Dark Shadows Information

Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began.

The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles (as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor). Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles.

Dark Shadows was distinguished by its vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable storylines, numerous dramatic plot twists, unusually adventurous music score, and broad and epic cosmos of characters and heroic adventures. Now regarded as something of a classic, it continues to enjoy an intense cult following. Although the original series ran for only five years, its scheduling as a daily daytime drama allowed it to amass more single episodes during its run (1,225) than most other science-fiction/fantasy genre series produced for English-language television, including Doctor Who and the entire Star Trek television franchise. Only the paranormal soap opera Passions, with a total of 2,231 episodes, has more.

Directors Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino, and pop singer Madonna have publicly stated they are fans of the series. As a child, Johnny Depp was so obsessed with Barnabas Collins that he wanted to be him; he collaborated with Tim Burton on a theatrical film adaptation which opened in 2012, in which he plays Barnabas.

In 2004 and 2007, Dark Shadows was ranked #19 and #23 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever.

History

Creator Dan Curtis claimed he had a dream in 1965 of a mysterious young woman who was on a train. The following day Curtis told his wife of the dream and pitched the idea as a TV show to ABC. Network officials greenlit production and Curtis began hiring crew members.

Art Wallace was hired to create a story from Curtis' dream sequence. Wallace wrote the story bible Shadows on the Wall, the proposed title for the show, later changed to Dark Shadows. Robert Costello was added as a line producer, and Curtis took on the creator and executive producer roles. Lela Swift, John Sedgewick, and Henry Kaplan all agreed to be directors for the new series. Robert Cobert created the musical score and Sy Thomashoff designed the set.

Curtis then set out to find the actress to play the girl who was on the train. Alexandra Moltke, a young actress with little experience, was discovered and cast in the role of Victoria Winters, an orphan who ends up in the mysterious town of Collinsport, Maine, to unravel the mysteries of her own past.

Veteran film star Joan Bennett was soon cast as Victoria's employer Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, a woman who had not left her home in over eighteen years. Stage actor Louis Edmonds was cast as Elizabeth's brother Roger Collins. Another stage actress, Nancy Barrett, was then cast as Elizabeth's rebel daughter Carolyn Stoddard. Child actor David Henesy was cast as Roger's troubled son David Collins.

Dark Shadows had a rocky beginning. Critics were quick to deem the show rather boring for its heavy use of unknown actress Alexandra Moltke and the slow progression of the legacy of the show. The earliest episodes consisted of introducing the troubled characters and did not show any of the supernatural elements that later made the show a hit.

As production on the series continued, the introduction of many new and mysterious characters and various unknown actors and actresses was prevalent on the set. Most actors also ended up playing multiple characters, and those same characters would often come back from the dead in the unprecedented use of parallel times and flashbacks.

Broadcast history

Perhaps one of ABC's first truly popular daytime shows, along with the game show Let's Make a Deal, Dark Shadows found its demographic niche in teenagers coming home from school in time to watch the show at 4 p.m. Eastern / 3 p.m. Central, where it aired for almost all of its network run, the exception being a 15-month stretch between April 1967 and July 1968, when it aired a half hour earlier. Originally, it was aired in black-and-white, but the show went into color starting with the August 14, 1967 telecast. With mothers (and, sometimes, grandmothers) usually away from the television set at that time of day in order to tend to household chores such as preparing the family's dinner, the young people got control of the family set and claimed the show as a badge of the then-burgeoning youth consciousness in the culture at large. Whatever the cultural context or audience composition of Dark Shadows, it became one of ABC's first daytime shows to actually win its timeslot, leading to the demise of NBC's original Match Game and Art Linkletter's long-running House Party on CBS, both in 1969.

