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Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; indeed, as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor. Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles.
Victoria Winters travels to Collinsport by train from New York to be the governess of 10 year old David Collins. Also on that train is Burke Devlin, who seems rather mysterious. We get to see Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Roger Collins argue over if it was wise to hire Victoria. Victoria and Burke go to the hotel where she can wait for a cab. He seems rather disturbed about the place. He leaves and goes to a local hangout called the Blue Whale, where he meets an investigator he has hired. Victoria meets Maggie Evans, who tells her she is a jerk for accepting the job. Even after all the things that has been said to her, she goes to Collinwood and is invited in by Elizabeth.
Now playing Season 1, Episode 1 — DS-1
June 27, 1966
12
1225
7.3
Season 1 • 124 episodes
Victoria Winters travels to Collinsport by train from New York to be the governess of 10 year old David Collins. Also on that train is Burke Devlin, who seems rather mysterious. We get to see Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Roger Collins argue over if it was wise to hire Victoria. Victoria and Burke go to the hotel where she can wait for a cab. He seems rather disturbed about the place. He leaves and goes to a local hangout called the Blue Whale, where he meets an investigator he has hired. Victoria meets Maggie Evans, who tells her she is a jerk for accepting the job. Even after all the things that has been said to her, she goes to Collinwood and is invited in by Elizabeth.
At the Collinwood mansion, Victoria meets with the reclusive matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, while Burke Devlin talks with a private detective at the local Blue Whale tavern.
Elizabeth's brother, Roger Collins, desperately searches for local artist Sam Evans. Meanwhile, Victoria meets Elizabeth's teenage daughter Carolyn and begins to wonder if Collinwood is haunted.
Victoria is interrogated by Roger over her knowledge of Burke Devlin and their encounter at the train station. Later that night, Victoria has an unpleasant first meeting with David Collins
After her first night at Collinwood, Victoria has decided to go back to New York. Victoria explains to Carolyn that she is an orphan and came to Collinsport because she believed that somehow she would find out about her past. Near Widow’s Hill, Victoria meets Sam Evans who tells Victoria about Josette Collins. Victoria finds out from Sam that Elizabeth has not left Collinwood in eighteen years. Sam instructs Victoria to tell Roger that he wants to talk with him. Victoria returns to her room to find that David has helped her “pack” while she was out. Victoria changes her mind and decides to stay at Collinwood with renewed hopes that she will find out something about her past.
Victoria looks for David in the basement of Collinwood. While looking, a stranger enters the room and asks who she is. He accuses her of snooping around. Elizabeth comes down and says it's Matthew Morgan, the caretaker of Collinwood. She asks Victoria why she is in the basement, and when Victoria tells her that she is down there looking for David, Elizabeth tells her David would not come down there. Once she leaves, Elizabeth finds David hiding in the basement. Later, Victoria sees Matthew again, stoking the fireplace. She says she hopes they can one day be friends, and she starts asking him questions. She finds out that Elizabeth fired all of her servents 18 years ago and then hired Matthew, giving him a cottage on the edge of Collinwood grounds. In the basement, Elizabeth gets out a crate of adventure books that had belonged to Roger when he was a boy. David does not want anything associated with his father. Carolyn tells Victoria that she should ask Elizabeth about what happened 18
Sam Evans and Roger discuss Burke Devlin's return. Sam agrees with Roger's fear that Burke is planning revenge against the Collins family for his jail sentence, but refuses to offer any help.
Carolyn's flighty romance with Joe Haskell takes a new turn when she admits that she is in love with him, but refuses an offer of marriage. Victoria investigates Elizabeth's claims about her job offer.
Victoria learns of the tragic legend of Widows Hill, a cliff located close to Collinwood, where many suicides occurred. Meanwhile, Carolyn is intrigued by Burke and decides to learn more.
Roger puts pressure on Elizabeth to send David away to boarding school, a conversation the boy overhears. Burke gives Carolyn false information on the reason for his return.
Burke Devlin pays the residents of Collinwood a visit, apparently hoping to reassure Elizabeth that he has no vendetta to pursue against her family. He does, however, ask if Collinwood is for sale.
