Why The Results In Frid's "Game"? / was Fest Report

[Mysterious Benefactor]

when the show was on and 6 months after it was off, Grayson was voted in the Top 10 or 5 of daytime actresses; Lara was always there but not KLS.  6 months after the show was off air Grayson was still on the list, Lara had fallen off.   

I'd forgotten about all that from back in the day, j99 - but it's all very true.

[michael c]

i'll throw my humble two cents in on why kathryn leigh scott had such a poor showing in "the game"...

in a word:chemistry.she and jonathan frid just don't have it.

kathryn's somewhat subtle acting style played as rather bland contrasted to jonathan's largeness.

josette collins works for me as an abstract concept.a ghost.a legend.a myth.
but as a flesh and blood character she was pretty vapid.what's more kls only played the character but briefly and only for a few episodes with jonathan before angelique takes control so we don't see much interaction between the two.her "presence" on the show is much bigger than what the character actually merits.

with grayson hall and lara parker however frid had chemistry in spades.their much broader acting matched frid's bigness.they shared much more screen time,scene after scene,year after year,than scott and frid.there was also often a love/hate,push/pull dynamic between the characters that was just more fun than the fawning between barnabs and josette.

the reason maggie and joe were such a sweet couple is that scott and joel crothers were well matched in terms of acting style.there was a believability to it.since they were both original players they were in some ways leftovers from an earlier era before the types of over-the-top situations required acting methods to match.

besides because of the brutality that barnabas treated maggie with in 1967 i can never view any subsequent pairings of the two actors(rachel,kitty or any maggie variation)without some level of repulsion.just because the barnabas character became popular and they changed the writing for him those deeds cannot be undone.those images are burned onto my retina forever.

ironically i found alexandra moltke's rather flat acting style to be a fine match for frid.for me she had a somewhat regal presence that stood up to it.

the only other character i found frid to have less chemistry with was his other "great love" roxanne drew.for me they just batted zero.

[Dawn]

As one who participated in the scene searches, I will attest that there were a great many wonderful scenes that were selected by the fans who flocked to JF's site.  (Lest anyone knowing my GH alliance, may it hereby be known that I was merely given scenes to locate in the episode guide so that numbers could be tallied more readily.) The number was vast, believe me.  However, the tally was made on which scenes received THE MOST votes.  Democratic huh?  

Here is the breakout: 1)Julia confronts Barnabas with the knowledge of what he is. 2)1995 Never without you with Barnabas and Julia. 3)Barnabas and Willie and Willie's push to get Barnabas to acknowledge his caring for Julia. 4) Barnabas relates the story of Josette's death to Victoria and Carolyn. 5) Barnabas and David's initial meeting at the Old House. 6) Barnabas and Angelique and the initial curse visitation. 7) Barnabas and Burke and the bar scene where their situation is compared to a duel. 8)Barnabas seeks a truce with Julia after the 1795 flashback for fear that she will see him destroyed. 9) Barnabas,Trask and Angelique in 1840 and the death scene and Trask stabbing scene. 10) Barnabas and Trask reenact "The Cask of Amontillado."

Now, the top winner had 14 votes.  The second I believe was 12.  This should highlight just how many scenes out of the submissions received only one or two votes.  So, there were three Grayson Hall scenes, two Lara Parker, two Lacy, and one each of Karlan,George,Molke,Barrett, and Henesy.

I also have to interject that the tallies and results were held by John's webmaster, Mark Lawrence, who has no knowledge of anyone's personal preferences or allegiances.

As for Grayson's Legion of fans, I will echo Julia99.  We were a tame lot.  The response at every festival is much the same when Grayson is mentioned.  The outpouring of affection is gratifying as is the applause for Louis Edmonds, Joan Bennett, Thayer David, and Humbert Allen Astredo.

[Dawn]

i'll throw my humble two cents in on why kathryn leigh scott had such a poor showing in "the game"...

in a word:chemistry.she and jonathan frid just don't have it.

Oh, so well said.

[KajunDC]

I agree about the whole chemistry thing between Frid and Scott.  It played well when Frid first entered the show because all indications were that Barnabas was coveting something he should not have - that he was attracted to the innocence when he was so evil.  And it was a replay of his coveting his uncle's wife.  When they did the flashback and had them head over heels in love with one another, it just never clicked.  It made for a much more entertaining storyline, but Frid and Scott never clicked.  Frid and Parker, though, definitely clicked.

Hall and Frid had great chemistry together.  The lack of respect towards her, I believe, stems from two things.  First, with her decades of smoking she always sounded like she was gargling gravel.  And second she was, and I really mean no offense here, but she really was uglier than a bowling shoe - especially compared to every other actress on the show.  (Except, perhaps, Mrs. Johnson - but that is truly a close race.)  I have seen some photos of Grayson where there is a mild hint of attractiveness but overall - no.  Great actress though.

[MirandaD]

Regarding chemistry between JF and KLS, I suppose it was somewhat muted by the fact that Barnabas' love for Josette was rather ethereal and idealistic, as opposed to his lust for Angelique (more earthy, thus more prone to being interpreted as more combustible). 

