I always enjoy Don R. Vaughan's blog. I particularly enjoy it whenever he attempts to encourage people to speak correctly (sadly, an often all too quickly slipping away practice  ). And I especially enjoy it whenever he does so with DS as a prime example of correct speech to which we should aspire. 

Here's another entry inspired by DS.  Thank you for the link, Julia99!

This week's vocabulary quiz
Scroll halfway down the page.

SHADOWGRAM
The Official Dark Shadows News Updates Yahoo Group
Marcy Robin's Cyberspace "Dark Shadows" News Updates

An Internet Publication of SHADOWGRAM – Official "Dark Shadows" Published Newsletters
ShadowGram@aol.com

Number 200. July 26, 2009.

---

Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,

ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following breaking news.

**** SG PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT:
---- TENTATIVE FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

SG here provides the tentative programming schedule for the DS Festival's "DS Resurrected" Convention.

The Fest is August 14-16 at the Renaissance Marriott Newark Airport Hotel, 1000 Spring St., Elizabeth, NJ 07021. (908) 436-4600.

SG print issues #114 and the bew SG #115 – being published very soon – plus recent SG Online Updates, have more Fest information.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Please Note: All times are approximate and subject to change.

--- Friday, August 14
3:00 pm Registration Opens
6:00 Opening Announcements/Original DS Episode As Aired on ABC-TV
7:00 DS Recollections: John Karlen & Marie Wallace
8:00 DS Recollections: Jerry Lacy, Lara Parker & Kathryn Leigh Scott
9:00 Autographs/Dark Shadows Bloopers
10:00 Surprise Dark Shadows Screening
11:00 Film Vault: The Devil's Daughter with Jonathan Frid
12:15 Film Vault: Night of Terror starring John Karlen

--- Saturday, August 15
11:00 am Dark Shadows Fan Videos
11:30 DS Video Vault I
12:00 The World of Parallel Time – Author Guest: Frank Borzellieri
1:00 Memorabilia Auction I
2:00 The Television Horrors of Dan Curtis – Author Guest: Jeff Thompson
2:30 Guest: Jonathan Frid
4:00 DS Cast Reunion
5:00 Autographs/DS Video Vault II
6:30 The Collinsport Players Present
7:00 Costume / Presentation Gala
8:30 House Of Dark Shadows
10:00 Night Of Dark Shadows
11:30 Late Night Horror Classic

--- Sunday, August 16
11:00 am Inside DS Panel – Guest: Marcy Robin
11:30 DS Video Vault III
12:00 Dark Shadows Encore
12:30 Dark Shadows Reborn - Guest: Stuart Manning
1:00 Memorabilia Auction II
2:00 Remembering With Roxanne – Guest: Donna Wandrey
2:30 Joan Bennett Tribute – The First Lady Of DS
3:30 Jonathan Frid On Stage
5:00 Room Closes/Autographs
7:00 Room Reopens for Banquet Dinner
10:00 Closing

**** SG PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT:
---- FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Guests & Autographs
Appearing in person this weekend are Jonathan Frid, John Karlen, Jerry Lacy, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Marie Wallace and Donna Wandrey. Autographs will be signed during much of the weekend at tables in the Marketplace room. Please note that Jonathan Frid has pre-signed photographs for banquet attendees only and will not be signing any other items.

Jonathan Frid On Stage
On Saturday, special guest Jonathan Frid will host The Game, where he will screen and discuss a selection of 10 original DS scenes that were voted as favorites by fans. On Sunday, Jonathan returns with special dramatic readings of The Listeners, Third Level, The Speck and others, in addition to a screening of My Fridian Connections. Each appearance will include a question-and-answer session.

Memorabilia Auction
At 1pm on Saturday and Sunday, a wide variety of rare and desirable DS collectibles will be offered at auction, with proceeds to benefit a charity to be chosen by the DS actors. Among the featured materials will be original DS memorabilia from the 1960s and many unique items.

Video Screenings
The uncut theatrical versions of the MGM motion pictures HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (1970) and NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS (1971), will be screened back-to-back on Saturday night. Additionally a rare 1972 horror film NIGHT OF TERROR starring John Karlen will be seen Friday night after a special surprise screening. Additionally the DS Video Vault will present a variety of long-unseen goodies including Joan Bennett's 1971 appearance on LOVE AMERICAN, STYLE entitled "Love & The Second Time." Look for other unusual offerings to pop up over the weekend!

Inside DS Panel
Guest Marcy Robin has edited and published ShadowGram, The Official DS Newsletter, for 25+ years. Her history in DS fandom goes back to the first DS events, including co-founding the DS Festivals. Over the years, she's worked closely with many of the cast/crew on their various projects, personal appearances, and at every Fest and other DS events. She also works with those involved in DS productions, merchandise, publicity, TV broadcasts, media coverage, publications, and more. She holds an open "Inside DS" panel talk to answer audience questions and discuss many different aspects of DS then, now, and in the future.

