Good point. The strict direction of Henry (Transish) Kaplan apparently paid off, (remember from  the DS Companion where she describes his strict grading of each actor's daily performance.

Lara seemed much more confident with her role by this time.

It is very discernable to me if its a Kaplan or Swift episode.  No disrespect for Lilia, we WANT women (and Lila earned being) there behind the cameras but Henry really did seem to pull the best out of the actors.  Lara, Nancy and Grayson in particular.  He said something to Grayson that made her less mannered and 'smaller' in her actions. . .maybe something like --"you're not on the stage baby! Play it for the living room."

Also, what diction school did Lara go to, I need some lessons. . boy could she bite a line in half or what?!

test test

Confession time. . while Mom says I always responded to Grayson's voice and obviously still do.  . .my first tangible memory of being hooked on DS is the following:  
1976,  CBS late night movie. I'm 9 years old, sitting 4 feet from the big b/w television watching House of Dark Shadows. The scene after Carolyn has been attacked savagelyby Barnabas and she is sprawled against the banister in her white dress with blood oozing down her neck, her dead eyes all glassy.  ..that GOT me for sure!  I also loved the scene were old Barney barges into the the Lady Doctor's bedroom, she looks **real scared** and he strangles her in a mad fit of frenzy!  Creeped out that little 9 year old!

Darren, I am so glad you asked this question.  I was just thinking about it tonights (since I have the jetlag can't sleep thing going and insane trivia is flooding my brain!).  It appears at the 2 fests i've been to they are very focused on certain actors, e.g. Ms. Parker, Mr. Frid and some of the other actors get short shift even in the Video montages.  It goes without saying that I think Grayson is one of the primary actors who gets little attention at the Fest, sometimes even hostile attention. I'd like to see that change and all the primary actors appropriately highlighted and remembered, even if could not participate in a Fest (either cuz of death or fear of crowds).

But here are some thoughts:
**electronic registration, via the web.  
**preprinted registration cards (the wait to have that woman write my name in NYC last year was silly and excrutiating--let's use technology and laptop computers and portable printers!  We've got enough geeks to make it happen.   )
**How about large poster-size photographs of the actors who've passed on with books to write down memories or thoughts about them, perhaps for their families?
**Memoriams up front rather than tacked on at the end
**A stronger facilitator to keep Chris Pennock 'on time' and not give short shrift to other speakers
**video excerpts of the actors' other work (stage, television, etc.)
**tables dedicated to particular actors/characters where other like minded folks could hang out or check-in, exchange stuff or realize they are not alone.   The JuliaList has talked about it but no definite plans have been made.  Might be nice for the Quentin-files, Angelique-files and Barnabas-Angelique, Barnabas-Julia, Barnabas-Roxanne groups. . is there a Barnabas-Roxanne group?

I could make other 'facility layout and organizational' suggestions but only if you really really want them.

I also love the scene where Valerie and Julia are talking about Judah Zachary and Lara/Valerie says she saw a 'bodiless head" and Grayson/Julia doesn't blink an eye and repeats "bodiless head"?  You know it was to be headless body and I marvel that Grayson kept up with Lara's flub and didn't breakout laughing. . .I would've.

Greetings all from Belgium!  I had a few minutes while doing laundry and thought I'd check in--my you are busy bees.  

And I think that Julia placed the same quilt over Joe Haskell when she was treating Joe for his self-inflicted knife wound in Josette's room in the Old House.

SPOILER

Can I say slut on this board?? I mentioned that quilt on 1 or 2 boards ago and couldn't say the "s" word. . I was questioning why Barnabas was laying it over Julia after she'd been fanged by Tom. . .that quilt and someone at Collinwood, who's mightily attached to it, is doing some bed hoping. . .

I understood the first part when Josette asked Angelique " I think with the exception of Lara Parker and Jonathan Frid the actors/actresses were not versed in the French language. Correct me if I am wrong here.

Well, Grayson Hall did star in a french-language film, Qui Etes-vous, Polly Maggoo?   She did not speak English in the film, only French .. .though I think she did later say her French was attrocious.