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Author Topic: Roger - a neglected gem  (Read 3370 times)

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IluvBarnabas

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Roger - a neglected gem
« on: April 22, 2008, 08:54:48 PM »
Watching the first year of Dark Shadows, I've really grown to appreciate Louis Edmonds as Roger a whole lost more. It's such a shame he was so neglected later on. He was so dang funny. He still had his moments after Barnabas' arrival.

[spoiler]The episode where he and Joe are searching for David in the cemetary...he was so dang hilarious all throughout that episode.

"Of course he heard something....he heard the pearl-shaped tone of a spook saying 'boo'!"

"Let's pursue this folly to it's natural end!"

"Maybe one of my ancestors was kicking up a fuss!"

"I was hoping we'd hear a nice ghost!"[/spoiler]

And of course the famous incestors/ancestors flub....but Louis bounced back beautifully.


Watching Roger's earlier attitude toward David in the beginning is still jarring, but absolutely fascinating to watch. It's nice to have watched their relationship progress as the show went along.

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IluvBarnabas

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2008, 03:43:52 AM »
No one has an opinion on this?
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Offline Mysterious Benefactor

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2008, 04:08:26 AM »
I love Roger. I've said so many times. Which is why I'd been holding off saying anything here in this topic. I suppose at first I was waiting to see what others had to say, but eventually I simply forgot about the topic. Sorry.  :-[  But I'll definitely shout it loud for everyone:

I LOVE ROGER! EVERY SARCASTICALLY WITTY FIBER OF HIS BEING!!

It's definitely a shame that he wasn't used to great advantage as often as he might have been in the latter present time DS storylines.
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Offline Nancy

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2008, 05:16:34 AM »
I loved the character of Roger as well.   However, my favorite Louis Edmonds role remains to be Joshua.

Nancy [ghost_rolleyes]
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Offline Patti Feinberg

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2008, 05:56:16 PM »
Having 'known' Louis Edmonds from AMC, then when I got to see DS (1999-2003?), at first, I didn't know how I felt about him.

But as time went by, delicious!!! Anything with LE & DH is a treat to watch; I also enjoy his work with Nancy Barrett.

I wonder how it was for a relative newbie like Louis Edmonds working with Joan Bennett....?

I enjoy the 1969-1970 work on DS by big Lou....

Patti
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Offline arashi

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2008, 06:50:08 PM »
Are there people out there that actually don't like Roger? There must be, but I imagine they are in a very small minority.
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Offline sallycollins

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2008, 06:52:56 PM »
I've heard that Louis Edmonds was very much like the character of Roger Collins, in his manner.

Sally
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IluvBarnabas

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2008, 07:02:48 PM »
Quote from: arashi on April 28, 2008, 06:50:08 PM
Are there people out there that actually don't like Roger? There must be, but I imagine they are in a very small minority.

I haven't met a soul yet who didn't enjoy the character of Roger. He was just so pompous you had to love him!
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Offline Mysterious Benefactor

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2008, 07:18:39 PM »
Though as hard as most of us might find it to believe, I'm sure Roger's detractors are out there. Just like there are fans for every DS character/actor, there are detractors for every character/actor. Some characters/actors just seem to be more lopsided in on direction or the other...
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Offline MagnusTrask

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2008, 07:35:26 PM »
Wait a minute.... Roger as a character didn't serve much of a function in the years I watched as a kid, and I still haven't seen pre-Barnabas.     He was eclipsed by all the supernatural characters.    He didn't get many of those sarcastic lines in the years I've seen.    He got outraged and said "Why I never!" or similar things.   Now I like seeing Louis Edmonds no matter what his character is, but from my childhood, I remember Roger as the stuffy, clueless, rich guy.    Elizabeth was the female equivalent.     I guess I'm just saying one can be bored with that character.   It's hardly Louis Edmond's fault, of course.

Edward I always liked.     He had a number of bizarre disturbing threats thrown at him and after some adjustment, coped with it all and took action.     My favorite LE moment may be when he pulls Jamison's fake hand off.     We see someone deeply rooted in normality flailing and struggling to adjust.     My favorite LE "character" may be Edward as the butler, earnestly pleading to be allowed to serve, and being so hurt by how he's being treated.   Funny but touching.     

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Offline Mysterious Benefactor

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2008, 07:52:12 PM »
See, you've just hit the nail on the head as far as the point of this topic goes, Magnus. Roger was used to great effect during DS' first year and somewhat beyond - but in later years, not so much. He certainly had his moments (calling Jeb you know what was most certainly a classic one! [stfl]), but unfortunately they were few and far between. And those of us who are only too aware of how he could have been used in the latter storylines deeply regret how those storylines all too often neglected him.  :(
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Offline MagnusTrask

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2008, 08:00:41 PM »
Happy 8600!   
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Offline alwaysdavid

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2008, 03:20:03 AM »
I have to agree with Magnus Trask on my perception of Roger  in my original viewing which started after Cassandra disappeared from the scene.  Everyone in our neighborhood watched the show and then we would reinact or make up new stories using the characters and nobody wanted to be Roger.  I got stuck being him when I wasn' t David.  When our local PBS station began to show the Barnabas episodes, I could see there was more to Roger and now seeing the Beginning, I think, what a wonderful character he is. 
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Offline michael c

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2008, 03:44:10 PM »
once monsters became the main characters the show's writers were in a bit of a quandry with how to deal with the original,human characters.

characters like vicki,carolyn and maggie could be written into 'damsel in distress' type situations.

david could get haunted,put under spells or possessed.

characters like burke devlin,sam evans and joe haskell were eventually killed-off or otherwise written out.

but as key members of the collins family roger and elizabeth were kept around but were in a way the hardest to write for and thus were often on the back burner after the first year or so.yet they remained an important grounding 'presence' which kept the whole thing from going off the deep end.but for whatever reason the writers didn't know how to use them to their best advantage.they both should have gotten better storylines than they did.
as much as the 'leviathan' storyline is criticised i was pleased that liz got some great material to work with.

in general both joan bennett and louis edmonds seemed to do better in the historical time periods than in the 'present' in the show's later years.
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Offline arashi

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Re: Roger - a neglected gem
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2008, 04:11:50 PM »
Quote from: mscbryk on April 29, 2008, 03:44:10 PM
as much as the 'leviathan' storyline is criticised i was pleased that liz got some great material to work with.

It was quite nice to see them get something to do again wasn't it?
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