Dark Shadows Reborn
Big Finish Productions have issued over a dozen new DS episodes with the original cast on audio CD format starring David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott, John Karlen, Lara Parker, Jerry Lacy, Marie Wallace and Nancy Barrett. More dramas are on the way. Stuart Manning will discuss these extensions of the DS legacy and the exciting plans that lie ahead.

The Collinsport Players Present
On Saturday evening, a group of thespian fans known as The Collinsport Players will present a newly-written skit. In Bewitched Shadows, ABC-TVs 1960s daytime and nighttime witches collide. Angelique Collins receives a summons from the witches council and a visit from its co-chair-witches. Starring Walter Down, Diane Eckert, Richard Guido, Richard Halpern, Jack Kuessler, Peter Mac, Helen Samaras, Dr. John Schaefer. Conceived by Peter Mac.

The First Lady Of Collinwood
Author Brian Kellow will host an insight into the lovely star of DS, Miss Joan Bennett, who was also one of Hollywood's most popular motion picture actresses in the 1930s-1940s. Brian will also be signing copies of his biography on Joan and her famous family entitled The Bennetts – An Acting Family.

Sunday Night Banquet & Jonathan Frid Autographed Photo
The Sunday night DS dinner is sold out without space for a waiting list. For those who have reservations, tickets will be given to you at the registration desk when you register and receive your badge and autographed photo.

Recent SG Updates and the current SG #114 print issue premiere-announced our expected DS guests and reported the latest confirmed Fest plans and information.

Note: The new postal-mail SG #115 newsletter is pleased to feature more about Jonathan Frid's plans for the Fest – in his own words, exclusively for this SG issue. It will be published very soon for all postal-mail subscribers.

Additional confirmed Fest news also will be reported in future SG Online Updates like this one.

OMG, I had to share this entry from a blog called "Chronicling the Dark Shadowy Vampire Twilight."  Once you get past the intro and a few questionable remarks, it becomes a delightful discussion of "center slices" and the "natural look" of DS actors and fashions.

Dark Shadows: What WAS it about Barnabas, anyway?
June 17, 2009

Number 198. July 19, 2009.

********************************************
Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,

ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following breaking news.

- JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT – STARRING IN 2 NEW FILMS
- KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT NEWS

**** JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT –
NEW FILM IN RELEASE – NEXT FILM OPENS AUG. 7

Joe (1991 DS' David, Daniel) stars as "Tom," a greeting card author, in the new movie (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, in nationwide release as of 7-16.

Publicity: He "co-stars with Zooey Deschanel in a bittersweet romantic comedy-drama that jumps back in forth in time and includes unexpected touches like a big musical number, as Gordon-Levitt's character reflects on the arc of a relationship that lasted exactly 500 days..... The film premiered before a sold-out crowd of nearly 2,000 at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and got very positive notices."

Joe co-stars – hidden behind an elaborate mask, make-up, and prosthetics – as the villain "Cobra Commander" in the highly-anticipated action feature G.I. JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA. It opens nationwide 8-7.

More information and photos will be in the new SG #115 print issue.

**** KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT UPDATES

Kathryn (Maggie, Josette, Rachel, Kitty) asks SG to announce: "I've been invited to sign autographs at Comic-Con International 2009 in San Diego. While I was asked to sign all four days, I am only available from 3 - 7pm on Thursday, July 23. For more information,
please check the convention website."

She also asks SG to report: "I am thrilled that Opera News has published my piece FATAL ATTRACTION: THE STAR AND THE STALKER in the August 2009 issue now available on new stands. I am especially pleased my story was given 9 pages, the most they've assigned to a Feature Article. The link to the article in Opera News is: http://tiny.cc/6hU9Y

**** SHADOWGRAM NOTE:

Please send SG your photos and reports from Kathryn's appearance at ComicCon and especially from the Festival convention In this way, fans who cannot be at these events can share the fun with you.

Please also send publicity, articles, reviews, or other material you may find about Joe's 2 movies, as well as the planned new DS film and any other DS-related news. Use the SG addresses below.

Those sending in material will be named as Contributors in upcoming print issues. You also may receive a complimentary Contributor's Copy for major contributions of information, funds, stamps, supplies, publicity, etc.

**** Subscription information for the ShadowGram Newsletter print issues follows. When your order arrives, I will mail you the current SG #114 newsletter to begin / renew your subscription. The next SG #115 and subsequent issues will be sent to you and all postal-mail subscribers as they are published.

Thank you.

Marcy Robin
ShadowGram Editor / Publisher
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766

ShadowGram@aol.com
YahooGroup e-mail: Shadowgram1@yahoo.com
Official ShadowGram Website: www.shadowgram.com

American writer Claudia Gray (Evernight, Stargazer) had this to say in an interview on ninemsn.com about her popularity with Australian readers and why vampire fiction is the "latest literary fad":

The modern era of the sexy, romantic vampire probably began with Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows and of course the Anne Rice books.

Why fact check when you can throw in the word "probably"?  lol

Full article:  Aussies sinking teeth into vampire books