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Topics - Gothick

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121

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Original Bil Baird Bat Puppet from DS

« on: July 01, 2017, 02:42:40 AM »

Fans, For any interest it may have for some of you, this listing was posted on social media last Tuesday, but I just saw it today. The seller address was given as Calabasas, California. I don't know if the puppet sold but there are some collectors out there with a lot of money to throw around, so who knows.

The version of the listing I saw had what might have been a computer generated image of a bat puppet. It obviously wasn't the actual object.

G.

The listing (I have not corrected any typos or other errors):

Dark Shadows hero Bill Baird Vampire Bat puppet also used in the feature film House of Dark Shadows.(ABC TV, 1966-1971) Vintage original articulated Vampire bat marionette puppet created by legendary puppeteer Bill Baird for the Dan Curtis-produced early Horror/Soap Opera. Constructed of wooden components, metal wing armature hinged at shoulder and elbow joints and covered with finely stitched black chamois material, counter-weighted body and head painted flat black, with green sequin eyes affixed, and with screw eyelets at 6-strategic points for marionette stringing to be operated by the attached original wooden operating cross. The bat measures approx. 23 in. from extended wing tip to wing tip, with a 6.5 in. long body. The operating controller measures 11 x 3.75 in. Created by Bill Baird, master puppeteer also responsible for fabricating and operating the marionettes in “The Lonely Goatherd” puppet show in The Sound of Music. The bat puppet was used extensively from its debut in Episode 330: that aired September 29, 1967, as “Barnabas” (Jonathan Frid), in bat form, taunts “David Collins” (David Henesy) in his bedroom. The bat also appears in what is considered the most important episode of the series, Episode 405: aired Jan. 12, 1968 - Barnabas’ origin story, when he is cursed by the witch, “Angelique” (Lara Parker), causing him to first become a Vampire. The bat continued to be featured in many episodes including, but not limited to: Episode 341: aired Oct. 16, 1967 - when “Dr. Woodard” (Robert Gerringer) dies, Episode 409: aired Jan. 18, 1968 - when Barnabas dies in a 1795 flashback, Episode 411: aired Jan. 22, 1968 - when Barnabas rises as a Vampire, Episode 423: aired Feb. 7, 1968 - when Barnabas kills “Suki Forbes” (Jane Draper), Episode 535: aired July 12 1968 – when Barnabas has the dream curse, Episode 702: aired March 4 1969 – in flashback to 1897 when “Magda Rakoski” (Grayson Hall) realizes the Bat and the Vampire are one and same, Episode 703: aired March 5 1969 - when Magda again see Barnabas in the form of the bat. The bat puppet also appears in the final scenes of the feature film spin-off, House of Dark Shadows (MGM, 1970) directed by Dan Curtis. This one-of-a-kind, screen used prop represents horror’s earliest emergence in mainstream TV pop culture, which paved the way for many wildly popular horror-themed series of today. Provenance: Sold by the Baird family at The Greenwich Auction Room, Ltd., N.Y. September 19, 1987, lot 43. Comes with a signed letter of authenticity by Peter B. Baird on “Bill Baird’s Marionettes” stationery. In vintage fine condition. $30,000 - $50,000

122

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / OT: FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY (1973)

« on: June 30, 2017, 04:27:25 AM »

Fans,

After DS went off the air, a major preoccupation in life became finding other stuff to watch that might provide something remotely like the "high" I would get from our show. One of the most memorable such "highs" came from the two part screening on NBC of Frankenstein: The True Story. Set in 1820, filmed in England with lush production values and a cast that included Leonard Whiting, James Mason, Nicola Paget, the stunningly gorgeous Michael Sarrazin as the Creature, Agnes Moorehead, Margaret Leighton and many other luminaries of stage and screen, I found the broadcast riveting and an experience I never forgot.

An important new study of the production and related aspects of Frankenstein: the True Story was recently published in magazine form. There's some artwork and comments on display here:

http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/65840/LITTLE-SHOPPE-HORRORS-38-Shipping-week-May-29th-FRANKE#.WVXDASMrKqQ

The easiest way to order the magazine is through the official website for the venue, Little Shoppe of Horrors, but that site is still coded in outdated "frames" software and I can't link to the page in the site with the info about this issue. It's issue 38, published earlier this month (June 2017).

