Uncle Roger,

Yes, I remember those original TV movies on late-night ABC. I recall there was one featuring KLS, George Maharis and Eileen Brennan in a love triangle drama.

And, I think there was one tv film featuring Grayson Hall in some eerie story.

Compared to the junk that’s on network television today, these nearly 50-year-old TV movies would be an extremely welcome change.

Anne,

Julia Hoffman’s home (which she rarely ever stayed at) was at her hospital, Wyndcliff, which was either twenty miles or one hundred miles from Collinwood (depending on which specific DS episode you were watching).

I wonder if Dr. Hoffman had an assisted living facility at Wyndcliff? No doubt, the Eagle Hill Cemetery caretaker and the venerable Ezra Braithwaite moved there as they were approaching nonagenarian status (90-years-young)? I can think of two prominent politicians, who might want to check-out the amenities at Wyndcliff’s assisted living facility.

Heck, maybe Barnabas, Liz, Roger and the “ageless” Quentin also checked-out the Wyndcliff assisted living facility? I like to think of that Wyndcliff senior center as  “A Place for Buzz Hackett!!!”) 

Anne,

Do you remember when Liz, who was under that constant  “fear of death” curse, “courtesy”of Cassandra, hired attorney Tony Petersen to oversee the construction of a rather “unique” mausoleum for her in the event of her unexpected death? That must have cost an arm and a leg to build a mausoleum that came with a warning system which would allow the seemingly dead Liz to let Carolyn, Roger and Barnabas that she (Liz) was still alive. I recall that Roger WAS bummed out by both Liz’s obsession with death and the cost of that cockamamie mausoleum that Liz wanted.

And, I wonder how much Judith Collins paid for the funeral service for the feisty, octogenarian, “Grandmama” Edith Collins? Do you think that the stingy Judith played it on the cheap side for Edith’s final send-off? I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.

Here’s a suggestion for the organizers of the recent “Lara Parker Memorial/DS Celebration.” Why not plan right now for a celebration of what will be Lara Parker’s 100th birthday in 2039? Of course, that presupposes that we will all still be here and not taking a permanent dirt nap by then. 

Then again, remembering how no one ever really died on DS (Josette, Jeb Hawkes and, maybe, Burke Devlin?),  we still could be here or, at the very least, some enterprising DS fans in 2039 could summon us from the other side in a seance to let us know just what’s been going on in The World of Dark Shadows.

Ethereally goes,

Bob-the-Bartender

PS The August 2024 issue of “Consumer Reports” features an article, “The Last Goodbye, Best New Ways To Plan A Funeral.” No doubt, such renowned Collinsport undertakers as Lamar Trask and Mr. Jarret (or “corpse valets” as Vito Corleone once characterized mortician Amerigo Bonasera in “The Godfather”), would whole-heartedly approve of CR’s timely and informative article. 

When I first heard that there would be a memorial service to honor the late, great Lara Parker, I was delighted. Ms. Parker was superb in the key role of Angelique Bouchard on DS. And, Ms. Parker was beloved by the many DS fans, who met her at the DS Festivals held in New York City and Los Angeles over the past forty years.

On a personal note, I first met Ms. Parker at the 1988 NYC DS Festival, which was held at the World Trade Center. Ms. Parker posed for a photograph with my fiancée and myself. Of course, Ms. Parker was very warm and gracious towards us and the many other DS fans at the festival. Over the years, I saw Ms. Parker at several  other of the NYC-based festivals: she was always friendly, cheerful and very interested in the lives of her many fans.

I recall that ProfStokes wrote a terrific account here on the DS Forums on the memorial service for Dennis Patrick, another beloved DS actor. ProfStokes wrote that several of Mr. Patrick’s friends and acting colleagues reminisced about Mr. Patrick’s life and acting career. ProfStokes also wrote that the memorial service was
conducted with class, respect and dignity.

So, I expected Ms. Parker’s upcoming memorial service would be handled in the same manner. But, then, I became aware of a “DS Celebration” to held on the very next day after Ms. Parker’s memorial service.
Apparently, this “DS Celebration” is an idea conceived by Jim Pierson, longtime producer of DS Festivals and
other DS-related endeavors. Now, I have seen and observed Jim Pierson at these NYC DS Festivals over the years; he has always impressed me as being ALL-business at these events. I recall at one festival, Mr. Pierson was acting as the auctioneer at a charity auction at that event. Mr. Pierson, in his soft Texas accent, announced, “that we now have a semi-nude photograph of Lara Parker for bidding.” I thought that that was a rather strange item to put up for bid at a charity auction.

Of course, at these DS Festivals, in addition to the acting skits and DS character  impersonations, there are the various vendors and DS actors also there, selling their books, photographs and other kitschy items, which no one really needs. And, no doubt, the ubiquitous Richie Halpern will be there, evidently channeling the spirit of the late comedian, Jerry Lewis, as Mr. Halpern monopolizes the stage in much the same way that “The Original Jerk” monopolized the stage during his long professional association with Dean Martin.

