by David Selby
The house was built as a country villa and later expanded to a Gothic mansion in 1864 for second owner, New York merchant George Merritt, who renamed the estate Lyndhurst. In 1880, the estate was purchased as a summer home for railroad magnate Jay Gould. His daughter Anna left the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation when she passed away in 1961.
Among the additions made at Lyndhurst by the Merritts and Goulds was a coach house and carriage complex, a massive greenhouse, kennels, a bowling and recreation building, an indoor swimming pool, and a playhouse for the children named Rose Cottage.
The National Trust for Historic Preservations maintains the property through charitable donations. The estate is open to the public for tours during the spring, summer and fall.
Film Trivia
Both films were shot in 35mm in a 1:1:85 theatrical aspect ratio. Dan Curtis has preferred this throughout his career, never shooting a film using wide-screen processes.
To produce the two MGM films, Dan Curtis set up a separate production entity called Collinwood Productions.
Both films were releasedwith an MPAA rating certificate of GP (surprisingly, considering the horror and violence), the equivalent of today’s GP rating.
Paperback Library issued a softcover adaptation of House of Dark Shadows by Dan “Marilyn” Ross, but no novelization of Night of Dark Shadows was ever issued.
House of Dark Shadows movie posters from Spain and France.
Barnabas and Julia.
Roger Davis as Jeff Clark.
The Collinsport Hospital: Jeff and Vicki; Barnabas; Dr. Eric Long (Addison Powell) and a nurse (Katherine Balfour).
Betsy Durkin (above with Roger Davis) replaced Alexandra Moltke (below with Jonathan Frid) as Victoria Winters.
Angélique (Lara Porker), young and old, with Nicholas Blair (Humbert Allen Astredo).
Miss Polish America Bobbi Ann Woronko—appearing as a nurse—receives instructions from director Lela Swift, relaxes with Roger Davis and Don Briscoe, and watches Kathryn Leigh Scott and Humbert Allen Astredo. Opposite page: Bobbi with Robert Rodan as Adam.
1897: Aristede (Michael Stroka); Jamison Collins (David Henesy); Beth Chavez (Terry Crawford); Kitty Hampshire (Kathryn Leigh Scott).
1897.-Judith Collins (Joan Bennett) and Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) discuss Quentin Collins’ (David Selby) condition as a zombie.
Donna Wandrey, Lisa Richards and Denise Nickerson.
Preparing for the show, clockwise from top left: Denise Nickerson, Chris Pennock, hairdresser Edith Tilles with Grayson Hall and Lara Parker.
Rehearsing: Nancy Barrett; David Selby; David and Camila Ashland; James Storm and Kate Jackson.
1840: Leticia Faye (Nancy Barrett).
House of Dark Shadows: Professor Stokes (Thayer David) and Dr. Hoffman (Grayson Hall); Roger Collins (Louis Edmonds), Stokes, Jeff Clark (Roger Davis) and Sheriff Patterson (Dennis Patrick).
House of Dark Shadows: David Collins (David Henesy); Carolyn Stoddard (Nancy Barrett) and Todd Blake (Don Briscoe); Roger Collins (Louis Edmonds).
House of Dark Shadows: Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) and Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott); Roger Davis with director Dan Curtis and cinematographer Arthur Ornitz.
Night of Dark Shadows: Nancy Barrett and Chris Pennock taking photo breaks; Deleted scene with David Selby as Quentin and Kate Jackson as Tracy.
Dark Shadows on Home Video
IN OCTOBER OF 1989, MPI HOME VIDEO BEGAN ISSUING THE ENTIRE run of the original Dark Shadows on video cassette. By June of 1995, all 1,225 episodes were released on a total of 254 tapes. Several compilations and special programs have also been issued by MPI.
Dark Shadows Volumes 1-8 (MP 5001-MP 5008) feature a specially edited version of the early Barnabas storyline, spanning episodes 210-270. Many non-Bamabas scenes are deleted from these volumes and Episodes 213, 228 and 244 (which exclude Barnabas) are ommited entirely.
Volumes 9-199 (MP 5009-5199) feature five complete, unedited episodes per volume. Volume 200 (MP 5200) includes the final four shows, Episodes 1242-1245, plus special bonus material.
The pre-Barnabas shows, Episodes 1-209, are included on the MPI Dark Shadows Collector’s Series releases. These 54 Volumes (MP 5201-5254) also include complete versions of the early Barnabas storyline Episodes 210-270.
MPI Dark Shadows Episode Volumes
Volume 1-The Resurrection of Barnabas Collins-a 15 minute recap of Episodes 1-209, followed by edited versions of Episodes 210-220.
Volume 2-Edited versions of Episodes 221-229.
