Dark Shadows Favorite Cast Members: John Karlen, Grayson Hall, and Thayer David

[@Themanwhocameback2]

David Selby stands out. So many of the other interviewees are rather, ..... actorish. He seems so genuine and sincere. David says that Grayson Hall was unique. Well, among the men interviewed here, David Selby is unique.

[@JohnCee754]

Thayer David was one of my favourite actors in that series. Many actors played different roles on that show, but none had more varied characters than Thayer David -- he was the murderous groundskeeper, the illiterate servant, the learned professor and the evil count. And each role was so compelling. Even as a kid, I thought he was great. As an adult, I appreciate his acting abilities all the more.

[@chrisreeves1547]

Amen.

[@billclark1333]

I couldn't agree more! He was a brilliant actor who made every role his very own.

[@jonhinson5701]

I couldn't have said it better.

[@oro881]

As a teenager, I met him several times. He was a gracious, intelligent, patient man. And a great actor!!

[@jamiestrickland8386]

Willie was so dramatic and I just loved his character.

[@notgivinup]

Me too, he was amazing!

[@michaelallport5816]

Alexandra Moltke will forever be in my heart!!!!!!! Both Maggie and Sarah were beyond precious!!!!

[@kimharbison5277]

To this day I believe John Karlen was the best, most natural actor on Dark Shadows. May he RIP...

[@debradonato408]

I LOVED Willie Loomis

[@LindaPolley]

Willie Loomis will always be my favorite Dark Shadows character.

[@those_eyes]

I was always afraid of Willie Loomis

[@scotnick59]

20:30 The "Dark Shadows" I remember: when it was good, it was VERY good

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

I get upset with people commenting on errors. I agree with you. When it was good, it WAS very good. Thank you for your comment.

[@RoseRed81]

I remember watching this as a young girl and I was absolutely horrified by this series but I loved it so much that I kept watching it and to this day I have every episode on DVD and I'm watching it constantly I never get tired of the wonderful soap opera of dark shadows 💋

[@rainbowducky9774]

Wonderful video!! John Karlen, and David Selby were my favorites, DS was great!

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

Thank you. I posted a video this past week on David, Lara Parker and Kate Jackson. This coming week, I am working on more David Selby interviews. He is so interesting,

[@jazzysophie9943]

I loved Dark Shadows. Always after school it came on. I watched everyday. Vampires these days.....well, too much for me. But, Dark Shadows was absolutely remarkable!!

[@AnnaGladden-z3s]

I couldn't wait for school to let out for the day so I could go home to watch Dark Shadows and hated when I had to wait until the next day to watch it again.

[@jazzysophie9943]

@@AnnaGladden-z3s Yes, those were the days weren't they? I also looked forward to Dark Shadows. Me, my sisters, and friends all watched. It sort of seemed innocent compared to today's violence.

[@williamwatson4354]

That entire scene with Stokes just gets to me.

[@alphs2673]

Yes, it's so good isn't it? Three great actors, great script, it's all right there.

[@sandrapalacio9614]

I've been watching the series on Tubi at night and loving it. I would run home after school to watch DS.

[@bradleyamor8854]

I used to run home from school for to watch also.

[@air757]

@@bradleyamor8854 me too, in south bend indiana

[@1231rockchick]

Same here. I was addicted back in uts original run

[@bh0931]

​@E Gonz albany ny. Scared of dr Julia Hoffman and Angelique.

[@is1531]

I watched the show regularly back in the 60's. I now watch every episode on Freevee Tv and Tubi TV. Other than Maggie's 2 actors that played her father,everybody else was great.John Karlen was amazing along with Thayer David.Jonathan Frid,Lara Parker and Kathryn Scott. I use to get so annoyed with Roger. How many times on the show when something happened did we hear the person that told Roger or somebody else what happened they would say it was your imagination. I still miss Mitchell Ryan who was fired form the show for drinking too much. His replacement that starred in season 1 on the Untouchables was not very good. Looking back in time at the age of 70,I would say it's the best soap opera I ever saw

[@heavenbounddaughter1125]

I miss the ones who have passed away.

[@chrisreeves1547]

Me too!

[@rondamullins8831]

I really love these interviews. Thank you so much! I have loved Dark Shadows and its cast for many years. Only wish I could have met them. They are like family.

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

Thank you, Ronda. I'm working on some David Selby interviews that should be up soon.

[@TheMladyne]

I always felt that John Karlen just didn't get enough screen time. I thought he highly underrated. John Karlen and David Selby were fabulous!

