Podcast: MY DINNER WITH SHARON

UPDATE: We're in the process of reviewing our previous podcasts and getting them reinstated in our archives. First up, this 2014 interview with Dark Shadows alumnus Sharon Smyth Lentz! When this episode was first published, Sharon was scheduled to attend MonsterCon in Greenville, S.C. a few weeks later. The convention proved to be the last for actress Arlene Martel, who played T'Pring on the original Star Trek. (She passed away the following month at the age of 78.)

I was also scheduled to attend and participate in a panel with Sharon at MonsterCon ... the day of the festival, though, my wife went into emergency labor and I found myself a father about six weeks earlier than expected. My son will be hearing this story for the rest of his life. "Did I ever tell you about the festival that I missed, Edgar?!"

Anyhoo, here't the podcast, as well as the original post from 2014.

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Marie and Sharon.

Sharon Smyth Lentz joined the cast of Dark Shadows in June 1967, playing the ghost of Sarah Collins, the little sister of vampire Barnabas Collins. In this podcast, she talks about her experiences on the series, her decision to leave acting, and fields a few questions from online fans. It's a fun episode, and hosted by CHS contributor Marie Maginity.

Sharon will be among the former cast members participating in the annual Dark Shadows Festival this weekend, and will be appearing the weekend of July 18 in Greenville, S.C., at MonsterCon.

Listen to the episode streaming above, or download it as an MP3 by clicking HERE.

And subscribe to THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY podcast on iTunes for free by clicking HERE!  

In which Dark Shadows goes full camp

It’s often said that DARK SHADOWS is “camp,” an opinion to which I’ve never subscribed. Yeah, it can sometimes be awkward, frustrating or — god help us — unintentionally funny. But if you were to find a scientific method for measuring camp, I’d bet that STAR TREK would rank much higher. “Camp” implies that the creators of DARK SHADOWS were in on the joke, when there was no joke being made in the first place.

But I’m OK with camp. And this DARK SHADOWS fan film, titled BACK FROM THE GRAVE TO HAUNT ME, is about as campy as a film can get without an appearance by Devine. I usually hate fan films — at least, those made by adults who should know better — but there’s a charm to this one that’s undeniable. It’s a little rough around the edges (the story kind of wanders) but the performances will make it worth your time. Darryl Schaffer is the MVP here … he not only does the best Jonathan Frid impersonation you’re ever going to hear, but a spot-on Grayson Hall, as well. (His Louis Edmonds is a little wobbly, though.)

BACK FROM THE GRAVE TO HAUNT ME was shot during the summer in 2011, mostly at Seaview Terrace — the Rhode Island mansion used for the exterior shots of Collinwood in the original DARK SHADOWS series.

“The owner's daughter, Denise Carey, was kind enough to allow us to film there and she also plays the part of Carolyn Stoddard,” said Kimberlee Arnott-Weidman, who wrote and directed the movie. “It basically was filmed in one weekend.”

Arnott-Weidman said BACK FROM THE GRAVE TO HAUNT ME received a standing ovation after a screening at the 2011 Dark Shadows Festival, and that a sequel — CURSE OF THE FULL MOON — was shot the following year. The sequel features DARK SHADOWS cast members Sharon Smyth Lentz and Kathleen Cody, and spiritual medium Chip Coffey.

Just so you know what you’re getting yourself into, BACK FROM THE GRAVE TO HAUNT ME features a battle of wills between Barnabas Collins and a dog named Rodolfo, as well as an appearance by Pee-wee Herman. It goes to some strange places. You can watch the film below.

The CHS scores two Rondo nominations!

It's always nice to wake up to good news.

This year's Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards nominations went live late last night, and it's list that includes nods for The Collinsport Historical Society in two categories! We've been nominated for BEST WEBSITE OR BLOG OF 2015, and our latest publication, TASTE THE BLOOD OF MONSTER SERIAL, has been nominated for BOOK OF THE YEAR.

For those of you keeping score at home, this is the third consecutive year the CHS has been nominated for Best Website or Blog. (We took home the award back in 2012.) Our previous publication, BRIDE OF MONSTER SERIAL, was also nominated for Best Book last year.

And here endeth the tooting of my own horn.

But we're not the sole standard bearers for DARK SHADOWS on this year's Rondo ballot. A pair of stories from issue #95 of Scary Monsters magazine - an interview with cast member Sharon Lentz and a feature on the history of the Dark Shadows Festival - have also been nominated in writing awards.

