I agree with you about Lara Parker, but to me, DS' most skilled actor was Jonathan Frid. Granted, one he became popular and had less time to memorize his scripts, he floundered, line-wise, but even under those circumstances, he provided a character with depth, eroticism, pathos and cruelty, especially the early Barnabas episodes. Mr. Frid imbued Barnabas with something that will last in the minds of millions of fans throughout the ages. He was and is a truly gifted actor--and saved DARK SHADOWS from cancellation, too!
DARK SHADOWS was filled with talented actors--John Karlen, Thayer David, Grayson Hall, Nancy Barrett, David Henesy, Louis Edmonds and many others. With its unique format of giving actors a chance to change characters and show off new acting ability, DS was undoubtedly an actor's dream job.
Love, Robin