The series reached its peak in popularity during a storyline set in the year 1897, broadcast from March 1969. By the end of May, Dark Shadows was ABC's most popular soap, and by late 1969 it was reaching nearly 20,000,000 viewers. In November 1969, after nine months of some of Dark Shadows' most intricate, intelligent storylines, an end came to the adventures in 1897. Now the writers were faced with a dilemma: with ratings at an all-time high, what could they do next to hold the audience? Their decision, a storyline known as "The Leviathans", proved to be a thematic misstep for the show and one from which it never recovered. Fans tended to dislike the portrayal of Barnabas as the pawn of some greater power. They proved to be more interested in the archetypes of classic horror, the vampire, the witch, the werewolf than in off-camera suggestion. The launch of Somerset in March 1970, a much-ballyhooed spinoff of NBC's Another World also hurt the series considerably. The release of the film House of Dark Shadows in September of that year is also thought to have caused TV ratings to fall, perhaps because of parents who attended the film with their children and, seeing the amount of blood spilled across the screen, discouraged their children's choice of television viewing material. Beginning in the fall of 1970, several ABC stations across the country dropped the show due to falling viewership. Within six months, ratings dropped from 7.3 to 5.3. Ironically, Nielsen ratings for March 1971, the last full month that Dark Shadows was on the air, revealed that viewership had risen in its final weeks.

By early 1971, though, ABC was trying to cut costs in the face of harsh new economic realities including a national economic recession, a sharp dip in advertising revenue following the U.S. government's recent ban on cigarette commercials, and a record-high number of competing soap operas "? which were more expensive to produce than game or talk shows "? on the networks' daytime schedules. Thus, the network began weeding out supposedly unproductive programming. Despite its relatively high station clearances for its timeslot and low production costs, Dark Shadows fell victim to the purge mainly because of its young audience, who usually did not make decisions about the purchasing of household goods and food products for the family, which were the two chief industries that bought airtime on daytime television in that era. Practically no other daytime show skewed so much under the 18"35 demographic threshold as Dark Shadows did. Furthermore, primetime shows and movies with horror or science fiction themes (e.g., Star Trek, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) had been on the decline for some time, and, of course, the serial appealed heavily to fanciers of those genres, people who usually thumbed their noses at the often sentimental domestic or romantic themes that traditional soaps had relied on since their inception on radio in the 1930s. In addition and probably more decisively, the program experienced a precipitous drop in its ratings during its last two years on the air, falling from a peak of 8.4 in the 1968"1969 television season to a 5.3 in 1970"1971.

Despite many letters of protest from outraged fans, ABC canceled the five-year-old show on April 2, 1971, and replaced it with a new version of the hit 1960s game show Password. The rather abrupt ending of the series left some plotlines (such as Victoria Winters' parentage, and the story of the Jennings family) unfinished, though most of the plot threads came to a happy conclusion, via a voiceover explaining future events in the final minute of the last episode.

Syndication and cable repeats

Dark Shadows was to be syndicated by ABC's distribution arm, ABC Films, as the series was ending in late 1970 and early 1971. However, delays kept the show from entering syndication, mainly because the FCC imposed Financial Interest and Syndication Rules, forcing the networks to sell off their syndication companies. Finally, in 1975, Worldvision Enterprises (spun off from ABC Films) released 130 episodes to syndication. Over the years, more episodes were released in varying quantities until the show finished its syndicated run in 1990. However, the first 209 shows and roughly the last year's worth of shows were never seen in syndication. Dark Shadows was lucky to be in reruns at all: Most daytime programs at the time were destroyed in an effort to recycle the videotape, and those programs that survived were usually locked away without being seen again.

For many years, the show was rerun on Scifi, now known as Syfy. Unlike previous networks, Syfy had the entire run of 1,225 episodes to show. The network stopped airing Dark Shadows in December 2003, only two weeks short of completing the series. All 1,225 episodes in the series were shown at various times between 1992 and 2003.

Episode numbering

A total of 1,225 episodes were produced, but during the course of its run, the show was preempted 20 times. ABC would compensate for this by occasionally skipping, double numbering and, in one case, triple numbering episodes in order to keep a show ending in a 5 or 0 airing on Fridays. This is why the last episode produced has #1245 when in actuality it was only the 1,225th episode produced.

