House Of Dark Shadows Question

[dom]

Was Mrs. Johnson in House Of Dark Shadows? I don't remember the character being in it. If not, anyone know why?

[michael c]

yes. in a small role...

however Clarice Blackburn was unavailable at the time of filming. i believe she had gone on to another soap (The Secret Storm, maybe?) and her association with DS had largely ended by this point (Mrs. Johnson only appeared in a few episodes in 1970 and Blackburn did not have roles in the 1840 storylines) although she did have a small part in NoDS.

in HoDS the character was played by Barbara Cason (in a similarly unflattering wig) whom i think was Dennis Patrick's wife at the time and was thus familiar to DC and the producers.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Unfortunately, when all the "Hanging David" stuff got cut, some of Mrs. Johnson's best stuff went with it...

(And some of what might have been Clarice's best stuff got dropped from NoDS - but that was because DC wasn't happy with Monica Rich's work.)

[michael c]

(And some of what might have been Clarice's best stuff got dropped from NoDS - but that was because DC wasn't happy with Monica Rich's work.)

Monica's given me some tidbits on the NoDS shoot and, according to her at least, DC "hated kids".

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Apparently it wasn't a mutual love fest between those two!! 

[Gerard]

Barbara Cason, the wife of Dennis Patrick, was one of those character actresses many of us grew up with.  She was in Broadway, films and television.  Even though she played a variety of roles, she was primarily known for her comedic ones.  She guest-starred in two episodes of All In the Family (playing different characters), her most notable as the crabby nurse on the telephone in the hospital when Gloria was having her baby.  The timing between her and Carroll O'Connor was priceless and hysterical.  I'm sure the scene can be found somewhere on youtube.

Gerard

[The Doctor and K9]

Monica's given me some tidbits on the NoDS shoot and, according to her at least, DC "hated kids".

I think it would be interesting if you wrote an article on some of these tidbits, or perhaps published an interview with her!