Also, congratulations to CHS contributor Jessica Dwyer, who has also been nominated in two writing categories! (Well, three categories, if you count her work in TASTE THE BLOOD OF MONSTER SERIAL.)

As usual, this year's winners will be determined by votes from the public. And that means you. Readers are asked to select winners from this year's nominees and e-mail their selections to awards manager David Colton.

All voting is by e-mail only. If you want to vote in every category, you can find the entire ballot HERE. If you want to vote only for the DARK SHADOWS-related entries, copy and paste this bit of text:

8. BEST SHORT FILM
THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: A POEM OF POE
(A short film by Ansel Faraj starring Christopher Pennock of DARK SHADOWS.)

10. BOOK OF THE YEAR
TASTE THE BLOOD OF MONSTER SERIAL

The final entry in our MONSTER SERIAL line of books collects dozens of essays about some of the best (and worst) vampire movies of all time, brought to you by our regular contributors. This book also features a special introduction by Kathryn Leigh Scott!

12. BEST ARTICLE
‘Reunions in the Dark,’ by Jerry Boyd, SCARY MONSTERS #95. The sometimes tortured history of Dark Shadows conventions.

13. BEST INTERVIEW
Sharon Smyth, Dark Shadows’ youngest ghost, interviewed by Rod Labbe, SCARY MONSTERS #95.

16. BEST WEBSITE OR BLOG OF 2015
COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Send your entries David Colton, at [email protected] by Sunday at midnight, April 10, 2016.

Voting is limited to one ballot per person. Every e-mail must include your name to be counted. All votes are kept strictly confidential. No e-mail addresses or personal information will ever be shared with anyone.

Via: rondoaward.com

Now hear this: ON A COUNTRY ROAD

A few weeks ago, Sharon Smyth Lentz, director Barry Dodd and I spent the evening on Skype, recording a commentary track for Dodd’s wonderful ON A COUNTRY ROAD.  I wasn’t actually involved with the production of the 2014 film short; I’m just a fan of Dodd’s work and pitched the commentary as a possible installment of our podcast.

Dodd one-upped me, though, and has edited our scene-specific commentary track to sync with his film, which is now available as a bonus feature with the purchase of ON A COUNTRY ROAD.

I’ve been planning a review of the film for quite some time, a piece that’s been delayed by my own inadequacies as a writer. Shorts are pretty tough to discuss in significant detail without accidentally wandering into spoiler territory ... and this has left me at a literal loss for words. It should be obvious by now, though, that I dig the film. It’s an incredibly professional production, and both Sharon and actor Kip Weeks are terrific in it.

But wait! There’s more!

Dodd has provided me with a discount coupon for readers of The Collinsport Historical Society. If you use the coupon code londonbridge, you can take $3 off the price of the purchase price of the film. (Note: the coupon code is not valid for rentals.) The purchase price includes the original version of the film, as well as a new edition with our commentary track.

The code will be valid for the remainder of the August, 2015, so act now!

If you’ve already purchased the movie, you’ll find the edition with the commentary track already available in your library for no additional charge.

The movie is being provided courtesy of VHX, which has a Roku app that allows you to stream film purchases and rentals. Their movies are also available as direct downloads — and DRM free — in a variety of video formats, ranging from smartphone-friendly SD360 to HD 1080p.

You can find ON A COUNTRY ROAD at: onacountryroad.vhx.tv.

ON A COUNTRY ROAD now available online

ON A COUNTRY ROAD, a short thriller featuring one of the original cast members of DARK SHADOWS, is now available for rent and purchase online.

The movie premiered at last year's Damnationland film festival, an annual showcase of Maine-made short horror films. Since then, I've been waiting patiently for my chance to see the 17 minute feature, which stars Kip Weeks (from 2008's THE STRANGERS) and Sharon Smyth Lentz ("Sarah Collins" on the original DARK SHADOWS television series.)

"We wrote the part specifically for (Sharon) and it's a big role, as well," director Barry Dodd told the Collinsport Historial Society in 2014. "This is not a cameo, she's a major character in this piece. I'll do my best to make DARK SHADOWS fans proud!"

ON A COUNTRY ROAD is available for rent and purchase as a DRM-free video from VHX at 720p and 1080p. You can watch a preview of the film below. Get it HERE.

The film is an adaption of an episode of the SUSPENSE radio show, first broadcast Nov. 16, 1950. and starred Cary Grant, Cathy Lewis, and Jeannette Nolan.

The Collinsport Historical Society is brewing some additional content related to ON A COUNTRY ROAD, so stay tuned!