Storylines

Victoria's Arrival, episode 1 to 6: Victoria Winters comes to Collinwood to serve as governess to David Collins. She is an orphan and hopes to find clues to her identity. She finds a reclusive matriarch, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard; a disturbed child, David Collins; and a town full of mysterious and frightening legends.

The Revenge of Burke Devlin, episode 1 to 201: Despising the Collins' power and influence, Burke Devlin returns to Collinsport after spending time in prison. He befriends Victoria, manipulates Carolyn Stoddard, Elizabeth's daughter, and interrogates others to discover the truth about the accident which led to his conviction.

The Murder of Bill Malloy, episode 46 to 126: Collins fishing fleet manager Bill Malloy is killed by Collinwood caretaker Matthew Morgan after Matthew learns Malloy wants Roger Collins to confess to the car accident which sent Burke to prison. Matthew kidnaps Victoria when she discovers he was responsible for Malloy's death. Victoria is saved by the ghost of Josette Collins who joins the ghost of Malloy in scaring Matthew to death.

Laura the Phoenix, episode 123 to 191: Laura Collins, Roger's wife and David's mother, schemes to reclaim her son. Laura is a creature of the supernatural, an immortal Phoenix who almost succeeds in taking David with her as she is consumed by flames.

The Blackmailing of Elizabeth, episode 193 to 275: Jason McGuire, a friend of Elizabeth's missing husband Paul Stoddard, returns to Collinwood. Victimized by his blackmail, Elizabeth agrees to marry Jason, but at the last moment reveals the truth. Eighteen years before, Jason led her to believe she killed Paul and then allowed Jason to bury the body in the basement of Collinwood. An investigation uncovers no body; Paul did not die. Jason is killed after he enters the Old House to search for jewels.

The Introduction of Barnabas, episode 202 to 220: Jason's drifter friend Willie Loomis joins Jason as an unwelcome guest at Collinwood. Fascinated by the portrait of Barnabas Collins and the legend he was buried with his jewels, Willie opens the coffin of Barnabas and accidentally releases the 200-year-old vampire. Barnabas introduces himself at Collinwood as a descendant of the Barnabas in the portrait. With Elizabeth's permission, Barnabas moves into the Old House and begins its restoration.

The Kidnapping of Maggie, episode 221 to 261: Barnabas meets waitress Maggie Evans and is struck by her close resemblance to Josette, his love in the distant past. He abducts Maggie and attempts to recreate her as Josette so she may join him as his eternal vampire bride. With the help of a mysterious child, Maggie escapes and is confined at Windcliff Sanitarium.

The Introduction of Julia, episode 265 to 365: Maggie's doctor, Julia Hoffman, arrives at Collinwood, posing as an historian. She discovers the secret of Barnabas and offers to cure him. When the experiments backfire, Barnabas turns on her. Barnabas attempts to kill those who he believes know his secret, but he is stopped by the ghost of his little sister Sarah.

1795, episode 365 to 461: After a seance, Victoria is transported back to 1795. She meets Collins ancestors who resemble present-day family members. The witch Angélique jealously destroys Barnabas' romance with Josette DuPrés and places the curse of the vampire on him. Josette sees a vision of herself as a vampire and leaps to her death from Widows' Hill. Reverend Trask causes Victoria to be tried and condemned as a witch. Victoria falls in love with Peter Bradford. As she is about to be hung as a witch, Victoria is returned to the present.

The Dream Curse, episode 461 to 536: Victoria is haunted by her experiences in the past. Dr. Eric Lang temporarily cures Barnabas. Angélique appears, disguised as Roger's new wife Cassandra. She initiates an evil dream curse to turn Barnabas back into a vampire. At the climax of the dream curse, Barnabas is attacked by a bat, but he does not become a vampire at that time.

The Creation of Adam and Eve, episode 486 to 626: Dr. Lang dies. Barnabas and Julia continue his experiments to create a man from human body parts using Barnabas' life force. Adam is brought to life. Warlock Nicholas Blair influences Adam to demand a mate; Eve is created, but she despises Adam for his weakness. Nicholas punishes Angélique by turning her into a vampire. Angélique bites Barnabas in an attempt to place him under her power. Adam kills Eve.

