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Dark Shadows Icon Jonathan Frid Has Died! Fans and Colleagues remember the original Barnabas Collins!

By Michael Fairman

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Vampire and soap icon, Jonathan Frid who created the role of Barnabas Collins on TV’s long running series, Dark Shadows has died at age 87.  Reports are now in that Frid passed away on April 13 from natural causes at Juravinski Hospital in Ontario, Canada.

Jonathan Frid created a national sensation when he first appeared in the gothic horror soap spawning a rabid fan base that thrust the daytime soap into national prominence as both girls and boys, and adults, followed the daily adventures of the tormented bloodsucker and the Collins family.

Frid’s Barnabas set the stage for all the television vampire portrayals to follow- reinventing the character as a reluctant vampire, one who sought to rid himself of his curse. Just look no further than the CW hit, Vampire Diaries for starters.

Dark Shadows co-star Kathryn Leigh Scott paid tribute to Frid on her official website, writing, “I am so grateful to have worked with Jonathan and to have known him as the charismatic, entertaining, complex and plain spoken man that he was. What fun we had working together! He was irascible, irreverent, funny, caring, lovable and thoroughly professional, and in the end became the whole reason why kids ran home from school to watch Dark Shadows.”

Of course, the timing of Frid’s passing is very ironic, as fans will soon see Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s motion picture version of Dark Shadows, when it has its premiere in London on May 9.  The film version premise and look and feel already has Dark Shadows and Frid and Barnabas purists up in arms!

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We will never forget the incredible world Jonathan Frid took us into each time he brought his Barnabas Collins to the screen.
His powerful performances completely drew us in and took us all there to that fictional world of Dark Shadows.
Thank you Jonathan. See you on the other side.

While I like Johnny Depp, I am not thrilled at the perspective it seems they took with this Dark Shadows film.

R.I.P., Mr. Frid.

I would like to think that if Mr. Frid and other members of the original cast were willing to film cameo appearances for the film, then that must mean they felt the film overall was good.

i saw the trailer for the johnny depp film & from what i could see it is nothing like the original tv show – i will not pay to see such a mockery………..jmo

Instead of naming it dark shadows they should have called it ANOTHER STUPID VAMPIRE MOVIE,Looks dumb to me to and I wont pay to see it either.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Frid.

I remember this Dark Shadows in bits and pieces – I was very ,very young when it was on.
But I do remember watching the ‘ 90’s version with Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins…that was a good show – until the Gulf War coverage killed it.

I’m looking forward to Johnny Depp’s turn at it though.

A great actor who made Barnabas Collins and DS a must see. I will always remember Grayson, Thayer, Joan & Louis. I still don’t know what to make of the Johnny Depp/ Tim Burton film remake. It doesn’t make me want to run out and pay $11.50 to see it.

I am glad the new Dark Shadows movie is so drastically different than the original. Remakes inevitably end up disappointing when compared to the original so why even bother?. I think they were very smart to take this approach instead. I look at this one with Johnny Depp as an entirely new story, which which, if it follows along the lines of the trailer I have seen, will be thoroughly enjoyable and funny!

How many years was Dark Shadows on and can’t we get the series on Amazon or not?

I messed that up! 1966 – 1971 and the dvds can be found on netflix.

Thanks Lew and regarding the movie Tim Burton has a tendency to really sway from the original stuff and attempt to make something campy I will wait and see what you guys say about it before I indulge!

I agree with you about Tim burton,I think dark shadows should have been left alone ,I will watch it , when I dont have to pay for it.

Tim Burton made dark Shadows a comedy with Johnny Depp as barnabas collins. It was never a comedy.. I don’t like that they should stay true to the t.v, show…I watched Dark shadows.. I was 15 yrs. old at the time….Loved this show…It was different………..Remember Kate Jackson, Joan Bennett , ETC.. Angalique(not sure about the spelling). Who put the curse on Barnabas & made him a vampire…I was down the jersey shore w/ my cousins but, I had to run back to the house to watch D S. Liked Quentin ….So many memories…Barnabas was my favorite.. RIP…………

Jonathan Frid and Grayson Hall one of the great soap “couples” of all time.

