(Photo copyright ABC Productions and Dan Curtis Productions)
Most people know about Dark Shadows and the vampire Barnabas
Collins, but did you know there were 210 episodes of this gothic soap opera
before the introduction of Barnabas Collins? Anyone who knows me, knows I'm obsessed with Dark Shadows, so I've decided to share the show, via my blog, to introduce others to the world inside Collinsport. This is a summery of the first 5
episodes.
Dark Shadows: The Beginning
Episode: 1 Original
Air Date: 06-27-1966
Opening Voice over: Alexandra Moltke
Timeline: 1966
Victoria Winters travels to Collinsport by train from New
York to be the governess of David Collins. She has been hired under mysterious
circumstances, by Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, against the will of her brother,
Roger Collins (father to David). Victoria, an orphan, believes that the job
might lead her to find something about her past. Burke Devlin arrives on the
same train after several years away from Collinsport. Burke has a private
investigator checking up on the Collins family. Maggie Evans warns Victoria
about the Collins family, but Victoria goes to Collinwood anyway.
Episode: 2 Original
Air Date: 06-28-1966
Opening Voice over: Alexandra Moltke
Timeline: 1966
Having arrived at Collinwood, Victoria starts to settle in.
At the Blue Whale, Joe Haskell becomes jealous when Carolyn dances with other
guys. Victoria meets Roger who becomes agitated when he finds out that Burke
Devlin has arrived in Collinsport.
Episode: 3 Original
Air Date: 06-29-1966
Opening Voice over: Alexandra Moltke
Timeline: 1966
Victoria meets Carolyn. After learning of Burke's return to
Collinsport, Roger searches for Sam Evans. Burke tries to extract information
about the Collins family from Joe Haskell. Bill Malloy meets with Roger to
discuss Burke's return; Roger appears to be unconcerned with the return of an
"ex-convict". Later Bill meets with Burke, who admits he has a grudge
against the Collins family.
Episode: 4 Original
Air Date: 06-30-1966
Opening Voice over: Alexandra Moltke
Timeline: 1966
Roger and Elizabeth argue over the return of Burke and what
Victoria may know about him. Roger and Elizabeth question Victoria about her
contact with Burke Devlin. Roger's accusations anger Victoria. Later Victoria
is awoken by the sounds of a sobbing woman, she then searches for the source of
the sound. While searching she meets David who only says, "I hate
you".
Episode: 5 Original
Air Date: 07-01-1966
Opening Voice over: Alexandra Moltke
Timeline: 1966
After her first night at Collinwood, Victoria has decided to
go back to New York. Victoria explains to Carolyn that she is an orphan and
came to Collinsport because she believed that somehow she would find out about
her past. Near Widow's Hill Victoria meets Sam Evans who tells Victoria about
Josette Collins. Victoria finds out from Sam that Elizabeth has not left
Collinwood in 18 years. Sam instructs Victoria to tell Roger that he wants to
talk with him. Victoria returns to her room to find that David has helped her
"pack" while she was out. Victoria changes her mind and decides to
stay at Collinwood with renewed hopes that she will find out something about
her past.
Cast featured in these episodes:
Victoria Winters - Alexandra
Moltke
Elizabeth Collins Stoddard - Joan
Bennett
Burke Devlin - Mitchell Ryan
Maggie Evans - Kathryn Leigh
Scott
Roger Collins - Louis Edmonds
Carolyn Stoddard - Nancy Barrett
David Collins - David Henesy
Bill Malloy - Frank Schofield
Joe Haskell - Joel Crothers
Sam Evans - Mark Allen
Matthew Morgan - George Mitchell
