by David Selby
The Real Collinwood
Seaview Terrace, in Newport, Rhode Island, was used as the exterior for Collinwood. Several early publicity photos with Alexandra Moltke, Louis Edmonds and David Henesy were also taken inside the mansion.
The sixty-five room building, patterned after a French chateau of the Renaissance period, was constructed in 1928 at a cost of more than two million dollars. It is surrounded by seven acres of lawn and is located a few hundred yards from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The original owner was Edson Bradley, a distiller for Old Crow Whiskey, who built the mansion for his wife.
The building is made of hollow tile and concrete, and the roof is composed of copper and slate. There are marble, mosaic, and parquet-oak floors; statues; imported fireplaces; and 16th century stained glass windows. The mansion was built with several large chandeliers and 17th century oil-painting ceilings from Italy and France, as well as a collection of period antiques. One room features a ceiling of carved angel heads. A large flagstone terrace adjoins the building on the Atlantic Ocean side. The Architectural League of New York awarded Howard Greenley a prize for planning the home.
In 1951, Seaview Terrace was converted into Bumham-by-the-Sea, a non-profit summer school for girls, founded by Mrs. George Waldo Emerson. The building was later purchased by Martin Carey, and has been leased by Salve Regina College for classrooms and as a boy’s dormitory.
Vintage images of Seaview Terrace, aka “Collinwood.”
FILM FOOTAGE
In 1966, prior to the start of production on Dark Shadows, Dan Curtis and a production crew went to Newport, Rhode Island, Essex, Connecticut, and Tarrytown, New York to shoot footage of some of the Dark Shadows actors that would be inserted into various shows.
The film material added an extra visual dimension to the series and prompted additional location shooting later in the year. The concept was innovative for a daytime drama, but as the series became heavily focused on the supernatural and the stories became more complicated, it was no longer cost-effective to do location filming. After the series went to color in August, 1967, the filmed segments were dropped. Instead, still-frame slides were used for exteriors of Collinwood, the Old House, and other outside locations.
Much of the location footage for Dark Shadows had actually been shot in color, but most of it was used only in the black and white episodes. Three exceptions were single exterior shots for Collinwood, Evans’ Cottage, and the Blue Whale—these were the only location film clips seen after the series went to color.
Already existing stock footage was used a few times in the series. This included a scratchy film depicting lightning bolts, an equally scratched shot of waves crashing on jagged rocks, and still-framed images of a forest.
Exterior Footage Highlights
Episode 1 The train carrying Victoria Winters is seen rushing by. Over Collinwood, the moon is shining. Victoria stands outside the Collinsport Train Station and gets into a taxi with Burke Devlin. The taxi arrives outside the Collinsport Inn.
Episode 2 Victoria walks on the terrace and grounds at Collinwood as well as the cliff at Widows’ Hill, where she looks out at the ocean.
Episode 3 Roger Collins parks his car, a Ford Mustang, outside the Evans’ cottage, walks to the front door, and leaves after knocking on the front door.
Episode 5 Victoria walks out of Collinwood.
Episode 13 Victoria walks on the Collinwood grounds to the entrance of Matthew Morgan’s cottage. Later, she leaves the cottage, passes by the garage and enters. Episode 15 Roger walks to his car in the garage area outside. David looks out a window from Collinwood as Roger drives away. Roger loses control of his car as he drives down a hill.
Episode 50 A dead man’s body on the shore.
Episode 65 Victoria walks along the beach and finds a pen.
Episode 68 Roger walks on the pier outside his office.
Episode 70 David and Victoria walk up to the Old House. Matthew Morgan walks toward the Old House. Matthew, David and Victoria leave the Old House. The Ghost of Josette runs around the columns outside the Old House.
Episode 71 Victoria departs from Roger’s office.
Episode 73 Sam Evans walks up to the police station.
Episode 80 Roger drives his car away from Collinwood. He walks along the shore, searching.
Episode 81 Matthew exits Collinwood entryway and later goes back in. A taxi arrives at Collinwood while Matthew trims bushes.
Episode 82 Roger drives car to Collinsport Inn.
Episode 83 Roger walks out of Collinwood.
Episode 85 Sam Evans walks outside the Blue Whale and enters.
Episode 96 Opening shot of Collinwood with rainfall
Episode 100 Victoria drives car to Collinsport Inn.
Episode 10 Roger walks into the Blue Whale. Roger walks inside Collinwood.
Episode 102 David walks up to Old House with flashlight. Matthew walks up to house with a lantern. Victoria walks outside Collinwood.
Episode 104 Roger drives car down the road and to Collinwood.
Episode 105 Sheriff Patterson’s car outside Collinwood. Roger leaves Collinwood on the terrace.
Episode 107 Victoria walks outside Old House with flashlight. Matthew stands on roof of Old House and pushes um off.
Episode 113 Film of Collinsport Inn with close-up on sign. David runs up to the Old House.
Episode 114 Victoria drives car to Collinsport Inn. David enters and departs the Old House.
