The Paperback Library began releasing novels based on the TV series Dark Shadows in December 1966. There were thirty-three novels released through to 1972, all of them written by William Edward Daniel Ross under his pen name Marilyn Ross.
All of the novels, with the exception of House of Dark Shadows were part of one shared continuity separate from the history supplied in the original television series. House of Dark Shadows was an adaptation of the MGM film, House of Dark Shadows and as such, represented a separate continuity.
Most of the books follow a formula of a heroine arriving at, or already living at, Collinwood and falling in love with Barnabas Collins, not realizing that he's a vampire. The heroine subsequently finds herself endangered by some natural or supernatural threat requiring Barnabas to rescue her. By the story's conclusion, the heroine guesses or suspects Barnabas is a vampire but remains smitten with him, prompting Barnabas to depart rather than involve her with his cursed existence.
An unresolved plot point that featured in both the television series and the novel series was the mystery of Victoria Winters origins. Ross had planned to reveal Victoria as Barnabas' long-lost daughter, conceived in the 1940s during a time when Barnabas found himself temporarily free of the vampire curse. Her biological mother, who died young, was the best friend of Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. However, when actress Alexandra Moltke left the television series in 1968, the editors of the book series instructed Ross to immediately remove the character without solving the mystery. [1]
Many of the 1st printings feature covers with enframed production stills from the television show. Invariably, the cover photographs had little to do with the actual stories.
# | Title | Release Date | Heroine | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dark Shadows | December 1966 | Victoria Winters | A partial re-telling of Victoria Winters's arrival in Collinsport. Originally printed with an illustrated cover, subsequent editions featured a photographic cover featuring Alexandra Moltke with Jonathan Frid, although the character of Barnabas Collins does not appear. This is also the case with books 2 to 4. Collinwood is referred to here as Collins House. |
2 | Victoria Winters | March 1967 | Victoria Winters | |
3 | Strangers at Collins House | September 1967 | Victoria Winters | Partially takes place in 1916. |
4 | The Mystery of Collinwood | January 1968 | Victoria Winters | |
5 | The Curse of Collinwood | May 1968 | Victoria Winters | The only book in series not to be printed with a photographic cover. Derek and Esther Collns terrorize Collinsport as Zombies! |
6 | Barnabas Collins | November 1968 | Margaret Collins | First book to feature Barnabas Collins. In the television series Barnabas was chained to his coffin in 1796 and not released until 1967, here Ross offers an alternate timeline in which the vampire was never held captive at all. Takes place in the early 1900s. |
7 | The Secret of Barnabas Collins | January 1969 | Lady Clare Duncan | Takes place in 1870. |
8 | The Demon of Barnabas Collins | April 1969 | Rita Glenn | The first book to present Barnabas in a heroic vein rather than as the villain, following the trend set by the television series. |
9 | The Foe of Barnabas Collins | July 1969 | Paula Collins Jennings | Features the character of Chris Jennings, although presented here as a villain rather than the sympathetic victim depicted in the television series. It also features a rare appearance by Angelique. Takes place in 1910. |
10 | The Phantom and Barnabas Collins | September 1969 | Maggie Evans | Takes place in 1880 (courtesy Maggie travelling through time!). |
11 | Barnabas Collins vs. the Warlock | October 1969 | Maggie Evans | A homage to Henry James' 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw , a text also used in the television series for inspiration. |
12 | The Peril of Barnabas Collins | November 1969 | Diana Hastings | |
13 | Barnabas Collins and the Mysterious Ghost | January 1970 | Diana Samson | |
14 | Barnabas Collins and Quentin's Demon | February 1970 | Lara Balfour | Introduces the character of Quentin Collins to the range. Takes place in 1895. |
15 | Barnabas Collins and the Gypsy Witch | March 1970 | Roxanna Collins | Takes place in the 1890s. |
16 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Mummy's Curse | April 1970 | Maggie Evans | Professor Anthony Collins awakens a shambling, bandage-draped Egyptian terror to prowl Collinwood, a classic horror subject which was never utilized on the TV show. |
17 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Avenging Ghost | May 1970 | Carolyn Stoddard | |
18 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Nightmare Assassin | June 1970 | Carolyn Stoddard | Takes place in 1869, again courtesy time travel! |
19 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Crystal Coffin | July 1970 | Betty Ward | A homage to Edgar Allan Poe's 1844 short story The Premature Burial , a text also used in the television series for inspiration. The bulk of the story takes place in 1897. |
