Dark Shadows Collectiables

Taken directly from the 1989 NY Fest flyer:

DARK SHADOWS STUDIO PARTY

Begin the Festival weekend by celebrating the magic of DARK SHADOWS at a private party to be held at the original DARK SHADOWS ABC-TV Studio 16 in Manhattan, starting at 7:00 pm on Friday September 1. The special evening will include a buffet, DS music videos, appearances by DS stars, dancing, pay bar, and a tour of the studio, converted in a nightclub. The cost is only $25 per person.[/b]


And here's an excerpt from Jeff Thompson's 1989 Fest report, "The TV studio, the stars, and Collinwood itself! THE ULTIMATE DARK SHADOWS FESTIVAL," which appeared in the Winter/Spring issue of The Houston Dark Shadows Society newsletter:

...
The fun began on the evening of Friday, September 1, when 250 well-dressed fans gathered at the old ABC Studio 16, located between West 53rd and West 54th Streets and between 9th and 10th Avenues in Manhattan. Twenty years ago, at least one major "Dark Shadows" star lived rather close to the studio. The cavernous studio building is still there, but the interior has benn converted into a nightclub! The place is called the Red Zone and offers music, dancing, and refreshments nightly from 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM. Not quite as nocturnal as the nightcrawling vampires who populated our favorite show, we fans partied at the Red Zone from 7:00 to 10:00. With us were costume designer Mary McKinley Hass, cameraman Nick Besink, and eight of the most popular stars of "Dark Shadows": Terrayne Crawford (Beth Chavez), Roger Davis (Peter Bradford), Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), Diana Millay (Laura Collins), Lara Parker (Angelique Collins), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Josette DuPres), Sharon Smyth (Sarah Collins), and Marie Wallace (Jenny Collins). The stars looked dazzling in their partygoing finery; one actress looked especially gorgeous.
The building, with lights and machinery hanging from the high ceiling, still looks like a television studio in some ways. The loading dock, however, has become a stage with a bar in front of it. The large, flat area where the Collinwood set and the many other sets once stood is the dance floor. Upstairs, the rehearsal hall and dressing rooms have become a bar which overlooks the dance floor. In the time between "Dark Shadows'" occupation of ABC Studio 16 and its transformation into the Red Zone, the studio was home to "Particular Men," "The Great American Dream Machine," "Ryan's Hope," and several news and music programs.
During the party, we fans and the stars mingled on both levels of the old studio, and several fans danced to the late-1960s music and occasional "Dark Shadows" songs which blasted from the Red Zone's sound system. Eight huge screens above the dance floor continually flashed colorful slides of the "Dark Shadows" stars, mansions, cast lists, and memorabilia. At one point, video crewman Nick Besink, who had worked on "Dark Shadows" in 1970 and 1971, gave an extremely informative talk about what the building had been like when it had housed "Dark Shadows." Besink pionted out where various important sets, such as Collinwood and the mausoleum, had been located on what was now the dance floor.
Kathryn Leigh Scott then pointed out to everyone where the sets of Maggie's cottage and The Blue Whale had been. Privately, Kathryn remarked to a small group of fans, "When I first walked in, I knew I was in the old studio, but everything else looks different." Many such private conversations between the stars and fans transpired at the Red Zone that night, and this was the magic of the party. We fans were mingling freely with the stars, taking pictures with them, and getting to know them in a setting more relaxed and intimate than that of the Festival autograph lines. Indeed, one California fan told me, "This is the most accessible the stars have ever been."
...

Here's a scan of the souvenir ticket for the night (some of the stars listed were unable to attend - if only RD had been one of them  ):

And here's a photo of the event that was published in the Fests' Dark Shadows Festival Memory Book 1983-1993:

People who know me *might* be able to spot me there in the crowd  ,  but the rest of you will just have to take my word for it that I'm there because, after all, I *AM* "mysterious" and I'm not about to point myself out! 


