Denise Nickerson talks Flipper, dentures and arithmetic, 1965

Denise Nickerson, perhaps best known for playing bratty Violet Beauregarde in 1971's Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, died last week following a “major medical emergency.” She was 62.

When Nickerson joined the cast of Dark Shadows in 1968, the 11-year-old found herself in the not-uncommon position of having more acting credits to her name than some of her adult co-stars. It's possible Denise kept track of her early stage credits (a few are documented in the story below) but it might be impossible to track down all of her work prior to joining the cast of Dark Shadows. A cursory glance at some of the press she received before turning 10 include performances with Betsy Palmer in Peter Pan, Maurice Chevalier, and Gypsy with Gisèle MacKenzie.

Below is an interview with Nickerson published in 1965 by The Miami News about the less-than-glamorous life of a child model and actor. It also mentions her upcoming appearnace on Flipper in the episode "Bud Minds the Baby," which aired March 20. (Note: The episode was directed by none other than Ricou Browning, who had the title role in Creature from the Black Lagoon.) You can watch the episode at the bottom of this post.



False Teeth Come In Handy For Big Little-Time Star
By Agnes Edwards, reporter for The Miami News
Published Jan. 3, 1965

Denise Nickerson doesn't smile a lot just now, she explains, " 'cuz my three teeth are out."

This may be cute in some 7-year-olds but it's not if you're a bigtime entertainer-model like little Denise.

"I ate a Jelly bean on Easter," she pointed to a conspicuous void where a lower incisor  had been, "and this one came out."

Exposing an upper central area that was even more conspicuous, she added, "This one someone took out." Another lower tooth had been loosened through some peculiar happenstance, and was noticeably missing.

When she's on a photographic assignment where it matters, Denise pops a spring partial into her mouth — presto, a big smile with front tooth intact.

Her false replacement arrived in time for Christmas incidentally, along with a bike.

"Everything started when I was 2 1/2," offered the charmingly precocious daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick H. Nickerson, Coral Gables, about her career.

She modeled for some utility ads followed by an educational film, and other advertising including a sun tan lotion, plus local fashion shows.

Simultaneously the brown-eyed, red-blonde lass took dancing lessons from Joe Michael, appearing in many of his local shows in jazz and tap specialties.

At Ruth Foreman's Studio M, Denise built up a repertoire that included "The Littlest Angel," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "Eloise" and "Crazy Red" ("It's a funny name," she insists, "but that's what it was!") There too she won a year's study scholarship in acting.

Those who saw "Sound of Music" at Bary College recently will have recognized the most diminutive member of the cast, Gretel, impersonated by Denise Nickerson.

Her performance was carefully noted by Beverly McDermott, agent for Mercury Artists,who immediately corralled Denise for the little girl role of Tina in the televised "Flipper" series now on location in Miami and North Miami Beach.

She is a perfection-seeking student of voice instructor Ladislao Vaida of the University of Miami, and studies dance routines under Jack Stanly.



"My favorite number is 'Straw Hat And A Cane,'" confided Denise, which she often includes in her benefit performances at Veterans, Variety Children's Hospital and The Cerebral Palsy Center. Another popular song and dance act she does is as Rocky the Squirrel.

The report card of Gulliver Academy's star second grader is sprinkled generously with A's and A-pluses. "My best grade is in writing," admitted Denise, "but I like arithmetic better." Memorization is a snap.

Her goal is to become a movie star like Shirley Temple, and to go on stage in New York — "but not until after college, " she added. "When I grow up I'm going to Barry College — if it's still there."

When not biking or frisking with Dennis, her apricot poodle (who "is always getting into trouble" like the Menace variety) she drills her big sister, Patti, 20, in dance routines.

"Patti's pretty good," plauds Little Teacher. "Sometimes she wants to boss but that's all right."

Denise Nickerson 1957-2019

By PATRICK McCRAY

Denise Nickerson (1957-2019) was a consummate professional, and a mature, lively actress. But those only hint at her primary contribution to Dark Shadows. Her primary contribution truly was that, over and over, even after acting was no longer a part of her career, she was us.