Roger encounter Victoria on Widows' Hill and tells her the story of its legend and history. Meanwhile, Maggie Evans tries to learn what is troubling her father, Sam.
Elizabeth and Roger continue to harbour suspicions about Burke, in spite of him offering the hand of friendship. As Victoria walks to Matthew's cottage, she notices Burke examining Roger's car.
Victoria learns about David's relationship with Roger. Burke arranges to meet with Roger at the Blue Whale, and spends time talking with Joe and Carolyn, at her request.
David is now convinced that his father hates him. Roger leaves the estate in his car to meet with Burke. On the way, he loses control of the car and crashes.
Roger emerges from the accident without serious injury, but is shaken by the experience. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is appalled to learn of Carolyn's flirtation with Burke.
Elizabeth comforts David after he has a nightmare about Roger's car accident. Collins family employee and retainer Bill Malloy begins to suspect that Roger was the victim of foul play.
Learning Victoria saw Burke by his car, Roger takes her to Burke's room at the hotel to make a confrontation. Meanwhile, David harbours the bleeder valve taken from Roger's car.
Elizabeth continues to insist that Carolyn should not visit Burke again, adamant that he is attempting to destroy the Collins family. Bill Malloy attempts to learn more about Burke's motives.
Roger confronts Burke, accusing him outright of causing the accident and attempting to kill him. Victoria, however, is unimpressed by Roger's assumption of foul play on Burke's part.
Victoria is disturbed to receive a letter informing her that her background has been probed by a private investigator. Meanwhile, Bill Malloy confronts Burke about Roger's crash.
Sam Evans reluctantly accepts a commission from Burke to paint a portrait of him, apparently destined for the Collinwood drawing room. Roger is annoyed that Carolyn does not believe Burke's guilt.
Constable Carter arrives at Collinwood to investigate Roger's car accident. In an attempt to prevent his sabotage being revealed, David tampers with the evidence.
Constable Carter investigates Roger's claims of sabotage, questioning Burke. However, Carolyn proves herself an ally to Burke, saying that she brought him to Collinwood without his influence.
Roger presses Elizabeth for an explanation of her reasons for hiring Victoria, which she refuses to give. Meanwhile, Victoria is shocked to discover the missing bleeder valve in her room.
The police obtain a warrant to search Burke's room, believing him to be a suspect. When Victoria attempts to retrieve the bleeder valve, she discovers that it has been taken.
Burke meets with his private investigator Stuart Bronson, who provides him with a complete breakdown of the Collins family finances., as he begins to make plans.
Roger learns from Maggie that David has been seen trying to get into Burke's room at the hotel. As the police investigations near a conclusion, Burke and Roger's animosity increases rapidly.
Burke finds David in his hotel room and is quick to strike up a friendship with the boy. David later disposes of the missing bleeder valve in Burke's room, not knowing that Burke has seen him do so.
Roger struggles to come to terms with the revelation that his own son attempted to kill him. David continues to deny the accusations until Burke produces the missing bleeder valve.
Burke defies expectations and lies to absolve David of involvement in the crash. However, he later privately confides in Victoria, warning her to beware of her young charge.
Roger is forced to admit to a shocked Elizabeth that David was behind the murder attempt. Later, under questioning from Sheriff Paterson, Elizabeth lies to protect the boy.
Joe Haskell pays an unannounced drunken visit to Collinwood, passing out in the mansion. Meanwhile, Victoria journeys to the Blue Whale for a meeting with Burke Devlin.
Burke tells Victoria that he has asked his private investigator to research her past, and has received a report. However, it reveals nothing new. Joe and Carolyn reflect on their relationship.
Growing uneasy about the prospect of painting Burke's portrait, Sam tries to abandon the project. Meanwhile, Carolyn is jealous to learn of the developing relationship between Victoria and Burke.
A furious Roger demands of Sam that he not paint Burke's portrait. Elizabeth begs Victoria to stay at Collinwood, and later confers with David in an attempt to find a solution.
