The Collinsport Historical Society

Will McKinley loves House of Dark Shadows. As a high school student, working for former Jonathan Frid nights and weekends on a series of one-man shows that had originated at fan conventions, the 1970 feature film was his gateway into the world of Dark Shadows.

Nancy Kersey, a creative collaborator with Frid in those days, does not love House of Dark Shadows, a film she believes does a disservice to the television series. On Oct. 19, they made a pilgrimage to Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York — the film's shooting location — to debate the merits of the big screen version of Barnabas Collins.

Kathryn Leigh Scott and David Selby recently reunited to play Maggie Evans and Quentin Collins once more for Big Finish Productions in a four-story boxset "Maggie and Quentin: The Lovers' Refrain." Set after "Return to Collinwood","The Lovers' Refrain" catches up with a very-much-in-love 21st Century Maggie and Quentin who find that as they get older - or at least as one of them does - life doesn't get any easier. Kathryn's recording sessions for this boxset took her to Los Angeles, New York and London. I snuck into the studio after she wrapped on her final day to grab a few words.

Kathryn tells me about recording with (and without) David Selby and what she thinks of the new adventures their characters are now having. We also look back at the DARK SHADOWS 50th Anniversary celebrations - getting together with all the cast at both the fan event in Tarrytown and the group recording of the celebratory special "Blood & Fire." And looking further back Kathryn recalls working with Mitchell Ryan as Burke Devlin returned from the dead in "And Red All Over" and she remembers those Dark Shadows cast members no longer with us and how she wishes Big Finish had had the chance to work with them.

Way back in 2014, Kathryn suggested her actress friend Daisy Tormé would be ideal to join the DARK SHADOWS audio adventures. After playing the well-meaning but ill-fated Melody Devereux in the highly acclaimed thirteen-part serial "Bloodlust," Daisy returned as a young Abigail Collins when we dropped in on 1767 Collinsport in the Scribe Award-winning "Blood & Fire". And now she's back once more in "The Lovers' Refrain". On a visit to the UK, Daisy fills me in on who she's playing this time, how she finds the voices for her characters, and her gratitude to Kathryn for bringing her into the Dark Shadows family.

Diabolical Daybook diarist Patrick McCray is joined by the Fabulous Alexis Latshaw to resurrect Barnabas Collins and argue that TV's greatest villain is its greatest hero in a bizarre act of unnatural fan love.

Penny Dreadful's alter ego Danielle Gelehrter discusses her favorite vampire, Barnabas Collins, and her memories of growing up a "second generation" Dark Shadows fan.

Jessica Dwyer explains why the sins of Collinsport's royal family aren't always that sinful.

The producers of Big Finish's line of "Dark Shadows" audio dramas talk about why extending the show's storyline has always been about extending the Collins family.

Patrick McCray and Justin Partridge have a drink at The Blue Whale and talk about Master of Dark Shadows, how the show speaks to the lonely and why the 1897 storyline is like an episode of "Fantasy Island" for Barnabas Collins.

Alice Collins talks about discovering "Dark Shadows" on The Sci-Fi Channel while home sick from school at age 11, and seeing something familiar in the show's themes and characters.

On the seventh anniversary of Jonathan Frid's death, his production staff and creative collaborators reunite in New York City.

Ella Minnope talks about how the romantic aesthetic of the deep South compares to the dysfunctional Collins family.