Hey! was Jonathan Frid sexy?

[stefan]

I never found Frid to be sexy when he played Barnabas.  However, I do think that as Bramwell, JF was quite sexy.

I guess I'll have to buy a Bramwell tape to check him out, he's at the end of the series I think.

[Midnite]

I guess I'll have to buy a Bramwell tape to check him out, he's at the end of the series I think.

stefan,

I'd recommend Vol. #192 as a Best-of-Bramwell (I can't believe I just said that), where he's in 3 of the eps and seduces the heroine.  It takes place before the storyline gets too terribly tedious, JMO, but also won't offer as much spoilerage as later volumes.  Karlen, Barrett, and Parker are very good and it's also a nice tape for Selby fans, but I digress.

But I'm not a Bramwell fan and others may suggest a different volume.  He's in every ep in #195, unless you count the "lost episode" as a no-show; he marries Daphne in this tape, but he tends to tick me off a lot too.  He's also in every ep (all 4) in the final volume in the series, but seeing it first will most likely ruin 1841 PT for you.

[boykading]

Was he sexy? Was he sexy??? Oh come on, don't joke with me. If he wasn't, I wouldn't have watched DS more than a few times out of curiosity. Unlike now, where it's a part of my life, like food, sleep, etc.

But I think I see what you're getting at - the physical parts of it, the kissing and such, he always seems a bit reluctant about it. 

I've heard him say that he had no idea he had any sex appeal until he played Barnabas. He also says that he never married because no woman would have him. Think he's halfway kidding about that, but also think it shows that he just doesn't see himself that way.

So it makes sense that his sexual side would come out in the more subtle, subversive ways as it does, but when he's expected to be more overt - gettin down to bidness with some girl half his age, no less - he would not be as comfortable.

[Nancy]

But I think I see what you're getting at - the physical parts of it, the kissing and such, he always seems a bit reluctant about it. 

He did not seem (to me anyway) to be in the least bit reluctant kissing with Lara Parker.  I thought they were going to meld together in one scene.  Am I the only person who thought she got his motors going and it was obvious?

I've heard him say that he had no idea he had any sex appeal until he played Barnabas. He also says that he never married because no woman would have him. Think he's halfway kidding about that, but also think it shows that he just doesn't see himself that way.

Oh yeah, JF has said many times in interviews that he did not get the whole sex appeal thing and I doubt he appreciated being paired off with women half his age.  Also, most of his career had been on the stage playing villains.  He did not do a whole of kissing scenes with women who were his on-stage partner and nothing more.

But JF has also made it very clear at even more recent Q&As at charity functions that he had absolutely no interest in ever being married to anyone - man, woman or fig bar.  Some people are not the marrying kind and he's one of them.  Doesn't mean he lived in a monastery all that time though.   

[Luciaphile]

He did not seem (to me anyway) to be in the least bit reluctant kissing with Lara Parker.  I thought they were going to meld together in one scene.  Am I the only person who thought she got his motors going and it was obvious?

No, you're not. I recall being taken aback actually, because hitherto the kissing on DS had always been of the dead fish variety.

[Cassandra]

He did not seem (to me anyway) to be in the least bit reluctant kissing with Lara Parker.  I thought they were going to meld together in one scene.  Am I the only person who thought she got his motors going and it was obvious?

  No, you are definetely not the only one Nancy!  I have always felt that he & Lara Parker had the best onscreen chemistry together &  this became more obvious during all of their kissing scenes together.  The scene I think you're referring to was one of the best between them!  This was when Barnabas had gone to Angelique's room (1795) to ask her if they still could be friends.  Friends?  They wound up in a tight embrace and kissing so passionatley that you could almost feel the heat between them!
 I never saw him kiss anyone else on the show this way.


Cassandra

[Connie]

He did not seem (to me anyway) to be in the least bit reluctant kissing with Lara Parker.

There's a scene between Catherine and him outside at Collinwood.  I think it's the first time they've seen each other since he was shot.  At one point he sits down next to her and his manner, and the snide little smirk......OMG!  He slays me.  So provocative.

Oh yeah, JF has said many times in interviews that he did not get the whole sex appeal thing...

That's what can really make someone sexy - when they're not aware of it or don't get it.

But JF has also made it very clear at even more recent Q&As at charity functions that he had absolutely no interest in ever being married to anyone - man, woman or fig bar.

Not even a FIG bar??? 

Doesn't mean he lived in a monastery all that time though.   

   Well, our affair of long ago was a very well-kept secret.  No one in the press, or the public knew about....   
(No...sorry, sorry.  I'm lying.  Couldn't help it.)  I've had a thing for him since the original airing of 1795 and it never really went away.  Then the day my friend and I were at the studio and he WINKED at us!!!   Well, that was the end of me.  LOL

 

[Miss_Winthrop]

I think it was all that 'angst' (is that the word I'm looking for?) that attracted me to him. I'm a sucker for a guy who wears tweed, reads books and is totally unaware of his underlying sexiness. I for one loved him as Bramwell and the scenes between him and Catherine...well..ahem.