Sharon Smyth Lentz joins the cast of NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

Sharon Smyth Lentz in ON A COUNTRY ROAD.

 
For a show that's been off the air for more than 40 years, DARK SHADOWS never stops giving me things to write about.

This weekend, it was announced that Sharon Smyth Lentz — who played the little sister of Barnabas Collins on the original DARK SHADOWS — had joined the cast of NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE.

It's only surprising if you haven't been paying attention. Sharon has become very active in independent film, working on both sides of the camera on films such as ON A COUNTRY ROAD and POTENT MEDIA'S SUGAR SKULL GIRLS.

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE is scheduled to begin production in 2015. It's a supernatural thriller about ghosts, reincarnation and destiny that owes a small debt to a certain daytime drama.

"This movie has obviously been very influenced by DARK SHADOWS," Lentz said. "There are many elements to it that just feel like Collinwood all over again!"

Lentz and Jonathan Frid on DARK SHADOWS.

The film also features a "little ghost girl," she said.

"I can tell you that it is a very well written script, and there are some fantastic actors involved," Lentz said. "I feel truly blessed to have been able to audition for a part in this movie."

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE stars Lauren Holly (PICKET FENCES, DUMB AND DUMBER),Conrad Goodie (ONE TREE HILL), Kimberly Estrada and Academy Award nominee Sally Kirkland.

Follow the movie's production at its official Facebook page HERE. 

Via Horror Society.

DARK SHADOWS reunion to take place at Epic-Con

Five original cast members from DARK SHADOWS are scheduled to attend the second annual Epic-Con Ohio: Geek Fest this weekend.

Set to appear are Jerry Lacy, Sharon Sharon Lentz, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Marie Wallace. Epic-Con Ohio takes place Oct. 24-26  at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Dayton, Ohio.

The event will be donating $5 from each ticket to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.


Click HERE for more details.

DARK SHADOWS actress among cast of new indie film

Kip Weeks, star of the horror movie THE STRANGERS, and Sharon Smyth Lentz, star of ABC’s legendary ‘60s supernatural soap opera DARK SHADOWS, are joining forces with the creative team behind the multiple-award-winning web series RAGGED ISLE to create the short film, ON A COUNTRY ROAD.

Producers are turning to crowdsourcing to fund the film, and launched an Indiegogo campaign this week with a variety of perks available for investors. The campaign is scheduled to end Sept. 12.

Sharon Smyth Lentz

"It's such an honor to be able to get the chance to work with Sharon," said director Barry Dodd. "I hope that her fans can help us in our efforts to put her up on the big screen. We wrote the part specifically for her and it's a big role as well. This is not a cameo, she's a major character in this piece! I'll do my best to make DARK SHADOWS fans proud!"

"For inspiration, we're drawing from America’s Golden Age of Radio," writer Greg Tulonen explains on the film's Indiegogo website. "One of the grand titans of radio drama was SUSPENSE, a thriller anthology series that broadcast nearly a thousand episodes over its 20-year run. Dubbed 'radio's outstanding theater of thrills,' the show served up weekly suspense yarns, often featuring leading Hollywood actors of the day."

Tulonen said those classic productions were often worth more than the sum of their parts.

"What we love about these old shows is how they were able to evoke such strong reactions from their audience with the simplest of tools," he said. "A sputtering car engine, breaking glass, a scream - suddenly, your blood is running cold."

The film is an adaption of an episode of SUSPENSE titled ON A COUNTRY ROAD. The story was first broadcast Nov. 16, 1950, and starred Cary Grant, Cathy Lewis, and Jeannette Nolan. (You can listen to the episode on Youtube.)

"For our adaptation, we’ve updated the characters and setting, but have kept most of the story beats intact," Tulonen said. "Still, we’ve thrown in a couple of twists of our own to keep you on your toes."

ON A COUNTRY ROAD will premiere at this year's Damnationland, an annual showcase of Maine-made short horror films. After that, producers plan to submit it to film festivals across the globe.

Learn more about the project at www.indiegogo.com.

A rough guide to DARK SHADOWS at MONSTERCON

The programming schedule has been finalized for next weekend's MONSTERCON event in Greenville, S.C. You can find the full schedule available of the MonsterCon "event" page on Facebook. If you're looking specifically for DARK SHADOWS events, though, you'll find a handy cheat-sheet below.

Sharon Smyth-Lentz and Jonathan Frid, 1967.

