jonathan frid

‘Dark Shadows’ Star Jonathan Frid Dies At 87

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Jonathan Frid, the actor who immortalized the campy vampire in the ’60s era daytime classic “Dark Shadows,” has died.

Frid was 87.

He died from complications of a fall, according to former cast member Kathryn Leigh Scott, who played Maggie Evans and several other characters on the gothic soap.

“Dark Shadows” was a national craze for much of its run on ABC daytime from 1966-1971.The show was a slow ratings starter — centered around the bored and rich Collins family.

About six months into the run, producer Dan Curtis decided to add supernatural elements to the program — vampires, ghosts, witches, people coming back from the dead, going back in time, people playing dual characters and a parallel universe.

Frid was Barnabas Collins, a brooding, reluctant and sometimes conflicted vampire who found love elusive.when he joined the cast in early 1967, the ratings shot through the roof.

A generation of today’s adults can recall running home from school to watch the program. it spawned two theatrical movies, board games, a lunch box, trading cards and comic book craze. A short-lived prime time version — with actor Ben Cross as Barnabas –  aired in 1991. Another pilot, in 2004, was shot but never aired.

Frid died on Friday the 13th. he makes a cameo in the upcoming Johnny Depp version of “Dark Shadows” due out May 11.

For many years, Frid ran from his celebrity and refused to attend fan events. he came to embrace his legacy in later years selling postcards, greeting cards and autographs on his site, jonathanfrid.com.

Deaths Elsewhere

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Published: April 20. 2012 4:00AM PST

Deaths of note from around the world:

Richard Hamilton, 76: Longtime official for the New York Racing Association. Died Wednesday in Albany, N.Y., of a heart attack.

Jonathan Frid, 87: Canadian actor best known for playing Barnabas Collins in the 1960s original vampire soap opera “dark Shadows.” Died April 13 in Hamilton, Ontario, of natural causes.

Stanley Resor, 94: former U.S. secretary of the Army appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. He held the position after President Richard Nixon’s election and retired in 1971 to return to a New York law practice. Died Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

Helen Lundeen Whittemore, 81: Ran a wallpapering business in Washington, D.C., while acting as a muse to her husband, Reed Whittemore — a two-time poet laureate of the United States. Died Monday in Washington, D.C., of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Jeffrey Chandler, 70: Influential member of the family that built the Los Angeles Times and the last person with the Chandler name to play a significant role in the newspaper’s ownership. Died Sunday near San Diego of cancer.

— from wire reports

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Yogurt, Calcium, Vitamin D, and Muscle Building

Anyone looking to take the natural route to muscle building and quality weight gain is always on the lookout for anything to get a leg up on their physiques. well, recently a study was conducted that may give some positive nods to yogurt, calcium, and vitamin D..(notice I said may).

Here’s the study first, then at the end of this article I’ll give you my personal thoughts on whether this will actually make a difference in building muscle mass or not: The International Society of Sports Nutrition Conference grabbed a group of 35 women, all an average age of 19. they were all considered calcium deficient because they didn’t consume a minimum of 800 mgs of per day. The study lasted 8 weeks, and they were required to weight train.

The 35 women were divided into 3 groups. The first group were given yogurt at specific times, the second group protein, and the third carbohydrates. The protein and carb groups were to continue to eat as they had before the study began, meaning that they were still going to be consuming a low or deficient amount of calcium. The yogurt group, however, ate three servings of yogurt, which contained 200 mgs of calcium and 40 units of vitamin D per serving..which equals a total of at least 600 mgs of calcium and 120 units of vitamin D per day from the yogurt alone.

As soon as they would complete their strength training workout, the protein group would drink some type of sports drink. The carb group would drink a carb-only beverage. The yogurt group would consume one of their yogurt servings. however, for all three groups the amount of calories eaten post workout was 100 calories, regardless if it was a sports drink, a carb-only drink, or a serving a yogurt. well, after the 8 week study was completed, it was noticed that the women in the yogurt group had the biggest gains in muscle building and strength gains.