Worried at the escalating feud with Roger, Sam entrusts Maggie with a sealed letter. Roger confides in Victoria that he too has heard the mysterious sobbing sounds coming from the basement.
Matthew Morgan threatens to kill Burke, for his interference in the affairs of the Collins family. Meanwhile, Carolyn courts the attentions of Burke by leaving her ring for him to find.
Aware of the detrimental effect Burke's vendetta is having on the Collins family and Elizabeth in particular, Bill Malloy offers to help clear Burke of manslaughter, but only if he leaves town.
A wily Carolyn continues to pursue Burke, following him on a business trip to the nearby town of Bangor. Meanwhile, Sam makes a devastating admission to Bill Malloy.
Sam looks at a skech he drew of Burke Devlin at his home. The phone rings. Sam answers it and finds its Roger Collins. They talk. While they're talking, Sam Evans puts the phone down and gets a glass of alcohol. Roger can be heard demanding him to speak. Sam Evans hangs the phone up then rips up his skech of Burke Devlin. The phone rings, but he does not answer. At Collinwood, Roger hangs up. Elizabeth enters. They talk about how Roger sold his shares of Collins Enterprises to her. At the Evans Cottage, Sam sits down on the couch. Maggie comes in. She says she forgot her shopping list. Sam asks her why she didn't just let him run away. Maggie calls Collinwood. Victoria answers. Maggie asks for Roger; Victoria tells Maggie that she doesn't know where he is. Roger enters and hangs up the phone. Roger goes into the foyer as Elizabeth comes down from the landing. Elizabeth, seeing that Roger is leaving, asks if he can look for Carolyn. He says he is too busy and leaves. Victoria tells Eliz
Burke makes moves to take over the Collins empire. Meanwhile, Sam's visit to Collinwood proves fruitless, as he finds himself unable to reveal the truth to Elizabeth.
Bill continues to believe that Sam is withholding vital information about the true events behind Burke's manslaughter change. Appealing to Sam, he admits he would do anything to protect Elizabeth.
Elizabeth learns from John Harris of Burke's plans to aggressively take over the Collins family businesses. Meanwhile, Malloy fears that Roger is in danger unless drastic steps are taken.
Roger reprimands Carolyn for associating with Burke. Bill Malloy arranges a meeting between Roger, Sam and Burke, intent on proving Roger's guilt and ending Burke's vendetta.
In spite of extreme reluctance on the part of Roger, Bill Malloy demands that the meeting will go ahead as planned, to take place at 11pm at Roger's office at the cannery.
Roger arrives for the meeting with Sam and Burke, and shares an uneasy hour waiting for Bill to arrive. However, after he fails to appear after an hour, the meeting is reluctantly abandoned.
David receives a crystal ball as a gift from Burke. Upon staring into it, the boy announces that Bill's disappearance is because he has been murdered by Roger.
Burke is despondent at the news of Bill's disappearance, believing that he will now never clear his name. As the news spreads, concern for Malloy continues to grow.
David's attempts to scare Victoria continue with a message written on her mirror. Later, while walking along the cliffs, Carolyn and Victoria make a terrifying discovery.
Carolyn and Victoria rush back to Collinwood in terror, and tell Elizabeth about seeing the body of a man floating in the sea beneath Widows' Hill. Matthew investigates and finds nothing but seaweed.
Sam forces Maggie not to open his sealed letter. At Collinwood, Victoria and Carolyn are scared by mysterious sounds as an unseen force moves a book in the drawing room.
Matthew admits to a shocked Elizabeth that it was Bill's body that Victoria and Carolyn saw, and he pushed it out to sea. David warns Elizabeth that ghosts inhabit Collinwood.
Elizabeth struggles to come to terms with the fact that Bill may have been murdered. The sheriff questions Matthew, while Burke begins to form suspicions about Roger's possible involvement.
The sheriff questions Roger about his whereabouts at the time of Bill's disappearance. Roger insists he had no idea what the meeting was about, but Elizabeth accuses him of lying.
Roger places pressure on Sam to keep his silence, insisting that they must keep to their alibis. Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Carolyn are devastated by Bill's death.
