Dear Dark Shadows..still bewitching us after all these years! Thank you for this lovely tribute to an unforgettable show! I didn't run home to watch it...I watched it at work! Golden days!
Jonathan Frid was the first "reluctant" vampire; that is, a vampire who didn't like being a vampire and was tormented by it. I heard his performance was inspired by the fact that he really didn't want to be playing a vampire on a soap and it showed. Anyway, many vampire characters since Barnabas Collins have taken a cue from him and played brooding and troubled. But Frid was the first to do that. And nobody did it better than him!
JF was perfect for the role of Barnabas as was Lara Parker, Humbert Astrado, Jerry Lacy and Thayer David. Yes JF blew his lines a lot. Joan Bennett was much worse at blowing lines. The worse things I remember about the show were Nancy Barrett's voice and characters and cheap props. I love the music, I have all the CDs.
I am a brand new Dark Shadows and Jonathan Frid fan. Am playing catch-up every night with the videos. I am absolutely smitten. This is the loveliest tribute I have ever seen.
I'm another child of the 60s who loved this show. I don't know what it is but J. Frid as Barnabas is very appealing. As I watch the show again I wish there had been more opportunities for Barnabas to smile (love those dimples) and more romance, that's why I love the B/Josette storyline. Is it just me, or does JF and KLS's interplay seem the most genuine? I so hope to meet Jonathan at the 2010 festival if he is able to make it. What is he like?
He still does -- you go to a Festival and you'll find multiple generations there, and they still love him. Do a search here on YouTube for Dark Shadows Festival for 2007, 2008, or 2009, and you will see.
i know exactly what you mean. don't know if that's a bit strange for a person my age(56) but i thought he was soooo i don't know sexy i guess i remember him like it was yesterday. i will never forget when he 1st came on this show i watched sorta when it was on at first but when he came on it went up 100% i was absolutely crazy about him and funny thing was, so was my mother so he affected all ages and types of women which not many actors at that time frame did.
Oh, hardly! I'm 49 and was smitten the second I saw him and heard his voice. I was only 7 that day. His ability to affect all ages has not changed. He has a charisma about him that even when seen first hand, as I did when I first met him in 2007, is not to be believed. Even at his age now, he still has it going on. Ask anyone who has seen him at the last three Festivals. :-)
This is a lovely video! Love the extra footage from "Seizure" and the sweet dance at one of the festivals between the two. Did know know what GH said, what a surprise! Lovely work!
Thanks -- this was the very first true music video I did, in the winter of 2007; I barely knew what I was doing. LOL I'm so gratified that people understand so well what I wanted to convey, and that he was and is so much more than Barnabas, we just never had the pleasure of seeing it onscreen because he was primarily a stage actor.
I enjoyed this video very much. I'm glad you didn't include Julia or Barn but I did love Barn and Maggie alot. They were the ultimate. Too bad she had to leave before the show ended. Keep up the lovely work.
Nope. When I found out GH called JF "dumb" in an interview late in her life, I lost all respect for her. I never liked Barn/Julia to begin with, and that added fuel to the fire. I know a lot of people wanted to see that pairing, but I was not one of them.
What? I remember back in '82 at a fan club function she said rather well of JF, saying how great it was to work with him & her favorite behind the scenes moment from DS was when just as the cameras were about to roll he complained about how too small the coffin was for him, and one got from that talk that she was still in contact with him. I don't know where you heard that comment, but from all other accounts she really liked him- why would they have done SO MANY scenes together in 4 years?
I couldn't believe when I heard it, either, but it happened. The interview was done for a fanzine in '84, I believe, and it has been released on CD by the fan club for whom it was recorded (I think, I recall seeing the CD with a fan group two years ago at the DS Fest), which is how I heard it. The quote is, "He was dumb, D-U-M-B, dumb." Of course, it was referring to his constantly forgetting lines. (more in next comment)
That was just the part I heard; I understand from those who have heard the complete interview that she was very disparaging of JF professionally and somewhat personally. I had always seen where they spoke well of each other before then, too. Maybe she was trying to shock her teenage interviewers, I don't know. But there it was.
Well, Grayson wasn't the only costar to complain about Jonathan forgetting his lines: I personally have seen Lara Parker say pretty much the same thing over the years, and Jonathan concedes the fact. On the other hand, he DID have the most lines to memorize, compared to both actresses!