Now, my take:

First off, keep in mind that the minimum recommended daily amount of calcium is 800 mgs, according to the study. The women in the yogurt group got 600 mgs of calcium from the 3 yogurt servings per day. That’s still 200 mgs below the minimum requirement. The problem with the study lies in that we don’t know for certain how much other calcium those women consumed from the other foods that they ate during the 8 week study. We don’t know if the addition of the 600 mgs of calcium from the yogurt to what they were getting from everything else was enough to push them above the minimum requirement of 800 mgs or not.

Also, another issue I have with this study is that it doesn’t say if these women had ever weight trained before this study or not. There’s a big difference with someone training for the first time in their life and someone that is a seasoned exercise enthusiast. They’re body’s response to workout programs are going to be very different in the initial stages. someone that has never trained is going to get an immediate and bigger boost from a workout routine than someone that has been at it for years.

In addition, although the study does conclude that the women in the yogurt group / higher calcium group did have a higher degree of muscle building and strength gain than the women in the other two groups, it doesn’t specify exactly how much. Hey, the yogurt group could have only gained half a pound more of lean muscle mass than the other groups, which would technically be considered having gained more muscle. but, when taking a look at the bigger picture, half a pound of lean muscle mass built after 8 weeks of hitting the weights isn’t anything to brag about. That’s not even really noticeable in the mirror.

So, at the end of the day, take studies like these with a grain of salt if muscle building is your goal.

Johnny Depp Honors ‘Dark Shadows’ Star Jonathan Frid

Johnny Depp has paid tribute to his dark Shadows predecessor Jonathan Frid following his death last week, calling him “a true original.” The cult star, who played vampire Barnabas Collins in the 1960s supernatural TV series, died from natural causes in Ontario, Canada on April 13th Depp, who takes over Frid’s role in Tim Burton’s upcoming Dark Shadows movie revamp, has hailed the late actor as his childhood hero, recalling how Frid was a consummate gentleman when they finally met. A statement from Depp reads, “Jonathan Frid was the reason I used to run home from school to watch dark Shadows. his elegance and grace was an inspiration then and will continue to remain one forever more.” “When I had the honor to finally meet him, as he so generously passed the torch of Barnabas to me, he was as elegant and magical as I had always imagined. my deepest condolences to his family and friends. The world has lost a true original.” Frid filmed a cameo appearance in Burton’s forthcoming adaptation, marking his final onscreen role.

THE COMPANION – A Regency Vampire Novel by Susan Squires

My love for vampires started with Barnabas Collins, a 175 year old vampire, played by Jonathan Frid. He appeared on the soap opera dark Shadows which ran from 1966 to 1971. Today vampire novels are plentiful and most seem to follow the familiar myths. The Companion by Susan Squires goes beyond the predictable and puts a fresh spin on the old legends.

Avid readers who hunger for stories about vampires that will transport them physically, intellectually and emotionally will love this book. It’s the first in Squires’ series and it’s one of my all time favorite vampire stories.

The time is 1819. The hero is Ian Rufford, a former naval officer, who was captured in Egypt and infected with the Companion by a sadistic woman who enslaved him. He escapes and hopes to find an English doctor who can cure him of his blood disorder.

He meets Elizabeth Rochewell, on a ship traveling from Egypt to England. Elizabeth was working with her father, an archaeologist, in the Sahara Desert. When he died she was forced to return home. Ian and Elizabeth are drawn to each other and become friends. but can Ian overcome his traumatic past and have a future with Elizabeth?

The story moves from Regency England to Egypt and Squires is equally at home in both settings. she provides rich historical detail, sizzling romance, strong characters and a depraved villainess.

Squires gives her vampires a unique and refreshing twist by infecting them with a parasite, and one that may have alien origins. There is some violence and explicit passages about sexual degradations. these are mainly revealed in flashbacks that give insight to Ian’s tortured past and add depth to his character.