Volume 3-Edited versions of Episodes 230-236.
Volume 4-Edited versions of Episodes 236-241.
Volume 5-Edited versions of Episodes 242-250.
Volume 6-Edited versions of Episodes 251-255.
Volume 7-Edited versions of Episodes 256-261.
Volume 8-Edited versions of Episodes 262-270.
Volume 9-Episodes 271-275
Volume 10-Episodes 276-280
Volume 11-Episodes 281-285
Volume 12-Episodes 286-290
Volume 13-Episodes 291-295
Volume 14-Episodes 296-300
Volume 15-Episodes 301-305
Volume 16-Episodes 306-310
Volume 17-Episodes 311-315
Volume 18-Episodes 316-320
Volume 19-Episodes 321-325
Volume 20-Episodes 326-330
Volume 21-Episodes 330-335
Volume 22-Episodes 336-340
Volume 23-Episodes 341-345
Volume 24-Episodes 346-350
Volume 25-Episodes 351-355
Volume 26-Episodes 356-360
Volume 27-Episodes 361-365
Volume 28-Episodes 366-371*
Volume 29-Episodes 372-376
Volume 30-Episodes 377-381
Volume 31-Episodes 382-386
Volume 32-Episodes 387-392*
Volume 33-Episodes 393-397
Volume 34-Episodes 398-402
Volume 35-Episodes 403-407
Volume 36-Episodes 408-412
Volume 37-Episodes 413-417
Volume 38-Episodes 418-422
Volume 39-Episodes 423-427
Volume 40-Episodes 428-432
Volume 41-Episodes 433-437
Volume 42-Episodes 438-442
Volume 43-Episodes 443-447
Volume 44-Episodes 448-452
Volume 45-Episodes 453-457
Volume 46-Episodes 458-462
Volume 47-Episodes 463-467
Volume 48-Episodes 468-472
Volume 49-Episodes 473-477
Volume 50-Episodes 478-482
Volume 51-Episodes 483-487
Volume 52-Episodes 488-492
Volume 53-Episodes 493-497
Volume 54-Episodes 498-502
Volume 55-Episodes 503-507
Volume 56-Episodes 508-512
Volume 57-Episodes 513-517
Volume 58-Episodes 518-522
Volume 59-Episodes 523-527
Volume 60-Episodes 528-532/533*
Volume 61-Episodes 534-538
Volume 62-Episodes 539-543
Volume 63-Episodes 544-548
Volume 64-Episodes 549-553
Volume 65-Episodes 554-558
Volume 66-Episodes 559-563
Volume 67-Episodes 564-568
Volume 68-Episodes 569-573
Volume 69-Episodes 574-578
Volume 70-Episodes 579-583
Volume 71-Episodes 584-588
Volume 72-Episodes 589-593
Volume 73-Episodes 594-598
Volume 74-Episodes 599-603
Volume 75-Episodes 604-608
Volume 76-Episodes 609-613
Volume 77-Episodes 614-618
Volume 78-Episodes 619-623
Volume 79-Episodes 624-628
Volume 80-Episodes 629-633/634*
Volume 81-Episodes 635-639
Volume 82-Episodes 640-644
Volume 83-Episodes 645-649
Volume 84-
Episodes 650-655*
Volume 85-Episodes 656-660
Volume 86-Episodes 661-665
Volume 87-Episodes 666-670
Volume 88-Episodes 671-675
Volume 89-Episodes 676-680
Volume 90-Episodes 681-685
Volume 91-Episodes 686-690
Volume 92-Episodes 691-695
Volume 93-Episodes 696-700
Volume 94-Episodes 701-705
Volume 95-Episodes 706-710
Volume 96-Episodes 711-715
Volume 97-Episodes 716-720
Volume 98-Episodes 721-725
Volume 99-Episodes 726-730
Volume 100-Episodes 731-735
Volume 101-Episodes 736-740
Volume 102-Episodes 741-745
Volume 103-Episodes 746-750
Volume 104-Episodes 751-755
Volume 105-Episodes 756-760
Volume 106-Episodes 761-765
Volume 107-Episodes 766-770
Volume 108-Episodes 771-775
Volume 109-Episodes 776-780
Volume 110-Episodes 781-785
Volume Ill-Episodes 786-790
Volume 112-Episodes 791-795
Volume 113-Episodes 796-800
Volume 114-Episodes 801/802-806*
Volume 115-Episodes 807-811
Volume 116-Episodes 812-816
Volume 117-Episodes 817-821
Volume 118-Episodes 822-827*
Volume 119-Episodes 828-832
Volume 120-Episodes 833-837
Volume 121-Episodes 838-842
Volume 122-Episodes 843-847
Volume 123-Episodes 848-852
Volume 124-Episodes 853-857
Volume 125-Episodes 858-862
Volume 126-Episodes 863-867
Volume 127-Episodes 868-872
Volume 128-Episodes 873-877
Volume 129-Episodes 878-882
Volume 130-Episodes 883-887
Volume 131-Episodes 888-892
Volume 132-Episodes 893-898*
Volume 133-Episodes 899-903
Volume 134-Episodes 904-908
Volume 135-Episodes 909-913
Volume 136-Episodes 913/914- 919/920/921*
Volume 137-Episodes 922-926
Volume 138-Episodes 927-931 .
