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

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 9The 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 .

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‘Neighbours’ EP Jason Herbison on Series Daytime Emmy Nomination: “It’s a Huge Honour to be Nominated Alongside Such Iconic US Daytime Dramas”

When the 51st annual Daytime Emmy nominations were revealed last Friday, the iconic Australian soap opera, Neighbours, made the grade as one of the nominees for this year’s Outstanding Daytime Drama Series going up against U.S. titans such as General Hospital, The Young and the Restless et al.

That is because the revival of Neighbours, which is now seen in the United States streaming on Amazon Freevee, is now eligible under the rules from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).

Not only did Neighbours receive its first Daytime Emmy nomination for Drama Series, but also for one of its legendary stars, Guy Pearce, who returned for a stint in the revival as Mike Young. Pearce is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series.

Photo: Freemantle

Throughout its run, Neighbours has received several nominations and wins in Australian and the UK, with this being its first nomination in the U.S.

Neighbours Executive Producer Jason Herbison shared on this momentous moment for the series: ‘Neighbours has been on an incredible journey these past few years and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination is the icing on the cake! It’s a huge honour to be nominated alongside such iconic US daytime dramas. This news is an exciting moment for our hard working cast and crew and a wonderful recognition of the new chapter of the show on Amazon Freevee.”

Photo: Freemantle

For those who need a bit of a refresher on the revival of Neighbours. The series streams exclusively on Amazon Freevee in the UK and U.S. and on Prime Video in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.  New episodes air daily Monday-Thursday on Amazon. The new series launched on 18 September, 2023, and picks up two years after the finale left off. In Australia, Network 10 retains first-run rights in Australia for the new chapter of the series.

Photo: Freemantle/AmazonFreevee

The series is known as the longest running local drama of all time in Australia and has launched the careers of so many celebrities including: Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, the aforementioned Guy Pearce, and Liam and Chris Hemsworth, to name but a few.

Long running series star Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodbridge shared their many thanks on Neighbours Daytime Emmy nominations in a video message below.

So, what do you think of ‘Neighbours’ being nominated for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Could they be the spoiler in the category? Weigh-in below.

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Lisa Rinna Would Be Down to Reprise Her Role of Taylor McBride in ‘Melrose Place’ Reboot

When Lisa Rinna departed her popular role of Billie Reed on Days of our Lives back in 1995, her next major role would be a jump to primetime and the soapy Melrose Place.

In 1996, Lisa was introduced as new character Taylor McBride and stayed with the Fox young adult sudser for three seasons. Now in 2024, with the recent reveal that a Melrose Place revival is the works with Heather Locklear, Daphne Zuniga and Laura Leighton all on board to reprise their signature roles, would Rinna board the project should it come to fruition?

Speaking with PEOPLE, Rinna expressed, “Well, gosh, I’ve heard about it. I haven’t been approached or anything, but I would love to see what Taylor McBride is up to 25 years later. Wouldn’t that be something?”

Photo: FOX

OG Melrose Place fans know that in story, Taylor moved to the Melrose Place apartment building with her husband Kyle played by Rob Estes. However, Taylor had her eye on Dr. Peter Burns played by former GH star Jack Wagner (ex-Frisco). But, by the time she had moved to the apartment complex, Peter had married tough as nails ad executive, Amanda Woodward, played by Heather Locklear.

Recalling her time on Melrose Place, Rinna added that it, “was one of my greatest and most fun acting experiences, playing Taylor and working with Heather and the whole crew.”  Rinna also noted, “So if they need a Taylor McBride appearance, they know who to call. I’m around.”

Photo: JPI

The new Melrose Place is in development at CBS Studios. In the premise of the reboot, the Melrose Place residents reunite after the death of one of their friends, “but the pressure cooker of a reunion soon uncovers old traumas, rekindles old romances, reignites old resentments, and reveals new secrets… throwing our characters into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective.”

So, would you want to see Lisa Rinna reprise her Melrose Place role as Taylor McBride? Comment below.

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Sean Kanan’s Stepdaughter, Juliet Vega, to Appear on The Bold and the Beautiful

Coming up on this Friday’s April 26th episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, Juliet Vega, the stepdaughter to Sean Kanan will make an appearance on the CBS daytime drama series in the role of Michele.

Keeping it “All in the Family”, the character is named after Juliet’s real-life mother, and Kanan’s wife, writer and producer, Michele Kanan.

Back in 2012, Sean married Michele Vega and thus began their blended family which included his daughter, Simone, and Michelle’s children, Peter, Gigi, and her twins, Annie and Juliet.

Photo: JPI

According to a B&B show spokesperson, Juliet’s B&B character is intentionally named Michele in honor of her mother and Sean’s wife.

While we don’t know how “Michele” shows up in story, it is the same episode that Clint Howard makes an appearance as well seemingly tied to the case of where in the world is Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown)?

Photo: CBS

We can’t imagine that Juliet wouldn’t get the opportunity to mix it up on-screen with her stepdad, Sean Kanan. Previously, the two acted together in Sean’s streaming series Studio City, where she played the role of Delilah and he played soap actor, Sam Stevens. In it, Delilah is the bio-daughter Sam never knew he had.

So, looking forward to seeing Juliet on B&B and how ‘Michele’ turns up in the story? Comment below.

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