Philippe,

That manager of The Collinsport Inn was Mr. Wells, portrayed by the late Conrad Bain, later of “Maude” and “Different Strokes.” Mr. Wells was in the very early episodes of DS before Barnabas arrived in town. They brought back the overly-curious Mr. Wells just to be “sliced-and-diced” by Chris Jennings in his other form.

The house Nicholas lived in was called “The House by the Sea” and was owned by Mrs. Stoddard. After Cassandra split from Roger, it was kind of “awkward” and “uncomfortable” to have Cassandra’s “brother” to stay on at Collinwood, so Elizabeth agreed to rent the seaside house to Nicholas (who wanted to continue on with his mad plan to create another race of men for his master, Satan, and to also put the moves on  Maggie Evans).

This house is completely different from Dr. Lang’s home/laboratory. Although Lang’s house looks exactly like the evil Rev. Gregory Trask’s 1897 school, Worthington Hall, which Laura Collins later took care of as only Laura could.

You know, after the malevolent ghost of Quentin Collins chased everyone out of Collinwood and they all took refuge in the Old House, I could never quite understand that. After all, the Old House had all of the “conveniences” of the 18th century. How they could put up with no electricity, no telephones, no central heating, no running hot and cold water (read: hot showers and working toilets), and not get on each others’ nerves after just a week living with such early American conditions?

Mrs. Johnson must have absolutely “loved” having to cook for all of those people in a kitchen with a wood-burning stove and no microwave or other electric appliances. Do you think she got along with Willie Loomis in such a Daniel Boone-like kitchen?

And, what of Roger Collins, a patrician man with refined sensibilities, who must have experienced cultural shock, when he was forced to use a bed pan or to schlep out into the cold night in order to use the outhouse behind the Old House. I venture to say that an exasperated Roger must have finally said to his sister, “Screw this, Liz! I’m taking my son over to the House by the Sea, so that I can take a hot shower, have a quick and easy microwave dinner and don’t have to put my pants on to go outside and make a ‘pit stop’ in the middle of the night!”

No doubt, Maggie, Carolyn and that seemingly perpetual Collinwood house guest, Dr. Julia Hoffman, were all also bummed-out by the primitive living conditions in the Old House. I’m surprised that Maggie and Carolyn didn’t take little Amy Jennings with them to stay in the much more comfortable Evans family cottage. Although by then, I’m surprised that Mrs. Stoddard and some more of the others didn’t opt for either Carolyn and Jeb Hawkes’ future newlywed cottage or even the shack at Findley’s Cove on the Collinwood estate rather than live in misery and discomfort in Barnabas’s beloved Old House? 

Annie,

How about a tai chi class? That’s fairly easy on the knees and feet. Although, my cross-country days are long past.

When I was down in North Miami a number of years ago, off of Collins Avenue with my girlfriend, we spotted this large group of senior citizens in a park, dancing like ballroom dancers. The men all had their poplin summer suits on and the ladies were all decked out in formal attire, wearing all of their fine jewelry. It was like culture shock; I couldn’t believe it. I almost expected to see Mrs. Johnson with the Eagle Hill Cemetery Caretaker, dancing the night away!

I tell you, even THAT senior citizen ballroom dancing may be too strenuous for me.

Bob, in need of some Ben-Gay and a good chiropractic adjustment. 

Happy Birthday, Annie!

I’ll see you at the senior citizens’ “early-bird dinner special,” even if neither of us actually lives in The Sunshine State, a/k/a “God’s Waiting Room.” 

Bob, the aging bartender.

Dom,

Oh yeah, St. Barnabas Hospital on Route 9 in Lakewood, NJ; how could I have forgotten that renowned medical establishment!?! It’s always an “adventure” driving in Lakewood. I don’t think Roger, Carolyn or even Barnabas “Parnelli Jones” Collins would have liked to have driven around that town. Many drivers in Lakewood drive like they’re cruising along on the Autobahn in Germany, hence the popular bumper sticker:”Pray for me. I drive in Lakewood.” 

Bob

Gerard,

I think I saw Quentin (or “Grant Douglas”) on that episode of “The Waltons.” Didn’t John-Boy and some of the other kids suspect something was “going on” between their mother and Quentin/Grant, sort of like between Quentin and Laura Collins? 

I wonder if years later, Quentin posed as an undercover NYPD narcotics detective with Ron Liebman? And, then posed as aspiring novelist Candice Bergen’s exasperated husband? And, finally as an overbearing millionaire, who tries to have his son’s sailing school instructor/captain charged with negligence after several students and the sailboat are lost during a powerful storm. I tell you, Quentin was better off when he was just a gigolo and informant for the Cairo police. 

“Suddenly, Last Summer” is an especially intense play. It’s hardly “Harvey” or “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

Have you seen Joanna Going in the film, “Keys to Tulsa”? Her role as exotic dancer Cherry in the film is a far cry from her role as the lovely and virginal Vicky Winters in the 1991 DS series.

I think one of the regulars/cousins here mentioned that he went to high school with Joanna Going in Newport, R.I. No doubt, Ms. Going must have been very popular with her fellow students, particularly the young guys for obvious reasons.