Exactly, and the thing about Lara talking about it has almost become an in-joke between the two of them. Considering what they asked him to do for four years, even though he was likely the highest-paid actor in daytime at the time, they STILL didn't pay him enough.
What a wonderful tribute to Mr. Frid! He WAS the soul of DARK SHADOWS. How I looked forward to seeing him at the past DS Fests! What happy days. He was so fantastic..no matter what he did..and so modest too. A class act. Thanks for posting!
I'm seeing this a little late, forgive me, but this "valentine" is timeless. The song so fitting; the images true to the man we hold so dear within our hearts. Barnabas...forever.
Dear Dark Shadows..still bewitching us after all these years! Thank you for this lovely tribute to an unforgettable show! I didn't run home to watch it...I watched it at work! Golden days!
erzbet07 11 months ago
sargoth37 I totally agree with you.
Englishlass 1 year ago
One of my favorites on youtube....well done
MaryF57 1 year ago
Jonathan Frid was the first "reluctant" vampire; that is, a vampire who didn't like being a vampire and was tormented by it. I heard his performance was inspired by the fact that he really didn't want to be playing a vampire on a soap and it showed. Anyway, many vampire characters since Barnabas Collins have taken a cue from him and played brooding and troubled. But Frid was the first to do that. And nobody did it better than him!
cynthiacher 1 year ago
Love the impromtu dance and hand kiss with Lara Parker (?) on stage. Always the romantic gentleman.
FridFemmeFan 1 year ago
@FridFemmeFan It is, indeed, Lara (and I've been told she made her gown herself, but not sure about that).
cactusblue60 1 year ago
Comment removed
FridFemmeFan 1 year ago
JF was perfect for the role of Barnabas as was Lara Parker, Humbert Astrado, Jerry Lacy and Thayer David. Yes JF blew his lines a lot. Joan Bennett was much worse at blowing lines. The worse things I remember about the show were Nancy Barrett's voice and characters and cheap props. I love the music, I have all the CDs.
sargoth37 1 year ago
I am a brand new Dark Shadows and Jonathan Frid fan. Am playing catch-up every night with the videos. I am absolutely smitten. This is the loveliest tribute I have ever seen.
ZenaKennedy41 1 year ago
he was steewy
Afightsback 1 year ago
I had crush fid. and I still do
Afightsback 1 year ago
Wonderful.
motherjonesrn 2 years ago
The long hair style he had for the character of Bramwell Collins really suited Jonathan Frid. It was the best of the lot in my humble opinion.
zenileon 2 years ago
I'm another child of the 60s who loved this show. I don't know what it is but J. Frid as Barnabas is very appealing. As I watch the show again I wish there had been more opportunities for Barnabas to smile (love those dimples) and more romance, that's why I love the B/Josette storyline. Is it just me, or does JF and KLS's interplay seem the most genuine? I so hope to meet Jonathan at the 2010 festival if he is able to make it. What is he like?
RockyMtRedhead 2 years ago
He still does -- you go to a Festival and you'll find multiple generations there, and they still love him. Do a search here on YouTube for Dark Shadows Festival for 2007, 2008, or 2009, and you will see.
cactusblue60 2 years ago
i loved him then and still do
nmelchor247 2 years ago
Same here. My first and only enduring crush on an actor.
cactusblue60 2 years ago
i know exactly what you mean. don't know if that's a bit strange for a person my age(56) but i thought he was soooo i don't know sexy i guess i remember him like it was yesterday. i will never forget when he 1st came on this show i watched sorta when it was on at first but when he came on it went up 100% i was absolutely crazy about him and funny thing was, so was my mother so he affected all ages and types of women which not many actors at that time frame did.
nmelchor247 2 years ago
Oh, hardly! I'm 49 and was smitten the second I saw him and heard his voice. I was only 7 that day. His ability to affect all ages has not changed. He has a charisma about him that even when seen first hand, as I did when I first met him in 2007, is not to be believed. Even at his age now, he still has it going on. Ask anyone who has seen him at the last three Festivals. :-)
cactusblue60 2 years ago
i know exactly what u mean
nmelchor247 2 years ago
what movie is this and where can i get it
nmelchor247 2 years ago
I used not only clips from Dark Shadows, but also the movies "The Devil's Daughter" and "Seizure!". All are available on DVD.
cactusblue60 2 years ago
This is a lovely video! Love the extra footage from "Seizure" and the sweet dance at one of the festivals between the two. Did know know what GH said, what a surprise! Lovely work!
yesnik4805 2 years ago
1:00,my favorite moment.Precious! Thanks for a lovely video.
crowleysridgegirl 2 years ago
Please keep these coming!!