This book is much more than a romance. It’s a sensual love story but it’s also a paranormal thriller and an historical drama. If you love vampires it’s a must read. Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks (May 2005) ISBN: 978-0312998530 Pages: 384

Jonathan Frid sank his teeth into ‘Dark’ role

Actor Jonathan Frid, best known for playing remorseful vampire Barnabas Collins in the 1960s cult Gothic daytime soap “Dark Shadows,” has died. he was 87.

Frid died April 13 of natural causes in an -Ontario hospital, but news of his death was only -disclosed yesterday.

His final film appearance will be a cameo in Tim Burton’s big-screen “Dark Shadows” remake opening May 11 and starring Johnny Depp in his iconic role.

Decades before the sexy bloodsuckers of “Twilight,” “true Blood” or “Being -Human,” there was Frid’s melancholy performance as the nearly 200-year-old vampire on “Dark Shadows.”

The soap was on the verge of cancellation when Frid made his first appearance on the show 45 years ago this month as Barnabas Collins. While Barnabas began as a typical monster, thirsty for blood and vengeance, the actor’s longing glances into the camera connected with female fans. As Frid acknowledged years later, what viewers were seeing was a combination of nerves and forgetfulness. “Dark -Shadows” was taped live, and Frid had a terrible time with his complicated dialogue.

Recognizing his popularity, series creator Dan Curtis softened Barnabas’ character, and Frid became the star of the show.

Born John Herbert Frid Dec. 2, 1924, in Ontario, he served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and ultimately -received a Master of Fine Arts degree in directing from the Yale School of Drama.

After the soap was canceled, he starred in Oliver Stone’s directorial debut “Seizure” in 1974, but spent the bulk of his career working in theater, staging well-received one-man shows.

Actress Kathryn Leigh Scott, who played Barnabas’ doomed 18th-century love Josette DuPres and her modern-day counterpart Maggie Evans, wrote yesterday on her blog, “I am so grateful to have worked with Jonathan, and to have known him as the charismatic, entertaining, complex and plain spoken man that he was. what fun we had working together! he was irascible, irreverent, funny, caring, lovable and thoroughly professional.”

Despite being canceled 41 years ago, “Dark Shadows” has never disappeared from the pop landscape. It has lived on in syndication, fan conventions, books, comics, a short-lived 1991 prime-time revival and recent audio -dramas reuniting the original cast. a limited-edition DVD box set in the shape of a coffin and featuring all 1,225 episodes of the series and an autographed card from Frid was recently released and quickly sold out. Frid, along with original cast mates Leigh Scott, Lara Parker (the evil witch Angelique) and David Selby (werewolf Quentin Collins), filmed a brief appearance last year for the big-budget film that seems to play the Gothic soap more for laughs.

Depp pushed for years to make the film, acknowledging he was obsessed by Frid’s performance when he was a kid.

“I have photographs of me holding Barnabas Collins posters when I was 5 or 6,” he told reporters.

Frid leaves behind a generation of baby boomers who ran home from school every weekday to see whom he would bite next.

'Dark Shadows' actor Jonathan Frid passes away at 87

Actor Jonathan Frid, best remembered for his portrayal of vampire Barnabas Collins on the gothic television soap opera Dark Shadows, has died at age 87. Although the news of Frid’s death surfaced on Thursday, the actor passed away of natural causes on Friday, April 13, 2012, at Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario.

Born John Herbert Frid in Hamilton, Ontario Canada on December 2, 1924, he was the son of a construction company executive Herbert Frid and Isabella Flora McGregor, a homemaker. Prior to getting into acting, Frid served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II and graduated from McMaster University in 1948. in 1949, he entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. Frid would go on to receive a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from the Yale School of Drama in 1957. he adopted the stage name Jonathan in 1962.

Frid began his stage career while at Yale, starring in William Synder’s a true and Special Friend. Frid went on to spend over forty years in live theater, appearing in numerous productions in both Canada and the United States.