Sharon Smyth-Lentz, who played "Sarah Collins," kid sister to vampire Barnabas Collins, will be at table booth G128 throughout the weekend. I have not seen a map of the convention floor yet (in fact, I'm still waiting to find out where The Collinsport Historical Society table will be located) but imagine one will be provided to you upon arrival at the venue.

SATURDAY, JULY 19


PANEL ONE (UPPER DECK):

2-3 p.m.: The Golden Age of Television
I'll be joining Sharon and classic TV historian Tom Elmore in a discussion about the history, longevity, and overall impact of DARK SHADOWS other  classic TV shows.

MAIN EVENTS (ARENA STAGE):

7:30- 8:30 p.m: Valentine Wolfe: UNPLUGGED.
Join South Carolina recording artists Valentine Wolfe as they perform their unique Steampunk/Victorian-inspired music live and unplugged for the MonsterCon crowd in this special acoustic set. I should mention that this has absolutely nothing to do with DARK SHADOWS. But, I've been a fan of Valentine Wolfe for several years now and don't plan to miss this performance. Look for me in the audience :)

DARK SHADOWS news digest

Kathryn Leigh Scott and Lara Parker on DARK SHADOWS, 1967.

A LOOK BACK AT DAYTIME TELEVISION'S FIRST "BITCH GODDESS"

There's an interesting editorial at The Huffington Post about Lara Parker. Here's a sample:

Now some 43 years after its cancellation, Angelique is still flying...or rather Lara Parker is flying, trading in her broomstick, for the comfort of jetliners around the country meeting new fans alongside her rival (on the series) Kathryn Leigh Scott who played Maggie Evans, Josette Dupres and several other characters on the show. Recently, the dynamic duo of good and evil have been making the rounds at conventions in North Carolina and Alabama. All this as they gear up for the official Dark Shadows Festival June 28 and 29 at the Lyndhurst mansion in Tarrytown, New York. The mansion was used as Collinwood in both of MGM's feature adaptations of the Dark Shadows saga. The event offers Dark Shadows fans a chance to meet "Angelique," get an autograph, purchase her books and maybe even convince her to "laugh" for them.

Via THE HUFFINGTON POST.

Grayson Hall in WHO ARE YOU, POLLY MAGGOO, 1966.

LISTEN TO GRAYSON HALL'S APPEARANCES ON "SUSPENSE" ON YOUTUBE

In 1962, Grayson Hall made two appearances on the radio show SUSPENSE, a popular radio program that launched two decades earlier in 1942. Both of Hall's episodes, SNOW ON 66 and WEEKEND AT GLEEBESS, are now streaming on Youtube. Intrepid explorers might even find these episodes available for download as MP3s on other sites. (Thanks to Roy Isbell for the links!)

SHARON SMYTH LENTZ, THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
SCHEDULED TO APPEAR AT MONSTERCON IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Um ... the headline pretty much tells you what you need to know about the Greenville, S.C., event scheduled for the weekend of July 18. Not only will Sharon be there, so will Butch Patrick and Pat Priest of THE MUNSTERS, making this a singularly amazing "monster kid" bash. I'm working to get the DARK SHADOWS fans from around the region to turn out for the MonsterCon event so, even if you are unable to attend, please tell your friends. LINK

TWO JOAN BENNETT FILMS TO AIR ON TCM JUNE 10
Turner Classic Movies is airing a pair of Joan Bennett/Edward G. Robinson/Dan Duryea/Fritz Lang collaborations Tuesday, June 10. At 8 p.m. EST is THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, which also features Raymond Massey. I haven't seen the film and can't comment on it, but the 10 p.m. film, SCARLET STREET, is terrific. Dark, funny and surprising, SCARLET STREET is the kind of film the Coen Brothers would have made in the 1940s had they been born a few decades earlier. The film is actually in the public domain and can be seen online for free HERE. See TCM's online schedule for more details.

DARK SHADOWS cast members reunite at Monster Mania

DARK SHADOWS cast members joined the likes of Robert Englund, Drea DeMatteo and Gunnar Hansen (the original "Leatherface" in THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) at the Monster Mania Con in Cherry Hill, N.J. over the weekend. The delegation from Collinsport included Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Sharon Smyth Lentz, Marie Wallace and Jerry Lacy. Photos from the event were circulating social media networks over the weekend, and I've swiped for your enjoyment.

But the parties are just getting started! Cast members from DARK SHADOWS will continue to make personal appearances throughout the summer. Sharon will appear at MonsterCon in Greenville, S.C., the weekend of July 18-20. Lara and Kathryn will be a ConCarolinas in Charlotte, N.C., the weekend of May 30-June 1. The Collinsport Historical Society will also be present at both conventions ... stop by our tables and say hello!
 