Burke is adamant that he will find the person behind Bill's death and asks Victoria for information on Roger. The sheriff reveals that Bill's watch stopped when he fell, confirming the time of his death.
David begins to study tidal charts, intent on discovering where Bill fell into the water. Meanwhile, the sheriff questions Sam as the investigation continues.
The sheriff questions Roger about the murder, and Elizabeth lies to offer her brother an alibi. A suspicious David later eavesdrops as Roger makes a false confession to Elizabeth.
Victoria visits Maggie and Sam to have dinner and get to know them better. Looking through Sam's paintings, she is surprised to discover a portrait that closely resembles her.
Burke makes a dramatic entrance at the Evans cottage, inviting himself to join the meal for Victoria. There, he tells her his version of the events that led to his manslaughter charge.
Roger is anxious to learn about Victoria's evening with Sam and Maggie, refusing to believe that she does not have a hidden agenda. Sam is shocked at Burke's accusations that he killed Bill Malloy.
A distressed Maggie visits Collinwood, where Elizabeth denies Burke's accusations. Matthew vows once again to protect Elizabeth from the threat posed by Burke.
Matthew threatens that Burke will pay a heavy price if he continues to interfere with the affairs of the Collins family. The sheriff orders that Burke is to stay away from Collinwood.
Burke journeys to Collinwood, now intent on settling his vendetta against the Collins family. Roger and Sam exchange threats as they discuss their affairs at the Blue Whale.
Burke continues to assemble proof of Roger's guilt. When Burke presses Victoria for answers, she is forced to admit that she is not sure of the exact time Roger departed for the meeting.
Bill Malloy's housekeeper, Mrs Sarah Johnson, makes her presence felt as the murder investigation continues. Meanwhile, Burke confides in Carolyn that he was wrongly convicted for Roger's crime.
David confides in Victoria that Burke was the cause of many fights between his estranged mother and Roger. With ulterior motives, Roger tries to gain Victoria's confidence and friendship.
Burke takes active steps to prove that Roger was responsible for Malloy's murder and arranges a meeting with Mrs Johnson, who is persuaded to spy on his behalf by gaining employment at Collinwood.
David tells Victoria about the Old House, an abandoned Collins' mansion built before Collinwood, and suggests that they pay a visit. When they later leave, they are followed by the ghostly form of Josette.
Roger takes Victoria on a tour of the Collins cannery, before taking her to see the sheriff. In spite of her concerns about Roger's innocence, Victoria repeats her account, providing Roger with an alibi.
At the Collinsport Inn diner, the seeds of Burke's plan to infiltrate Collinwood with Mrs Johnson are planted. Duly, Carolyn later suggests to Elizabeth that Mrs Johnson should be given a job at the mansion.
Sam continues to be troubled by Roger and recent events. Elizabeth is given the coroner's verdict on Bill's death, which rules that he was a victim of accidental drowning.
Roger is delighted to learn of the coroner's verdict, and that he is no longer a murder suspect. Burke is outraged at the decision and vows to expose Roger's guilt.
Matthew Morgan learns of the verdict on Bill Malloy's death. Later, while walking along lookout point, Victoria finds the unique fountain pen which Burke earlier gave to Carolyn.
Burke visits Collinwood and tells Elizabeth that he now plans to agressively take away Collinwood and the entire Collins business portfolio. Elizabeth vows to fight him to the end.
David finds himself increasingly torn between his loyalties to his aunt Elizabeth and his growing friendship with Burke. Carolyn and David argue over the situation with Burke.
Maggie and Joe spend an evening together at the Blue Whale and quickly begin to develop an enjoyment in one another's company. A belligerent Roger argues with both Sam and Joe.
Mrs Johnson publicly accuses Burke of causing Bill Malloy's death, to deflect any suspicion her newfound loyalty to the Collins family might bring. Burke and David renew their friendship.
Roger is terrified to learn that Victoria has found the fountain pen he lost on the night of Malloy's death and fears that she may now suspect him of foul play.
