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Messages - Gothick

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6691
Current Talk '02 I / Re: DS writing credits? How done?
« on: February 21, 2002, 02:17:19 PM »
Posted by Steve on February 21, 2002 at 08:17:19:
In Reply to: DS writing credits? How done? posted by Julia99 on February 21, 2002 at 07:39:34:

That's interesting about Ron Sproat having done the actual writing for the Julia solo episode. I'd forgotten that. From what I understand, the 3 writers would get together and plot the shows, then divide up who would do the various scripts. Dan Curtis often took a hand in determining how the plot should go. Sam mentioned in a printed interview that he would try to protest some of the more outlandish plot developments and Dan would look at him and say, "Well, do you want to write the show, or don't you? You know, I can find other people to write the show."

At some point, too, some of Gordon Russell's scripts were really being written by Violet Welles. She started out as his ghost writer, and Dan liked her stuff so he made her an official writer after Sproat left (I think). But at the end of the show, Russell had Welles writing the scripts that had his name on them ... or so she stated in an interview printed in a zine.

Steve

6692
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Great episode, BUT.....
« on: February 21, 2002, 12:54:44 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on February 21, 2002 at 06:54:44:
In Reply to: Great episode, BUT..... posted by kuanyin on February 20, 2002 at 16:19:01:

The reason Sam Hall gave for why the "Grayson solo" happened was that Dan Curtis did not want to use more than X number of actors per week total and because of having too many actors in other episodes around that time, he wanted to do at least one show with as few actors as possible.

Since they needed practically the entire cast for the seance episode which happened the same week as this, I buy Sam's explanation, disingenuous though it may appear. It is certainly true that after the very early weeks of DS, they never seem to have more than 7 actors in one day's show. I think there was an episode in the late Summer or early Fall of 1968, however, that had 9. Others who are more up on the statistics of the show than I would know this.

Since Grayson had been such a hit in "The Human Voice," which she did perform solo, and since at various times in her career she repeatedly did long solo pieces letter-perfect as a tour de force, I'm assuming that Sam thought it might be fun to have her do something like this as part of the storyline where Barnabas is trying to drive her out of her mind. It certainly does seem like nothing else seen on the television of the time!

As for Grayson's relationship with other cast members--she was friendly off the set with Joan Bennett, Nancy Barrett, Selby, Thayer David (the woman he married, Valerie French, was a friend of G's), Alexandra ... I could lengthen the list but I think I've made my point. She was a woman of unusual energies who clearly could be "high maintenance" as a friend. She was not one to refrain from speaking her mind if she felt it was warranted.

Steve

6693
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Julia rocks, Julia rolls!
« on: February 20, 2002, 01:02:56 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on February 20, 2002 at 07:02:56:

Hi Julia,

From some info given to me in confidence by a person who had spoken with a DS cast member, I don't think (at this point, certainly) Grayson was making any more than the other cast members (apart from Joan, of course). I don't know for sure; the only way to know would be either to interview whomever was her agent back then (if that person is still alive) or if DC still has the contracts (which I doubt).

John, if you see this, Grayson did an entire season at Hedgerow in the Summer of '61. They did the Cocktail Party by T. S. Eliot, and one of Sam's plays ... can't recall offhand what else. Wouldn't it be fabulous to see her in those roles?

Believe it or not, all the Hedgerow archives are up here at the Boston U. Theatre Collection. That is cool that you live so close to the theatre.

Steve

6694
Calendar Events / Announcements '02 I / OT: Kevin Smith
« on: February 19, 2002, 05:30:01 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on the Dark Shadows: General Discussion Forum on February 19, 2002 at 11:30:01:

For those who ever admired/lusted after Kevin Smith who portrayed Ares the War God (and Ares' twin brother the Lord of Love, in white tights that left John Travolta looking like chopped liver) on the Xena/Hercules megalith, I read today that Mr. Smith died after an accident while visiting a set in Beijing. Apparently he was climbing up a tower and fell. He was 38.

