kathryns moment of hilarity

[denise]

AS REV TRASK WAS CONDUCTING HIS EXORCISM ON
JOSETTE WAS IT POSSIBLE I SAW A HINT OF A GRIN
ON HER FACE THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO STIFLE AS TRASK
WAS TALKING TO BARNABAS?

[ROBINV]

I know the actors on DS played everything very seriously, but there are often hints of smiles or attempts to stifle laughter, especially during particularly dramatic scenes.  

There are times I wonder how they managed to keep straight faces, and give them credit for maintaining their cool until the camera stopped rolling.  It had to be difficult with the level of melodrama attained on DS.

Love, Robin

[WileyS]

I know the actors on DS played everything very seriously, but there are often hints of smiles or attempts to stifle laughter, especially during particularly dramatic scenes.  

There are times I wonder how they managed to keep straight faces, and give them credit for maintaining their cool until the camera stopped rolling.  It had to be difficult with the level of melodrama attained on DS.

Love, Robin

LOL Robin.  One of my favorite examples of wondering how the actors keep straight faces is (scroll down for spoilers)
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When Julia and Barnabas are discussing Chris Jennings and worried about the police involvement and Julia says something like they will be guilty of "hiding a werewolf" or something like that.  It sounds hilarious and don't know how Grayson Hall could keep from laughing.

[Midnite]

denise,

Can you please not use all caps?

Sorry to put it on the board, but I don't have your e-address.  Thanks!

[Julia99]

I also love the scene where Valerie and Julia are talking about Judah Zachary and Lara/Valerie says she saw a 'bodiless head" and Grayson/Julia doesn't blink an eye and repeats "bodiless head"?  You know it was to be headless body and I marvel that Grayson kept up with Lara's flub and didn't breakout laughing. . .I would've.

Greetings all from Belgium!  I had a few minutes while doing laundry and thought I'd check in--my you are busy bees.  

[CastleBee]

I was watching the blooper tape the other day (my wise acre sister tells me that should include all the tapes in my series collection) and saw the one where Karlin said that something "gave me the willies" and then just laughs his head off .  Was that actually an on screen blooper or an out take?

[Raineypark]

Oh, Castlebee...puleeeeze tell me how to get my hands on that!  My teenaged daughter thinks that's the funniest line she's ever heard and I'd love to show her the actual incident!!  Is it something MPI put out, along with the whole series?  Or is there some number of the series I should look for?
Thanks,
Raineypark

[jennifer]

wasn't willie bricking up the wall. I have seen it on the
blooper tape but was it on the show?It was a pretty funny scene!
jennifer
My sister thinks the same as your sister too Castlebee
LOL!

[VAM]

John Karlen strikes me as the type who would not need much of an excuse to crack-up. Also, I could see him joking around on the set. Does anyone agree?

[Raineypark]

"John Karlen strikes me as the type who would not need much of an excuse to crack-up. Also, I could see him joking around on the set. Does anyone agree"


Oh, I agree absolutely!!  John Karlen is my favorite from Dark Shadows (have you all figured that out yet?) and I always had the impression he must have been a cut-up in real life.

I also suspected that he brought a lot of himself to the character of Harvey Lacey ...and Harvey was QUITE a character!!

But if there was any doubt, I think the article printed about him after he won the Emmy for "Cagney and Lacey" tells all: he comes across as having an enormous joy for life, and an excellent sense of humor.

I wouldn't be in the least surprised to learn that "This gives me the willies" was his own ad lib, and never in the script at all.  

Has anyone ever heard him asked that question by a fan at one of the festivals?  If so, I'd love to know what he answered!
Raineypark

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Dear Fellow Dark Shadows Fans,

In regards to upcoming, unscripted hilarious moments, I have but two words to say:



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        Bathia Mapes!!!

[ProfStokes]

"John Karlen strikes me as the type who would not need much of an excuse to crack-up. Also, I could see him joking around on the set. Does anyone agree"


Oh, I agree absolutely!!  John Karlen is my favorite from Dark Shadows (have you all figured that out yet?) and I always had the impression he must have been a cut-up in real life.

But if there was any doubt, I think the article printed about him after he won the Emmy for "Cagney and Lacey" tells all: he comes across as having an enormous joy for life, and an excellent sense of humor.

I wouldn't be in the least surprised to learn that "This gives me the willies" was his own ad lib, and never in the script at all.  

Has anyone ever heard him asked that question by a fan at one of the festivals?  If so, I'd love to know what he answered!

I think the "willies" scene and John Karlen's reaction were supposed to be part of the show, Raineypark.  The reason that scene made it to the Blooper tape (which you can buy through MPI video) is that a stage hand was standing off to the side of the wall and made an unscripted cameo appearance.  I believe every word you said about Karlen.  He is an immensely talented actor and a very friendly and very funny person.

Yes, VAM, I can imagine him playing practical jokes behind the scenes.  At the last Fest, when Karlen held the stage on Sunday, he made reference to a dummy used as the ever-present dead body that would mysteriously turn up in dressing rooms and other odd places...  He talked to the audience for about twenty minutes about various topics and had the whole ballroom in hysterics.  He's definitely a Festival highlight!

ProfStokes  

[Stuart]

When the infamous Bathia Mapes incident aired in the UK, Sci-Fi dubbed a snatch of the incidental music over the scene, blotting out The Incident -- spoilsports...

[Minja]

Denise wrote
>>>>AS REV TRASK WAS CONDUCTING HIS EXORCISM ON
JOSETTE WAS IT POSSIBLE I SAW A HINT OF A GRIN
ON HER FACE THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO STIFLE AS TRASK
WAS TALKING TO BARNABAS?

Possible Spoilage




In the 1897 storyline, Trask, after meeting Amanda, launches into a prayer rant.  When he moves into the foreground, you can see Amanda(played by Donna McKechnie) in the background rolling her eyes in quite an exaggerated manner as if to say "Is this guy for real?"  I really believe that it was McKechnie reacting to Jerrt Lacy's over the top performance as Trask, not Amanda reacting to the Rev. who's out to save her soul and whatever else he may want from her.

Just MHO!

[shadow=teal,left,300]Always, Minja[/shadow]

[CastleBee]

Oh, Castlebee...puleeeeze tell me how to get my hands on that!  My teenaged daughter thinks that's the funniest line she's ever heard and I'd love to show her the actual incident!!  Is it something MPI put out, along with the whole series?  Or is there some number of the series I should look for?
Thanks,
Raineypark

Sorry it took so long to get back to you Raineypark.  I was away from the board yesterday.  I think I picked up my copy at a video store at the mall a couple of years ago.  But as ProfStokes pointed out the infamous blooper tape is part of the MPI collection. It can be purchased online - go to http://www.mpimedia.com/darkshadows/ and then click on "Specials". You might even find a used one on Ebay or Amazon.  You'll love it.