There are some DS connections you may find along the way. Author Sam Irvin directed Dante's Cove, a glossy occult gay soap opera of circa 2006 that had some elements reminiscent of DS. In the very long narrative about the Frankenstein film's production history, there's a moment where everyone panics because ABC announces the version that Dan Curtis did of the story for TV in '72. Sam Irvin quotes a catty comment from someone that this turned out to be the "same tired sets and canned music cues" from DS, so there was a collective heaving of a sigh of relief. (!) Ah, Hollywood...

Not directly related, but the producer of Frankenstein: the True Story was Hollywood stalwart Hunt Stromberg, Jr., a flamboyant, larger-than-life gay man who had been involved with both the Vampira show and the launching of The Munsters in 1964. There's a huge amount of gossip, history and anecdote crammed into this magazine about the period in which DS came into existence. Well worth reading.

G.

123

Current Talk '17 I / Notes on DS fandom history

« on: June 10, 2017, 02:11:55 PM »

Anyone interested in the history of DS fandom might want to read this short entry on the Fanlore site. There are a couple of peculiar typographical errors, but some interesting info is given. What is provided is only a very brief outline of the history as it is known to me (and I'm far from an authority on it since I was not at all connected to the fandom before around 1995).

https://fanlore.org/wiki/Dark_Shadows

There's a link to another page that provides a listing of DS fanzines--I haven't checked that out yet.

Best, G.

124

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Of potential interest to fans

« on: April 15, 2017, 02:03:40 AM »

Fans,

A few evenings ago I stumbled upon this amazing playlist on Youtube. It includes (from number 93 onwards) the seven episodes of a short lived 1976 British anthology series, SUPERNATURAL. The episodes I've watched thus far are very reminiscent of DS--lots of character moments, emphasis on mood and atmosphere, and psychological twists. Please note that episodes 2 and 3 constitute a two part story (which could accurately be given the title of the first of the two parts, COUNTESS ILONA). These scripts were written by actress Billie Whitelaw's husband Robert Muller and seem to be intended as a kind of homage to the themes of Victorian horror, but again, with a twist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmRu2axUu2LF_oPPxDUZhzXt4t4fLRlwq

I am enjoying this a lot--perhaps other fans will, as well.

The framing story involves a very exclusive gentlemen's club in London. The rules of the club are that each prospective new member must tell a horror yarn to the assembled members. If for whatever reason they don't care for his story, they will kill him. And so it begins...

cheers, G.

125

Current Talk '17 I / DS episodes online

« on: April 10, 2017, 09:11:40 PM »

Hi folks, Last weekend, I had to telephone a friend who recently retired, and he surprised me by telling me he started watching DS on Youtube. He got up to around episode 70 and I think either the episodes switched to for-pay or there was one episode that he couldn't access--I couldn't really understand what he was telling me about it.

This made me wonder whether DS is on HuluPlus, Netflicks or other web content services currently. Does anyone have current info?

It's hard to google this kind of thing because there are so many sites around with outdated information--and just so many DS websites, period.

Best, G.

126

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / OT: HOUSE OF THE 7 GABLES (1960)

« on: March 29, 2017, 04:06:34 AM »

Fans,

Ever wonder what DS might have looked like had Agnes Moorehead and Jonathan Harris been cast in lead roles? A hint of what might have been is offered in this 1960 hour long adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's HOUSE OF THE 7 GABLES, originally presented on the anthology series, THE SHIRLEY TEMPLE SHOW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XLlqBHr3vo

The cast also includes Shirley Temple in the ingenue role (born around 1928, she would have been around 32 at the time), with Martin Landau, Robert Culp, and John Abbott.

Vincent Price also appeared in an adaptation of the Hawthorne novel in the film TWICE TOLD TALES in the early 1960s--this one wandered even further afield from the Hawthorne source novel, and had an even more explicit horror atmosphere.

G.

127

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Andy Williams--Shadows of the Night

« on: March 17, 2017, 08:01:33 PM »

Fans,

A friend of mine bought a CD of rare recordings by Claudine Longet. I think some (possibly all) of the material came from TV broadcasts. He mentioned that there's a track where Claudine covers "Shadows of the Night."

