"Dark Shadows" - LIVE bloopers!!

These are NOT OUTTAKES - the show ran LIVE! Thus if an actor dried or a prop acted up - they had to plough on regardless!!

[@hollyb6885]

These bloopers make me love the actors even more. They just had to take it all in stride, stay in character and continue with the scene

[@kenkarsh]

Dark Shadows was recorded, but they never stopped tape unless they absolutely had to. So, it was as close to live as that gets.

[@ThymeBottle]

Very true about actual live television, then, and thank you for the interesting, but sad story regarding the gentleman on that show. Many of the actors on "Dark Shadows" had prior experience within the constructs of live television, and the stage, therefore, they knew how to make a quick recovery when things very often went wrong. They had to learn a new script each day and weren't given the benefit of retakes, as daytime actors are, today. They did remarkable work considering the pressure.

[@TheJason5174]

The show was not broadcast live but was one of the first to videotape. The show was on a tight schedule due to doing 5 shows a week and the fact that it shared certain technical cameras with the evening remote news crew. Taping was not stopped for bloopers and only rarely for major technical malfunctions. The actress who played Carolyn Stoddard explained this in an interview after the show was cancelled in 1971.

[@LucisFerre1]

One, just off the top of my head, I liked where Burk Devlin once asked the doctor if he's looked at Maggie's blood sample under a microphone. LOL.

[@kurtb8474]

As a former live TV director, I really sympathize with the DS people. It is a huge undertaking. I lost count of all the on-air screwups that happened in my time. They were catastrophic at the time, but made for big laughs at the Christmas parties.

[@pferreira1983]

Poor Barnabas really did have to put up with some craziness! 🤣🤣

[@PREGO1966]

The show was recorded on tape in 1 take, the actors were told perform as if it were live. But it did NOT air live. The moment you saw it, it had been on tape for a few days to 2 weeks. As opposed to the moment you saw it, it was happening.

[@publicitypunk]

GREG MAY of Orlando, FL says: "Dark Shadows" was not aired live. It was recorded 'live-on-tape' meaning once they started rolling they never stopped down. That's why you see all these mishaps. But the one that takes the cake was when you could hear the director feeding 'Magda' her lines in the foyer of Collinwood."

[@phillyflash43]

"Don't you ever talk to me away, that way, that way again!"

[@jusssayin480]

It seems to be a common misconception that Dark Shadows was taped live. It was NOT taped live but it was too expensive to do second takes or stop taping so they basically just left everything in. The laugh track in this blooper video is ridiculous!

[@ThymeBottle]

I love the flash of lightning. They were brave souls doing this live-to-tape as they did.

[@georgehays4908]

....... Hi , I'm from the future !

[@robmcgowan4034]

You know, considering there were 1,225 episodes, there are really VERY few live bloopers. Just let that sink in. The number was nothing compared to what it could have been. It's also a miracle the show ever got on the air (only possible in the '60s) AND the episodes were saved!! The occasional b & w episodes (after it went to color) were from some smaller TV stations in different parts of the country where they aired in b & w. When you see one of those, don't ever complain it's not in color, be grateful a copy of the episode exists at all to watch.

[@bladesaint21]

OK..this is hillarious!

[@TELEVISIBLE]

Man some one should totally make a show like this again

[@joannegeorgiades]

They left out the shaking cardboard tombstones lol

[@kensellers4082]

This was a very funny compilation of many of the bloopers on the beloved “Dark Shadows.” One of my favorite bloopers on DS, was when Bathia Mapes, the good witch, was up in the tower room of Collinwood with Joshua Collins, trying to exorcise the vampire curse on Joshua’s son, Barnabas. With poor Barnabas, writhing in pain during the ceremony, Bathia is supposed to say to Joshua, something like, “Take him (Barnabas) to the house of the curse (the Old House)!” However, veteran actress Anita Bolster (as the kindly Bathia) completely forgets her line, and just stands there looking at Joshua. Oh, the looks of anguish on both Louis Edmonds (Joshua) and even Jonathan Frid, still writhing on the floor as the afflicted Barnabas, are priceless! Finally and mercifully, one of the DS crew, is heard off-screen telling the elderly Ms. Bolster to “take him to house of the curse,” which she then thankfully repeats, a truly classic DS moment!

