A character that was supposed to only have a brief 13 episode run and Frid only took the role to earn money to become an acting teacher. But the character proved to be so popular that ratings went up and cemented the show's cult classic status.
With the exception of a couple films, Frid had primarily done stage work in Canada since the cancellation of the series. Although, he had reprised the role he made famous for a Big Finish audio The Night Whispers and is going to make a cameo in Tim Burton's big screen adaptation of the show.
I find certain parallels to the show Doctor Who. Not merely because of the production values, but also it seems like both shows acquired cult status with the introduction of a charasmatic actor. In Doctor Who's case, it was Tom Baker taking the role of the Doctor that Doctor Who didn't reach cult status in the States.
Funny thing is, both Jonathan Frid and Tom Baker were unknowns before taking their respective parts. Tom Baker had actually been working on a building site when he accepted the role.
Rest in Peace Jonathan Frid.
2 comments:
Very sorry to hear it.
We've been watching Dark Shadows the last few nights and having a blast-- he really made the show something.
So have we. We've actually been going in between the Beginnings 1 DVD set and the set that introduces Barnabas before bed.
Having watched some of the earlier episodes, his character really makes the show more interesting to watch.
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