This kind of thing just kills me. Mr. Smith came across on the screen as sexy, funny, and very sweet. Tributes from coworkers who describe him across the board as the perfect gent have been pouring in. It's just not fair, y'know? I'd looked forward to seeing him do something worthy of his talents (while his costumes on XenaHerc were boss, the scripts were generally soggy at best), and now that hope is dashed. I feel for his family, as well.

Just wanted to share this sad news for those who care.

Steve

6695
Current Talk '02 I / Julia rocks, Julia rolls!
« on: February 19, 2002, 05:23:33 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on the Dark Shadows: General Discussion Forum on February 19, 2002 at 11:23:33:

Wowee-zowee, I can't let today's montage pass without a very special tip of my hat to the Mysterious Benefactor. You've really outdone yourself! Those shots of Julia FREAKIN' OUT have got to rate as some of the best captures I've ever seen of Grayson Hall's unique body language. FABULOUS!

It also reminds me why I'm certain that Sam and Grayson concocted a lot of this out of Jean Cocteau's one woman play, The Human Voice, in which Grayson won rave reviews when she performed it at the Hedgerow Theatre (near Philadelphia) in 1961.

Can't wait to go home and pull my tape of these shows off the shelf. Truly quality television!

Thank you again Mr. Mysterious. We love you!

Steve

6696
Games / Re: Live by OUR Rules -START the LIST!
« on: February 15, 2002, 02:32:52 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on February 15, 2002 at 08:32:52:

6. Pretend that every female worth her salt wears her high heels to bed.

7. Pretend that bathrooms are completely unnecessary in modern homes.

8. Pretend that ugly green furniture and tired Ethan Allan bric-a-brac is the epitome of luxurious furnishings.

AND ...

6697
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Tony Peterson
« on: February 14, 2002, 05:54:19 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on February 14, 2002 at 11:54:19:

Hi Arashi,

Yes, I was going to post a "welcome to Jerry Lacy" post, but you beat me to it! Jerry stayed on the show (sometimes with long hiatuses) until Feb. 1971. I wish that more had been done with Tony Peterson; he seemed like an interesting character.

I just LOVE the scene where Julia goes to his office and cracks up when Peterson implies that it's Roger Collins who is behind her troubles. "RAH-ha-ha-ha-ha-juh!!!" Julia cackles caught between hysteria and derision. What a moment.

There's a blooper of this scene (I think it's this one) where Grayson starts the scene and then you hear the director yell "Cut!" "WHY?" Grayson asks sharply. Gives one quite an insight into the perils of directing her! This is on the MPI "blooper" reel.

Steve

6698
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Willie vs. Caroline
« on: February 12, 2002, 04:51:51 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on February 12, 2002 at 10:51:51:
In Reply to: Willie vs. Caroline posted by AMeiers:

Well, Carolyn herself comments much further along in the madness that the Collins family motto ought to be "Hypocrisy at all costs!"

Glad to hear you're enjoying the show. I've been a fan since 1968. Unreal.

Steve

6699
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Grayson Hall
« on: February 12, 2002, 01:31:10 PM »
Originally posted by Steve on February 12, 2002 at 07:31:10:
In Reply to: Re: Grayson Hall posted by Julia99 on February 10, 2002 at 20:43:58:

Hi,

Grayson's true birthday was in Sept. 1923, which I believe made her older than Jonathan Frid (whose birth year I can't recall offhand). And yes, Grayson WOULD take out a hit on me for posting this in public. I just loved it when Nancy Barrett revealed that Grayson had changed her age on her driver's license and commented "You have to be Grayson Hall to get away with things like that!"

Another thing I remember about their ages--I have seen somewhere that Jonathan commented how Thayer David acted like everyone's favorite grandfather even though he was more or less the same age as himself and Louis Edmonds.

