Wow, I did not know that Sacheen Littlefeather had won the Miss America Vampire Contest. I wonder if she appeared with Jonathan Frid to receive the award at the world famous Palisade Park Amusement Center in Fort Lee, NJ? I remember that KLS had a picture of Jonathan Frid and Nancy Barrett with one winner of that contest in Palisades Park in 1970. I believe that winner had a walk-on appearance in an 1840 episode in The Eagle Tavern with Kendrick Collins and the ill-fated Tim Braithwaite.
In addition, Ms. Littlefeather appeared in Playboy Magazine after her memorable appearance at The Academy Awards. Two DS actresses also graced the pages of Playboy Magazine: Deborah Loomis, who portrayed Tessie Kincaid, the werewolf Quentin Collins’ victim and K.C. Townsend, who portrayed “working girl” Sophie Baker, the vampire Barnabas Collins’ victim, both occurring during the 1897 DS storyline.
That’s great that The Village Voice printed your letter regarding Ms. Littlefeather. Author George R.R. Martin had his letters published in several of the Marvel Comic Book magazines. Apparently, Mr. Martin was a big fan of Spider-Man, The Hulk and Doctor Strange. My older brother was in the same home room with George Martin when they were fellow students at the Catholic boys high school we all attended. Maybe reading all of those Marvel Comics in addition to seeing the ocean liners and the Staten Island Ferry sailing in the New York Harbor inspired George R.R. Martin to later write his “Game of Thrones” novels? I don’t know if Mr. Martin was a fan of Dark Shadows, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he were, since horror novelist Stephen King was a big fan of DS as a teenager, growing up there in Maine.
If the Dark Shadows Festivals ever return, perhaps the organizers could also reboot the Miss America Vampire Contest?