Tag Archives: Dark Shadows

Original Dark Shadows Vampire Dies

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Jonathan Frid, the original Barnabas Collins in the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, died (of all days) Friday, April 13. He was 87.

Although Frid had been in declining health for several months, he did film some cameo scenes for the new Tim Burton-directed film starring Johnny Depp.

Created by Dan Curtis, the gothic soap opera with Frid originally aired on ABC between June 1966 and April 2, 1971. Frid also played the role of Barnabas in the House of Dark Shadows movie.

[Thanks to Bjo Trimble and Andrew Porter for the story.]

Conrad Fowkes, Tim Hart Pass Away

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Actor Conard Fowkes, 76, who died December 14 of pancreatic cancer, appeared in numerous episodes of the TV show “Dark Shadows.”

Tim Hart, 61, a founding member of the Brit folk-rock group Steeleye Span, died December 24 of lung cancer. He first partnered with Maddy Prior in 1966, recording 2 albums of “Folk Music of Olde England.” In 1971 the pair teamed with Ashley Hutchings to form Steeleye Span, named for a character in a Lincolnshire folk song, ”Horkstow Grange.” Hart left the group in 1983, but appeared at a charity concert in 1995, and appeared with Prior at a BBC concert in 2008.

Jim Freund did a 2-hour tribute to Steeleye Span on his “Hour of the Wolf” show for WBAI on January 2. The link to the archived program can be found on the program’s website.

[Thanks to Andrew Porter for the stories.]