For those who have no idea who I am talking about, Claudine became a celebrity back in the Sixties mainly in her role as the wife of Andy Williams, who would now be described as an "adult contemporary" lounge singer. Andy had a hugely popular "family friendly" TV series from sometime in the 60s through to the 1970s. I think Andy Williams is largely forgotten and that is even more the case for Claudine. Claudine did appear in a 1967 film starring Peter Sellers, THE PARTY.

Claudine did a really spooky cover of the theme song from Rosemary's baby, a kind of Satanic lullaby. And Claudine later made international headlines due to an unfortunate "accident" involving a ski star named Spider who was her extramarital lover.

I didn't find Claudine's recording of "Shadows of the Night" but I did find this one with husband Andy Williams. It sounds like the kind of thing you'd have heard in a bus station coffee shop back around 1974 (yes, this is a little in-joke for those of us who are card-carrying members of Halloholics Anon).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RvC4jiKD_g

G.

128

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Memories of Thayer David

« on: March 06, 2017, 10:17:54 PM »

Fans, last Saturday was Thayer David's birthday, and his nephew Jonathan posted these memories on the Thayer David fan club Facebook page. I thought those who don't do Facebook might enjoy reading this because it is such a vivid portrait of an actor many of us just adore.

Best, G.

From Jonathan Vincent on Thayer David:

I think of all his roles, he liked playing Professor Stokes the most. It was the character that was closest to his real personality (he was my uncle). The mid-Atlantic/British accent was real and he didn't stray from it. A product of the time, and the theater. He also liked playing the villains. It's too bad he died before Nero Wolfe got past the pilot stage. It was picked up... by ABC if I recall. He was really happy about it, and he was going to remarry his ex wife, Valerie French. As it is now, so was it in the 60s and 70s that even many famous actors used to have to work very hard to piece a life together. Most of his time outside of DS, he was from play to play or character parts in films. It took a toll on him. He was a big guy, and liked rich savory things, like a pipe, red wine, and hearty food. He died peacefully in his NYC apartment in an armchair, while reading a book. His home was museum-like. Mostly Victorian portraits, canes, and gothic furniture. I've enjoyed hearing his fans express satisfaction that he really was very much like his screen persona. In fact, he often ad libbed or rewrote his dialog on DS for accuracy, and because those were a lot of lines to memorize over night. He liked to talk, but was often lost in thought, as well. When he was at our family home in Massachusetts, he liked to unwind in relative solitude in his room. It was usually after he came off a project, and he was tired. After a few days, he'd emerge for Sunday dinner and fascinate all of us with his stories. Like many of his DS cast mates, he was shy and social all at once. After wrapping on Fridays, the cast would go to a club, maybe the Gramercy Park, I can't remember. I think people would go there to see the cast, often still in costume. They used to be famous for being stuck in their roles, drinking Manhattans and talking in those mid-Atlantic accents. It is a somewhat sobering experience for me to realize I'm barely any younger than he was when he passed away. He always seemed timeless to me. I suppose in a way he is, on film and video, and in my mind. I'd sell my right hand to have an hour long conversation with him, now.

129

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Mar. 7 TCM "Night of the Iguana"

« on: March 05, 2017, 08:23:03 PM »

Fans, this Tuesday, March 7. TCM will broadcast the 1964 film NIGHT OF THE IGUANA starring our very own Grayson Hall, at 8 p.m.

This was Grayson's favorite of the few films she made. Amazingly, in an all-star cast involving Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, and Deborah Kerr, she was the only participant nominated for an Academy Award. (She lost to Lila Kedrova in ZORBA THE GREEK.)

Grayson is in the first post-title credits scene!!

Best, G.

130

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / OT: Shades of STRANGE PARADISE

« on: February 10, 2017, 01:30:28 AM »

In my time on Youtube, recently I have noticed that a lot of films we used to see on Creature Feature type programs when I was growing up in the 1960s are suddenly available on this venue in their entirety. I wonder if this has to do with a lot of these films going into public domain.