[stefan]

I'd recommend Vol. #192 as a Best-of-Bramwell (I can't believe I just said that), where he's in 3 of the eps and seduces the heroine.

Midnight, hey! hey! best of Bramwell...but, ooolala JF seduces the heroine. Thanks for this information. I'll probably buy one of the earlier 1841 tapes with Bramwell in it and start slow.

[stefan]

Oh yeah, JF has said many times in interviews that he did not get the whole sex appeal thing and I doubt he appreciated being paired off with women half his age.  Also, most of his career had been on the stage playing villains.  He did not do a whole of kissing scenes with women who were his on-stage partner and nothing more.

But JF has also made it very clear at even more recent Q&As at charity functions that he had absolutely no interest in ever being married to anyone - man, woman or fig bar.  Some people are not the marrying kind and he's one of them.  Doesn't mean he lived in a monastery all that time though.   

Nancy, all that makes sense. I hope that no-one here thinks that I am referring to or that his sexual preference is relevent to this post. I'm addressing this topic solely on his acting choices and abilities.

There have been a couple of posts here targeting his kissing scenes with Lara Parker. As much as I dislike and don't understand the Angelique/Barnabas relationship it's apparent that Lara Parker seriously attacked her role with unabiased enthusiasm. I'm sure her intensity inspired JF. I read somewhere (I believe as a statement from Lara P herself) that JF said to her that many of the female leads were "silly heroines". An unfair statement I believe, because Josette and Milicent were interesting in many ways. Just because someone is young, female and feminine doesn't mean they're silly.

[LorraineAAB]

I've had a thing for him since the original airing of 1795 and it never really went away.  Then the day my friend and I were at the studio and he WINKED at us!!!   Well, that was the end of me.  LOL

Yes, he does give good wink.    Even when we saw him at L-M mansion a couple of years back, for some reason he glanced at my friend and I don't recall WHAT kind of expression she had on, but he favored her with one of his winks.

Then when their picture was taken together, he was drinking something and she sassed "That's not WATER, is it?"  He chuckled, which of course made him spffttt a bit.  In the SECOND picture, their expressions are priceless---- he looks mock-threatening and she's  smirking away.  And to think, she had been NERVOUS about meeting him!

There's a guy with a decent sense of humor in a silly situation, and that's just as attractive as smoldering looks, IMO.

 

[boykading]

But JF has also made it very clear at even more recent Q&As at charity functions that he had absolutely no interest in ever being married to anyone - man, woman or fig bar. Some people are not the marrying kind and he's one of them.

Yeah, but what about an oat cake?

And yes, that whole "no woman would have me" thing seemed like just his polite/charming way of getting around the question.

However, fatherhood is an altogether different thing! So, Nancy, if he ever mentions anything about wanting an heir at this point in the game, please let the winker know that my services are available.

[Nancy]

There have been a couple of posts here targeting his kissing scenes with Lara Parker. As much as I dislike and don't understand the Angelique/Barnabas relationship it's apparent that Lara Parker seriously attacked her role with unabiased enthusiasm. I'm sure her intensity inspired JF. I read somewhere (I believe as a statement from Lara P herself) that JF said to her that many of the female leads were "silly heroines". An unfair statement I believe, because Josette and Milicent were interesting in many ways. Just because someone is young, female and feminine doesn't mean they're silly.

LP has said alternately in interviews that she thought JF was the best kisser on the show and then another time she thought it was somebody else she kissed.  I don't think JF needed a whole lot of inspiration from LP's end.  He is definitely a guy who fully appreciates a good looking woman.  And LP was and still is definitely that.  I can see why men go for her.

Nancy

[Happybat]

Yeah, but what about an oat cake?

Or a marzipan cake?  Now I'd marry THAT in a heartbeat!  LOL!

Seriously, I always though that Barnabas' appeal was more romantic than sexual, but that may be because I first saw him when I was about 7 and those first impressions just stuck with me.

O.T. I like the comparison made with Spock, too, although his pairing with Nurse Chapel who was always and forever spurned by him never generated the heat that his infrequent encounters with other females did.  For instance, remember his romance with Zarabeth in "All Our Yesterdays"?  Now that was hot!

[Nancy]

I think sexiness or attraction is based on an overall package or presentation and not necessarily how perfect one's face or body may be.  In my own experience I know that one significant other was not considered handsome or even cute by me when I first met him but there was a charisma, strong personality and humor that quickly transformed my initial impression into thinking the guy was sexy and very attractive.

Obviously, millions of people were attracted to watching Barnabas in one way or another and it was the female population that kept the undead creature undead on the soap for years.   Also, I thought Frid looked better offcamera in photos and in person than on camera.  It seemed the makeup person frequently seemed to think he had Joan Crawford in the chair rather than Frid. :-

Here's a nice photo.



Nancy