The Werewolf and the Ghost of Quentin, episode 627 to 700: When the moon is full, Chris Jennings transforms into a werewolf. His sister Amy comes to live at Collinwood. Using an old disconnected telephone, Amy and David speak to the ghost of Quentin Collins, which attempts to possess David. After Quentin forces everyone to leave Collinwood, his wild laughter echoes through the empty house. Maggie saves the children after Quentin lures them back to Collinwood.

Return to 1796, episode 657 to 667: Barnabas revisits the past to save Victoria from hanging. By destroying Angélique, he enables Victoria to remain in the past with Peter Bradford.

1897, episode 700 to 884: By using the I-Ching wands, Barnabas goes back to 1897 to learn the secret of Quentin and the werewolf. Schoolteacher Rachel Drummond attempts to save the children, Jamison and Nora, from cruel treatment by Reverend Gregory Trask at his school, Worthington Hall. Angered that Quentin was responsible for the death of her sister Jenny, Magda places the curse of the werewolf on Quentin and all his descendants. Count Petofi regains his hand and uses its power to switch minds with Quentin in his attempt to reach the future. Barnabas meets the true reincarnation of Josette, Lady Kitty Hampshire.

The Leviathans, episode 885 to 980: Barnabas follows Kitty as Josette to 1795 but is returned to the present by the Leviathans. He is used by them in their quest to displace mankind and return their ancient cult to supremacy. Carolyn marries Leviathan leader Jeb Hawkes. Angélique creates a shadow to follow Jeb and destroy him.

Quentin and Amanda, episode 904 to 934: Quentin appears in the present but has no memory of his past life in 1897. His lost love from that time, Amanda Harris, discovers him and helps him regain his memory. But Quentin loses her in a struggle with Mr. Best also known as Death.

1970 Parallel Time, episode 980 to 1060: A room in Collinwood's east wing enables Barnabas to enter Parallel Time, where familiar people have made different choices and live different lives. Angélique, risen from the dead, is determined to regain her husband Quentin, now married to Maggie Evans. Barnabas falls in love with Roxanne Drew, who has provided the life force for Angélique.

1995, episode 1061 to 1070: Barnabas and Julia are transported to the future, where they find Collinwood in ruins. They question survivors and follow clues, determined to avert the crisis by returning to the present and changing history.

The Ghosts of Daphne and Gerard, episode 1070 to 1109: David and Hallie Stokes find a sealed-off playroom in Collinwood and become possessed by Tad and Carrie who lived in 1840. The ghost of Daphne Harridge is unable to stop the ghost of Gerard Stiles from summoning an army of the dead to destroy Collinwood.

1840, episode 1110 to 1198: Barnabas and Julia use the stairway created by Quentin in 1840 to travel back to that time. Gerard Stiles, possessed by Judah Zachery, becomes master of Collinwood. After Angélique causes the destruction of Judah, Barnabas realizes he loves her, but she is immediately killed by Lamar Trask. Brokenhearted, Barnabas returns with Julia to the present.

1841 Parallel Time, episode 1198 to 1245: Because of a curse, the Collins family must hold a lottery once in each generation. Only when the person chosen can spend the night in a mysterious room and survive both alive and sane can the curse be broken. Bramwell Collins, son of Barnabas and Josette, returns to town hoping to marry Catherine Harridge. But Catherine marries Morgan Collins, unaware that she is pregnant with Bramwell's child. Morgan attempts to kill the lovers by locking them in the room, but they survive, breaking the curse. Morgan perishes. The ghosts and vampires at Collinwood have been laid to rest.