Born in 1957, Nickerson was nearly twelve when she joined the cast of the Dark Shadows, putting her squarely in the demographic of the show’s most passionate viewers and future ambassadors. Her first character, Amy Jennings, was a stranger to Collinwood — a miniature Victoria Winters — just like the viewers. Brave, clever, resourceful, and articulate, the character was nobody’s Mary Sue. It was an easy leap for young fans of that era to see themselves as Amy, and the strength of the character was a compliment to fans, writers, and specifically, Nickerson, herself. On Dark Shadows and in her other most famous project, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Nickerson handled the fantastic with a sense of theatrical size and relatable humanity that sold both projects. Yes, her characters could have the narcissism expected of characters that age, but Nickerson gave them each a vivid sympathy that made them instantly likable and relatable. Her second DS character, Nora, provides Quentin with the impetus to clean up his act, making her Sarah to his Barnabas. Just as Quentin was an earthier character than his cousin, Nora was a similar evolution, and Nickerson took us there with truth and heart.



After a string of questionably rewarding roles and the knowledge that her parents squandered her earnings as a performer, Nickerson retired from show business to take a series of clerical and support jobs, marry twice, and become a mom. In that sense, she continued to mirror and represent the lives of so many of the hardworking, suburban fans who had identified with her as children. Nickerson had a number of medical challenges in her adult life, making her familiar with pain and survival. After suffering a stroke in 2018, she died one year later after falling into a coma.

Dark Shadows had no shortage of talent, much of which is contained primarily within the walls of Collinwood. Nickerson’s achievements go outside and into diverse branches of popular entertainment. We admire her not just for what she represented on the show, but for how she represented the show beyond.

DARK SHADOWS: THE DARKEST SHADOW now available

DARK SHADOWS: THE DARKEST SHADOW is now available from Big Finish Productions. This is an episode that took quite a while to materialize, with good reason: Producers took pains to wait for actors David Selby and Donna McKechnie to align so that they could record their performances together in the studio. THE DARKEST SHADOW is also a double-length episode, though Big Finish has kindly refrained from charging twice as much for it.
 

David Selby and Donna McKechnie

In addition to Selby and McKechnie, THE DARKEST SHADOW features appearances from Denise Nickerson and Wally Wingert. If you're unfamiliar with Wingert, here's a link to a podcast interview we did with him back in February. DARK SHADOWS fans are everywhere!

THE DARKEST SHADOW is available on compact disc and as an MP3 download from the company website. Here's the official plot synopsis:

“I am Olivia Corey, the eternal actress. I’ve lived my whole life in two dimensions. Perhaps I prefer it that way.”

Olivia Corey has been offered the role of her life.

They’re making a movie called The Curse of Collinwood by Mr D Curtis. Apparently it’s based on a true story about an old house in Maine where all manner of terrible things happen.

Olivia is offered the role of ‘Amanda Harris’, a woman created from a painting, destined to fall in love with a cursed man, destined to roam the Earth to find him again.

How could she refuse?

After all, it’s the part she was born to play…

Big Finish provides update on new DARK SHADOWS episodes

Big Finish has revealed the cover art and trailer for March's upcoming DARK SHADOWS audiodrama, as well as a few details about later releases:

DARK SHADOWS: THE HAPPIER DEAD is written by Adam Usden, a writer new to Big Finish.“I was thrilled when Joseph asked me to pen my very own Dark Shadows tale, and especially one with Amy Jennings,” says Usden. “She’s a wonderful character - bookish and brave, but maddeningly distrustful of those closest to her, which is unsurprising given all she’s been through. And since this is Dark Shadows, we’re going to make sure she goes through a lot more.”

Listen to the trailer by clicking HERE.

Big Finish also announced that Denise Nickerson, who starred in the original DARK SHADOWS TV series as the original Amy Jennings and famously played the vile Violet Beauregarde in WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (1971) will be starring as Elspeth Gardner in April's CARRIAGE OF THE DAMNED and June's THE DARKEST SHADOW.

Denise Nickerson

“Elspeth is an amazing character,” says producer, Joseph Lidster. “She's an actress of a certain age who finds herself caught up in two separate Dark Shadows adventures. We've always wanted to work with Denise and were really pleased that we could finally get her on board.”

The latest episode, THE HARVEST OF SOULS, stars Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans, and is available now from Big Finish.