DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
Members' Mausoleum => Calendar Events / Announcements Archive => Calendar Events / Announcements '24 I => Calendar Events / Announcements '04 II => Topic started by: Mysterious Benefactor on November 12, 2004, 09:35:44 AM
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Memphis,TN based newspaper/Website, commercialappeal.com, has published a wonderful tributre article to Don Briscoe (this, despite the fact that it includes several quotes from a certain DS actor who shall remain unnamed ;)):
'Dark Shadows' settled onto life (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/movies/article/0,1426,MCA_15400_3321225,00.html) by entertainment critic John Beifuss.
(Subscription is required for access - but it's free.)
And all you rabid Briscoeholics should be interested in the fact that It even features a headshot photo of Briscoe that I don't believe I've ever seen before. So, let the salivating begin. ;D
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Well, we now finally have the substantiated answers to so many of our unanswered questions.
What a well researched and poignant article. I am especially pleased that the appearance
of the DS fans that showed up for the service was comforting to his sister.
Thanks for bringing this article to our attention, MB.
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Such a bittersweet tribute to a man who probably never fully realized in life how much pleasure he'd given to those of us who knew his work on Dark Shadows. He will be missed.
Thanks, MB.
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How very sad! It's nice to know that he did have a couple of friends to whom he could talk.
Praying he is at peace now...
Steve
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Thanks, MB. I'm so glad you found that. I plan to send a note to the author to thank him for writing the piece. So sad, sigh.
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Thanks so much for posting this. What can I say. I don't think science has even begun to scrape the surface of the mystery of the human brain. The insidious think about mental illness is that sufferers often tend to blame themselves, or think that something is "wrong" with them, instead of realizing that it is the same as a physical illness. I sincerely hope that "The Donald" as Mrs. Julian calls him, realized just how much entertainment his portrayls on DS have given fans and will continue to do so for many, many years to come. That is a legacy to be proud of.
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I wrote to Thank the reporter for his article on Don and this was his reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: beifuss@commercialappeal.com [mailto:beifuss@commercialappeal.com]
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 4:55 PM
Subject: RE: 'Dark Shadows' settled onto life
thank you so much for your kind words! i only wish i had known Don was in town all these years... I had no idea until his death!
again, thanks...
John Beifuss
The Commercial Appeal
495 Union Ave.
Memphis TN
38103
(901) 529-2394
or 1-800-444-NEWS x2394
-----Original Message-----
From: LdyAnne
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 2:40 PM
To: beifuss@gomemphis.com
Subject: RE: 'Dark Shadows' settled onto life
Thank you so much for the insightful and kind article on Don Briscoe. As a Fan of his from the Dark Shadow days I was always sad that he did not go on to other acting projects. Now I understand what happened.
True indeed a thin line between madness and genius.
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A very moving article. I think it's great that his story has finally been told. DB's life has been the subject of much speculation, and this article should put an end to that.
On a lighter note, the photograph that is included with the article is probably the dreamiest photo I've ever seen of him!
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Thank you for that beautiful article. My eyes teared up when I read that he just shut himself up and watched t.v.
Gorgeous man though. Simply gorgeous...but truly sad too.
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I read a nutshell recap of the article on an AOL Dark Shadows message board. What a wonderful tribute it was. What a brave man he was.
Gerard
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Oh...Sniffle... poor guy. :'(
Very moving. Having disorders like that in my own clan, I really feel for folks like that. But as Sandor had said, I'd like to think he's chatting away with souls such as Grayson as we speak. And I bet they're having a ball. Thanks for passing that along, MB. :-*
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Thanks for the link, MB.
What a sad life Don had after he left DS.
He is now, finally, at peace.
Bette
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Thanks so much for the link to that article--a very touching tribute! It's great that it came about in response to a message left on an answering machine (by a DS fan no doubt!). It answered a lot of questions that I'm sure we've all had for a long time. I'm not sure if this has been posted here, but Dark Shadows Journal Online has added another wonderful piece on Don written by someone who corresponded with him over the past 10 years, and there's also a picture that I assume was taken sometime during that time period. My mom has bipolar disorder, and whle she generally does pretty well, I know that she fights a constant battle with depression. As others have said, hopefully Don is now at peace. I, too, am glad that I'll always have his wonderful performances on DS to enjoy! Oh, I also agree with ClaudeNorth about the photo in the article--wow!
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sometimes life is so cruel that someone with such a handsome face and brillilant mind would have such a troubled mind. it is a horrible disease and the medications do cause weight gains and problems too. it is sad that only in death do we have some questions answered but i truly hope he is at peace
now.
jenniifer
and yes this "rabid" fan loves that photo of him thanks for the link!
.
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What a touching article. How sad to hear how much he suffered in his life after leaving DS. I was especially moved when reading the part on where his sister said that whenever she watched the reruns of her brother on DS and how he would writhe in agony as the werewolf it became a bittersweet experience for her. She then went on to say that on the one hand it would make her remember his talent, and yet on the other, she would think of how much of a reality it became for him.
How sad! I don't think I'll ever be able to watch those scenes again in the same way now.
Thanks MB for the article link. At least he's at peace now.
(I also agree with Jean-Claude & Scottd on the picture! Wow!)
Cassandra
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Jean-Claude North, you stole my projected new avatar! But hey, I can't fault your good taste. Yours or Jennifer's (her Briscoe avatar pic is in glorious color - post more often, Jen!).
For those in search of other rare photos displaying Don's gorgeous face and soulful eyes, run (don't walk) to your nearest used magazine store (or E-Bay) and hunt for the following issues of 16 MAGAZINE:
October 1969 - Feature article on Don at his NYC pad (shirtless poses and a peek inside his mini-refrigerator)
March 1970- Don is named "Sweetheart of the Month"
August 1969- Don graces front AND back covers
June 1969- Don's "Loves & Hates", though he emphasizes he doesn't literally "hate" anything (he simply "dislikes" i.e. "prejudice of any kind")
November 1969- pass the smelling salts to Gothick after he ganders at the back cover - SEXY color pin-up headshot of Don suitable for framing
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why thanks Sandor but have to thank one of the "Mods" for it(she knows who she is!}
thanks for those links will have to check E Bay and Gothie lives near me somewhere(someday we''ll
meet in Cambridge one of my favorite places!) so i'll have to check my ER soon if he gets his hands
on one of those!
jennifer
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The commercialappeal.com Web site has even been kind enough to mention DB in their year-end Requiem (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/entertainment_columnists/article/0,1426,MCA_494_3434617,00.html) piece:
We watched the moon set on a "Dark Shadows" werewolf (Memphis actor Don Briscoe)
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The commercialappeal.com Web site has even been kind enough to mention DB in their year-end (URL)
piece:
We watched the moon set on a "Dark Shadows" werewolf (Memphis actor Don Briscoe)
thanks MB it is nice to see Don get mentioned somewhere!
sad to see others who have died young too such as stevie wonder's
exwife
thanks
pattiv