DARK SHADOWS RARE BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTO FROM HOUSE OF DS + GOLDEN MAGAZINE

$

27

           This auction is for a RARE BEHIND THE SCENES OUTTAKE PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE MOVIE "HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS".  ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS AUCTION IS A COPY OF "THE GOLDEN MAGAZINE" FROM FEBRUARY 1970 THAT CONTAINS MORE BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOS FROM THE TELEVISION SHOW !



      Here's the story.  After many years away from appearing at the regular Dark Shadows Festivals, Jonathan Frid made a triumphant return to the festival circuit in Tarrytown, New York in August of 2007.  He continued to appear at all the east coast fests (which are the ones I attended) until he passed away in April of 2012.


     Somewhere in that five-year period, Jonathan started selling his personal items, whether at the festival auctions, or at tables manned by his nephew and his family.  I can't remember exactly, but this was either the festival right before or right after he passed.  Clothes, contracts, scrapbook photographs, articles, programs/brochures, etc.  I tried to purchase anything that looked like it was in his handwriting, had his signature, or looked out of the ordinary.  This outtake photograph comes under that category!



     This an outtake picture shot from overhead looking down upon the set of "House of Dark Shadows", which would date this being from sometime in 1970.  There is a section in the center that is VERY slightly blurred, but nothing major or that you can't make out what's there.  I will describe everything I see section by section.


     Pictures #2 - 3 - 4 show the full photo, and then the top and bottom halves.  The next fifteen photographs (#5 through #19) are of the pic broken down into sections; three across and four down.  


     The first three pics are along the top edge, left to right.  The picture is a little dark in this top area.  In #6, you can see a large tree limb sticking out up along the right side.  About halfway down by this limb, you may be able to make out a box.  As best that I can tell, it says "4-1 Gallon -- Containers".  Before containers, the word may be "Rustoleum", but I can't be sure because it's partially blocked (and I don't know what they would be doing with that product).



     From here on in things get kind of interesting.  Picture #8 begins along the left edge, and shows a coffin.  Obviously, there is a person lying inside the coffin, as you can see part of their costume and a boot sticking out at the bottom end of the coffin.  Photograph #9 is a closeup of the coffin.

    Moving to the center, you can see two gentlemen talking.  One is in a white shirt, and the other looks to me as if he is in costume.  The hair looks to be done up, and the jacket has a black collar on it (he is holding a binder...the script maybe?).  Photo #11 is a closeup of the gentlemen.  I believe the two guys shown in pic #12 are working on the boom mics.  It looks like a long boom mic resting in the "v" in that tree limb over their heads.


      We return to the left edge again for a photograph that shows Jonathan Frid in costume as Barnabas Collins (pics # 13 and the closeup in #14)!  I imagine everybody is getting the set ready for the next shot.  #15 and #16 are of the camera men (you can see it says "General Camera" on the camera).


     Finally, the bottom row is shown in photographs #17 - 18 - 19.  Nothing special here, but you can see the guys in the bottom right corner standing over a couple boxes that say "General Camera".  Photo #20 is of the backside of the photograph, and you can clearly tell that this was originally a part of Jonathan's scrapbook.  There is old glue and black paper remnants to be seen.  Along one edge it says "DS 4747".


     I do not know if this photo was ever published anywhere, nor do I know what scene in the movie this would match up to.  This reminds me of the studio setup for the TV series...and ton of people crammed in a tiny space...making magic!  There's 14 people shown here (including the person in the coffin, and a woman hiding behind the left side of the camera that I missed in pic #15)!




      This picture reminded me of a magazine I had somewhere in my collection.  Here it is in all its glory.  This would be "The Golden Magazine For Boys And Girls" from February 1970.  As it says along the top of the cover page, "Special Feature: Golden Visits Dark Shadows!"  The article is shown in the last four pictures.


     Featured is a five-page article on Dark Shadows, where Golden sent two kids...a brother / sister I believe...to do the interview tour of the Dark Shadows set and cast.  


     It's kinda cool to see them trying on costumes, talking with Denise Nickerson, meeting Lela Swift, the young lady planting a kiss on Jonathan Frid, getting made up by makeup artist Vinnie Los Calzo, seeing a dress rehearsal and Grayson Hall learning her lines, and a very nice behind the scene shot showing the ABC-TV camera and Nancy Barrett.  


     And for those of you into the 1970s (like myself), there is also a three page article on the fab Jack Wild of the movie "Oliver" fame.  It's interesting, because at this point, "H.R. Pufnstuf" was not on television yet.  In the article, it states that it wouldn't be a part of the Saturday morning lineup until the following September (and remember, this magazine is from February 1970).


      The magazine pages are in very good condition.  The cover has an address label tear in the top left corner that blots out the "M" in "Magazine", and the staples are rusted (though this doesn't affect the DS article at all).






      If you have any questions about these items, please feel free to message me.  Also, check out my other auctions going on NOW of various other items of interest.  Thanks again for looking...during these most very...very...very...troubled times...





10-12-25