Hey, gang,
I was attempting to remember when and how I first learned about Dark Shadows back in the glorious mid 1960s, and I believe that I might have seen an article about the show in either a newspaper or magazine like "TV Guide" or "Time Magazine". However, I
do remember reading an article about Dark Shadows, and specifically Jonathan Frid's vampiric character of Barnabas Collins, in one of my favorite magazines as a "young and callow fellow," the one and only, "Famous Monsters of Filmland"!
Yes, the late, great Forrest J. Ackerman, publisher and editor of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" was one of my heroes as a kid. I recall that my friends and I were huge fans of all of the great horror films of the 1930s and 1940s, featuring such cinematic giants as Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr. and John Caradine. And, what better place to read about these great actors (and their memorable Universal Film Studio films) than in "Famous Monsters of Filmland" every month?
In addition to all of the Universal Film Studio horror stars, Mr. Ackerman published articles on some of the great British horror film stars, including Peter Cushing and Sir Christopher Lee (whom we all saw in the recent "Dark Shadows" film with Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins).
Of course, Mr. Ackerman published articles on all of the great sci-fi films of the 1950s and 1960s, including: "The Thing From Another World," "The Day The Earth Stood Still," and "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (just kidding!).
I recall one time when Mr. Ackerman appeared with host Tom Snyder on
The Tomorrow Show," and Mr. Ackerman wore one of Bela Lugosi's capes (which the first, great "vampire" had given to Mr. Ackerman) and such film memorabilia as the actual alien "arm," which the sled dogs bit off in Howard Hawks' sci-fi thriller, "The Thing From Another World."
Anyway, after reading Mr. Ackerman's glowing article about "Dark Shadows," I just
had to check the new television show out, and I now "blame" the late Mr. Ackerman for getting me hooked for life on the supernatural goings-on in the mythical fishing village of Collinsport, Maine.
Can you remember what first brought your attention to "Dark Shadows" back during the halcyon days of the 1960s?
Bob