[@chrisreeves1547]

Thank you for putting this together................ that was brilliant what Grayson Hall's son did with her signature!!!!!

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

Thank you. I thought the comments from her son were great. She was so well regarded by all of her cast members as well.

[@nedraleggett6837]

These interviews are amazing. Just AWSOME. Yes. I was one of those preteens that hurried home to watch Dark Shadows. Thank you for your work.

[@user-xr8co4oi8h]

David Collins was an excellent actor to be so young. Jason, although I hated his character, was excellent. I found out one of my favorite characters from All my Children came from Dark Shadows, Langley Wallingford.

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

A nice connection for you. Louis was on All My Children from 1979 to 1995, on and off in the later years while he was recovering from cancer.

[@thejupiter2574]

This was wonderful. Thank you for editing this all together for us. I love it.

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

You are so welcome!

[@user-xr8co4oi8h]

Thanks for the info

[@marilynwillett804]

David Selby retained his good looks.

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

Yes he did. I'm working on a David Selby piece which should be up in the next few days.,

[@robhaskins]

RIP Chris Pennock-what an amazing artist

[@karentarr8930]

Great interviews ty for putting this together for us❤️🐾

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

You are very welcome. More on the way!

[@phtevlin]

Professor Stokes was my favorite character in this show.

[@lady469wv2]

There Is And Never Will Be Any Other Production In TV Entertainment That Will Top This Gothic Romance Thriller SOAP It Is A Unique Masterpiece That Is The Ultimate In Capturing Its Audience With Suspence, Terror, Thrills, Passion, Secrets, Villans, Time Warps, Ghosts, A Phoenix, Vampires And Especially "Barnabas Collins" Tne Vampire You Will Fall In Love With, And The Werewolves And Especially "Quentin Collins" The Werewolf You will Fall In Love With, Its Own Frankenstein, Zombies, Witches Especially "Angelique" So Beautiful But Yet So Evil, Warlocks, The Stories Will Encapture Your Attention You Won't Be Able To Miss An Episode. There Is Just So Much Still I Haven't Mentioned. Believe Me When I Tell You "DARK SHADOWS" Is A Treasure Of Memories To All Of It's Fans. It Is Truly Unforgetable. Thanks To All The Beloved Cast & Crew And Especially To The Man Who Created The Series Thank You ❤ 🕊 Dan Curtis❗

[@darkshadowsfansunite8140]

Wow. Thank you for sharing your love of the series. You are in a friendly place on this channel.

[@kimberlyolsen3468]

I just started watching Dark Shadows again on freebie I was 8 years old when it came out and I'm 65 now and it's so wonderful to start all over again this time I don't have to run home from school Dark Shadows started at 3:30 and we got out at 3:00 you never seen a bunch of girls run home so fast I could never keep up with my big sister and her friends to get a spot in front of the television oh those were the days now I have a daughter who's 33 and I told her I'm going to get you hooked on this soap opera we wanted something mother and daughter to do together and this is going to be it sitting in front of the television binge watching Dark Shadows ​@@darkshadowsfansunite8140

[@xray86delta]

😂 the second I saw that face, I knew that's "Willie Loomis"! I loved that character! Barnabas Collins's 'Renfield'!

[@johnnymeckins7866]

Aww Quentin loved Magda😍

[@FilPol-yu1es]

I would've loved to know Grayson Hall's & Thayer David's Opinions on Dark Shadows---20 years later removed.

[@Havagood1]

Love them all!Grayson Hall is a favorite

[@jonhinson5701]

I thought Magda (Grayson Hall) and Sandor ( Thayer David) could have carried their own show. They were among my favorite characters. I remember a scene in 1897 where Carl (John Karlen) is wildly speculating to his sister Judith (Joan Bennett) about who killed Quentin at that time. Angelique brought Quentin back, of course. But Karlen was fantastic in this scene with Bennett.

[@janettepolt2815]

I love Willy Loomis. He was always so protective of Josette.

[@jeffzloczower2886]

Great memories !

[@janetlieb2507]

L💙ve. Grayson! Especially As The Countess! She reads Tarot! So Do i!💙🌜

[@LindaPolley]

Grayson is my second favorite Dark Shadows person, after John Karlen.

[@janetlieb2507]

@@LindaPolley yes ! They are great! 💙💙

[@tennesseegirl5539]

Karlan......played Willie THE BEST! He was so sweet! I felt so sorry for him!

[@PhilAlumb]

Kathryn Leigh Scott..still lovely.

[@Lee-pg7fw]

Loved her

[@rjjen1696]

great insight --- what a riot

[@haybee1246]

I think Thayer David and Grayson Hall must have had a total ball with all the wigs and makeup. Happy theatrics overkill!!