Steve

6700
Current Talk '02 I / Re: okay okay its OUT there!
« on: February 07, 2002, 05:16:15 PM »
Posted by Steve on February 07, 2002 at 11:16:15:
In Reply to: Re: okay okay its OUT there! posted by Julia99 on February 06, 2002 at 08:01:55:

Well, I thought it was interesting that in the ORIGINAL version of the Barnabas/Josette storyline, as he recounted it to Julia (I think they aired these shows earlier this week), Josette did NOT return Barnabas' love ... he had become obsesssed with her while helping her with her English conversation. I thought it made for a dark, nasty, twisted emotional triangle at the heart of the Barnabas storyline--Barnabas obsessed with a Josette who did not return his affections, long past her death; and Julia obsessed with a Barnabas who was only interested in her so long as she proved of use to him. Of course I can see why they completely re-tooled the storyline for the 1795 flashback; it created a more traditional romantic framework upon which to build future storylines, since the Barnabas character had given the series such phenomenal cachet in the daytime market.

Steve

6701
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Is Today's Episode The Last We See Burke Devli
« on: January 31, 2002, 08:27:24 PM »
Posted by Steve on January 31, 2002 at 14:27:24:
In Reply to: Re: Is Today's Episode The Last We See Burke Devlin? posted by Julia99 on January 30, 2002 at 21:13:25:

Hi Julia,

It was Woodard that asked if Julia was in love with Barnabas. I think they aired that one a few days ago, since I saw discussion of it here.

Steve

6702
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Roger Collins Style
« on: January 30, 2002, 12:57:27 PM »
Posted by Steve on the Dark Shadows: General Discussion Forum on January 30, 2002 at 06:57:27:

Bob and Jean, I have to wonder whether Louis had some sort of clause in his contract that only HE could wear sharp, chic clothing on DS.

If you think what Barnabas is wearing now is bad, wait till you see the clothes they give poor Quentin to wear in PT 1970! There's an orange check jacket he winds up living in for about two months... I cry every time I think about it. (That reminds me of Grayson saying whenever she needed to cry, she just thought of this tie her Dad used to wear! LOL!)

Steve

6703
Current Talk '02 I / Re: Bat In David's
« on: January 29, 2002, 01:31:22 PM »
Posted by Steve on January 29, 2002 at 07:31:22:
In Reply to: Re: Bat In David's posted by MrsJ on January 28, 2002 at 16:44:29:

The bat puppets were by Bil Baird, who was one of the most famous puppeteers of the 1960s. He did a fair amount of TV work. I think he may have made the Kukla and Ollie puppets for Kukla Fran & Ollie, but I'm not sure. I guess he was better known for his work with marionettes (of which the bat was one).

I'm awfully fond of that bat. I just love its various appearances over the years. There's something soooo cute about it!

The giant spider that menaced Amanda "Quuuuwwwwentttinnnnn!!!!" Harris was cheesier, I think. I still think the funniest "special" effect was the posthumous appearance of Paul Stoddard in the Leviathan storyline. THAT was a doozy. And the stuffed dog menacing poor Willie Loomis during the Dream Curse, complete with canned growling, was a pretty unfortunate beastie as well.

Dontcha just love Dark Shadows??? I know I do.

Steve

6704
Current Talk '02 I / Oh the Pain
« on: January 24, 2002, 06:07:57 PM »
Posted by Steve on January 24, 2002 at 12:07:57:
In Reply to: Shadowgram Update 75 posted by MsCriseyde on January 24, 2002 at 07:17:41:

Thanks Criseyde for posting that. I didn't receive one--the only one I think I've missed. I hope Marcy's mailing list hasn't crashed.

Ugh, DS on the Fox network. I imagine ingenues running around Collinwood in slips as Vicki, Maggie, and Carolyn. Joan Collins will be brought in to play Liz, and a special line in the budget will cover the gauze filters for her camera close-ups. Quentin and Barnabas will routinely appear shirtless, both sporting rippling gym physiques (nice 6-pack for a 200 year old vampire, Barn) giving Chris Jennings a huge run for his money. He'll compensate by appearing at least once a month in an International Male g-string (OK, Steve, NOW you're in the realm of fantasy).

I already hate it. And they haven't even submitted a script!

I *guess* the release of the show on DVD is good news, though the thought of buying them all over again is enough to make my tarshes wilt.

TTFN, Steve

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