Matthew Morgan continues to make threats towards Burke. Meanwhile, Mrs Johnson visits Collinwood, where Elizabeth offers her the job of housekeeper.
Burke realises that Roger must have lost the fountain pen at Lookout Point, implicating his involvement in the death of Malloy. Roger goes to David's bedroom and removes the pen.
Roger buries the pen to dispose of the evidence. Later, when Victoria accuses David of stealing it, Roger make an uncharacteristic display of defence for the boy, taking David's side against hers.
David attempts to scare Victoria by telling her stories about the ghosts that haunt Collinwood. Luring her to the closed-off wing of the mansion, David locks her in, leaving her trapped.
As a storm rages, Sam and Burke drink together and discuss the ghosts of Collinwood. In the closed-off wing, Victoria is visited by the ghost of Malloy, who warns her to leave Collinwood immediately.
Burke and Carolyn have a date together, though his motives remain unclear. Distraught after seeing the ghost, Victoria desperately attempts to escape from the locked room.
Roger is suspicious about Victoria's disappearance and decides to investigate the closed-off wing of the house. He releases Victoria and is shocked to hear her claim that she was visited by a ghost.
Victoria tells Elizabeth about her ordeal and that she saw Bill's ghost. Elizabeth and Roger decide to check the locked room and are shocked to discover wet seaweed on the floor.
Burke puts his takeover plan into action, offering four of Elizabeth's top executives jobs with him for increased pay. Learning of his plans, Elizabeth realises the severity of his threats.
Learning that Victoria has seen a ghost, David has newfound appreciation for her and begs her to stay. Victoria finds a potential clue to her identity hidden in Collinwood.
Burke agrees to take Victoria to Bangor with him to give her a break from her recent ordeal, but continues to warn her to get away from Collinwood for her own safety.
Arriving in Bangor, Victoria visits the Collins family lawyers, a father-and-son team called Frank and Richard Garner. Taking the evidence found in the locked room, she tries to gain more information.
Burke's offer to buy Collinwood continues to cause heated arguments between Elizabeth and Roger. David draws a picture of Bill Malloy's ghost, much to Roger's disgust.
Frank Garner vows to help Victoria uncover any hidden information about her past. Meanwhile, Sam is alarmed to hear that Bill Malloy's ghost has been seen by Victoria.
By chance, Victoria sees Burke's distinctive fountain pen and recognises it as identical to the one she found on the beach. Now believing that Burke murdered Malloy, she is terrified and telephones Roger.
Roger drives Victoria back to Collinsport, but heavy rain forces them to take shelter until the storm passes. Victoria is shocked by Roger's demand that she should keep her discovery about Burke a secret.
Victoria receives a frosty reception from Elizabeth for visiting the family lawyers without her consent. Sam gives Victoria the portrait of Betty Handscomb which she so closely resembles.
Mrs Johnson begins working at Collinwood, quickly beginning her covert investigations. She is disturbed to hear a mysterious sobbing sound coming from a locked room in the basement.
Mrs Johnson begins to believe that Collinwood is haunted and confides her fears to Burke. Meanwhile, the takeover plans for the cannery are abruptly ended when the company executives reject Burke's offer.
Victoria tells Burke about her suspicions regarding Roger and the pen she found on Lookout Point. Meanwhile, Carolyn reveals to Roger that Victoria knows about the pen's origins.
Victoria agrees to accompany David on a return visit to the Old House, Later, Victoria confides to Maggie that she believes she now knows who killed Bill Malloy.
Victoria is held against her will by a crazed Roger, who insists that Bill Malloy was already dead when he discovered his body at Lookout Point. Escaping from Roger, Victoria leaves, terrified.
Victoria is terrified at what Roger might do to prevent his secret from being made public. She is later disturbed to learn that Roger knows she lied to him about spending time with Burke earlier.
Roger attempts an exercise in damage limitation, revealing to Elizabeth that Victoria holds damaging information about him. Later, Victoria narrowly avoids being run down by unseen car driver.
