How
many episodes of Dark Shadows are there? When did
the show run from?
Have
there been any spin-offs?
Has there ever been a
sequel to the show?
Why are there so many
mistakes in the episodes?
Are any episodes of the
show missing?
Where were the series
locations?
Does the Dark Shadows
studio still exist?
Where can I get an episode
guide for the show?
Is Dark Shadows
available on home video or DVD?
Are any more novels planned?
Is it true that the lost
footage from Night of Dark Shadows has been found?
Is there an official
fan club for the show?
Will the series ever
be repeated on the Sci-Fi Channel?
What
happened to the Sci-Fi Sciography documentaries?
Has a new pilot been produced for the WB
Network?
How
many episodes of Dark Shadows are there? When did the
show run from?
There are 1,225 episodes of Dark Shadows, recorded
from June 13 1966 - March 24 1971. The show originally aired
from June 27 1966 - April 2 1971.
Have
there been any spin-offs?
Dark Shadows was the first soap ever to receive the big
screen, in two MGM feature films, House of Dark Shadows
(1970) and Night of Dark Shadows (1971). In addition
to over 30 original novels, a 13-hour revival series aired
on NBC in 1991, starring Ben Cross as Barnabas. In recent
years, a number of new Dark Shadows projects have remained
under development, including film proposals, a new television
series and a musical stage production.
Has
there ever been a sequel to the show? In
2003, a number of the Dark Shadows cast reunited
for Return to Collinwood, a reunion audio play revisiting
Collinsport and its inhabitants. The production was written
by David Selby's son, Jamison Selby, and established a new
present day cast and format. It received its debut performance
at the 2003 Dark Shadows Festival, with a professional
recording made on the following day. It is available now
on CD from MPI Home Video.
In 2006, Big Finish
Productions were awarded a license to produce a new series
of Dark Shadows audio plays, starring original
cast members. For more information, visit www.darkshadowsreborn.com.
Why
are there so many mistakes in the episodes?
Sadly, Dark Shadows taped at a time before widespread
editing of videotape was available, denying its cast the
luxury of retakes. With minimal post-production time available,
and primitive editing equipment only coming into use during
the show's final years, the show was generally recorded
'as live', with just half an hour's taping for
each episode. Any mistakes made during taping were broadcast
with the finished episodes regardless.
Are
any episodes of the show missing?
A number of shows are lost on their original two-inch videotapes,
and are only retained as inferior 16mm black and white film
copies. Because of this, certain colour episodes no longer
air in colour. Only one episode of Dark Shadows (#1219)
does not exist in either form. The episode has been reconstructed
for home video using still images, surviving reprise material
and an off-air copy of the original soundtrack.
Where
were the series locations?
A number of residences in the New York and Connecticut area
were used to represent buildings on the Collinwood estate.
Seaview Terrace, in Newport, Rhode Island, was Collinwood,
and is now a dormitory for the Salve Regina University.
The Old House was Spratt House, a mansion on the Lyndhurst
Estate, of Tarrytown, New York. It was destroyed by fire
in 1969. The stables of the Lyndhurst Estate served as the
Collinwood garages and Matthew Morgan's cottage, and
the Lyndhurst mansion on the same grounds served as Collinwood
in the two MGM movies. Essex, Connecticut represented the
coastal town of Collinsport in the original series, with
Malibu, CA providing locations for the 1991 series. The
revival series featured the Greystone Mansion in Beverly
Hills as the exteriors of Collinwood and the Old House,
which also provided many interiors for both mansions. For
more information on the original series locations, click
here.
Does
the Dark Shadows studio still exist?
For all but the early weeks of production, Dark Shadows
taped at ABC Studio 16, located on 433 West 53rd Street,
New York, NY 10019, between 9th and 10th Avenue. Today,
the property houses the Montel Williams talk-show, which
tapes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. You can get free tickets
to see the show record, and get to see inside the building,
by calling (212) 989-8101.
Where
can I get an episode guide for the show?
Complete episode guides are available in two commemorative
books published by Pomegranate Press, Dark Shadows Memories
(2001) and The Dark Shadows Companion (1990). Both
can be purchased from this site's online
store.
Is
Dark Shadows available on home video or DVD?
MPI Home Video released the complete archive of the show
between 1989-1995, along with a number of video-only documentaries
and compilations and the complete 1991 revival series. Many
of these releases are available from this site's online
store. Currently plans are underway to begin issuing
the series on DVD from Summer 2002 onwards, beginning with
the introduction of Barnabas. These box set releases are
part of an ongoing commitment from MPI and Dan Curtis Productions
to make the entire series archive available on DVD over
the next few years.
Are
any more novels planned?
HarperCollins issued two original Dark Shadows novels
in 1998 and 1999, Angélique's Descent and Dreams
of the Dark. Despite healthy sales figures for both
titles, HarperCollins have no plans to continue with their
range. Tor Books will now be publishing original Dark
Shadows fiction, with a new novel by Lara Parker. The
existing two novels are still in print, and are available
from this site's online
store.
Is
it true that the lost footage from Night of Dark Shadows
has been found?
In 1999, researcher Darren Gross uncovered Dan Curtis'
original 129-minute director's cut of the film from
an MGM preservation vault, though sadly with only a partial
soundtrack. Plans are underway to restore the film for home
video, though no date is set for this yet. Progress on the
project is covered on its official site, located at www.nightofdarkshadows.com.
Is
there an official fan club for the show?
The annual Dark Shadows Festivals are the officially
sanctioned gatherings, attended by many of the series actors
and production personnel. For information on upcoming events,
visit the Festival website at www.darkshadowsfestival.com.
For information on ShadowGram, the show's current
events newsletter, email ShadowGram@aol.com.
Will
the series ever be repeated on the Sci-Fi Channel?
Dark Shadows aired on the US Sci-Fi Channel for most
of the 1990s, eventually ceasing broadcast at the end of 2003.
Sci-Fi chose not to renew their contact for the show and have
stated they have no interest in future repeats of Dark
Shadows. Negotiations are underway to find a new US broadcaster
and we will report any developments.
Sci-Fi Channel Europe
debuted in fall 1995 and screened Dark Shadows from
its first day of full broadcast until late 1999. They chose
not to renew
their contract for a variety of reasons, including management
and policy changes, cost and a change of ownership. Fans can
write to the channel to request a future broadcast at: Sci-Fi
Channel, Universal Studios Networks Ltd, PO Box 4276, London
W1A 7YE. Telephone:
0207 535 3517. Online requests can be submitted by clicking
here.
What
happened to the Sci-Fi Sciography
documentaries?
In 2000, Sci-Fi announced that they would be producing two
documentaries about Dark Shadows and the series fans
respectively. Numerous interviews for both projects were filmed
throughout summer 2000 under the supervision of producer Stuart
Richardson. Due to concerns from Dan Curtis Productions and
the actors involved over the content, which included numerous
factual inaccuracies and tabloid speculation into the private
lives of certain cast members, the production was eventually
forcibly halted and the rough cut produced will never be broadcast.
Has
a pilot been produced for the WB Network?
A new Dark Shadows pilot was produced for the 2004
season, but was not picked up for broadcast. There's a special
section of the site detailing its development, which you can
access by clicking here.