Adaptations

Dark Shadows often incorporated classic stories with gothic themes into its narrative. The series modified this material freely, giving the familiar stories unusual twists. Most significantly this included: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, (Victoria Winters, 1966; Jenny Collins, Rachel Drummond, 1897); The Crucible by Arthur Miller, (Reverend Trask, Abigail Collins & Victoria Winters, 1795); The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, (Barnabas Collins & Reverend Trask, 1795); Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, (Adam, 1968); The Premature Burial by Edgar Allan Poe, (Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, 1968); The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, (The Ghosts of Quentin Collins & Beth Chavez, 1968-69; The Ghosts of Gerard Stiles & Daphne Harridge, 1970); The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, (Quentin Collins & Edith Collins, 1897); Nicholas Nickelby by Charles Dickens, (Gregory Trask's Worthington Hall, 1897); The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe, (Aristede & Quentin Collins, 1897); The Monkey's Paw by Guy de Maupaussant, (Count Petofi's hand, 1897); The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, (Quentin Collins' Portrait, 1897); The Cthulhu Mythos by H. P. Lovecraft, (Leviathans, 1969-70); Greek Mythology: Orpheus in the Underworld, (Quentin Collins & Amanda Harris, 1969-70); Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, (1970 Parallel Time & Night of Dark Shadows); The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, (Cyrus Longworth/John Yaeger, 1970 Parallel Time); The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, (1841 Parallel Time); Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, (1841 Parallel Time).

Cast

Production

Locations

Both theatrical films, House of Dark Shadows (1970) and Night of Dark Shadows (1971) were shot primarily on location at the Lyndhurst estate in Tarrytown, New York. For the TV series, Essex, Connecticut was the locale used for the town of Collinsport. Among the locations located there are the Collinsport Wharf, Main Street and the Evans Cottage. The Griswold Inn in Essex was used for the Collinsport Inn and the town post office was used for the town Police Station. The Collinwood stand-in mansion used for the TV series is the Carey Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, until August 2009 used by Salve Regina University. The exteriors for the "Old House" (original Collinwood mansion) were filmed at Spratt Mansion which was also located on the Lyndhurst estate. This mansion was destroyed by fire in 1969. The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in South Norwalk, Connecticut, was also used for some scenes in House of Dark Shadows. Some outdoors shots for the series were filmed in the famous Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, not very far from the Lyndhurst Mansion.

Special effects

Working within the constraints of the live-to-tape format "? with almost every scene done in one take "? Dark Shadows displayed an unusually inventive use of costume, make-up and, in particular, special effects. Both time travel and ghosts allowed characters killed in earlier sequences to return, often in period clothing. Séances held in the old mansion were often visited by ghostly apparitions of quivering ectoplasm. Dream sequences included colorful psychedelic spectacles superimposed over ethereal, fog-filled fantasies. Individuals of normal appearance were transformed into hideous creatures of the netherworld.

Errors

The difficulty of keeping up with the demanding schedule of a daily half-hour show manifested itself on screen. In addition to sets wobbling unintentionally, (one actor bumped into a large "oak tree" and it almost fell over), heavily-used actors "? especially Frid and Bennett "? often struggled with their lines. Occasionally a stagehand could be spotted wandering onto the back of the set. At other times the microphone boom appeared in the frame (giving the show the unintentional nickname "Mic Shadows"), a television camera would appear on screen, a fly hovered around the head of an actor, or window curtains fell down.

Music

Of particular note is Robert Cobert's inspired music score, which broke new ground for a television program. The original soundtrack cracked the top 20 of Billboards national albums chart in 1969 and still ranks as one of the top-selling TV soundtracks ever. The instrumental track "Quentin's Theme", for which Cobert earned a Grammy nomination, was recorded by the Charles Randolph Grean Sounde. The single peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (and number 3 on its Easy Listening chart) in summer 1969, when Dark Shadows was perhaps at the peak of its popularity.

