When the gothic television soap opera Dark Shadows hit the airwaves in 1966, Kathryn Leigh Scott was on the scene and in the scenes enjoying her first acting job. This week, she and some Dark Shadows colleagues, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking vampire-driven series with a Collinwood-worthy celebration being held near the old haunting grounds in Tarrytown, New York. I caught up with Scott for my podcast Whine At 9 to discuss the upcoming event, her Dark Shadows’ memories, and life beyond those vampire days.
Kathryn Leigh Scott chuckles fondly as she recalls her Dark Shadows’ experiences. “It was my first job. Oh I was scared to death that first day. But, you know, we went on to do 1,225 episodes of the series, and it’s still a cult favorite.” She would play four roles on the show, but would be best known for her major roles as wise-cracking waitress Maggie Evans and Barnabas Collins’ (played by the late Jonathan Frid) love interest Josette duPres.
Find out more about Dark Shadows 50th Anniversary Festivities.
Scott believes that it was the early interaction between her character and Jonathan Frid’s iconic love-driven vampire that sealed their onscreen fate. “Interestingly enough, the very first appearance that he [Barnabas Collins] made was in the diner. And we had a wonderful scene together. And I think the creator of our show Dan Curtis saw the chemistry between us. And that inspired him to create the romance between the vampire and Maggie Evans who became the long lost love Josette duPres in the 1790s for the 200-year-old vampire. So those were my two major roles on the series and I loved both.”
While some actors can be quick to dodge their early associations, Scott’s love and respect for her first series has continued for half a century. Says the actress who has appeared in feature films like The Great Gatsby and other television series including Dallas, The Goldbergs and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “I really think that Dark Shadows was hugely innovative. It was certainly not like any other soap opera at the time. And I do think that Dark Shadows is also the granddaddy of all of these contemporary vampire and paranormal stories—everything from Penny Dreadful to The Twilight Saga to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
I can’t help but think that it was a kinder and gentler time for vampires and actors back then. These days you don’t hear of an actor landing four roles in one series. Scott won’t argue with that. “The Dark Shadows actors functioned as a small little repertory company. And we never worried about being killed off in the series because we always came back as a new character. The network execs thought that Dan Curtis was crazy—that the viewers would get confused. But, you know, it turned out to be one of the best and most innovative things that Dark Shadows did. And it was great for a young actor.”
Scott, also an author and publisher, is looking forward to celebrating Dark Shadows with her friends and fans. She’ll be bringing along her Dark Shadows-inspired books as well as her latest book, Last Dance at the Savoy—a heartfelt memoir and resource guide inspired by her own painful journey caring for her beloved husband Geoff who died of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disease. “This book is about caregiving, but it’s also about life and love,” explains Scott who will be auctioning off some of her favorite Dark Shadows’ memorabilia to benefit CurePSP.
Read a sample from Last Dance at the Savoy.
And Scott must have had a sixth sense about Dark Shadows inspiring a never-ending movement, because she’s held onto a treasure trove of Collinwood collectibles. “I’ve been going through all of these things. I mean I really do wonder sometimes if I saved everything. I’ve got costume pieces. I’ve got my very first script. I’ve even got the fangs that legendary makeup artist Dick Smith made for me when Jonathan bit me in the neck.” And she’s got some Jonathan Frid post-haircut clippings she collected after he told her she might want to grab a few. Scott laughs as she tells the story and shares his silly suggestion, “You better put those in an envelope and save them. They’ll be valuable one day.”
No word as to whether those clippings will be on the auction block, but Barnabas Collins would likely approve if they were. After all, in the end, Barnabas was all about risking his life to save others. What’s a few locks of hair for an important cause?
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