Barnabas & Company: The cast of the TV classic Dark Shadows [Paperback]

Craig Hamrick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 2003

Barnabas and Company tells the tale of the (mostly) marvelous actors and actresses who came together in a tiny studio in Manhattan to make magic-both on screen and off. Dark Shadows innovatively broke all the daytime rules and blazed a trail other soaps are still following. Featuring sympathetic vampires and werewolves, decades before Buffy the Vampire Killer made slaying cool, the show captured the nation's attention. In the actors' own words read about how it happened, and relive your own special memories of those Dark Shadows in the afternoon. Plus, a special trivia section includes information on the actors' other roles-on TV, stage and in movies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Craig Hamrick has been researching the history of television for the past 10 years. He is a particular expert on the series Dark Shadows, having interviewed many cast members. When he?s not writing or taking photographs, Craig is glued to his TV set, taking notes for future books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (August 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595290299
• ISBN-13: 978-0595290291
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable!, September 7, 2003

By 

StuartM (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barnabas & Company: The cast of the TV classic Dark Shadows (Paperback)

With a few celebrated exceptions, the Dark Shadows cast generally remains an obscure one to aficionados of cult television. Even in the age of multi-channel cable television, the majority of the show's actors remain shadowy figures outside of their familiar characters. Drawing on extensive new research, Barnabas & Company is a new reference book which uncovers a wealth of trivia, facts and figures for the entire Dark Shadows role-call.

Composed of a selection of career biographies, with additional trivia sections and a history of the show, the book has a gossipy, easygoing style that impresses, offering some important new observations on the Dark Shadows phenomenon along the way. For example, in the opening history of the show, the author comments on the intrusion of reality during the show's run, with some insightful comments from Nancy Barrett on the effect of the Vietnam War on the show's original fair tale qualities. It's a brief aside, but a valuable one that adds an extra dimension to the rose-tinted view of the studio days one usually hears.

Elsewhere, the book revels in the absurdities of show business, gleefully documenting a number of hilarious "what were they thinking?" productions with appropriately droll asides. If Denise Nickerson's Broadway lead in a musical production of Lolita doesn't sound bad enough, then Grayson Hall's hilarious turn as a lesbian nightclub promoter in sexploitation flick Satan in High Heels should raise a few smiles, in a role that even the actress agreed was best forgotten - she denied even appearing in the film at certain times in her career.

Where the book scores most highly is in its coverage of the actors' stage careers. Unlike most other cult shows, Dark Shadows drew its cast largely from the New York stage, and the detailed credit listings demonstrates the weight of formal training and experience that informed so many of the series' memorable performances. The New York theatre, preserved only in scarce reviews and Playbills, represents a crucial lost part of Dark Shadows' heritage, the value of which should not be underestimated. What emerges is a vivid picture of what a microcosm that world was for the show's actors, and the criss-crossing of career paths is dizzying. Many reviews and synopses are included, and though some are disappointingly brief, many succeed in bringing those lost performances back to life.

For too long Dark Shadows has been wrongly remembered for wobbly sets and wobblier acting. Craig Hamrick's indispensable new guide impressively redresses the balance, shedding new light on one of the most eclectic and accomplished casts ever assembled for a television show.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent addition, June 4, 2004

By 

M. Pierce "ReWrite Man" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barnabas & Company: The cast of the TV classic Dark Shadows (Paperback)

There are numerous DS books on the market,almost always told from the point of view of a select few who appeared on the show and relate tales heavy on sunshine and roses. While these voices are important, they only provide one dimension. Mr. Hamrick, who has appeared at many of the conventions, is first and foremost a curious fan and thus approaches his writing with that mindset,adding a much needed balance to the scales without the usual rehash. If you can find Hamrick's comprehensive, yet rare 'Collectors Guide', grab this essential title also.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting reading!, May 25, 2004

By 

Bernie Volpicelli (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barnabas & Company: The cast of the TV classic Dark Shadows (Paperback)

Being a DS fan since it's original run, I was delighted to read this book. It has lots of interesting facts and trivia that I believe fans will enjoy. Even though I've been a member of many DS internet mailing lists and message boards, there were things here I hadn't known of previously.

I believe this book will serve to increase an already substantial amount of interest in one of the most unique television shows ever produced, Dark Shadows!