[@PaleMaleNYCGen4]

hey even vampires have to pick at something...LOL

[@karenwiley9702]

I love watching Dark Shadows. They had a great cast..I love the storylines

[@sambda]

Back in the fifties, TV was done live live - no tape or anything! There was a 1958 British TV show ("Armchair Theatre":"Underground") where a guy actually had a heart attack and died (off camera) in the middle of a play - they improvised around it.

[@inkey2]

my favorite blooper is where one of the actors in Dark Shadows, I think it was an actor playing an artist......the artist was smoking his pipe, then he thought it went out, put it in his top coat pocket, then....20 seconds later his pocket starts to smoke and catch fire

[@sambda]

The was a "word of advice" when went around actors in the days of live-to-tape recording that, if you *really* didn't want a fluff you made to end up being broadcast, you would swear violently afterwards and they'd *have* to retake. But do that once too many times, of course, and they'd probably fire you!

[@chastitylucas4710]

It was horror/suspense/soap opera.

[@m2mallory]

You have to admire these people for just soldiering on in the face of adversity!

[@rickw1100]

I loved Dark Shadows, and the bloopers were a great part of it! Well done!

[@chacha_rouge]

1:30 oh god imagine that happening in a real life situation. What bad luck that would be!

[@Melonhead622]

@burtonrules123 Nope! I acquired it from a British outtakes show - the laughter came from the live studio audience.

[@juliejensen7370]

He was superb!

[@johnnyachernar]

Poor Jonathan Frid, having to remember so many girls' names. I think i caught a maggie, and a vicky before he finally got Julia right.

[@lindalcoomes]

Actually a lot of us moms do that also, lol.

[@kensellers4082]

In that same scene with Barnabas, Dr. Hoffman and Adam in the Old House, Adam is supposed to lunge at Barnabas, who is holding the rifle on Adam and then Adam grabs the gun, breaking it in two with his great strength. However, you can actually see the rifle break into two in Barnabas’ hands, BEFORE Adam actually seizes the weapon from Mr. B. It’s very funny!

[@ThymeBottle]

Yes, I had read that in regards to "Dark Shadows", as well. Thanks.

[@Melonhead622]

It wasn't on the ORIGINAL recordings of course! They came later, from the audience this collection was shown to.

[@bladesaint21]

I wanna give a big hand to Count Petoffi!

[@Original_Icegod101]

Still one of the best bloopers in tv history within the show itself

[@RobinsonEastman]

It wasn't filmed lived...merely an hour or so before air time--with no time to correct errors, so, for all intents and purposes it might as well have been live

[@Melonhead622]

Oh, those Christmas tapes! Of course, the TRANSMITTABLE clips eventually ended up on the outtakes/bloopers shows - but I've seen a few of the ones that were NOT transmittable!

[@chrisstatiros1072]

I was always under the impression that the show was live, except for the outdoor scenes that were either filmed in upstate New York or on Long Island. (Those pretty much stopped after the first season). The show was done at ABC Studios in Manhattan, and when I go by that building, it is neat to think about how much they were able to accomplish in such relatively cramped spaces. For example, the forest scenes: they would put in a few potted plants and trees with tapings of animal and bird sounds!

[@inkey2]

@caprice6 i heard from interviews in the past that they were on a tight schedule and tight budget. They did everything in one take

[@whopoder]

As pessoas não sabem o que era produzir naqueles tempos e ao vivo. Tenho respeito pela série e todos que nela trabalharam!

[@phayzyre1052]

What's up with all of these flies flying around!? I've seen several DS bloopers that had flies landing on the actors and actresses faces. Did they film this next to a landfill or something?

[@tenhirankei]

Reverend Trask draws flies! But seriously today the actor(s) could not hold their mirth; causing everyone to burst out laughing. With live TV "the show must go on" a saying that is never more apt.

[@phayzyre1052]

tenhirankei Good point.

[@hambone-gv3sx]

I give them a lot of credit for being professionals, and keep on going when something goes wrong. They will help one another out when a line is forgotten and do not stop and laugh, they cannot because there were no retakes on Dark Shadows. They should cut that silly fake canned laughter in this video.

[@phayzyre1052]

hambone31000 Very true. At least they held their composure and rolled with it!

[@caprice6]

These were unintentional mistakes, filmed this way alive. They had no control of the editing.

