Dark Shadows (1966)
Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; indeed, as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor. Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles.
Seasons & Episode
Justin Collins is near death. Gabriel is scared that he might be chosen in the lottery and considers ways to get out of it. Justin, mad, feels compelled to go to the locked room. Justin collapses and dies. Morgan plans to hold the lottery as Justin instructed.
Morgan tells Catherine about the lottery and the locked room. Morgan prepares the lottery, Flora demands that the women be included. Catherine burns the lottery slips and asks Morgan to marry her immediately. Bramwell kidnaps Catherine intent on stopping her from marring Morgan.
Catherine struggles with Melanie, Julia and Morgan stop Melanie. Morgan tells Catherine that Melanie once went into the locked room, and ever since she sometimes acts mad. Daphne tries to talk Catherine out of marrying into the Collins family. Melanie catches Julia bringing food to someone.
Morgan wounds Bramwell; Daphne goes to take care of Bramwell. Kendrick asks Gerard to use his psychic powers to help find out what happened to his sister. Morgan and Catherine get married. Gerard and Kendrick dig up what appears to be a fresh grave.
Kendrick and Gerard find Stella’s body. Kendrick confronts Flora who denies everything. Melanie lies to Kendrick, standing behind the family story. Flora, Melanie and Quentin hold a seance to find out more about the curse on Collinwood. During the seance they are warned that the lottery must be held or everyone will die of the plague.
Gabriel draws the slip with the X, he runs off to avoid having to spend the night in the locked room. Quentin and Morgan catch Gabriel, they lock him in the tower room until it is time for him to go to the cursed room. Quentin comes down with the plague. Gabriel escapes from the tower room.
Julia considers the possibility that they may have to do the lottery again if Gabriel is not found. Morgan searches for Gabriel and finds him drinking at the Eagle. Gabriel claims that he is now willing to go to the locked room. Morgan and Julia lock Gabriel in the room.
Everyone anxiously awaits for the Gabriel’s night in the cursed room to end. Catherine is concerned that Daphne is spending too much time with Bramwell. Melanie and Quentin recover from the plague. In the morning Morgan goes to the locked room and finds the dead body of a stranger.
Morgan and Flora realize that Gabriel paid a friend, Tim Braithwaite, to trade places with him. Carrie delivers a message from Gabriel. Carrie has a vision of where Gabriel is hiding. Justin Collins’ ghost warns that the lottery must be held again.
Quentin and Julia realize the lottery must be held again. Quentin tries to find out information about James Forsythe from Carrie Stokes. Kendrick and Melanie continue to fall in love; Julia catches them together and tries to pay Kendrick to leave Collinsport, he refuses. Gabriel, now mad, shows up at Collinwood and tries to kill Kendrick.
Gabriel stabs Kendrick (wounding him); Morgan searches for Gabriel. Catherine is upset that Daphne is spending so much time with Bramwell. Gabriel tries to kill Daphne, Bramwell chases him off. Daphne announces that she is going to marry Bramwell. Catherine goes to Bramwell.
Catherine begs Bramwell not to marry Daphne. Catherine begs Daphne not to marry Bramwell. Josette tries to talk Bramwell out of marrying Daphne. Josette tells Catherine that she agrees Bramwell and Daphne should not marry. Carrie has a vision in which Bramwell visits Daphne’s grave.
Julia tells Kendrick “a story” as to why Melanie occasionally acts mad; Kendrick does not believe it and suspects her insanity is due to a curse. Melanie finds Gabriel in the woods, he gives her a message asking Flora to meet him. Flora goes to see Gabriel, he waits for her with a knife.
Kendrick stops Gabriel from killing Flora; in the struggle Gabriel is stabbed. Flora tells Kendrick that Gabriel did not kill Stella. Quentin locks up Gabriel and question him about his experience while in the room; Gabriel tries to kill him. Melanie asks Flora to tell Kendrick who killed Stella.
Melanie tells Kendrick that she killed Stella. Bramwell ignores Daphne. Kendrick tells Melanie that he doesn’t believe she killed Stella and asks to marry him. Bramwell declares he will only ever love Catherine; Daphne sees Catherine and Bramwell kissing.
Morgan confuses Julia with Constance (Brutus’ sister). Daphne tries to kill herself with a pistol but is unable to do it. Julia tries to give Daphne hope. Julia warns Catherine to stay away from Bramwell. Morgan tries to kill Julia, thinking she is Constance Collins.
Quentin stops Morgan from killing Julia, and locks him up. Quentin plans a seance to release the spirit of James Forsythe from Morgan. Catherine drugs Morgan so they can take him to the seance. Morgan runs off during the seance; later Julia finds him and he agrees to tell her the truth of what happened in 1680.
James Forsythe’s spirit leaves Morgan, he returns to normal. Bramwell finds that his ship will be arriving which will make him wealthy. Morgan finds that Bramwell has been coming to Collinwood while he was possessed. Daphne becomes ill. Bramwell finds that Daphne is sick, Josette tells him that Daphne is dying.
Bramwell tells Catherine that Daphne is dying. Kendrick asks Carrie to use her psychic powers to find who Melanie’s parents are. Bramwell tells Daphne that he loves her, (and he appears to mean it). Carrie is able to tell Melanie that her father is dead, but her mother is still alive and somewhere close by.
Bramwell asks Catherine to meet him later. Bramwell and Morgan argue, Julia breaks it up. Catherine meets Bramwell; Morgan follows Catherine and overhears that she is carrying Bramwell’s child.