Re Julia's handwriting:  I often thought that it was because Grayson was feeling a bit on-edge and playing with a glove, the bedpost or whatever was a way of keeping herself on cue with the scene.  The scenes were often revised at the very last minute, and the actors were often caught in a vise between getting their cues right, performing whatever camera blocking had been decided (sometimes not revised for the changed script), and dealing with any special FX or lighting tricks thrown into the mix.

I was impressed that as Hoffman, Grayson did not allow herself ANY of these mannerisms.  She seems to have enjoyed the challenge of that role.  But bear in mind that she played Hoffman in far fewer episodes than either Julia or Magda.

The handwringing was clearly in some cases part of the actual direction.  The most effective use of it that comes to mind was a scene between Liz and Jason when Liz's hands were in the foreground of the shot--beautifully managed playing from Joan Bennett and beautiful work from the cameraman that day.

Gothick

I was thinking of Grayson off and on throughout the day yesterday, so it was gratifying to log on here and see this space--thank you again, Julia darling.

One thing that is little known about Grayson in the world of fandom (or so it would seem) is how very kind and giving she so often was to Dark Shadows fans.  Robert Finnocchio's memoir of the time he spent with her (available on the beautiful Remembering Grayson website maintained by Nancy and Lynn) is typical of how much she enjoyed spending time with fans and getting to know them as people.  I have heard of cases of her telling fans they could call her collect.  I also heard a story about her calling a child long distance in Maryland to wish the little girl a happy birthday because she had received a note in which the child said hearing from "Julia" would make her day complete.

Grayson was definitely a bohemian.  She lived life to the fullest and she had no time for bullsh&t.  I've seen a video of a Fest held a year or two after her death in which Bob Costello (I think it was him) described her, with deepest affection, as "a gutsy broad."  He was smiling widely as he spoke about her.

Underneath the colorful wardrobe (we all loved the Bulgarian peasant widow look, accessorized with leather bomber jacket), the fabulous laughter and the booming asides, she had a vulnerable side which only her closest friends were allowed to see.  This did come out in her acting.  If you watch closely in certain scenes, you'll see what DS director Henry Kaplan referred to as her remarkable inner stillness.

Still missing that most fabulous of redheads....

Gothick

I did get to watch some of the recent weeks' shows on tape (now you know I need no excuse at all to watch Tom Jennings do his thang!) and I wouldn't be surprised if the "Adam kidnaps Vicki" storyline was the nail in the proverbial coffin for Ms. Moltke.  I mean, after 3 years on the show, the best they can come up with is a very lame repeat of the Matthew Morgan storyline from 1966?  (and compared to Thayer David's Matthew Morgan, Adam was a non-entity).  I can just imagine her seething inwardly, waiting for that closet door to open, plotting just how she was going to get out of her contract.

Lara Parker mentioned that Moltke wouldn't wear makeup either during her final months on the show--I wonder about this.  I suspect that the makeup artists kept Vicki's look "natural" since she was supposed to be good and virginal, while Lara and the rest of the women had the pancake and eyelashes slathered on with a trowel.

Gothick

Dear Dark Shadows,

Is your brother a fan of the original Star Trek?  (Gawd, I wish I didn't have to call it that.  For me, there is ONLY ONE Star Trek.  Not that I'm a fanatic about it, or anything.)

If so, I wonder whether he might have noticed a resemblance between Joan in the City on the Edge of Forever (Harlan Ellison script, Emmy nominee) and Lara Parker in her Cassandra persona.  I've noticed that as well.  Of course Lara Parker wins for dishiness and camp elan hands down.

I did see a photo of Joan taken at a party recently that reminded me of Grandmamma Edith Collins in 1897.  Maybe your brother was at that party??

Gothick

Julia, that's an interesting point about Julia's smoking on the show.  For me, her smoking types her more as a "professional" and a member of the medical profession, than as bad ... though her character was definitely morally ambivalent (and continues to be so as the show continues).

There are still a couple scenes where Julia smokes. The one I remember best is in the cottage--great camerawork in that (pretty extraordinary given that they were more or less just making it up as they went along).

Today, it seems like a death-knell if a character is seen smoking on network tv.  You know, they light up a cigarette and 10 seconds later they get run over by a mack truck.  The only exception I've noticed (I don't really watch network TV anymore) is Justin on Queer as Folk.

Steve

Hi John,

I just love that article about Grayson and Sam's country home.  Incidentally, there was a followup about what the same decorator (Harrison Cultra) did with their New York apartment--I believe this was the Sept. or Oct. 1983 issue.  For this number, a scene in the Halls' apartment made the COVER of the magazine.  The essay, which had been planned as a showcase of Cultra's skills, became a memorial to him as he passed away very suddenly in the Summer of 1983.

Yes, it is true that the house was named Wildercliff when it was first built in the late Eighteenth century---if you can believe it, in the 1790's.  Talk about coincidence.

"Windcliff" was a house in an Edith Wharton novel.  It was also the name of an actual estate in the Hudson Valley area--can't recall just now whether it was in Dutchess or Columbia County.  If the house still exists, I believe it is now a ruin.

Steve

Usually I don't get the chance to watch these on Sci Fi--I watch my tapes, when leisure permits.

I'm on vacation in Maryland and happened to catch part of today's broadcast. I'm sure I spotted at least one brief cut when Julia and Mrs. Johnson left the room and the action went back to Blair and Roger.

I'd pretty much figured that Sci Fi must be snipping away little bits of the episodes. But of course, the only viewers who would care about that would have to be total fanatics, zealously dedicated to watching every possible second of Dark Shadows. And I'm sure there aren't any people like that in this room.

Of course you know I fast forward through nearly EVERY Jeff and Vicki scene. I'm glad we have our Maestro Mysterioso to keep track of just how many times Jeff touches his hair. A truly Herculean labor!

Gothick