Julia was in love with Barnabas but he loved Josette…..

Susan m,I agree with everything you said april 20th at 5:18 pm,your right dark shadows wasnt a comedy ,I remember everybody ,it was a good soap and I loved it ,wish these hollywood people would leave the classics alone they cant be changed and they cant be remade .Only reason people will see this movie is johnny depp.It does look stupid.

Johnny Depp took part in a project that I really think mocked the hell out of Dark Shadows. The only real thing FRID had been known for…I’d have been pissed.
ALL the ICONS are leaving us, and there are NO real anything to replace any of them, that to me is sooo tragic.

My Uncles Grandfather from his mothers side was a garbage man on the same street as FRID lived….he’s say hello everytime to him.

I agree Chaz, actually I can’t stand what was done to Dark Shadows and earlier remake was a sham too!

I found it more ironic that he died on Friday, the 13th! I wonder if his grave will be marked as our beloved vampire, Barnabas?

I don’t think of him standing at the pearly gates in street clothes as much as I think of him, in his cape, with his cane and turning back to look at us one last time, before turning away, and wandering into the fog and slipping from our sight.

I will continue to miss him.

Back in 1967 when I was a newly-married 19-year-old wife, discovering the soap world literally saved my life. I had lived all my life in Iowa and then moved to the Florida panhandle where my Air Force husband was stationed. Within weeks, I was drawn to Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and Dark Shadows. All were half hour soaps then. One Life to Live debuted the next year, I believe, and I watched it, too.

Frid was a Shakespearean actor who brought that elegance to the small screen as vampire Barnabas Collins. He could be menacing, but for the most part was kind of like Dr. Pepper: just misunderstood!

I just got thru signing and reading thru the guest book for him on legacy.com Lots of us “kids” signing that we ran home from school to watch Dark Shadows. One person even said the whole block would vacate the street (out playing) to go watch Dark Shadows. I gotta get the DVDs… anyone have them?

Loved Dark Shadows! Jonathan Frid’s portrayal of Barnabas Collins cannot be topped by anyone. Such sad news today to hear of his passing. Condolences to his family, friends and all the millions of his fans worldwide. Rest in peace, Mr. Frid.

I agree >>>>>>>>>

It use to come on at 4:00PM on abc………

Dark Shadows was my first soap. I was 5 & my older sisters would make me watch it with them because they were too scared to watch it alone. I loved DS & many other soaps along the way.

I remember meeting my friends at the local cinema to see a Dark Shadows movie in the early 70’s & being so scared riding my bike home alone in the dark. Thanks for the memories Mr. Frid.

i never missed dark shadows – we ran home every day from school to see it – i really loved barnabas collins!

mr frid passed away on friday the 13th………………….hmm something to think about!

Sorry to hear about Mr. Frid. Not too long ago I thought of Dark Shadows and looked it up on Youtube. Saw parts of episodes with Mr. Frid a.k.a. Barnabas Collins. His facial expressions and movements were iconically classic (can you say that?). Brought back memories of when I was a kid and couldn’t wait to watch the campy episodes. They were eerie but funny at the same time – a parody of gothic horror fiction whether they were supposed to be or not. Nevertheless, they were entertaining. RIP – Mr. Frid – may you rise again like Barnabas.

I was a big fan of Jonathan Frid and “Dark Shadows”. I would NEVER miss an episode. It was a GREAT love story (between Barbabus and Josette) and Angelique (the witch) added lots of fun. So did the entire cast. We saw Jonathan Frid is person at the height of his fame at a local department store in New Jersey, and fans went “crazy” over him. I remember him pretending to bite a woman on the neck while the crowd cheered. Not many people may know, but Jonathan Frid was once a Shakesperean actor. I have a portrait of him hanging in my office. It’s been there for YEARS! May he rest in peace

My dear friend Paula and I were 6 years old when DS came on the air. Our mothers both worked. We would rush to be in front of the tv at 4pm everyday. In those days, Paula was the only kid who wore a wrist watch. If we were out playing, we stopped everything to run into the house and get the tv “warmed up”. RIP Mr. Frid. Yet another piece of my childhood passed into history.

what can I say . I miss Jonathan Frid ! I luved the whole cast but he was my favorite ! Rest in Peace Jonathan . You will be missed ! I used to hurry home from school just to catch Dark Shadows . Thank you joanne .