After Burke confronts him about the fountain pen, Roger decides to retrieve the pen he earlier buried. As he uncovers it, he does not know that he is being watched by the sheriff and Burke.
Roger is held in custody as Sheriff Patterson questions Victoria. Roger gives his alibi for the accident, which seems to prove his innocence. Carolyn is shocked to learn that Roger may have killed Malloy.
Attentions turn to Sam as the hunt for the mysterious driver continues. Outside the Old House searching for David, Victoria narrowly escapes death when Matthew pushes a stone urn from the roof.
Scared from her close call, Victoria unwittingly runs to Matthew's cottage for help. As they talk, she realises that he was the driver. Matthew refuses to let Victoria leave.
Matthew reveals that he killed Malloy, but that it was an accident, and vows to kill Victoria to maintain his secret. The police are called to search for Victoria, while Elizabeth pays a crucial visit on Matthew.
A shamed Matthew confesses the murder to a stunned Elizabeth, before fleeing. The police hunt for Matthew, who has hidden at the Old House. Victoria makes peace with Roger, apologising for her accusation.
David still believes that Roger killed Malloy. Later, David visits the Old House and chances upon Matthew. When the boy offers to help, Matthew has no choice but to accept, if he is to remain hidden.
Victoria visits Burke and reluctantly tells him that her loyalties lie with the Collins family. Burke steps up his plans to undermine the Collins business interests. Meanwhile, David steals provisions for Matthew.
David continues to help Matthew hide out. Trying to forget her recent ordeal, Victoria plans a trip to Bangor. Victoria visits the Old House, where she finds herself helpless in Matthew's clutches.
As Matthew holds Victoria captive, the Collins household thinks that she left for her trip as planned. Elizabeth worries when Frank calls her to say that Victoria has not arrived. Victoria makes a bid to escape.
Elizabeth worries about Victoria's safety. Joe learns the truth about Carolyn and Burke's relationship and the two men come to blows. The discovery of Victoria's luggage proves that she never left for her trip.
Victoria's disappearance becomes a police matter. When Joe and Burke search for Victoria at the Old House, Matthew and his prisoner hide in a secret room. Victoria manages to call for help, but to no avail.
As the search continues, Burke and Roger exchange threats. Caroyln's relationship with Burke comes under fire. Elizabeth vows to face Burke's latest assault head on. Carolyn and Joe end their relationship.
Victoria begs Matthew to let her go. Mrs Johnson suspects Victoria has fallen foul of Matthew. When David visits the Old House with supplies, he is disarmed to hear Victoria's cries coming from the secret room.
Matthew begins to doubt David's loyalty. David is overcome with pangs of conscience for helping Matthew evade capture, which are heightened when he learns the consequences of aiding a criminal.
David begins to realise that Matthew has kidnapped Victoria. Meanwhile, Matthew's paranoia escalates as he is confronted by ghostly sobbing and an eerie light coming from the portrait of Josette.
David discovers that Matthew is holding Victoria prisoner. A mysterious woman arrives at the Collinsport Inn and begins to probe Maggie for information on the Collins family.
David escapes from the clutches of Matthew, leaving Victoria behind. Sam Evans is worried when Maggie tells him about the woman who spoke with her at the Inn.
The ghost of Bill Malloy appears to David and tells him to help Victoria, before threatening Matthew with a vow of revenge. A terrified Matthew is now resolved to kill Victoria.
Roger and Burke find and rescue Victoria from the Old House. The ghosts of Bill Malloy and Josette lead a procession of spirits to wreak revenge on Matthew, scaring him to death.
Dan Curtis Productions
US
Jonathan Frid
Barnabas Collins / Bramwell Collins
Alexandra Isles
Victoria Winters
Grayson Hall
Julia Hoffman
Joan Bennett
Elizabeth Collins Stoddard / Naomi Collins
Kathryn Leigh Scott
Maggie Evans
David Selby
Quentin Collins
Lara Parker
Angelique Bouchard Collins
Nancy Barrett
Carolyn Stoddard
Louis Edmonds
Roger Collins / Joshua Collins
David Henesy
David Collins
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Dan Curtis
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