1969), and whether the name 'Daphne' in that series predated the one used for Dark Shadows (Daphne Harridge = Kate Jackson). I think it did, but I don't know for certain.

 

[Ockeghem]

We watched episodes 155-156 tonight. Elizabeth is now under the spell of Laura, and she's bedridden for a while. Every now and then she recalls certain things that happened when she was at Laura's cottage, but not enough to break her from what she is experiencing.

I heard something interesting for the first time tonight. In episode #156, during the segment where Joe is at the Blue Whale and Carolyn walks in, I heard arrangements of two (2!) tunes by the Beatles in the background. I never picked up on this before. The tunes are Yesterday and Michelle, and the instrumentation is (I believe) alto sax. It was very subdued, so I really couldn't hear the instrumentation very well. But the tunes were unmistakable.

 

[GeorgeJA]

I'm caught up to episode 156 now....

Now, DS has begun to resemble the show I know and love:

Laura has shown her wicked side after seeming like a fairly nice but troubled woman. The issue with the painting is finally revealed (although the DVD label had the full portrait, so that part was not a shock to me). The crypt and caretaker are nice and eerie, and for the first time in the series, we have someone (Liz) under a spell. I can't help wonder what people who were watching this back in the day were thinking about these events - for us, it is typical DS - but this must have blown viewers minds at the time.

Other observations:

I also picked up on the Beatles songs at the Blue Whale: I guess licensing their music was a LOT cheaper back then!

I like Frank Garner but I have a feeling his fate is not going to be very good (given that AFAIK, he doesn't turn up in the Barnabas era).

The Burke Devlin manslaughter case is now in the back burner but is still an issue. I hope we do find out what really happened.

They needed Josette's help badly during later events in the show (like Quentin haunting Collinwood), but I guess once Angelique returned, she took off . I can't blame her.

 

[Ockeghem]

Originally Posted by GeorgeJA ">[/url]

I'm caught up to episode 156 now....

Now, DS has begun to resemble the show I know and love:

Laura has shown her wicked side after seeming like a fairly nice but troubled woman. The issue with the painting is finally revealed (although the DVD label had the full portrait, so that part was not a shock to me). The crypt and caretaker are nice and eerie, and for the first time in the series, we have someone (Liz) under a spell. I can't help wonder what people who were watching this back in the day were thinking about these events - for us, it is typical DS - but this must have blown viewers minds at the time.

Other observations:

I also picked up on the Beatles songs at the Blue Whale: I guess licensing their music was a LOT cheaper back then!

I like Frank Garner but I have a feeling his fate is not going to be very good (given that AFAIK, he doesn't turn up in the Barnabas era).

The Burke Devlin manslaughter case is now in the back burner but is still an issue. I hope we do find out what really happened.

They needed Josette's help badly during later events in the show (like Quentin haunting Collinwood), but I guess once Angelique returned, she took off

 

[GeorgeJA]

Scott,

I've also heard this about DS being a typical soap opera until Barnabas arrived, but some of interviews on this very series seem to indicate that while the original plan was to be a gothic soap opera with a hint of supernatural, Josette's first appearance made somewhat of a sensation, so they added more supernatural aspects to the mix. In any event, it is hard to imagine anyone thinking the Laura story is typical soap opera fare.

I actually remember Anthony George better as Burke Devlin (and later Jeremiah Collins). That said, I think I prefer Mitchell Ryan. I wonder if he would have played Jeremiah had he stayed on the show.

 

[Ockeghem]

George,

The supernatural element sure is interesting, isn't it? And having it occur in b&w really makes it work wonderfully.

I will most likely watch a few more episodes this weekend. The weekends are a time that my eldest daughter gets to stay up a tad later than usual.

 

[Ockeghem]

George,

We watched three more episodes tonight (nos. 157-159). I'll wait until you've seen them to discuss at length. But the episodes were wonderful, and were filled with some top-notch supernatural goings on as well as some ghost music that would send chills up one's spine. And in two scenes in particular, Carolyn seems to have matured (that is to say, she has aged about 5-10 years intellectually) given what has transpired. More later.

 

[GeorgeJA]

Scott,

You make a good point about Carolyn maturing, and the way it was handled was well done. First, she finally figures out Burke Devlin was using her. Second, she finds out she can't go back to good ol', dependable Joe Haskell, and finally, there is the "illness" of her mother - the one person who holds the family together, so she's had some major wake up calls, and her maturing does not seem out of character.

Actually, Devlin's charm has made a fool of two women: obviously, one is Carolyn. It's one thing for her to give him the benefit of the doubt early on. (After all, he had nothing to do with Roger's accident). But once he declared war on the Collins family, how could she have thought there was a future between them?

But Laura also made a big mistake in associating with Devlin: by doing so, she made an enemy out of both Carolyn and Liz, and he really doesn't help her at the moment. If she really wanted to hook up with him (and I don't think she does), she could have waited until after she got custody of David.

I finished the disc, which ends with episode 161: we get to meet Dr. Guthrie, who seems like a Dr. Hoffman / Professor Stokes prototype.

 

[Ockeghem]

George,

The part I really liked about Carolyn's maturation was how she asked Roger a couple of pointed questions (episode #158, I believe). Even Roger seemed a bit surprised. But more than that, I loved how she stood up to Laura. It was quite appropriate I thought too, since her mother was being asked to move to Boston, and the possibility loomed that David would be taken away from the Great House soon.

I liked it later in the series too when Carolyn is in charge of the Great House. She plays this giggly teen early on, but when the chips are down and her family is threatened (and when she isn't thinking about Burke), she can be quite formidable.

I will be finishing up that disc as well tonight.

 

[Brent S]

Considering this discussion is about Diana Millay ('Laura Collins')...

The Warner Archive has just added the five 1960s "Tarzan" features, including TARZAN AND THE GREAT RIVER (1967), starring Mike Henry, Diana Millay and Jan Murray. Diana filmed this on location in Brazil in 1966, just before going to New York and joining DARK SHADOWS.

 

[Mark Collins]

Please forgive the intrusion on such a great thread!!! I just wanted to share Diana Millay TV episode's she is in. The episode's which are out on DVD. Perry Mason 1961 V1 S4. 2 others she appeared in "Unwelcome Bride" V2S4 not out yet. Bouncing Boomerang 1963. Route 66 1961 Bird Cage. Rawhide 2 eps from 1962 and 63. The Man From Uncle 1964. The ep's of Rawhide and Uncle could be out on DVD. The people who have Starz Diana was in the second season of The Virginian in the "Rope of Lies" 3/25/64. I saw the ep some year's back and she is great!!!

John Lasell was in a 1964 Peyton Place Ep and a 1967 Invader's episode. He was even in one Dallas episode from 1984.

Sorry again guys and keep up the great writing!!! Some how two these are here and I cannot clear it. I keep trying this is never happen to me. Sorry to all.

 

[Mark Collins]

The darn thing worked this time. I went to Newport in 1987. Collinwood just blew my mind. I had trouble finding it too. Please go DS fans you will not be sorry. Scott I think you said you were going this summer. I hope you do. You must let us know how it looks. The house in some area's was in pretty bad shape. To stand and look up at that tower well I cannot describe how I felt.

The head of our company owed me a big big favor. Let us just say I can see Collinwood every day of my life. The favor was repaid to me big time!!!