On June 28-29, Lara, Kathryn and Marie will be joined by David Selby, James Storm, John Karlen and Nancy Barrett at the annual Dark Shadows Festival in Tarrytown, N.Y.

Stay tuned for announcements about future public appearances!

Collinsport News Bulletins

Dick Smith, right, adds a few hundred years to actor Jonathan Frid.

* Academy Award-winning make-up artist Dick Smith, the make-up artist for such films as THE GODFATHER, THE EXORCIST and HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, will be receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild in February. Smith was also the make-up artist on the original DARK SHADOWS television series. Via The Hollywood Reporter

* DARK SHADOWS writer Sam Hall is suing for royalties involving his work on episodes of ONE LIFE TO LIVE distributed in 2013 through services such as iTunes and Hulu. Via We Love Soaps.

* THE COLLINSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY's first book, MONSTER SERIAL, received a nice mention by the BAY AREA REPORTER. The book is available from Amazon.

* Sharon Smyth Lentz ("Sarah Collins" from DARK SHADOWS) will be appearing in July at the MonsterCon in Greenville, S.C., alongside folks like Butch Patrick, Pat Priest and Ricou Browning (of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.)

Sharon Lentz sells SUGAR CRISP

Man, I miss the days when cereal companies didn't even TRY to hide their product's empty, tooth-rotting tendencies. This might as well be a commercial for crystal meth. While the product's history is fuzzy, Sugar Crisp was eventually renamed "Super Sugar Crisp" before settling on the more benign "Golden Crisp." Not to be outdone, Kellogg's sold pretty much the same product under the William S. Burroughs sounding name of "Sugar Smacks."

Now the phrase "Naked Lunchables" has appeared in my head and I'm trying to not imagine what that product might be like. But I digress.

Those of you with sharp eyes will recognize a very young SHARON SMYTH LENTZ in the commercial above. This was a few years before her stint on DARK SHADOWS as Sarah Collins. There's some speculation on Youtube about the identity of the actor playing "Big Kid" in the commercial, but it's possible it might be the late JEFF CONAWAY of TAXI.

Seaview Terrace returns to television with STRANDED

SEAVIEW TERRACE will return to television in April. The historic landmark, used as the exterior location for the original DARK SHADOWS series, will find itself entertaining the cast on an episode of STRANDED, a new reality show on Syfy. The show debuts Feb. 27, with the Seaview Terrace episode set to air March. 6.

Later this year, DARK SHADOWS stars KATHLEEN CODY and SHARON LENTZ will appear at Seaview as part of a benefit for site. Lentz and Cody will appear May 18 with Jason Hawes (Ghost Hunters,) Dustin Pari (Ghost Hunters International) and psychic/medium, Chip Coffey.

The event benefits SeaviewCARES, a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of Seaview Terrace. For more details, visit www.idealeventmanage.com.

Here's the press release about STRANDED:

INNOVATIVE REALITY SERIES DEBUTS WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27 AT 9PM

NEW YORK - If you thought Paranormal Activity was scary - get ready for Stranded. The new Syfy reality series, premiering Wednesday, February 27 at 9PM (ET/PT), uses the same stripped-down first-person method to document an unconventional - and terrifying - paranormal and psychological experiment in which participants are stranded at haunted location for a week and must record the entire experience themselves.

Jason Blum, producer of the Paranormal Activity movie franchise, Insidious and Sinister, serves as an executive producer; as does Josh Gates, the host and co-executive producer of Syfy’s popular series Destination Truth.

Each of the six hour-long episodes features the self-recorded footage of a diverse group of everyday paranormal enthusiasts. The footage from the subjects’ cameras is supplemented by strategically-placed security cameras at each location, creating a suspenseful, completely unscripted first-hand account of each group’s stay.

Over the course of the confinement, the subjects contend with increasingly pervasive feelings of fear and desolation, resulting in an experiment that represents a unique combination of psychology and the paranormal.

Star Island in New Hampshire serves as the haunted locale in the premiere episode of Stranded. Upcoming shows were filmed at sites such as Seaview Terrace in Newport, Rhode Island, and the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia.

In addition to Blum and Gates, Stranded is executive-produced by Brad Kuhlman and Casey Brumels for Ping Pong Productions, and co-executive-produced by Gerard Bocaccio, who heads up Blumhouse TV.