MrsChristopherAsher 2 years ago
Bravo!!! Great video, even better full-screen!!! Many thanx 4 posting this one!!!
wordsmystrys 2 years ago
Thanks -- this was the very first true music video I did, in the winter of 2007; I barely knew what I was doing. LOL I'm so gratified that people understand so well what I wanted to convey, and that he was and is so much more than Barnabas, we just never had the pleasure of seeing it onscreen because he was primarily a stage actor.
cactusblue60 2 years ago
Nice work! JF had the best hands in the world, I would love to have had them hands all over me.
ShannonDaily 3 years ago
I enjoyed this video very much. I'm glad you didn't include Julia or Barn but I did love Barn and Maggie alot. They were the ultimate. Too bad she had to leave before the show ended. Keep up the lovely work.
fridfreak 3 years ago
What- no Barnabas/Julia scenes? ARRRRGH!!
Avatar610 3 years ago
Nope. When I found out GH called JF "dumb" in an interview late in her life, I lost all respect for her. I never liked Barn/Julia to begin with, and that added fuel to the fire. I know a lot of people wanted to see that pairing, but I was not one of them.
cactusblue60 3 years ago
What? I remember back in '82 at a fan club function she said rather well of JF, saying how great it was to work with him & her favorite behind the scenes moment from DS was when just as the cameras were about to roll he complained about how too small the coffin was for him, and one got from that talk that she was still in contact with him. I don't know where you heard that comment, but from all other accounts she really liked him- why would they have done SO MANY scenes together in 4 years?
Avatar610 3 years ago
I couldn't believe when I heard it, either, but it happened. The interview was done for a fanzine in '84, I believe, and it has been released on CD by the fan club for whom it was recorded (I think, I recall seeing the CD with a fan group two years ago at the DS Fest), which is how I heard it. The quote is, "He was dumb, D-U-M-B, dumb." Of course, it was referring to his constantly forgetting lines. (more in next comment)
cactusblue60 3 years ago
That was just the part I heard; I understand from those who have heard the complete interview that she was very disparaging of JF professionally and somewhat personally. I had always seen where they spoke well of each other before then, too. Maybe she was trying to shock her teenage interviewers, I don't know. But there it was.
cactusblue60 3 years ago
Well, Grayson wasn't the only costar to complain about Jonathan forgetting his lines: I personally have seen Lara Parker say pretty much the same thing over the years, and Jonathan concedes the fact. On the other hand, he DID have the most lines to memorize, compared to both actresses!
Avatar610 3 years ago
Exactly, and the thing about Lara talking about it has almost become an in-joke between the two of them. Considering what they asked him to do for four years, even though he was likely the highest-paid actor in daytime at the time, they STILL didn't pay him enough.
cactusblue60 3 years ago
Very nice job. Keep it up.
springleaf7 4 years ago
what happened to all of your videos?
astaynax 4 years ago
Drop me a line privately, and I'll tell you.
cactusblue60 4 years ago
What a wonderful tribute to Mr. Frid! He WAS the soul of DARK SHADOWS. How I looked forward to seeing him at the past DS Fests! What happy days. He was so fantastic..no matter what he did..and so modest too. A class act. Thanks for posting!
erzbet07 4 years ago
is he still alive?
nmelchor247 2 years ago
I'm seeing this a little late, forgive me, but this "valentine" is timeless. The song so fitting; the images true to the man we hold so dear within our hearts. Barnabas...forever.
GrvYrdTrn 4 years ago
I only made it public after the Festival, by request. It is, and he is, timeless.
cactusblue60 4 years ago
gosh whoever gave you the clips must have been a swell friend...hahahaha.
galyrt 4 years ago
oh, how I still adore this man.
MadMoll 4 years ago
Smooth and Sweeeeeettttt, Yum!
thanks for the treat :)
denisedibear 4 years ago
I love everything about it. Excellent.
barnabas4ever 4 years ago
see 'Light in the Shadows.'
galyrt 4 years ago