Dark Shadows was a gothic soap opera that blended fantasy and horror. Created by Dan Curtis, who served as the executive producer and directed some episodes, the show starred an ensemble cast of Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Alexandra Isle, Nancy Barrett, Joan Bennett, Louis Edmonds, David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott, David Henesy, Lara Parker, and Thayer David, along with many others.

Like most soaps, Dark Shadows ran during weekdays. Since the key demographic was teenagers, ABC aired it during the mid-afternoon when teens got out of school. The show debuted on June 27, 1966, produced more than 1,200 episodes, and ended on April 2, 1971.

When Dark Shadows began, it wasn’t quite the supernatural saga it became. Set in Collinsport, Maine, it followed the ups and downs of the wealthy Collins family. Known for melodrama – it was a soap opera, after all – there were many surprising plot twists, adventures, and plenty of dramatic music. Earlier episodes did include supernatural events, but they were never overt, and could conveniently be rationalized by skeptical viewers.

Curtis conceived the show after dreaming about a mysterious woman on a train. Once his wife heard about the dream, she informed him that it had the makings of a TV show. It began with Victoria, an orphan, who wanders into the town trying to discover if she was a member of the Collins family. From there it depicted the drama-filled lives of the Collins crew.

Aside from the typical soapy stories, David, one of the show’s youngsters, claimed that he saw ghosts in the house. They were never apparent to viewers, until finally the audience got to see a specter come out of a portrait. The added scare gave the ratings a jolt. After that there was no more hinting at magic and monsters, they became real onscreen.

The show reached its apex in popularity when vampire Barnabas Collins joined the show nearly a year into its run. The original plan was for Barnabas to induce a surge in ratings then return to a regular soap, but he was too popular to leave. From then on Dark Shadows embraced the supernatural, showing werewolves, ghosts, zombies, witches, human-made monsters, time travel, even a parallel universe. It won more fans by adding the classic horror elements of vampires, witches, and the like, cementing its place among horror TV programs.

Several years after it ended, there was a short-lived TV show reprisal in 1991, then Tim Burton added his style to the series with the 2012 movie starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Helena Bonham Carter.

The most sought after collectibles from Dark Shadows center around art and screen-used items. Original painted cover art by George Wilson, interior comic art, comic books, and comic strips are popular. Props, costumes, scripts, autographs, posters, and press kits from the show fetch high prices. Other collectibles include model kits, rare Barnabas Collins premium ring, View Master reels, gum cards and display boxes, models, masks, and books.