SHADOWGRAM NEWS UPDATE # 346
February 12, 2015
Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,
ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following “ShadowGram Premiere Announcements” with key breaking news in this Official DS News Online Update "bulletin."
**** SG PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT:
JOHN KARLEN REPORT
PLUS “SNEAK PEEK” ANNOUNCEMENT FOR “BLOODLUST” AUDIO DRAMA
**** CONGRATULATIONS! TO JERRY LACY & “SPIDORA”
**** JOHN KARLEN UPDATE + EXCLUSIVE PHOTO IN SG # 124
SG shares the latest news about JOHN KARLEN (Willie, Carl, William H. Loomis, Desmond, Kendrick, NODS Alex).
Since 2013, SG in print and the SG Online Updates have reported John’s ongoing health issues, including diabetes complications. He’s been in and out of the hospital and rehabilitation facilities. He’s currently back in private-home care to help improve his mobility and overall health.
He’s enjoyed visits and calls from DS colleagues including Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, David Selby, James Storm, Roger Davis and Robert Rodan. Dan Curtis Productions/DS Festival director Jim Pierson and ShadowGram's Marcy Robin visited him as well.
SG now updates that David Selby and Lara Parker, along with Jim Pierson, visited John Karlen at home on 2-6-15 after David and Lara recorded their introductions for the upcoming ‘Best of Quentin’ and ‘Best of Angelique’ DVD releases. He was in good spirits and enjoying catching up with his old friends.
John’s been resting and recovering the past 2 years from a variety of health issues and reports that he’s looking forward to participating in the DS Festival’s DS’ 50th Anniversary Celebration next year.” SG will announce the exact event date and other details as plans are finalized very soon.
John wanted to join us at the Festival's DS Weekend in Tarrytown, NY, last summer but was unable to do so. Instead he was seen in a recently-filmed brief video greeting that was screened at the event 6-28-14.
SG adds: “John has a surprise recording in an episode of the new 13-episode DS audio drama BLOODLUST.” Episodes #1-6 are available now via CD and digital download, with the next batch of episodes due later this month. Recent SG Updates have detailed the exciting new series starring original DS actors and others.
John appreciates fans’ written cards and your good wishes, encouragement, and support. He has no internet or email access, but fans are welcome and invited to send e-mail (will be printed out and given to him) and postal-mail messages and greeting cards for John in care of:
Via email:
ShadowGram@aol.com Via postal-mail:
John Karlen
c/o Marcy Robin/ShadowGram
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766
**** PLUS: SHADOWGRAM ANNOUNCES: A ShadowGram-exclusive photo of John, Lara, and David taken during their Feb. 6 visit will be featured in the upcoming new SG #124 print newsletter.
That SG issue will be sent to all current postal-mail subscribers when it is published soon. Subscription rates and information are later in this Update.
**** PLUS: A SHADOWGRAM “SNEAK PREVIEW” ANNOUNCEMENT
ShadowGram also premiere-announces: “There is another surprise original DS actor cameo coming in the BLOODLUST audio drama series.”
**** BRAVO! JERRY LACY IS HONORED
Jerry’s (Tony Peterson, Rev. Trask, Lamar Trask, Gregory Trask) performance as “Dr. Graves” in the independent short film SPIDORA: AN 8-LEGGED LOVE STORY was honored with the “Best Supporting Actor Award” at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival 2-8. SPIDORA also won as “Best Picture” for writer/director Fred Olen Ray.
Set in a bizarre carnival world, the film explores the lives and relationships of the “human freaks” who are the performers and living exhibits in “Dr. Graves’ Museum of the Weird Side Show.”
Publicity: “After receiving a series of anonymous love notes, Spidora, a performer in a carnival Side Show, is finally encouraged to meet her secret admirer. But is he real or just an illusion?”
SPIDORA’s theatrical release was at the Los Feliz Cinema, Hollywood. 8-29/31-2014.
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Jerry tells SG: “I am very pleased about it. Fred is going to pick up my award along with his and we will have lunch one day so he can give it to me. I will try to get more details about events and especially a release date for the DVD of SPIDORA.”
The LA Independent Film Festival Awards are selected monthly from submitted short films from around the world. The full 1-2015 awards list is available by scrolling down the official website:
http://www.laiffawards.com/jan-2015-winners.html More SPIDORA honors: In its first film festival competition at the LA Cinema Festival, it received "Award of Merit" and "Best Original Score." The International Independent Film Awards gave it a Platinum Award for “Narrative Short,” and it earned the “Audience Award” at the 2014 Valley Film Festival. It’s also an “Official Selection” for the Beverly Hills Shorts Festival and the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Jerry’s been in several of Fred’s films.
Jerry also says: 2015 “is starting out great and I hope it stays that way. My late life venture into playwriting has been a good way to channel my creative juices when not performing. I have 4 plays completed now that I am sending to theatres and I have started work on yet another. No productions lined up yet, but there has been some interest in a couple of them from small theatres around the country. I will let you know if anything definite comes up.”
He stars as the title character in “a macabre mystery.” On 2-8, he told SG: “I just completed another film for Ansel Faraj, called THE LAST CASE OF AUGUST T. HARRISON. It will be ready for viewing in April and it is already scheduled for the H.P. Lovecraft film festival. In the film, a private detective gets involved with a witch who has found a way to contact the Old Ones of Lovecraft novels.”
DS’ LISA RICHARDS (Sabrina Stuart) plays his wife. LAST CASE expects digital HD release 11-2015. Jerry’s seen in several of Ansel’s films. He starred in DOCTOR MABUSE and its sequel DOCTOR MABUSE: ETIOPOMAR.
SG will report future news from Jerry as well as SPIDORA and LAST CASE news.
Marcy Robin
