1966 Season

[Nelson Collins]

andre dupre's just vanished from 1795.he didn't even return for josette's funeral.it's strange he would leave collinsport at a time when his daughter was in great distress.in general they did odd things with some of the characters on the show.it must have been frustrating for contracted players to sit around and wait to see when they'de be used.

I am sure it was frustrating.  Does anyone know what were the usual "rules" regarding contracted actors?  After Andre disappeared from the 1795 story, it was more than 100 eps before David Ford appeared again.  And when he did reappear, it was only to serve the Adam/Frankenstien plot where the poor pitiful creature (in both stories) befriends a blind man who cannot see him for what he really is.  Not long after that they kill him off.  It was as if they just couldn't think of anything else to do with the character.

[michael c]

yes, david ford/sam evans was not treated fairly once the show went supernatural.i also think clarice blackburn/mrs.johnson went highly underused as well.

[Miss_Winthrop]

I tried to post yesterday and download a photo I have discovered that may have been of Mark Allen.  He was in How the West Was Won back in 1962 I believe. I'm not able to download it because it's too large.

All this discussion about 1966 pre-Barnabas has got me interested in viewing the old tapes again.  The more I see of Mark Allen, the more I think he was perfect as Sam Evans.  That fly-away, disheveled hair, the philosophical meanderings and trailing off of his conversations really evoked the image of a man who in addition to having plenty to hide, dealt with an almost overwhelming sense of despair. His desperation to protect himself was so apparent trying to deal with Burke and Roger.
Don't know if anyone else has noticed but I don't think he wore a different set of clothes for all of his episodes than those he had in his original episode.  I do have an eye for detail and did notice that he even has a safety pin on his shirt where a button should have been. They were some great scenes between Burke & Sam & Roger. I liked David Ford but if I'd had my way, I would have kept Mark Allen in to play Sam. 

[Midnite]

I'm not able to download it because it's too large.

You'll need to resize it first using graphics software.  There's usually an option under "Edit" or "Image", depending on the software you have.  After you resize it, select File/"Save as" so that you don't lose the original image.  Keep in mind that the image at 100% on your screen is how it's going to look on the forums.

[Miss_Winthrop]

Tahnks Midnite:  one of the other posters is trying to help me with my download. I emailed that person the file. I appreciate your offer to help. 

[EmeraldRose]

Yay!!  I finally found it!!  ProfStokes told me in a chat several weeks ago that this discussion was here!!   

After DS was taken off Sci-Fi, I bought the tapes for the final episodes so I could see how it ended.  Then I decided to buy the first 10 video tapes - and then 10 more - so now I have the first 20 tapes (100 Episodes).  I have  just seen Episode #61.

I have NEVER seen the pre-Barnabas episodes before watching these tapes.  I must say, it was a VERY DIFFERENT show then.  It was like a "regular soap opera" then.  The pace was much slower, and there was much character development.

David was a spoiled brat then!!   He was a mean little kid - much different from what I remember.  Also, Roger and "Liz" had much larger roles and the show revolved around them.  (I always considered her to be Elizabeth - and was surprised that she was called Liz then.)  It sure was a shame that Bill Malloy was killed.

I really like Burke Devlin.    It is great to see a "young" Mitch Ryan.  He was (and still is) a very handsome man.  I also like Sam Evans - especially David Ford's version.  It was WEIRD to see Sam Evans #1 - another actor playing the role. 

I think the most surprising thing about watching these early episodes is that I find myself more interested in the "adults" on the show.  When I originally watched DS, I really identified with David and Amy, since I was a child, too.  Now that I am an adult, I am watching it from an adult's point of view.  I actually find Mitch Ryan and David Ford quite attractive - I really like them!!  They actually were YOUNGER then than I am now.  I used to think of the adults on DS as being OLD  - but now I don't, and I can see how David was such a brat now.

Oh, by the way - Burke - I hope you read this.  You and I must be the same age!!  I was 11 in 1966, too!!!   My birthdate is 5/9/55 - when is yours??    Are you "older or younger" than me?? 

Well, that's enough for now.

~~~ Long Live The Original Dark Shadows!! ~~~

----- Sally (EmeraldRose) -----

[Patti Feinberg]

(waaah!...didn't anybody love Dr. Guthrie? waah!)

Patti

[stefan]

yes, david ford/sam evans was not treated fairly once the show went supernatural.i also think clarice blackburn/mrs.johnson went highly underused as well. 

well, David Ford's acting got progressively worse as the show went on. I liked him very much as the earlier Sam Evans and even liked him as Mr. Duprey but by then his constant stalling with "errrs...and ums..." between lines became distracting. I read somewhere that by the dream-curse story he barely remembered his lines at all.  Clarice Blackbrun, however, was brilliant and a hoot as Abigail Collins. I hear she left and became a soap opera writer. I thought she was a very good actress and her initial scene with Barnabas as Mrs. Johnson was classic, especially her tierd waddle as she climbed the stairs to get Mrs. Stoddard. I wonder if JF realized just how good Clarice B. was because on his website he talks about Barnabas' first encounter with J. Bennett but ignores what, I feel, was a much more interesting scene just before with CB. Maybe its because JB was famous.

[michael c]

andre dupres was not an essential character in 1795.i get the impression that they wanted to include everyone from the present so you could see the "shock" on vicki's face when she encountered them for the first time.i think i said in an earlier post that the scene between abigail and barnabas when she discovers him rising from his coffin is great in part because of ms.blackburn's acting.i liked both her and ford during the 1966 laura story, he has 1 or 2 priceless scenes with diana millay.

[Miss_Winthrop]

(waaah!...didn't anybody love Dr. Guthrie? waah!)

[spoiler]Yes Patti, I really liked Dr. Guthrie a lot and when he died, I actually cried. I know it's silly, but there was something about his character that got to me.[/spoiler]

[EmeraldRose]

As I mentioned before, Patti and Miss_Winthrop, I am only on Episode #62 - BEFORE Dr. Guthrie was on DS.  So I NEVER SAW the episodes he was in yet.  Against my better judgement, I read the "Spoiler Text" that Miss_Winthrop wrote - but that's ok.  Now I know NOT to read it if I don't want to know about something happening before I see it.

In a way, I'm kinda glad that DS isn't on network tv right now.  I am happy to watch my tapes.  I STILL haven't watched another episode yet.  I don't have time to watch DS every day.  I have to work, watch other shows on tv, be on this computer, and basically HAVE A LIFE - so I don't watch every day.

Don't get me wrong - I would LOVE to watch DS again on network tv.  But it's ok if I have to wait longer.  I am in control of when I watch when I watch my tapes.

----- Sally -----

   

[Patti Feinberg]

Sally, the one thing you're missing though; at the end of each days eps, some of us would log on here right away to talk about eps...bloopers, faux-pas.

Or just mention how someone looked or (mis)behaved.

The 'real-timeness' of it is something I really, really miss. 

And as you watch each ep, just because not all of us are watching them, we want to hear what you think about particular eps.!!

Have a great 4th,

Patti

[EmeraldRose]

OK, Patti, I WILL post here after watching an episode of my tapes!!  Happy 4th to you, too!!

----- Sally -----

[Joeytrom]

They should have had Dr. Guthre continue on DS, he would have been perfect for the Barnabas storyline.  DS did not have another character like him until Prof. Stokes arrived almost a year later.

[michael c]

dr. guthrie was good.his cat and mouse with laura especially.did anyone notice that the footage of dr. guthrie driving his car to the seance and it's subsequent crash was the same footage used when david caused roger's car to crash?you can even see bits of roger driving the car.