A friend mentioned CASTLE OF EVIL (1966). The end credits imply it was made for TV, but it may have had a brief theatrical distribution--don't know. This one had a couple of elements that reminded me of STRANGE PARADISE, notably sinister housekeeper Lupe (played by Shelley Morrison, who is best known now for her role as Rosario on WILL & GRACE) watching the other guests at the titular castle on a closed circuit TV system. I think most DS fans would enjoy this kind of thing, even though it's probably at best a 2 star movie; I know I had fun with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxubi5RAm98

Best, G.

131

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / OT: Shades of DS

« on: February 07, 2017, 01:02:53 AM »

Fans,

This morning over breakfast I happened to stumble upon some clips from 1960s underground film schlockmeister Andy Milligan's 1969 film TORTURE DUNGEON. This one in particular made me think somewhat of DS, I guess due to the baroque set and costume designs and acting techniques:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPlNfT5vXEw&t=4s

I always knew that line about being a "trisexual" was really old--it was interesting to see actual documentation of this.

If you check out other clips from this epic on youtube, there's one that was included in somebody's vlog where the guy recounts meeting John Waters and discussing Milligan's work. Milligan was the subject of a book length biography, THE GHASTLY ONES, which provides an interesting glimpse into 1960s NYC sleaze culture and how this actually intersected occasionally with the avant-garde. A lot of these films were shot in various locations on Staten Island or elsewhere.

Not really related to Dark Shadows but it all makes me think of the milieu of the time--I am not sure that younger fans may comprehend why I think this way...

Best, G.

132

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Roger Davis in RUBY (1977)

« on: January 26, 2017, 06:59:21 PM »

Roger Davis must have found his role in RUBY (1977) reminiscent of his days on DS. I found this trailer for the film. It was directed by Curtis Harrington who did some excellent TV films in the same era, including THE CAT CREATURE with Gale Sondergaard in the kind of role Grayson might have played, and THE DEAD DON'T DIE.

The trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De7es8HMevw

G.

133

Calendar Events / Announcements '17 I / Odd appearance of the original Josette music box theme

« on: January 08, 2017, 06:06:28 PM »

Fans,

As is well known, the original 1967 Josette's music box theme was a track composed for Patrick McGoohan's series THE PRISONER. I presume that this track somehow wound up in an ABC music library and that was how it found its way into our show. I believe that episode of the McGoohan series was filmed sometime in the Fall of 1966 but I'd have to check that. The series was broadcast on ABC, I think, sometime in 1967. When the 1795 storyline started on DS, Robert Cobert composed a new tune for the music box which was then used for the remainder of the series. I was quite startled and perplexed (no internet and no DS reference books available then) when I first saw the 1967 shows in a 1976 syndication and the tune was different from the one I had known.

Anyhow, I was quite surprised when the tune showed up as background music in a scene in the 1972 ACE OF WANDS serial, "Mama Doc." It's heard starting around the 8 minute 30 second mark here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCFay1dXFIE

ACE OF WANDS was produced by Thames television, which I think had merged with the studio that had produced THE PRISONER (Britain's ABC network), sometime around 1968. I'd have to check Wikipedia for the specifics and dates.

ACE OF WANDS is about a stage magician named Tarot who gets involved with various occult themed mysteries. In some ways it's reminiscent of 1970s DOCTOR WHO. Tarot's companions are a brother and sister, Chaz and Micki.

The whole topic of "library music" in television and films is a fascinating one. There are some really great tracks that wound up being circulated in this fashion.

G.

134

Calendar Events / Announcements '16 II / Sam Hall Interview

« on: December 21, 2016, 07:00:14 PM »

Extremely candid--a euphemistic way of saying "gossipy"--interview with Sam Hall, done when he was 85 and Dan Curtis had gone on to that great green room in the sky:

http://www.tvparty.com/70-dark-shadows.html

G.

135

Current Talk '16 II / The Artistry of Louis Edmonds

« on: December 19, 2016, 11:45:17 PM »

One of my favorite performances from Louis Edmonds was when he was allowed to play Parallel Time Roger Collins as a gossipy, vitriolic drunk, reminiscent of the character of Harold in BOYS FROM THE BAND. This episode which I learned is one of a group from 1970 on Youtube is a fab example of how brilliantly Louis played the role:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o9dZdiMbhI&t=101s

I think it is actually my favorite character he played. Maybe tied with the original 1966 characterization of Roger who was deliciously snide and devious.

G.