(It's also probably worth mentioning that the Red Zone didn't stay in business for very long, and after it closed the building was once again turned back into a studio. The first tenant was an ABC late night talk show called "Last Call," which might have lasted two years, if even that long. And as most fans know the building is currently used for the Montel Williams Show.)   

Thanks for sharing the pictures, sounds like it was a fun party, i wonder who Jeff Thompson was talking about when he said  "One actress looked especially gorgeous"...was it maybe Angelique or KLS???  I had to work late that friday night, so early the next morning a friend and I drove from Boston to the Vista, we got there around 7 am, 3 long hours before they opened the festival doors. yes you are right about Marie Wallace, when she came in I  remember how she was relating to some of the other fans waiting in line, I did not know who Roger Davis was at the time, and I thought he was another fan that was just trying to cut to the head of the line. then when we met Ann Wilson at the registration table, we got the RD bio sheet.  I will post a picture of myself in the Imagestation photo album,  maybe we did meet way back then...wouldn't that be strange?? ***ok I just posted two pic's. one from 1984 when i was in the service and another taken in 92. don't have any from 89.

i wonder who Jeff Thompson was talking about when he said  "One actress looked especially gorgeous"...was it maybe Angelique or KLS???

I *think* he was referring to KLS.

I did not know who Roger Davis was at the time, and I thought he was another fan that was just trying to cut to the head of the line. then when we met Ann Wilson at the registration table, we got the RD bio sheet.

That's right - I completely forgot that they'd also inserted RD's bio sheet into the Festival program book. I was practically accosted by him later that Saturdfay as he was handing out autographed copies of his sheet, and that's the one I still have. I have absolutely no idea what I did with the other one.

(The signed copy is posted here:

... (and you've got to know that it's one of my MOST TREASURED possessions) ...

he said facetiously...)

I will post a picture of myself in the Imagestation photo album,  maybe we did meet way back then...wouldn't that be strange??

We may have.    But you know what is interesting - we live only about 50 miles from each other. I can't believe how many members of this forum live in Boston or the surrounding area. I think we could hold our own mini-Fest one day. 

Was that 1989 souvenier tiecket designed by Ed Gorey, Mysterious Benefactor?  It certainly looks like his artwork.  He is one of my absolutely favorite illustrators.  One can see a sample of it in the opening credits for PBS' Mystery.  He's done quite a few books, including a wonderful anthology called Hauntings:  Tales of the Supernatural.  He also designed the sets for the Broadway Frank Langella version of Dracula back in the '70's.

Gerard

On the "Goreyography" site, one of the publishers listed for Gorey items is none other than Pomegranate Press!

It always comes back to DS, doesn't it?

Was that 1989 souvenier tiecket designed by Ed Gorey, Mysterious Benefactor?  It certainly looks like his artwork.

You know, I don't know. The ticket's artwork isn't signed - or if it is, I can't see it. I don't recall ever hearing that Gorey designed the ticket. But who knows?

He is one of my absolutely favorite illustrators.  One can see a sample of it in the opening credits for PBS' Mystery

Yes, I love the credits for Mystery.

On the "Goreyography" site, one of the publishers listed for Gorey items is none other than Pomegranate Press!

I could be wrong, but I think the Pomegranate Press that prints the Gorey bookmarks and such is a different company. It has a completely different Web site (http://www.pomegranate.com) from KLS' company (http://www.pompress.com), they're each located in completely different cities in CA, and KLS' company is named Pomegranate Press, LTD. But who knew there could be two companies with such close names? It seems like people could easily mistake them for each other.  :-

That  would be pretty neat, if they held a mini-festival here in New England, number one spot would be no other place but Salem.  maybe Trask (Jerry Lacy), could host a special DS trolly ride around the different locations with the DS theme music playing......

But who knew there could be two companies with such close names?

How odd.....years ago, my husband and I filed papers to incorporate a business here on Long Island, and were denied our first choice name because another, completely different type of business had the name already.....in Buffalo, NY!

I guess the rules are different in California....

Everything is different here in California. 

dom