Dark Shadows

Name: Dark Shadows
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Soap
Released: 1966-06-27
Rating: 7.4
Cast: Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Nancy Barrett, David Selby, Joan Bennett

ENDED12 Seasons1,225 Episodes★ 7.4

Dark Shadows is a drama series on ABC that ran from 1966 to 1971, ending after 12 seasons and 1,225 episodes.

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NetworkABC

First AiredJun 27, 1966

Last AiredApr 2, 1971

GenreDrama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Soap

Runtime22 min

Created ByDan Curtis

LanguageEnglish

CountryUnited States

ProductionDan Curtis Productions

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.

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Cast

Jonathan Frid

Barnabas Collins / Bramwell Collins

Grayson Hall

Julia Hoffman

Nancy Barrett

Carolyn Stoddard

David Selby

Quentin Collins

Joan Bennett

Elizabeth Collins Stoddard / Naomi Collins

Lara Parker

Angelique Bouchard Collins

David Henesy

David Collins

Kathryn Leigh Scott

Maggie Evans

Thayer David

Matthew Morgan/Ben Stokes/Dr. Timothy Stokes

Roger Davis

Jeff Clark / Peter Bradford

Louis Edmonds

Roger Collins / Joshua Collins

Jerry Lacy

Reverend Trask/Gregory Trask

Seasons & Episodes12 seasons · 1225 episodes

0% complete

E1DS-1199

Jan 28, 197122m

Julia warns Morgan not to marry Catherine until after Justin dies because the lottery will be held again so she will not have to be part of it. Every generation someone is chosen by lottery to spend a night the locked room, everyone who has ever entered has died or ended up mad like Justin Collins. Bramwell tells Catherine that he still loves her and is sure she loves him. Catherine tells Bramwell that she loves Morgan and plans to marry him. Morgan asks Catherine to marry him immediately, she is hesitant. Morgan sees a woman in white and claims that this is the night (that Justin will die).

E2DS-1200

Jan 29, 197123m

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.

E3DS-1201

Feb 1, 197123m

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.

E4DS-1202

Feb 2, 197121m

Bramwell makes Catherine admit that she loves him. Kendrick sneaks around Collinwood searching for answers to his sister’s disappearance. (It is implied that Bramwell and Catherine sleep together). Catherine tells Bramwell that she still plans to marry Morgan. Quentin goes to the Old House and gets Catherine. While Catherine sleeps Melanie stands over her with a knife.

E5DS-1203

Feb 3, 197122m

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.

E6DS-1204

Feb 4, 197122m

Melanie finds Stella Young tided up. Flora explains that Justin tried to kill Stella, so they had to lock her up to keep her from telling the police. Quentin and Morgan decide that the lottery must be held soon. Melanie promises Stella that she will be released if she promises not to cause any trouble. Justin’s funeral is held. Stella is found dead; Flora and Julia believe that Melanie killed her. Melanie tries to get in the cursed locked room then collapses.

E7DS-1205

Feb 5, 197123m

Morgan disposes of Stella’s body. Catherine resists Bramwell’s continued advances; she is attracted to him however she plans to marry Morgan. Morgan accuses Melanie of murdering Stella, she does not remember anything. Catherine asks Morgan to marry her immediately. Melanie and Kendrick start to fall in love, but she tells him to never come back to Collinwood. Bramwell interrupts Catherine and Morgan’s wedding.

E8DS-1206

Feb 8, 197123m

Bramwell and Morgan fight. Melanie goes to see Josette; Melanie plans to find who her real parents are (Melanie Collins was adopted). Bramwell is forbidden from ever going back to Collinwood. Morgan challenges Bramwell to a duel. Catherine begs Bramwell not to duel Morgan; she threatens to kill herself if he kills Morgan. Bramwell and Morgan prepare for the duel.

E9DS-1207/1208

Feb 10, 197122m

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.

E10

E10DS-1209

Feb 11, 197123m

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.

E11

E11DS-1210

Feb 12, 197122m

The seance does not tell them what Quentin wanted to learn. Catherine wants to have children, however Morgan tells her that they must not because of the family curse. Quentin finds that the plague hit Collinsport in the past when the family refused to go through with the lottery. Morgan wants to find a way to get Bramwell out of the Old House. Morgan finds Catherine reading an old love letter from Bramwell. Melanie has a dream that she is dead, when she awakes she starts to show signs of the plague.