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Cynthia Watros Honors Former ‘Titus’ Co-Star Stacy Keach Following His Passing

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Stacy Keach and Cynthia Watros

General Hospital star Cynthia Watros, who can currently be seen in on the ABC soap opera in the role of Nina Reeves, has had a enduring career in television. That included her time on the 2000-2002 Fox sitcom, Titus.

In Titus, Watros starred along with Stacy Keach as Erin Fitzpatrick and Ken Titus, respectively. After the November 10th news that Keach had passed away at 85 while living in Poland, Cynthia took to her Instagram on Thursday, November 12 to pay tribute to the great actor.

Watros expressed, “My first prime time show was along side Stacy. I loved him instantly. What an amazing talent and man.❤️”

Photo: ABC

In Titus, Stacy played stand up comedian Christopher Titus’ heavy-drinking, chain-smoking, five-times-divorced father who frequently pulled cruel pranks and tried to toughen his kids up. Cynthia played by Christopher’s level-headed, big-hearted girlfriend trying to build a normal life with him. In fact, Cynthia’s role on the sitcom was first series regular role after her Daytime Emmy run of Annie Dutton on Guiding Light which ran from 1994-1998.

STACY KEACH’S WIFE ON HIS PASSING

Keach’s wife, Malgosia shared the news of the actor’s death publicly in a statement with PEOPLE. Malgosia expressed, that Stacy had, “a long and difficult battle with a serious heart condition and heart failure.”

She added, “Stacy peacefully departed this world. He fought for so long, with extraordinary courage, determination and strength. He was a true warrior, facing his illness with the same remarkable spirit and resilience that defined his life.”

Małgosia continued, “Stacy was not only a legendary actor, admired and loved by audiences the world over, but also my beloved husband, my companion and the heart of our family. His passing leaves an immeasurable emptiness in our lives. But his extraordinary spirit, his unforgettable voice and the love he gave so generously will remain with us forever.”

Now, let us know do you remember when Cynthia made her sitcom debut in Titus? Share your thoughts via the comment section on Cynthia’s many TV roles and the passing of Stacy Keach in the comment section. But first, check out the very first episode of Titus with Cynthia Watros below!

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Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Emmy Winner Ambyr Michelle Wants to Compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’: ‘Pick Me’ (Exclusive)

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Ambyr Michelle

Soap opera fans are always clamoring for when Dancing with the Stars reveals their cast each season, that they would include a familiar face from daytime drama, but it rarely happens, if ever, anymore.

Over the last several years, the series has leaned heavily into casting celebrities with massive TikTok or Instagram followers, which in turn, have helped this season and last have their best ratings numbers in years.

But, how about for next season’s cast of Dancing with the Stars, that it could include newly-awarded Daytime Emmy winner, Ambyr Michelle (Eva Thomas) of Beyond the Gates?

Ambyr Michelle

Photo: CBS

LOVE OF DANCE TO LOVE OF ACTING

Michael Fairman TV spoke to Michelle about her dance background and if she would love a shot at lifting the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy during Wednesday’s November 11, livestream chat on the Michael Fairman Channel.

Ambyr explained to fans (who joined in on the live chat), how she began her show business career. “I started off as a dancer, first and foremost. Acting wasn’t really something I wanted to go after. I did plays when I was younger, but it was just something we did in school, but I really wanted to be a dancer. I moved out to LA to dance, and I fell out of love with dance, which was so weird.”

This year’s Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series winner, added, “I was like, ‘What is going on?’ I moved all the way out here for dance. I found I was forcing myself to go to dance class, and I just didn’t have the passion for it. I was working at this restaurant at the time, and one of my coworker was like, ‘What about taking an acting class out here?'”