[@Deviousdevil302]

I will have to ask Sean Dhu Sullivan about the bloopers. I met him back in November an again in December. He was a director of Dark Shadows an does not live very far from me. He is a wonderful gentleman to talk to.

[@delavalmilker]

Even though the show was videotaped, it was still basically a live 25 minute stage show. There were 1225 episodes taped, which is 600 hours of performance. Stuff is bound to happen once in awhile. And with all the episodes, there were surprisingly few glitches. Editing videotape back in those days was a physical process. Cutting the tape with a razor blade and splicing. It was better to just keep recording right through the "malfunctions".

[@bladesaint21]

yes, I realise that. I was a child fan of the 60's orignal broadcastes, but compared to the other blooper video clips on KZbin, the added laughtrack seems to really amplify the humor factor.

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

You should change the title and description since the show wasn't live. They just didn't have the money to do reshoots.

[@ezc4371]

I'm almost positive Dark Shadows was not live.

[@SlasherFilms]

Couldn't agree more, I haven't worked on Live TV myself. However, I took a TV Productions class where everything was being done Live to Tape. We would practice of course, but there were still those projects where the final take had a few mistakes here and there.

[@DavieB220]

hahahahahhah i looooove this show i think i was the only kid in the hood watching it

[@bloodandwinearered]

The joy of live T.V. should be brought back.

[@bladesaint21]

The laugh track is excellant.

[@Titan52berg]

Even as a kid, when my sister's and I watched this show every weekday afternoon on ABC ( sounds like a commercial, doesn't it? ) I never liked Jerry Lacey as Reverend Trask! He could act his role well enough, I suppose... perhaps even to the point of being overly dramatic... but, his voice gave me the creeps!

[@ricogomez4020]

He seems to be like Satan himself. Surprised he didn't become like Peter Cushing or Chris Lee.

[@IwshIcldstrtover]

The one at 1:00 into the clip is the most hilarious and the one at 1:20 is right behind it! LOLOLOL!!!

[@allenlovell1604]

I had no idea of these bloopers existing ! Thanks KZbin 😊 🫂 for posting these classic blunders ! We all need a 😃!. All of the movies 🎬 I have seen starring Jackie Chan always include his outakes and flubs. They are hilarious 😂 to see.

[@bob48219]

Did I see one where Sam is telling Maggie something terrible has happened to Dr. Woodard and she's supposed reply "Is he all right"?. Sam gives the line "Something terrible has happened to Dr. Woodard" and adds his next line which is "He's dead" too soon. Maggie replies anyways is "Is he all right?" Then Sam has to look exasperated while he repeats "He's DEAD" lol

[@haztochekacharon6353]

As a first Gen viewer of the show, I can say with all assurance that it did not run before a live audience. This is just some canned laughter pulled from some other program.

[@sambda]

It wouldn't have been the director. On live or taped shows, the director is in the gallery! It would have been someone on the floor - a script person, or maybe the floor manager.

[@shakespere61641]

this is great!!

[@phayzyre1052]

Does anybody know what’s up with all of these houseflies you see in a lot of these Dark Shadows bloopers? Of course I know some of the cleanest places in the world still get bugs in them but if I’ve seen one Dark Shadows blooper that had a fly in it I’ve probably seen a thousand. Did they film these episodes next to a landfill or something?

[@lindalcoomes]

lol their costumes probably smelled as well as that awful makeup.

[@FilAntonucci]

2:27 is the best

[@MJLoverAngie]

Thanx for posting. Lol

[@Melonhead622]

Not intentionally!

[@PaleMaleNYCGen4]

Cri de blood sangre. C'est jolie. Which hospital was this? Probably still goes on..yikes?

[@EuroTom1]

Was that MacDonald Carey?

[@natashamariestannard4423]

Someone needs to do a video of all the characters who were slapped or punched

[@IHATEMYLIFE873]

wheres that

[@kevinbergin9971]

When you do 200+ episodes per season there was not a lot of time for retakes I guess.

[@ThymeBottle]

I agree.

[@toribjork10]

these are funny and all, but dark shadows wasn't live....

[@richardselfridge2926]

Laugh track is too loud.

[@pianoman551000]

Get rid of the stupid laugh track.

[@lolah3838]

The laugh track is terrible