E12

E12DS-1211

Feb 15, 197123m

Flora tells everyone that the lottery must be held, otherwise Melanie will die of the plague. At Morgan’s and Quentin’s objections Flora demands that everyone including the women participate in the lottery. Morgan and Quentin criticize Gabriel (who is an alcoholic and a coward) for siding with the women and allowing them to participate in the lottery. Flora prepares the slips of paper, whoever draws the slip with the X will spend the night in the locked room; the lottery begins.

E13

E13DS-1212

Feb 16, 197122m

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.

E14

E14DS-1213

Feb 17, 197123m

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.

E15

E15DS-1214

Feb 18, 197123m

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.

E16

E16DS-1215

Feb 19, 197122m

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.

E17

E17DS-1216

Feb 22, 197123m

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.

E18

E18DS-1217

Feb 23, 197122m

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.

E19

E19DS-1218

Feb 24, 197123m

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.

E20

E20DS-1219

Feb 25, 197129m

Catherine tells Morgan that Bramwell plans to marry Daphne. Carrie finds a letter from James Forsythe, when she brings it to Morgan it bursts into flame. Bramwell announces that he has married Daphne. Catherine collapses; later Catherine tells the doctor to not tell anyone anything. Catherine claims that she was having a dizzy spell. Catherine goes to the Old House and tells Bramwell that she is pregnant with his child. [Known as the "Lost Episode," it was reconstructed using a fan-recorded audio track and still images.]

E21

E21DS-1220

Feb 26, 197123m

Bramwell tries to get Catherine to run away with him; Catherine tells Bramwell that she plans to raise the child as Morgan’s and expects Bramwell to keep it a secret. Flora decides the lottery must be held again. Quentin and Morgan try to find more information about James Forsythe. The lottery is held again; Catherine draws the slip with the X.

E22

E22DS-1221

Mar 1, 197123m

Morgan tells Catherine that he will not let her spend the night in the locked room; she tells him that she is confident that nothing will happen to her. Daphne and later Bramwell attempt to talk Catherine out of going into the locked room. Morgan locks himself in the room before Catherine can be taken there to spend the night.

E23DS-1222

Mar 2, 197123m

Quentin tells Catherine that he and Morgan made a deal to not let any women go in the room. Morgan finds a secret room inside the locked room. Kendrick accuses the Collins’ of hiding Gabriel. Melanie tells Kendrick about her life. Everyone anxiously waits for morning to come. Quentin releases Morgan, who is still alive but claims his name is not Morgan.

E24

E24DS-1223

Mar 3, 197123m

Morgan appears to be possessed, but will not reveal who he is. Melanie asks Julia about her real parents; Julia tells her they are dead. Melanie finds a letter that indicates her real mother might still be alive, Julia takes the letter and burns it. Morgan goes to the cottage and demands that Carrie give him the key to the basement; Carrie goes into a trance and later realizes that Morgan is possessed by James Forsythe.

E25

E25DS-1224

Mar 4, 197122m

Julia accuses James Forsythe of being the man who put the curse on the Collins family; he claims that he was not responsible. Catherine has another fainting spell. Bramwell visits Catherine, Julia catches them together. Bramwell and Daphne argue about his going to see Catherine. Morgan (James) finds the body of Sarah Forsythe buried in the basement of the cottage.

E26

E26DS-1225

Mar 5, 197122m

Brutus Collins appears to Morgan (James Forsythe). James accuses Brutus of kill his sister Sarah, and Amanada Collins (Brutus’ wife). Julia and Carrie later find Morgan unconscious. Melanie tells Kendrick about the letter she found. Kendrick tells Melanie that there is no record of Melanie ever being at the orphanage that she was supposedly adopted from. Julia questions Morgan but learns little; he suggests that she question the spirit of Brutus Collins. Kendrick questions Julia about Melanie’s past; later he sees Melanie when she is in her “mad” state.

E27

E27DS-1226

Mar 8, 197122m

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.

E28

E28DS-1227

Mar 9, 197122m

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.

E29

E29DS-1228

Mar 10, 197123m

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.

E30

E30DS-1229

Mar 11, 197123m

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.

E31

E31DS-1230

Mar 12, 197122m

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.

E32

E32DS-1231

Mar 15, 197122m

James Forsythe was a business partner with Brutus Collins; Brutus was stealing money from James. James was having an affair with Brutus’ wife Amanda. Brutus kills James and Amanda and later Constance. Brutus set a curse on Collinwood, only the person capable surviving a night in the locked room would be worthy of the Collins name. Brutus’ spirit comes for James Forsythe’s spirit.

E33

E33DS-1232

Mar 16, 197122m

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.

E34

E34DS-1233

Mar 17, 197123m

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.

