Thanks for checking on this, Midnite.  What a nuisance about that website no longer giving scheduling info more than a day in advance!

I occasionally wonder how folks without net access manage ever to know when or what is EVER on the tube these days...

G.

What more fitting an emblem for the Mysterious Benefactor to bear than the True Sovereign of Dark Shadows--the Silver Filigree Fountain Pen.

It is little known that the origin of Barnabas Collins lay in a desperate attempt by TPTB to come up with something as popular as the Silver Filigree Fountain Pen storyline.  But sadly, even with the renown of Barnabas, the show never regained the pop-cultural cachet it held during that fabulous Autumn of 1966.

I heard that Jackie Susann planned a sequel to Valley of the Dolls, Summit of the Silver Pen, but ABC brass got wind of it, played hardball and threatened to sue.

The long-believed-to-be-lost print of the 1967 feature film, Pen of Dark Shadows, MAY have surfaced in the lower depths of Forrest J. Ackerman's 16 mm film collection.  Watch this space for further details.

It IS Friday, isn't it??

G.

I'd love to see a couple of captures of the fabulously talented Virginia Vestoff on that show.  Hope it was a good role for her.

G.

Dear Fans,

A friend of mine informed me last week that selected episodes of the Dick Cavett Show are being given a
release on DVD.  He just bought the first set with the theme "Rock Stars" (or something like that) and described performances by Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin and other luminaries of the time.

I speculated to him whether the Jonathan Frid episode would be included in a future release and he just sent me this note in today's email:

Dick Cavett reads questions from the audience on little note cards.  Someone
asks "When you had Jonathan Frid on your show last week, did he really bite you
and leave teeth marks on your hand?"

I thought this was a hoot!  I remember when JF was on Merv Griffin, some rather dippy-looking dame appeared to be afraid he was going to bite her!  Amusing as it seems now, I'm sure it was very tiresome for JF as a serious actor to have to put up with these antics during "those years of insanity."

I heard a rumor a year or two ago that a similar release of the Mike Douglas Show was being prepared, but heard nothing further regarding this.

Best wishes,

Gothick

There was rain the night Chris Jennings arrived in Collinsport in 1968.  I remember the raindrops on Joe's hospital window, and the fact that Chris was a bit damp when he gave Dr. Hoffman the fright of her life (heh, heh).

Excellent work, as always, my dear.  I don't think I was bothered as much by the irrationality of Vicki's reactions to "the pen" as you were; when people panic, they do stupid things--stupid things that often cause much more serious damage than the initial cause for panic.

G.

Angelique Dupres??  Oh Dear.

Don't tell me that in this version, Angelique turns out to be Josette's bastard sister, sired by Andre on a sugar plantation slave with magical powers of her own...

That final scene does sound hilarious.  But still not as hilarious as the cover for the new DS 1991 DVD.

Perhaps it should be retitled Goodbite, Moon?? *shrieeek*!

G.

That's very cool.  He's been highly touted here as a candidate for the role, but I was not aware that he was a fan.  I have the impression that Tim Burton is a huge fan and wonder whether Depp sometimes watches the discs when he's hanging out at Tim B's house.

Maybe Depp caught DS in the late 70s or early 80s syndications?  I know they ran it in NYC on one of the major channels.

Steve

That cover is incredibly schlocky, but then, so were LARGE swathes of the show itself... That doesn't even look like Ben Cross--it looks more like Ferdy Mayne in Fearless Vampire Killers.

The bottom line seems to be that the suits at Sony/MGM/whatever decided to commit minimal amounts of time, money and resources to prepping the 1991 series DVD release.  I'm fascinated by the bits of information on the history of the release Darren has revealed.

Best wishes,

G.