Episode 115 David goes to the Old House. Victoria walks down the steps at Collinwood. Victoria goes to the Old House.
Episode 119 Roger drives to Collinwood.
Episode 120 David walks to Old House. Matthew leaves Old House and returns.
Episode 122 David leaves Old House.
Episode 127 The Ghost of Josette runs around the columns outside the Old House.
Episode 128 Sam walks inside Collinsport Inn.
Episode 130 David plays on swing outside Old House.
Episode 134 David looks out window at Collinwood.
Episode 139 Victoria and David walk in the woods.
Episode 143 Downtown Collinsport.
Episode 148 Boats in the Collinsport harbour.
Episode 153 Car drives down road.
Episode 162 Collinwood rear daytime. Old House daytime.
Episode 164 Collinsport Inn.
Episode 174 Phoenix, Arizona desert and city.
Episode 181 Downtown Collinsport.
Episode 183 Collinsport Inn.
Episode 193 Downtown Collinsport.
Episode 200 The Evans’ cottage.
Episode 202 The Blue Whale
Episode 221 Collinsport Inn.
Episode 238 Victoria and Carolyn walk through the woods up to the Old House.
Episode 256 David plays on swing outside Old House.
Episode 262 Roger walks to the Old House.
Episode 263 The Collinsport wharf.
Episode 275 Carolyn walks along the shore.
Episode 295 The Blue Whale.
Note: A variety of film clips of Collinwood are used at the beginning of every episode. One of the opening film clips of Collinwood used in the early episodes was occasionally flipped the wrong way, such as the one seen at the start of episode 173.
Only two episodes of Dark Shadows began without a scene of Collinwood at the start. Episode 1 began with a shot of a train and episode 21 began with a shot of the ocean.
Selected Bibliography
Hundreds of articles have been written about Dark Shadows, its stars, and its fans. This partial list focuses on some of the most significant articles which have appeared over the past thirty years. This select bibliography does not include the countless soap opera, teen, movie and television magazine features which appeared while the show was originally on the air.
Variety, “Dark Shadows” Review, June 29, 1966
TV Guide, “Giddy Gothic,” December 3, 1966
The New York Times, “Out In Detergent L
and: A Hard Day’s Fright,” July 30, 1967
Newsweek, “The Ghoul Show,” August 21, 1967
TV Guide, “No Tears For Miss Bennett,” August 26, 1967
Wall Street Journal, “Daytime Horror Show Lures the Housewives From Their Ironing,” December 27, 1967
TV Guide, “A Vampire For All Seasons,” July 13, 1968
Time, “Ship of Ghouls,” August 30, 1968
Variety, “Monsters Making Good,” September 18, 1968
Famous Monsters of Filmland, “Dark Shadows,” October, 1968
Saturday Evening Post, “Can A 172-Year-Old Vampire Find Love And Happiness In A Typical New England Town?, November 1968
New York Times, “Vampires Are Voluptuous,” December 29, 1968
TV Guide, Dark Shadows Review, February 1, 1969
TV Guide, “More Perils Than Pauline,” May 31, 1969
Famous Monsters of Filmland, “Who’s A-Frid of The Big, Bad Vampire?,” November, 1969
MacLean’s, “Bite Me, Bamabas-Bite Me!,” December 1969
New York Post, “Afternoon of A Vampire,” March 7, 1970
Newsweek, “Tumed-On Vampire” April 20, 1970
Ladies Home Journal, “The Journal’s Joyce Illig Emerges From Dark Shadows,” August, 1970
Variety, “House of Dark Shadows” Review, September 2, 1970
Cinefantastique,“House of Dark Shadows” Review, Winter, 1971
TV Guide, “Out off The Shadows,” January 23, 1971
Famous Monsters of Filmland, “House of Dark Shadows,” February, 1971
Variety, “Night of Dark Shadows” Review, August 11, 1971
TV Guide, “Here’s What Really Happened To Bamabas & Co.,” October 9, 1971
Cinefantastique, “Night of Dark Shadows” Review, Winter, 1972.