[@BernardProfitendieu]

"didn't have to read because they were firing someone" - yeah, the original Willie Loomis was played as a total sex pest - I'm sure the actor was playing him as written, but he came off as menacing in a way that did not fit in well with afternoon programming. He was only around for a handful of episodes. John Karlen played Willie with his personality transformed after his unfortunate first encounter with Barnabas and quickly became a beloved Dark Shadows character. To their credit, Dark Shadows casting didn't hesitate to fire someone who wasn't working out - the original Sam Evans also read as creepy and didn't last more than a couple weeks. David Ford was able to play a fatherly relationship with Maggie Evans that was affectionate without being creepy. Two good casting switches.

[@nativevirginian8344]

Sam Hall WAS NOT the only writer on DS. They always acted like he was.

[@maynardsmoreland]

Thayer David brought gravitas to every role.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

10:05 The absolute truth about Grayson Hall.

[@kalasue1]

She was my cousin. Amazing woman!!

[@Marcel_Audubon]

"didn't have to read for it because they were firing someone ..." yeah, the original actor playing Willie Loomis gave him such a creepy interpretation that it was unsustainable. It was somewhat written that way, but it was that actor, too. As soon as the casting changed, Willie became a central character gaining the audience's sympathy. Again, a shift in writing supported this, but it was John's great acting, too. The first actor (James Hall) was taking the character in the wrong direction.

[@JoeyMayo]

Thayer David had a very interesting face. The kind of face that a person would remember.

[@those_eyes]

Unfortunately, Lara Parker just passed a few days ago 10/23/23

[@maineindividual5202]

Based on John Karlens and David Hennessy 's physical resemblance I was always surprised David didn't end up being Willy's son. Actors ages were even right with Karlens being in his early 30s and Hennessy being a pre teen when the show started. Louis Emmonds was of course great and all but age wise looked more like David's grandfather then father

[@marilynwillett804]

I don't think David resembled Willie in the least. I was a nanny years ago, ''upper class'' wealthy boys his age do not have female nannies, they go to private boarding school. They could have given him a couple of male friends his own age, had him playing ball, ect. Aside from talking to adults he was pretty much neglected. After being stuck in the 'secret mausoleum room' for a couple of days; his dad gives him a sandwich up in his bedroom. Cold.

[@marilynwillett804]

I was a teen back then, in my opinion the first Willie Loomis would have been the perfect punk for the part, cute, blonde and sneaky but they din't keep him and he was in his 20's Karlen was already 33 and a ham, too excitable.

[@maineindividual5202]

@@marilynwillett804 how many episodes did the first Willie Loomis last? I'll have to Google that I didn't know there was another one. I'm not sure if the character had to be age specific I think it could have been about any age he was pretty much a swindler when it first started. Is the episodes went on he developed a heart and a conscience.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

​@@marilynwillett804Victoria Winters was never a "nanny" she was a governess and tutor. In fact the word "nanny" wasn't often used in the United States until the 1980s when pretentious young urban professionals started throwing it around. In a misguided attempt to sound wealthy. Mercifully, its use has diminished again since that era. The word nanny is never used in Dark Shadows.

[@BernardProfitendieu]

@@maineindividual5202 very few episodes - maybe 5 or 6? his name was James Hall. He lived at Collinwood due to some Jason McGuire blackmailing of Elizabeth and had a creepy way of interacting with Victoria and Carolyn - really gave off the vibe of someone who the girls needed to lock their doors at night to protect themselves. I can't say this is all the actor's fault, it had to have been written that way, but it wasn't really sustainable on an afternoon soap in the 1960s. The character changed completely when John Karlen came aboard and that was neatly aligned in the story narrative with his coming under Barnabas' control and becoming meek.

[@MissWitchiepoo]

As an adult I found out Alexandra Moltke's family had come from Denmark I would have liked to have known that as a child as I too was from Denmark. I think Grayson was pretty bad as Julia she just looked so funny but when she became Magda she was really good. David Selby was my favorite I loved him.

[@pattibrooks1907]

I loved Dark Shadows ! John Karlen died in 2020 or 2021 I think !

[@nativevirginian8344]

I saw an interview with Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall got on his nerves. She was loud & brash & foul mouthed, & he didn’t like that.

[@BernardProfitendieu]

haha - tough!

[@JonnyTheLeprechaun]

Didn't like Thayer David.

[@iscariot666]

😮

[@theofficialzombiewhisperer2]

Lara Parker recently passed 🥺