The reason that I mention all of this is that I think that all of these “fun-filled” activities seem to be very inappropriate to be held on the day everyone has assembled to honor the life and career of Lara Parker. To me, I think this idea of a DS Celebration” to honor Jonathan Frid’s 100th birthday on the next day after Ms. Parker’s memorial service is rather tacky and even unseemly. Couldn’t Jim Pierson and the other organizers of this “DS Celebration” have scheduled it for, at least, a month or so after and. Parker’s memorial service? By the way, I wonder if Ms. Parker’s husband and adult children are aware that this “DS Celebration” will take place a day after their beloved family member is to be honored.

I often corresponded with the late VAM, a wonderful and very insightful poster here on the DS Forums.VAM,  or actually Vera Ann, had also attended several of the NYC-based DS Festivals. I remember that Vera Ann and I once discussed how KLS’s repeated telling, at these DS Festivals, of when Louis Edmonds had to literally film a scene on DS with his pants off (and shot from the waist up, for obvious reasons) had become quite old and tiresome.

Vera Ann also once posted on this web site, that by continuing to attend the DS Festivals over the years, “were we all contributing to the Jim Pierson Retirement Fund?” I thought that Vera Ann’s caustic comment was very funny and also spot-on. Although some posters took offense at “VAM’s” orders irreverent remark. I wish that Vera Ann were here today to comment on this so-called “DS Celebration.”

I have been a poster here on the DS Forums for over twenty-five years, dating back to the Vantagenet days in 1998. In that time, I have never seen something as objectionable and as tacky as this “DS Celebration.” And, while I am speaking for myself, I know that there are several other longtime posters here on the DS Forums who also share my negative opinion on this highly questionable event,

I think that this so-called “DS Celebration” is one final (?), crass and especially cynical attempt to make a buck off of the DS fans who travel to Southern California to honor Lara Parker. Who knows, maybe Mr. Pierson can auction-off some more of those semi-nude photographs of Ms. Parker (if he still has any left ) on the day after
this beloved DS actor is memorialized? Shame on Mr. Pierson and the other individuals who are responsible for this all-too-obvious money grab.

Oh, MB and Gerard,

You’ve cited one of my favorite 1970s horror films, “Blacula,” starring the late, distinguished Shakespearean
actor, William Marshall. I mean, after only one year after Dan Curtis had pulled the plug on the beloved “Dark Shadows,” we DS fans were somewhat provided with some consolation by the release of this terrific vampire film. “Blacula” did help to take away some of the sense of loss when DS went into daytime television history.

And, in addition, to Mr. Marshall, there were some other wonderful actors, who were just beginning their acting careers in this film, like Denise Nicholas, Vonetta McGee, the late Gordon Pinsent and the late Thalmus Rasulala as Dr. Gordon Thomas, an LAPD pathologist, who investigates the strange and grizzly murders in Los Angeles. Dr. Gordon Thomas reminded me both of psychic investigator Dr. Peter Guthrie and the redoubtable Professor T. Elliott Stokes on DS. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Rasulala in this exciting film because I had just seen him as El Gallo, the pirate/narrator, in the long-running off-Broadway musical, “The Fantasticks,” at the Sullivan Street Playhouse when Mr. Rasulala was then known professionally as Jack Crowder. Believe me, Mr. Rasulala could sing very well in addition to being a fine dramatic actor.

No doubt, Vicky, Carolyn, Mrs. Stoddard, Roger and, especially Burke Devlin, would have enjoyed watching Mr. Marshall at the Collinsport Cinema in his role as the distinguished Prince Mamuwalde, vampire extraordinaire!

Gerard,

Thanks for the information regarding that Dan Curtis documentary on “Pluto” which is a tremendous streaming service. I love all of the classic tv shows on that service, including “Hawaii Five-O,” “Mission Impossible” and “The Fugitive.” I tell you, watching all of those legendary shows, I feel like I’m back during the halcyon 1960s, when at 4:00 PM on weekdays meant it was time to tune-in to ABC and watch the eerie goings-on in Collinsport, Maine! 

“Pluto” also has all of the classic Universal horror films of the 1930s and 1940s on its service. The other day, they aired all of the Universal mummy films, with Lon “Larry Talbot” Chaney, Jr. as Kharis, the lumbering, foot-dragging monster. If DS had continued beyond April of 1971, it would have been interesting to have seen just how Dan Curtis incorporated (or plagiarized?) the concept of the vengeful mummy on his own show.

It’s too bad that Barnabas and Willie did not have “Pluto” available to them at the Old House. Maybe they wouldn’t have been so God-d@mned bored and irritable in that old dump every night with so many great shows to watch?