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Despite his prolific stage career, Frid is best known for playing Barnabas Collins in the popular cult television show Dark Shadows. Frid starred in the soap series from 1966 to 1971. he also starred in a film adaptation of the show titled House of Dark Shadows, which came out in 1970.

Aside from Dark Shadows, Frid appeared in the TV film the Devil’s Daughter (1973) and 1974’s Seizure, directed by Oliver Stone.

Although Frid disappeared from film and TV after his appearance in Seizure, he continued his successful stage career including portraying Jonathan Brewster in the Broadway revival of Arsenic and old Lace. in recent years Frid regularly attended numerous Dark Shadows fan conventions.

Frid’s final performance can be seen in Tim Burton’s upcoming film version of Dark Shadows, which also features cameos from Frid’s fellow Dark Shadows co-stars Lara Parker, David Selby and Kathryn Leigh Scott.

Jonathan Frid, original ‘Dark Shadows’ star, dies at 87

Image Credit: Getty Images

UPDATED: Johnny Depp comments below …

Just a few weeks before his most famous character was to be reborn, the original Barnabas Collins from dark Shadows has died.

Jonathan Frid, the Canadian actor who brought the suave bloodsucker to life on the 1966-71 gothic soap opera, passed away from natural causes on April 13 in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, according to MPI Home Video, which releases the dark Shadows DVDs.

Dark Shadows inspired a generation of boys — Tim Burton and Johnny Depp among them — to become obsessed with a show originally aimed at their mothers. on may 11, Burton and Depp will debut their passion project: a big-screen version of the tale, with Depp taking on the role Frid originated.

Frid’s final screen role was a cameo as a party guest in the upcoming movie. “It’s a sad day,” Burton said in a statement. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet Jonathan on the set this past spring. He left an indelible impression. Barnabas lives on!”

Depp recalled his affection for Frid’s performance, going back to when he was a kid. “His elegance and grace was an inspiration then and will continue to remain one forever more,” Depp said in a statement. “When I had the honor to finally meet him, as he so generously passed the torch of Barnabas to me, he was as elegant and magical as I had always imagined.  My deepest condolences to his family and friends. the world has lost a true original.”

Before shooting last year, Depp told EW: “I do remember, very vividly, practically sprinting home from school in the afternoon to see Jonathan Frid play Barnabas Collins. Even then, at that age, I knew – this has got to be weird.”

Frid’s costar on the series, Kathryn Leigh Scott, posted a heartfelt appreciation of the late actor. “I’m so grateful to have worked with Jonathan, and to have known him as the charismatic, entertaining, complex, and plain-spoken man that he was,” she wrote. “What fun we had working together! He was irascible, irreverent, funny, caring, lovable, and thoroughly professional.”

She described this encounter on the set of the movie, where she and other original dark Shadows castmates reunited for the party scene: “I won’t ever forget the moment when the two Barnabas Collinses met, one in his late 80s and the other in his mid-40s, each with their wolf’s head canes. Jonathan took his time scrutinizing his successor’s appearance. “I see you’ve done the hair,’ Jonathan said to Johnny Depp, ‘but a few more spikes.’ Depp, entirely in character, replied, ‘yes, we’re doing things a bit differently.’”

Born John Herbert Frid, the late actor served in the Canadian Navy during World War II, and enrolled in London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1949. According to his official bio, he would go on to receive a master’s of fine arts degree in directing from the Yale School of Drama in 1957, though his career would focus mainly on acting. for many years before dark Shadows, he worked doing theater and small TV roles.

Barnabas Collins was to be another one of those brief guest appearances, but the character became so popular that he evolved into the central focus of the program. for decades after, Frid would appear at conventions celebrating what has become known as one of the weirdest shows on television.

Frid did occasional theater work after the soap opera was canceled, and he appeared in the 1973 TV movie the Devil’s Daughter and starred in Oliver Stone’s directorial debut, 1974′s Seizure, but his next return to the screen would be his last — the cameo in Burton and Depp’s dark Shadows.

(Additional reporting: Jeff Labrecque.)

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