20 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Witch's Curse | August 1970 | Anita Burgess | Takes place in 1900. |
21 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Haunted Cave | September 1970 | Harriet Turnbridge | Though most of the book is set in modern day, Harriet experiences strange dream sequences set in 1705. |
22 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Frightened Bride | October 1970 | Ann Hayward | Takes place in 1920. |
House of Dark Shadows | October 1970 | Novelisation. Several scenes cut from the film version were included. It also featured 16 pages of Black and White photos from the film's production. | ||
23 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Scorpio Curse | November 1970 | Diana Collins | |
24 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Serpent | December 1970 | Irma Collins | Takes place in 1870. |
25 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Magic Potion | January 1971 | Carolyn Stoddard | This story marks a sudden shift in the characterization of Quentin Collins, who up to this point in the range had been portrayed as an enemy of Barnabas. |
26 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Body Snatchers | February 1971 | Marjorie Gray | This is the only book in the series told in the omniscient point of view. It also features a rare appearance by Julia Hoffman. As suggested by its title, a homage to Jack Finney's 1955 science fiction novel The Body Snatchers . |
27 | Barnabas, Quentin and Dr. Jekyll's Son | April 1971 | Emily Collins | As suggested by its title, a homage to Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , a text also used in the television series for inspiration. Takes place in 1908. Published the same month that Dark Shadows aired its final episode. |
28 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Grave Robbers | June 1971 | Paula Sullivan | Takes place in 1830. First book published after Dark Shadows left the air. |
29 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Sea Ghost | August 1971 | Norah Bliss | It features a rare appearance by Julia Hoffman and Professor Stokes. |
30 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Mad Magician | October 1971 | Carolyn Stoddard | |
31 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Hidden Tomb | December 1971 | Ellen Drury | Takes place in 1866. |
32 | Barnabas, Quentin and the Vampire Beauty | March 1972 | Adele Marriot |
Vampire literature covers the spectrum of literary work concerned principally with the subject of vampires. The literary vampire first appeared in 18th-century poetry, before becoming one of the stock figures of gothic fiction with the publication of Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), which was inspired by the life and legend of Lord Byron. Later influential works include the penny dreadful Varney the Vampire (1847); Sheridan Le Fanu's tale of a lesbian vampire, Carmilla (1872), and the most well known: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). Some authors created a more "sympathetic vampire", with Varney being the first, and more recent examples such as Moto Hagio's series The Poe Clan (1972–1976) and Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire (1976) proving influential.
Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on the ABC television network from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show depicted the lives, loves, trials, and tribulations of the wealthy Collins family of Collinsport, Maine, where a number of supernatural occurrences take place.
Jonathan Frid was a Canadian actor, best known for his role as vampire Barnabas Collins on the gothic television soap opera Dark Shadows. The introduction in 1967 of Frid's reluctant, guilt-ridden vampire caused the floundering daytime drama to soar to 20 million daily viewers. His watershed portrayal has been cited as a key influence on contemporary genre film and television series such as Twilight, True Blood and The Vampire Diaries.
Night of Dark Shadows is a 1971 horror film by Dan Curtis. It is the sequel to House of Dark Shadows. It centers on the story of Quentin Collins and his bride Tracy at the Collinwood Mansion in Collinsport, Maine.
Grayson Hall was an American television, film and stage actress. She was widely regarded for her avant-garde theatrical performances from the 1960s to the 1980s. Hall was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe Award for the John Huston film The Night of the Iguana (1964).
Barnabas Collins is a fictional character, a featured role in the ABC daytime serial Dark Shadows, which aired from 1966 to 1971. Barnabas is a 175-year-old vampire in search of fresh blood and his lost love, Josette. The character, originally played by Canadian actor Jonathan Frid, was introduced in an attempt to resurrect the show's flagging ratings, and was originally to have only a brief 13-week run. He was retained due to his popularity and the program's quick spike in ratings, and virtually became the star of the show.