Famous Monsters of Filmland, “Night of Dark Shadows,” January, 1972
Monsters of The Movies, “Once Upon A Time There Was A Vampire,” August, 1975
Soap Opera Digest, “Grayson Hall, Lady Of The Dark Shadows,” May 1977
Fangoria, “Dark Shadows Revisited,” #17, 1981
Soap Opera Digest, “Dark Shadows Has Risen Again!,” July 20, 1982, August 3, 1982, August 17, 1982
TV Guide, “He Was A Werewolf With A Ph.D,” August 11, 1984
Collectibles Illustrated, “Dark Shadows On The Air,” “Confessions of A Werewolf,” September/October 1984
Soap Opera Digest, “Dark Shadows Lives!,” November 6, 1984
Eastern Review, “I Am A Cult,” May, 1985
Fangoria, “Undead Soap,” #44, 1985
Dallas Morning News, “Dark Shadows Draws Fans To Festival,” July 29, 1986
Soap Opera Digest, “Dark Shadows-The Place Where The Dead Bodies Moved,” April 21, 1987
Los Angeles Times, “Dark Shadows Pumps New Blood Into PBS,” November 3, 1987
Theater Week, “From Soap To Stage,” September 25, 1988
New Yorker, “Shadows,” June 26, 1989
Bloody Best of Fangoria, “As The Dark Shadows Turn,” #8, 1989
Hollywood Reporter, “MPI Vid Scares Up Dark Shadows,” August 2, 1989
Detroit News, “Tapes From the Crypt,” October 25, 1989
Newark Star-Ledger, “Dark Shadows,” January 21, 1990
Cinefantastique, “The Horror That Wouldn’t Die,” December, 1990
Newsweek,“ A Monster Revival,” January 7, 1991
Washington Times, “The Show That Wouldn’t Die,” January 17, 1991
People, “As Dark Shadows Creeps Back To TV, The Old Show Still Haunts Its Cast,” January 21, 1991
Soap Opera Weekly, “The Vampire Who Conquered Daytime,” January 29, 1991
US, “Dawn of The Dead,” February 7, 1991
Ladies Home Journal, “The Show That Would Not Die,” February, 1991
New York Newsday, “Gothic Romance,” February 20, 1991
Soap Opera Weekly, “Lurking In The Shadows,” November 3, 1992
Additionally, when the show was originally airing on ABC-TV, countless articles appeared in magazines such as Daytime TV, Afternoon TV, 16 Magazine, 16 Spec, Tiger Beat, Fave, Flip, Photoplay, TV Photo Story, Modern Screen, TV By Day, All Day TV, Hollywood Screen Parade, TV Radio Show, Starland, Screen Scene, TV Dawn to Dusk, TV Picture Life, Who’s Who In Daytime TV, TV Star Parade, TV Radio Movie Guide, Screen Stars, TV & Movie Play, Outasite, Teen Life, Teen World, TV Star Annual, TV Movie Spotlight, Teen Pinups, Yankee Magazine, Photo TV Land, TV Radio Mirror, and others.
Dark Shadows is also featured in dozens of reference books pertaining to television, horror, and soap operas.
Dana Elcar; Gene Lindsey,-John Harkins; Peter Turgeon; George Mitchell; Michael McGuire; John Lasell; David Hurst; Mark Allen.
Actor Birthdays & Birthplaces
ACTOR’S REAL NAMES
John Beal was born John Bliedung
Kay Frye was bom Kay Blume
Terry Crawford was born Terrayne Crawford
Thayer David was born David Thayer Hersey
Grayson Hall was born Shirley Grossman
Elaine Hyman was born Helen Hyman
John Karlen was born John Karlewicz
Dorrie Kavanaugh was born Dorothy Kirssker
Lara Parker was born Mary Lamar Rickey
Dennis Patrick was born Dennis Harrison
Robert Rodan was born Robert Trimas
Kathryn Leigh Scott was born Kathryn Marlene Kringstad
Lana Shaw was born Laura Shaw
Alex Stevens was born Alex Poulos
Building Shadows
by Sy Tomashoff
DARK SHADOWS IS NEVER FAR AWAY FROM ME. A FEW YEARS AGO, I was at an anniversary party for The Bold and the Beautiful at the Bel Air Country Club. I had been the production designer on the show since its inception in 1987 until I retired in early 2000. One of the guests, a young man who works as a production assistant in the industry, approached me at the party and told me that I had been the one person he wanted to meet. He knew that I had been the scenic designer for Dark Shadows and the show had been a strong influence on him as a kid. Once again I am reminded of the tremendous impact the show has had.
It was back in 1966 that Bob Costello, the producer for series creator and executive producer Dan Curtis, asked me to be the art director of a new daytime drama to be called Dark Shadows. “I don’t do soaps,” was my reply.
I had been the designer on Armstrong Circle Theatre for two years when Bob was its producer in the early 1960s. Afterwards, I had worked on two filmed series, East Side/West Side with George C. Scott and For the People with William Shatner.
“Why don’t we meet for dinner and catch up on old times anyway,” Bob suggested. This seemed harmless enough and I accepted his invitation to renew our lapsed friendship. Dinner was at an elegant eastside restaurant and I recall that we celebrated with a couple of martinis. It had been about five years since we had seen each other.
The outcome of this dinner (or the martinis) was that I agreed to undertake the project for one year. And thus I became ensconced in the world of soap opera.
First, however, there was the matter of drawing up a contract with Dan Curtis Productions and that presented problems with my union. The freelance contract in those days included a clause which required the producer to pay the designer a fee for rebroadcast of any and all episodes. This created a stalemate in the negotiations and I found myself in the position of having already started designing, while at the same time my union insisted that if the production company did not agree to the conditions, I would be removed from the project. I pleaded with my business agent to allow me to stay on the job. Finally Dan Curtis said that he would agree to the conditions.
After all, Dan probably thought, “What chance is there that his show will ever be in reruns?”