E35

E35DS-1234

Mar 18, 197121m

Julia interrupts Carrie before she can tell Melanie who her mother is. Julia accuses Carrie of knowing who Melanie’s mother is; Julia makes Carrie promise never to tell Melanie. Gabriel tries to convince Flora to let him out of the tower room. Flora consults the family, everyone believes he should stay locked up. Gabriel escapes from the tower room.

E36

E36DS-1235

Mar 19, 197123m

Morgan finds Julia unconscious and Gabriel gone. Daphne tells Bramwell that he and Catherine should be together after she dies. Daphne tells Catherine that she and Bramwell were meant for each other. Daphne enters a coma and has little time left. Melanie confronts Julia, she claims Julia of not letting her find who her parents are. Morgan and Julia investigate the secret room, inside the cursed room in hopes of finding more about the curse.

E37

E37DS-1236

Mar 22, 197123m

Morgan and Julia find the bodies of Amanda Collins and James Forsythe in the secret room; Brutus locks them in the room. Gabriel attacks Catherine with a knife, however she bribes him with some jewelry. Melanie finds and realizes Julia and Morgan. Brutus Collins summons Gabriel and tells him to kill everyone. Catherine asks Morgan to take her away from Collinwood; he refuses. Melanie plans to marry Kendrick. Gabriel stabs Melanie.

E38

E38DS-1237

Mar 23, 197122m

E39

E39DS-1238

Mar 24, 197123m

Josette Collins reveals that she had an affair with Justin Collins shortly after the dead of her husband (Barnabas); Melanie was born and Justin adopted her. Daphne comes out of the coma. Julia tries to stop Melanie and Josette from telling anyone else the truth so they will not hurt Flora (who does not know her husband was unfaithful). Daphne gives her blessing to Bramwell and Catherine shortly before she dies.

E40

E40DS-1239

Mar 25, 197122m

Bramwell tells Catherine that Daphne has died, and her last request. Kendrick and Melanie are married. Julia is concerned that Morgan will become violent now that Bramwell is free to pursue Catherine; she asks Bramwell to leave, he refuses. Brutus Collins appears to Melanie; she becomes insane. Brutus warns that the lottery must be held again.

E41

E41DS-1240

Mar 26, 197121m

t is decided that the lottery will be held immediately. Catherine has another fainting spell. Flora tries to convince Kendrick to annul his marriage to Melanie, he refuses and plans to participate in the lottery. Morgan makes tries to make Catherine promise not to marry Bramwell if he dies. Kendrick is chosen in the lottery.

E42

E42DS-1241

Mar 29, 197122m

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.

E43

E43DS-1242

Mar 30, 197123m

Morgan contemplates murder. Daphne’s funeral is held. Morgan writes a note asking him to go to the remote part of Collinwood. Kendrick waits for night so he can go in to the locked room. Morgan knocks out Bramwell and locks him in the room. Morgan announces that he has locked Bramwell in the room. Catherine runs to Bramwell.

E44

E44DS-1243

Mar 31, 197122m

Morgan reveals that Catherine is pregnant. Julia warns Bramwell not to touch the corpses of James Forsythe and Amanda Collins. Morgan agrees to let Bramwell out of the locked room after Catherine’s pleas; however he locks Catherine in with Bramwell.

E45

E45DS-1244

Apr 1, 197122m

Julia discovers that Catherine is going to have Bramwell’s child and that Morgan has locked Catherine in with Bramwell. Catherine becomes possessed and tries to kill herself, Bramwell stops her. Bramwell is choked by an unseen force, but he recovers. As morning approaches Morgan goes to open the room, with a gun; if they have survived he plans kill them.

E46

E46DS-1245

Apr 2, 197122m

Catherine and Bramwell survive Brutus’ final attempts to destroy them. Brutus declares that they have won. Morgan shoots Bramwell, then takes Catherine hostage. Melanie’s sanity returns; She and Kendrick make plans to go away. Bramwell and Kendrick to go after Morgan, they fight and Morgan is pushed off the roof of Collinwood and dies. Melanie is found with mysterious bite marks on their neck, it is briefly implied that perhaps a vampire might be loose at Collinwood, however it is confirmed that this time the marks did come from an animal. Melanie and Kendrick move to Boston; Bramwell is invited to be the new master of Collinwood, he and Catherine are married.

About Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows is a drama, sci-fi & fantasy, soap series on ABC. The show first aired on Jun 27, 1966 and currently has 12 seasons and 1,225 episodes. Dark Shadows has ended. It has a rating of 7.4/10 based on 97 votes. The cast includes Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Nancy Barrett, David Selby, Joan Bennett. Created by Dan Curtis.