Next, Ambyr took the coworker up on the idea. “So, I took an acting class and I fell in love with it that day,” shared Michelle. “I was like, ‘I want to do this for the rest of my life.’ I thought, I would love to book a role, of course, as a dancer, but I think acting has a little bit more longevity.”

Photo: ABC

A SHOT AT THE LEN GOODMAN MIRRORBALL TROPHY

When the talked turned to if Ambyr would consider or be interested in appearing on the ballroom dance competition series, she piped up with, “I would love to do Dancing with the Stars! Pick me!”

As those in the live chat rallied around this idea, it made us think, Ambyr could be the first contestant from Beyond the Gates, and someone representing the soaps. It checks off so many boxes! To which Ambyr replied, “That would be beautiful.”

You can check out the full conversation with Ambyr below.

So, what do you think soap fans? Can we make sure Ambyr’s name gets in front of the producers and casting director for next season’s Dancing with the Stars? Would you like to see her in the competition? If so, who would be your dream pro professional dance partner for her? Let us know in the comment section.

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Beyond the Gates

RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers

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Beyond the Gates and General Hospital

The latest ratings are out for the week of October 26-30, 2026 and the big takeaways include: that CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates was separated by only 23,000 viewers behind third place (of the soaps) General Hospital! For the last several weeks, Beyond the Gates has been closing the gap on this year’s winner for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, and continuing to best GH in the key demos.

According to the latest Nielsen ratings breakdown from Soap Opera Network, the final week of October brought Beyond the Gates 1.790 million on average tuning-in and the show set a season high in total viewers. Meanwhile, General Hospital hit a new season low! The long-running ABC soap had 1.813 million for the week, and once again the series did not go over the 2 million mark.

Meanwhile, in the key Women 18-49 demo, Beyond the Gates was firmly ahead of GH with a rating share of 0.21, while General Hospital had 0.17 rating share.Then, in the key Women 25-54 demo, Beyond the Gates was once again ahead of the ABC soap with a ratings share for that demo at 0.30 while GH came in with 0.26.

Photo: CBS

MORE BY THE NUMBERS

In addition and comparatively, Beyond the Gates +22,000 viewers week-to-week, and had the largest gains in viewership year-to-year in daytime TV with +267,000 from this in 2025.. However, General Hospital seems to be going in reverse. The show was down -56,000 viewers week-over-week and down -22,000 year-over-year .

BEYOND THE GATES

Let’s take a look at some of the storylines that had people tuning-in to Beyond the Gates during the ratings week:

Hayley (Marquita Goings) attempted a massive shocker regarding her pregnancy and tried to use it to extract money from Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Although, Bill saw right through her game, he demanded a paternity test, and made it clear he has no intention of raising the child—planning instead to pay her off to take the baby and leave. Meanwhile, Hayley confided her plan to her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry).

Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) clashed over Jacob’s ongoing investigation into The Impaler, causing significant strain in their marriage. At the same time, Smitty (Mike Manning) considered taking matters into his own hands—including potentially heading to Mexico for evidence—while Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) worried about what comes next.

Photo: ABC

GENERAL HOSPITAL

Over at General Hospital for the ratings period, the story served up included:

Carly (Laura Wright) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) teamed up to investigate what really happened to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). Later, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) leads them to Jack’s dead body.

Jude (Wil Traval) dropped a bombshell claim to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn); that he is Phoebe’s father, while Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed their divorce papers.

Then, Danny caught Rocco (Finn Carr) and Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) sharing a kiss, plus the shocking return of Heather Webber (Alley Mills) capped the week.

Now the questions become; without having much promotional synergy in the ABC day-part to draw more eyeballs it is not helping but hurting General Hospital. It seems Beyond the Gates is also a  benefactor of a one-two-three punch of CBS soaps (Y&R, B&B and BTG) and promotion.

However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Beyond the Gates is close to besting GH in all ratings category as they go head-to-head in some markets across the country.

So, are you excited to see Beyond the Gates climb in the ratings? Are you concerned for General Hospital? Do you think they can stave off Beyond the Gates in total viewers or will the upstart soap overtake them in the next ratings report? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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