Jonathan Frid | |
|---|---|
 Publicity photo of Frid on Dark Shadows, c. 1968 | |
| Born | John Herbert Frid December 2, 1924 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | April 14, 2012 (aged 87) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Education | McMaster University (BA) Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (PGDip) Yale University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1946–2012 |
| Known for | Barnabas Collins |
| Television | Dark Shadows |
Jonathan Frid (December 2, 1924 – April 14, 2012)[1] was a Canadian actor, best known for his role as vampire Barnabas Collins on the gothic television soap opera Dark Shadows.[2] The introduction in 1967 of Frid's reluctant, guilt-ridden vampire caused the floundering daytime drama to soar to 20 million daily viewers.[3] His watershed portrayal has been cited as a key influence on contemporary genre film and television series such as Twilight, True Blood and The Vampire Diaries.[4][5]
- ^ Friscolanti, Michael (May 1, 2012). "Jonathan Frid". Maclean's. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nytobitwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Gillies, Rob (April 21, 2012). "Actor Jonathan Frid Dies at 87". Associated Press. The Ledger Independent, Maysville, KY.
Twenty million people saw the show at its peak in 1969...It had a huge pop culture impact.
- ^ Dawidziak, Mark (April 20, 2012). "Jonathan Frid Transformed the Vampire". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
- ^ Gross, Ed. "Dark Shadows, Jonathan Frid, and Beyond". Vampires and Slayers with Ed Gross. Apple Podcasts. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
One of the most significant portrayals of a vampire in history: Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins…he played what was the first sympathetic, angst-driven vampire, paving the way for the likes of Lestatt, Angel, Nick Night, and Edward Cullin, among many others.