We are sad to report on the passing of Jonathan Frid, who many horror fans will always remember as Barnabas Collins in the original Dark Shadows. Although it was only made known today, it appears that he passed away on April 13th at the age of 87. He is said to have died of natural causes at Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. Our thoughts our with Jonathan's family and friends.
His last role is a cameo appearance in Tim Burton's upcoming remake of Dark Shadows, along with co-star Kathryn Leigh Scott. She recently wrote a letter about Jonathan's passing and their time on the set of the new movie:
"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, and in the end became the whole reason why kids “ran home from school to watch” “Dark Shadows."
I am so grateful that nearly five decades later, Jonathan, David Selby, Lara Parker and I were invited to play cameos in the new Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins. How wonderful for the four of us to work together again and celebrate the legacy of “Dark Shadows.” 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.”
To read the rest, visit her website at: http://www.kathrynleighscott.com/?page_id=298
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