A new Dark Shadows documentary is taking a delicious bite into the life and career of actor Jonathan Frid, famous for bringing the gothic series' tormented vampire, Barnabas Collins, to the screen.
Called Dark Shadows and Beyond: The Jonathan Frid Story, the biographical film covers the fascinating life and career of the Shakespearean actor who became a TV icon in the role of Barnabas. According to an official press release, "the feature-length film reveals the man beneath the vampire's cloak, exploring Frid's personal and professional struggles, artistic triumphs, and rise to fame."
Dark Shadows and Beyond digs into Frid's history with the use of the actor's personal letters, which will be read by actor Ian Buchanan (ex-Duke Lavery, General Hospital; ex-James Warwick, The Bold and the Beautiful; ex-Ian McAllister, Days of our Lives; ex-Dr. Greg Madden, All My Children).
Many of Frid's family, friends, and colleagues will also be featured in the film. The list includes veteran talk show host and Yale Drama School classmate Dick Cavett, Happy Days actress Marion Ross, St. Elsewhere & Friends actress Christina Pickles, San Diego National Shakespeare Festival associate Anthony Zerbe, and Frid's Dark Shadows co-stars David Selby, Lara Parker, Nancy Barrett, Marie Wallace, Kathryn Leigh Scott, James Storm, and John Karlen.
"At its core, the documentary is about a man's passion for acting that began at the age of 16 and lasted a lifetime," says the film's producer, Mary O'Leary, who is known for her Emmy-winning work on The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, One Life to Live, Guiding Light, and Another World.
Dark Shadows and Beyond: The Jonathan Frid Story is set for release on digital platforms, MPI Home Video DVD, and Blu-ray on Tuesday, October 5. Special features of the DVD and Blu-ray include rare performance footage, archival material from Frid's private collection, a PBS-TV discussion with Frid, promotional pieces with the actor, Frid reading an excerpt of Washington Irving's classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and a "Best of Barnabas" compilation video.
Check out the teaser trailer below and let us know what you think on Soap Central's social media channels or in the Comments section at the end of the article.
What do you think about soap opera producer Mary O'Leary releasing a Dark Shadows documentary about Barnabas Collins' portrayer, Jonathan Frid? What are your thoughts on Ian Buchanan being chosen to recite Frid's personal letters for the Dark Shadows project? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