Ratings

1965"1966 season

• 1. As the World Turns (13.9)
• 13. Dark Shadows (4.1)
• 16. Never Too Young (3.9)

1966"1967 season

• 1. As the World Turns (12.7)
• 12. Dark Shadows (4.3)
• 13. A Flame in the Wind (4.0)

1967"1968 season

• 1. As the World Turns (13.6)
• 12. Dark Shadows (7.3)
• 13. One Life to Live (4.3)

1968"1969 season

• 1. As the World Turns (13.8)
• 11. Dark Shadows (8.4)
• 14. Hidden Faces (3.3)

1969"1970 season

• 1. As the World Turns (13.6)
• 12. Dark Shadows (7.3)
• 19. The Best of Everything (1.8)

1970"1971 season

• 1. As the World Turns (12.4)
• 16. Dark Shadows (5.3)
• 18. A World Apart (3.4)

Preservation

Dark Shadows has the distinction of being one of the few classic television soap operas to have all of its episodes survive intact except one, although a handful of early episodes are available only in 16 mm kinescope format. For the one lost episode (#1219), only a home audio recording of the episode exists. The home video version and cable reruns of this episode were reconstructed from this soundtrack, the closing scene from the episode #1218, the opening scene from episode #1220, and from video still frames sourced from other episodes.

Revivals

1991 (NBC)

In 1991, a short-lived primetime remake was produced by MGM Television and aired on NBC from January 13 to March 22. The revival was a lavish, big budget weekly serial combining gothic romance and stylistic horror. Although it was a huge hit at introduction (watched by almost 1 in 4 households according to official ratings during that time period), the onset of the Gulf War caused NBC to continually preempt or reschedule the episodes resulting in declining ratings. It was canceled after the first season.

The final episode ended with a cliffhanger: Victoria Winters (Joanna Going) learning that Barnabas Collins (Ben Cross) was a 200-year old vampire.

It also starred veterans Jean Simmons as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Roy Thinnes as Roger Collins, British character actress Lysette Anthony as Angelique Collins, Barbara Steele as Julia Hoffman, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as David Collins.

2004 (The WB)

Plans for another revival series (or film) have been discussed off and on since the 1991 series' demise, including a TV miniseries to wrap up the plotlines of the canceled NBC series and a feature film, co-written by Dan Curtis and Barbara Steele, utilizing the 1991 cast. In 2004, a pilot for a new WB network Dark Shadows series starring Marley Shelton as Victoria Winters and Alec Newman as Barnabas Collins was written and shot, but never picked up. The pilot has been screened at the Dark Shadows Festival conventions with Dan Curtis Productions' blessing, but has yet to surface elsewhere. This pilot was produced by Warner Bros. Television.

2012 (Film)

See Dark Shadows (film) for more information

Warner Bros. has produced a film adaptation of the soap opera. Tim Burton directed the film, and Johnny Depp stars as Barnabas Collins.

Media

Home video

MPI Home Video currently holds the home video rights to the series. All episodes were issued on VHS from 1989 through 1995. Episodes 210"1245 (Barnabas' arrival through to the end of the series) have been released on DVD in 26 Collections from 2002 through 2006. Episodes 1"209 were released in 2007 under the title of Dark Shadows: The Beginning. On April 3, 2012, MPI re-released the 32 Collections. The first (and sometimes, the second) collection (from Barnabas' introduction) has been released internationally, but due to generally low sales, this has been the extent of international release of the series.

On April 10, 2012, MPI released a Limited Edition Complete Series Box Set in the shape of a coffin. The 131 DVDs are housed in 22 individual plastic cases with the spines looking upward to show the entire body of Barnabas lying asleep in his coffin. Only 2,500 numbered copies of these were made, with each set including a limited edition card signed by original series star Jonathan Frid. A similar but unlimited "Deluxe Edition" set was subsequently released on July 10, 2012, without the limited edition card signed by Jonathan Frid and without the serial limitation number plate on the bottom of the box.

Films

MGM released a feature film titled House of Dark Shadows in 1970. Dan Curtis directed it, and Sam Hall and Gordon Russell wrote the screenplay. Many cast members from the soap opera, including Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Roger Davis, and Kathryn Leigh Scott, reprised their roles. 1971 saw the release of Night of Dark Shadows, also directed by Dan Curtis and written by Curtis and Sam Hall. Actors included David Selby, Grayson Hall, Kate Jackson, and Lara Parker, among others.