[Julia99]

And second she was, and I really mean no offense here, but she really was uglier than a bowling shoe - especially compared to every other actress on the show.  (Except, perhaps, Mrs. Johnson - but that is truly a close race.)  I have seen some photos of Grayson where there is a mild hint of attractiveness but overall - no.  Great actress though.

That is one opinion, I know many many many others, men and women who totally disagree. She is not a traditional beauty for sure but many others see her uniqueness as quite compelling.

I however, believe some of the disinclination for Julia is a hold-over agist thing.  I've often heard fans say she was too old for Barnabas? What?! The actors were only apart in age by 1 year.   Its the olderman with comely maiden thing is socially acceptable, so Frid's pairing with 20 somethings/close to the fans age at the time of the show, when he was in his 40s still seems okay in fan eyes but pairing him with someone his own age--well??

[Nancy]

I thought Grayson Hall was quite striking in looks.   

Nancy

[Nancy]

i'll throw my humble two cents in on why kathryn leigh scott had such a poor showing in "the game"...

in a word:chemistry.she and jonathan frid just don't have it.

Exactly.  They did not have any chemistry to speak of. 

Grayson Hall, Lara Parker and Jonathan Frid were three actors who could hold the viewer's attention on sight alone.  Grayson had fanastically, striking looks.  The camera loved her.  Lara Parker was dynamic on camera.  When any of these actors were paired with another, the screen was crackling, no question. 

Frid was not the traditionally handsome matinee idol by any means.  One critic described his face as being like a "garden trowel."  Nonetheless, he had something the camera (and audience) liked.  The same with Grayson Hall.  She was hard to not watch when she was onscreen.

Grayson and Barnabas were at the core of every storyline.  If the viewers didn't think that was worthwihle, that situation would have changed.

Nancy

[Nancy]

I do hope you are not right, KajunDC.  Not having any respect for someone because of the sound of her voice or how attractive she is smacks of ignorance.

Nancy

The lack of respect towards her, I believe, stems from two things.  First, with her decades of smoking she always sounded like she was gargling gravel.  And second she was, and I really mean no offense here, but she really was uglier than a bowling shoe - especially compared to every other actress on the show.  (Except, perhaps, Mrs. Johnson - but that is truly a close race.)  I have seen some photos of Grayson where there is a mild hint of attractiveness but overall - no.  Great actress though.

[michael c]

i just wanted to make it clear that my remarks were in no way a diss to kls.

i love maggie...especially her early scenes at the diner.

[Lydia]

josette collins works for me as an abstract concept.a ghost.a legend.a myth.
but as a flesh and blood character she was pretty vapid.

Josette was by no means vapid.  She was a young woman of strong and excellent principles.  When, as far as she could tell, she singlehandedly ruined her own life, she did not complain, and she wished Barnabas and Angelique well when they married.  If I had the choice of being like anybody at all on Dark Shadows, I would want to be like Josette.

But – as mscbryk notes - she didn't last long.  Angelique and Julia lasted until the end of the series as functioning, interacting characters.  Josette, on the other hand, was pretty much a figment of Barnabas’s imagination after 1795, so there's less of her for fans to remember.

When I was thinking about the Top Ten Frid Scenes question today, one that came forcibly to my mind was the one in episode 418 in which Angelique lured Josette to the mausoleum.  Just now I went to check what episode it was, and lo and behold I found the following in the Watching Project:

I think that final scene between Barnabas and Josette must be among my top ten Dark Shadows scenes.  Josette makes it seem so absolutely right that they should be together, and we know that it is now so wrong.

The scenes around episodes 445-447 in the basement of the Old House between Joshua and Barnabas have to be in my Top Ten as well.

And for those doubting Thomases writing elsewhere, you simply had to be in the room.  The Legion was relatively  calm but the rest of the audience roared with approval whenever Grayson came on screen.

I was there, and I was applauding madly for Julia.  (I don't roar.  Not my style.)  But, as I understood this, it was Top Ten Frid Scenes – not Top Ten Dark Shadows Scenes – and I don't think the final scene in 290 was Best of Frid.  Also, like Gothick, I prefer the preceding scene between Barnabas and Julia in the drawing room, when Julia made it clear to Barnabas that she was onto him.

[KajunDC]

I can appreciate what you are saying Nancy but that is how the American culture has been taught to think, especially where "romantic" storylines are concerned.  Grayson had respect as an actress, just not as a love interest. 

[Dawn]

I don't know about others, but I find compassionate and caring people quite lovable.  I think that Grayson's Julia had a host of endearing qualities as the character developed.  Frankly, Barnabas needed to get away from his romantic, idealistic perceptions and begin to live in the real world where deeper, honest, emotional love lives.   
Just my POV mind you.   

[Gothick]

Grayson Hall's beauty, power and brilliance is burned like a bright enduring brand forever in my heart and soul...

but then, I'm biased.

*wink*

G.