Victoria "Vicki" Winters is a fictional character from the television Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows and its remakes of the same name. The role was originated by Alexandra Moltke on the ABC series from 1966 to 1968. After Moltke left to raise a family in 1968, actresses Betsy Durkin and Carolyn Groves briefly replaced her for only a handful of episodes, before Victoria was written out completely. Jaclyn Smith, who was married to Dark Shadows actor Roger Davis at the time, was offered the role when Moltke left the show, but she declined.
Josette du Pres is a character played primarily by Kathryn Leigh Scott during the 1795 flashback on the TV serial Dark Shadows.
Vampire films have been a staple in world cinema since the era of silent films, so much so that the depiction of vampires in popular culture is strongly based upon their depiction in films throughout the years. The most popular cinematic adaptation of vampire fiction has been from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula, with over 170 versions to date. Running a distant second are adaptations of the 1872 novel Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. By 2005, the Dracula character had been the subject of more films than any other fictional character except Sherlock Holmes.
Angelique Bouchard is a fictional character from the gothic horror-soap opera and film Dark Shadows, in which she is the main antagonist. She is primarily portrayed as a powerful witch, who is driven by her vacillating love and hatred for Barnabas Collins.
House of Dark Shadows is a 1970 American feature-length horror film produced and directed by Dan Curtis, based on his Dark Shadows television series. In this film expansion, vampire Barnabas Collins searches for a cure for vampirism so he can marry a woman who resembles his long-lost fiancée Josette.
Quentin Collins is the name of several characters featured in the 1966–1971 ABC cult TV Gothic horror-soap opera Dark Shadows. Variations of the character have been played by actor David Selby.
Collinwood Mansion is a fictional house featured in the Gothic horror soap opera Dark Shadows, built in 1795 by Joshua Collins. Collinwood has been home to the Collins family and sometimes unwelcome supernatural visitors since its inception. The house is located near the town of Collinsport, Maine, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Due to frightening rumors and legends, almost every resident of the town is afraid to drive by the house. The house has more than 40 rooms, most of which are closed off due to the lack of inhabitants and financial reasons. It features numerous secret passageways, including one leading to a parallel timeline, a time-traveling stairway, and a room perceived as a playroom by some and a linen closet by others. Most of the household activity revolves around the drawing room and foyer, and occasionally extends to the kitchen, dining room, and study. Collinwood is notorious for causing unrest and frustration among both the residents and visitors, likely due to its ominous atmosphere and mysterious past. Despite its unsettling reputation, the allure of the grand estate continues to draw intrigue and curiosity from those brave enough to explore its halls. It has been the scene of deaths, random acts of violence, and other misfortunes. In many episodes of the series, most local characters find it easier to just avoid it and the Collins family altogether.
William Edward Daniel Ross was a Canadian actor, playwright, and bestselling writer of more than 300 novels in a variety of genres. He was known for the speed of his writing and was, by some estimates, the most prolific Canadian author ever, though he did not take up fiction until middle age.
Dark Shadows is a one-hour television pilot that was a remake of the 1966–1971 gothic soap opera television series Dark Shadows. The pilot was commissioned by The WB and produced in 2004, but not picked up for a series.
Dark Shadows is an American prime time gothic soap opera television series which aired on NBC from January 13 to March 22, 1991. A re-imagining of the 1966–71 ABC daytime gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, the revival was developed by Dan Curtis, creator of the original series.
Dark Shadows is a 2012 dark fantasy film based on the gothic television soap opera of the same name. Directed by Tim Burton, the film stars Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Bella Heathcote in a dual role. Christopher Lee has a small role in the film, his 200th film appearance and his fifth and final appearance in a Burton film. Jonathan Frid, star of the original Dark Shadows series, makes a cameo appearance. He died shortly before the film was released. One of the film's producers, Richard D. Zanuck, died two months after its release.
Julia Hoffman is a fictional character played by Grayson Hall in the 1966 ABC soap opera Dark Shadows. A self-serving and conniving doctor in the fields of psychology and rare blood disorders. She is also head of the Windcliff Sanitarium, who moved into Collinwood and discovered the vampire Barnabas Collins. Initially, Julia represented a threat to Barnabas' undead existence, but eventually she became one of his most staunch allies. Together, Julia and Barnabas worked to assist the Collins family in the past, present, future, and in Parallel Time.