Books

There have been two series of Dark Shadows novels. The first, released during the show's original run, were all penned by romance writer Marilyn Ross, a pseudonym for author Dan Ross. The second consists of three novels by Lara Parker, Angelique's Descent, The Salem Branch, and Dark Shadows: Full Moon Rising (to be released later in 2012) as well as Dreams of the Dark by horror authors Elizabeth Massie and Stephen Mark Rainey.

There also have been several books about Dark Shadows, including The Dark Shadows Almanac and The Dark Shadows Companion.

Magazines

During its original run, Dark Shadows was featured in many magazines, including Afternoon TV, Daytime TV, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and Castle of Frankenstein. Even after the show ended it received coverage in genre magazines of the 1970s like Monsters of the Movies. In 2003, a two-part article titled "Collecting Dark Shadows: Return to Collinwood," appeared in Autograph Collector magazine. It was the first major article to chronicle the show in years. In 2005, Scary Monsters magazine #55 devoted an entire issue to Dark Shadows. Included were full-length interviews with cast members Marie Wallace, David Selby, and Kathryn Leigh-Scott, as well as "Don't Open That Coffin! A Baby Boomer's Adventures in the Land of Dark Shadows!" Both the Autograph Collector and Scary Monsters articles were penned by freelance writer Rod Labbe, who once ran a fan club for Dennis Patrick (Jason McGuire, Paul Stoddard)in 1969"70. Labbe also contributes to Fangoria magazine and is currently doing a series of full-length interviews with surviving original cast members, leading up to the release of Burton's film. Labbe's interview with Jerry Lacy, who played the nefarious Reverend Trask, appeared in issue #296. His second, with Kathryn Leigh-Scott, was in issue #304. The latest, a Chris Pennock (Jebez Hawkes, aka "The Leviathan") profile, is scheduled to run in issue #310. He's already interviewed Marie (Eve and Crazy Jenny Collins) Wallace for a future issue, with more to come. A lengthier version of Kathryn's interview can be found on her website.

Comics

From March 14, 1971, to March 11, 1972, the Newspaper Enterprise Association syndicated a Dark Shadows comic strip by illustrator Kenneth Bruce Bald (credited as "K. Bruce" because of contractual obligations) to dozens of newspapers across the country.

Gold Key Comics released 35 issues of a regular Dark Shadows comic book, mostly written by John Warner, which ran for years after the cancellation of the series on ABC (1969"1976); and in 1991, Innovation Publishing released a short-lived comic book series based on the NBC-TV revival show. Hermes Press has released a five volume archive reprint series of the Gold Key series in 2010"2011.

A new monthly series of Dark Shadows comic books currently in production was launched in October 2011 by Dynamite Entertainment.

Other media

There have also been two board games, a few coloring books, a jigsaw puzzle and a View-Master reel.

In June 2012, some episodes of Dark Shadows were made available for streaming online video on Hulu & Hulu Plus. Episodes 211- 250 were made available, covering the introduction of Barnabas Collins.

Audio drama

Based on a stage play performed at a Dark Shadows convention, Return to Collinwood is an audio drama written by Jamison Selby and Jim Pierson, and starring David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott, John Karlen, Nancy Barrett, Lara Parker, Roger Davis, Marie Wallace, Christopher Pennock, Donna Wandrey, James Storm, and Terry Crawford. The show is available on CD.

Big Finish Productions

In 2006, Big Finish Productions continued the Dark Shadows saga with an original series of audio dramas, starring the original cast. The first season featured David Selby (Quentin Collins), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans), and John Karlen (Willie Loomis). Robert Rodan, who played Adam in the original series, also appears in the fourth story, playing a new character. A second series was released in 2010. In addition to the cast returning from Series One, Kingdom of the Dead also featured Lysette Anthony, Alec Newman, Lizzie Hopley, Jerry Lacy, and David Warner. Big Finish has also produced a series of dramatic story readings based on the series, with arguably the most notable being the 2010 release The Night Whispers in which Jonathan Frid reprised the role of Barnabas.