Volume 139-Episodes 932-936
Volume 140-Episodes 937-941
Volume 141-Episodes 942-946
Volume 142-Episodes 947-951
Volume 143-Episodes 952-956
Volume 144-Episodes 957-961
Volume 145-Episodes 962-966
Volume 146-Episodes 967-971
Volume 147-Episodes 972-976
Volume 148-Episodes 977-981
Volume 149-Episodes 982-986
Volume 150-Episodes 987-991
Volume 151-Episodes 992-996
Volume 152-Episodes 997-1001
Volume 153-Episodes 1002-1006
Volume 154-Episodes 1007-1011
Volume 155-Episodes 1012-1016
Volume 156-Episodes 1017-1021
Volume 157-Episodes 1022-1026
Volume 158-Episodes 1027-1031
Volume 159-Episodes 1032-1036
Volume 160-Episodes 1037-1041
Volume 161-Episodes 1042-1046
Volume 162-Episodes 1047-1051
Volume 163-Episodes 1052-1056
Volume 164-Episodes 1057-1061
Volume 165-Episodes 1062-1066
Volume 166-Episodes 1067-1071
Volume 167-Episodes 1072-1076
Volume 168-Episodes 1077-1081
Volume 169-Episodes 1082-1086
Volume 170-Episodes 1087-1091
Volume 171-Episodes 1092-1096
Volume 172-Episodes 1097-1101
Volume 173-Episodes 1102-1106
Volume 174-Episodes 1107-1111
Volume 175-Episodes 1112-1116
Volume 176-Episodes 1117-1121
Volume 177-Episodes 1122-1126
Volume 178-Episodes 1127-1131
Volume 179-Episodes 1132-1137*
Volume 180-Episodes 1138-1142
Volume 181-Episodes 1143-1147
Volume 182-Episodes 1148-1152
Volume 183-Episodes 1153-1158*
Volume 184-Episodes 1159-1163
Volume 185-Episodes 1164-1168
Volume 186-Episodes 1169-1173
Volume 187-Episodes 1174/1175- 1179/1180*
Volume 188-Episodes 1181-1185
Volume 189-Episodes 1186-1190
Volume 190-Episodes 1191-1195
Volume 191-Episodes 1196-1200
Volume 192-Episodes 1201-1205
Volume 193-Episodes 1206-1211*
Volume 194-Episodes 1212-1216
Volume 195-Episodes 1217-1221
Volume 196-Episodes 1222-1226
Volume 197-Episodes 1227-1231
Volume 198-Episodes 1232-1236
Volume 199-Episodes 1237-1241
Volume 200-Episodes 1242-1245
Special Notes
*Designated volumes contain one or more episodes with multiple numbers (The original ABC-TV numbering system assigned multiple numbers to certain episodes after a network pre-emption).
Volume 195 includes Lara Parker hosting a recreation of lost episodes #1219, utilizing the original audio and still-frame images from surrounding episodes.
Volume 200 includes the following bonus material: Beyond the Shadows (written by Sam Hall and narrated by Roger Davis), telling what happened to the characters, a music video containing Robert Cobert’s non-soundtrack version of the Dark Shadows theme with clips spanning the entire series, an MGM House of Dark Shadows Miss American Vampire Contest trailer, Epilogue narrative by Jonathan Frid, and a preview of the MPI Dark Shadows Collector’s Series
MPI Dark Shadows Collector’s Series Volumes
CS Volume 1-Episodes 1-5
CS Volume 2-Episodes 6-10
CS Volume 3-Episodes 11-15
CS Volume 4-Episodes 16-20
CS Volume 5-Episodes 21-25
CS Volume 6-Episodes 26-30
CS Volume 7-Episodes 31-35
CS Volume 8-Episodes 36-40
CS Volume 9-Episodes 41-45
CS Volume 10-Episodes 46-50
CS Volume 11-Episodes 51-55
CS Volume 12-Episodes 56-60
CS Volume 13-Episodes 61-65
CS Volume 14-Episodes 66-70
CS Volume 15-Episodes 71-75
CS Volume 16-Episodes 76-80
CS Volume 17-Episodes 81-85