Dr. Woodard

[Ricky101]

Hi...Does anyone know why Robert left the DS show on Episode #334?  I was just curious.

Thanks!

[coterie-mc]

Ricky, this is from the "Introduction of Barnabas" book. "During a 1967 national association of broadcast employees and technicians union strike (NABET), the Dark Shadows actors were requested to honor the NABET strike by not crossing the picket lines and reporting to work. However, most of the actors continued to show up at work since the strike was not an actors strike.  two actors who refused to work during the strike were Robert Gerringer and Daniel Keyes, their roles as Dr. Woodard and the caretaker, were recast as a result.

[dom]

Robert, I've never heard of the "Introduction to Barnabas" book. If you wouldn't mind, could you tell me a bit about it?

dom

[tripwire]

It may have been a blessing in disguise that Robert Gerringer was replaced by Peter Turgeon. The Woddard as played by Gerringer seemed like a "favorite uncle" type, while the new Woodard seemed rather snipy, and seemed to have few endearing qualities (imo).  Didnt it seem that once the change in actors occured, that the new doc almost immediatley discovered the secret of Barnabas , which led to his timely devise, demise?? I get the feeling that this would not have been the case had the Gerringer Woodard still been on the show, to violently murder a well liked character may not have set well with the viewers, so with Turgeon, it made it somewhat easier to take. (imo) Makes you wonder how far scripts were written in advance, that if  the doctors killing was already written into the future script, or whether they decided that once the new actor came in, that this characters fate was sealed? 

[Joeytrom]

I know that the actors on DS did go on strike at first like the actors on the other soaps did, but Dan Curtis got scared that if DS was off the air too long, the series would lose its audience, so he persuaded the actors to come back.  Gerringer refused and was fired.

If Gerringer as Woodard was doing the investigating and revealing of Barnabas as a vampire and he called him a "monster" to Julia while then being killed by Barnabas, that would not have made a very good impression on the viewers.  The Peter Turgeon Woodard being killed by Barnabas was bad enough as said earlier here.  For 1967, when the bad guys always got their comeuppance, this must have been a shock to viewers.

When I watched this story the first time, I kind of felt like being sent adrift alone once Burke and Woodard were gone.  Here we have the bad guy left to do whatever he wants while the heros were all gone.  The writers seemed to not really know what direction to take for the next month and the show started to slow to a crawl just before 1795 came around.

Joey

[coterie-mc]

Hello Dom, The "introduction of Barnabas" book was put out by the Dark Shadows Festival back in 1988,  it is a detail description of episodes #210 - #365. and is 144 pages long, includes well over 100 B&W photos (actors, sets, old house, collinwood, gum cards, etc) also includes blueprints to the collinwood & the old house sets. i believe the DS festival re-issued this book and has it for sale for $15.00.  if you have ever read any of Kathleen Resch's "concordances" books. it is similar. and well worth the money. the festival also came out with "the history of Dark Shadows" which covers episode #1 - #209. i don't think that one is still avaiable.

[dom]

Thanks for the info, Robert. I think I may look into purchasing it. I'm not much of a reader but I like to collect DS books (especially if they have pictures, lol). I've never even picked up a concordance, I should check one out the next time I am at a Fest.

The History of Dark Shadows I would give my left arm for. It deals with my favorite part of the series.

Again, thanks,
d.

[coterie-mc]

http://www.darkshadowsfestival.com/page06.htm
It is for sale on the DS Festival site. i just saw it. -robert

[Luciaphile]

Didnt it seem that once the change in actors occured, that the new doc almost immediatley discovered the secret of Barnabas , which led to his timely devise, demise?? I get the feeling that this would not have been the case had the Gerringer Woodard still been on the show, to violently murder a well liked character may not have set well with the viewers, so with Turgeon, it made it somewhat easier to take. (imo) Makes you wonder how far scripts were written in advance, that if  the doctors killing was already written into the future script, or whether they decided that once the new actor came in, that this characters fate was sealed?

I have no substantive evidence, but my guess is Dr. Woodward was going bye-bye regardless of who played him. Frid's portrayal was raking in the letters and the ratings. Sexy bad guy vampire or fatherly doctor? You be the judge.

Frankly, I think the scenes would have had much more impact had Gerringer continued to play the part. Everything else that played off of the death would have been that much more powerful: Julia's guilt, the tricks Barnabas used against her, David's fears. It all would have been that much better.

I certainly respect Gerringer's decision, but it's a shame nonetheless.

[Ricky101]

Anybody ever see how Gerringer said mausoleum?  He said Mausalayum!  That always cracked me up.

[coterie-mc]

Dom,  i'll let you know when i see another "history of DS" book, it's been a few years since i have seen any for sale.  Ricky, thats funny about   "Mausalayium",  i can still remember him (from the MPI tapes), referring to Maggie as "that girl"  to sam, burke and joe.  i thought he was a close friend to the evans'. why wouldn't he just say "maggie". 

[dom]

Thanks, it would be very much appreciated.

d.

[Julia99]

Poor Bunny. . that apparently was Peter's family name. .i can't figure it.  But then this is my 2 degrees of real separation from DS and La Divine Grayson. . .I always liked Gerringer better too (more potential backstory for Dave Woodard & Julia's friendship).  But after discovering Bunny was my best pal Mimi's cousin .. .well, now I have to root for him too.  (I say this while looking up at a postcard of one of his painting he sent my pal Mimi--)  The Back says "The Famous Great Eastern"  And the Montauk Lighthouse is visible in the background.  I just finished spending a week right aroundt the dune from it .. how ironic!)

[Raineypark]

Montauk in winter.....you ARE a hardy soul, aren't you?  Hope you had your hair tied down!

[Julia99]

well I'm working my way toward being a paid, published writer . .had to get away . .