351

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Timeline	1967
Narrator	Joan Bennett
Writer	Gordon Russell
Director	John Sedwick
Broadcast	October 30, 1967
Recorded	October 26, 1967
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Synopsis

Teaser

Tonight the sky over Collinwood glistens with stars, and the Moon is full. And yet the night is not peaceful. At the Old House on the Collinwood estate, an act of violence will occur before this night is over. An act of violence that will cast another deadly shadow over all our lives.

Carolyn Stoddard, having broken into the Old House to investigate whether David Collins' claims about Barnabas Collins are true, finds Barnabas' coffin, but is caught in the act by Dr. Julia Hoffman and the aged vampire. Carolyn is horrified to learn the decrepit old man before her is Barnabas. He grabs her and, claiming her as his victim, sinks his fangs into her neck!

Act I

Some time later, Carolyn is sleeping on the bed in Josette's room while Julia ties a scarf around the girl's neck to hide Barnabas' bite mark. Carolyn slowly wakes and is in a trance-like state. Unafraid, she is aware of her surroundings and of what has happened to her. Julia worries the aging process has gone too far, and that drinking Carolyn's blood may not have had any effect on Barnabas at all. Carolyn becomes desperate to see Barnabas, and Julia bristles at the vampiric bond already established between the two. They hear Barnabas ascending the staircase, and, when he steps into the room, reveals that he has been rejuvenated.

At Collinwood, Roger Collins pours himself a brandy when Elizabeth Collins Stoddard enters the drawing room in search of Carolyn. Roger chalks his niece's absence up to a late date, but Elizabeth points out Carolyn has not been on any dates lately. Elizabeth worries something has happened to her daughter. She informs Roger of their earlier talk, and that, not only has Carolyn seen Sarah Collins, but Carolyn is also beginning to believe David's stories.

Act II

Barnabas notices how stunned Julia appears, and Carolyn learns the older woman is not an historian after all: Julia is, in fact, a blood specialist and psychologist. Barnabas orders Julia to leave him alone with Carolyn, and she reluctantly agrees. Carolyn, now completely under Barnabas' power, has two tasks to complete for him: first, she must convince everyone that David's stories are nothing more than a figment of his imagination, and secondly, Carolyn will help him win Victoria Winters. If Carolyn succeeds, Barnabas promises to reward her with the gift of eternal life.

Act III

Her strength returned, Carolyn departs for Collinwood. Julia plans to resume the treatments on Barnabas, but he is unwilling to resume the experiment after its disastrous side effect. Julia protests, and she tries to convince the vampire to proceed. Barnabas, however, will not hear of it. He dismisses Julia, telling her he has no further need of her. Instead, he will concentrate his time and energy on Victoria. But Julia will not be brushed aside. She points out that Barnabas is still vulnerable during the day and will need her to protect him. Barnabas accepts her offer, at least until he finds a permanent servant.

Act IV

At 2:30 AM Carolyn arrives back at Collinwood. Roger and Elizabeth question her long absence, and Carolyn claims to have been out on a walk since 8:00 PM. She tells them she spent her time mulling over David's current situation. Elizabeth notices that her daughter's hands are ice cold. Carolyn goes upstairs to take a hot bath. After she's gone, Elizabeth tells her brother she is sure something has happened to Carolyn. But Roger chalks it up to Carolyn's concern for David. Early next morning, at 5:45, Carolyn goes downstairs and stands before the portrait of Barnabas. She touches the fang marks on her neck, and smiles...

Dramatis personae

• Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
• Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins
• Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
• Grayson Hall as Dr. Julia Hoffman
• Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard

Background information and notes

• The color videotape master of this episode is lost. However, a poor quality monochrome Kinescope film copy does exist.

Bloopers and continuity errors

• A boom microphone hovers into view during the final act.
• A loud grinding noise can be heard when Carolyn closes the door after going upstairs. Faint voices can be heard just before Carolyn opens the door and descends the staircase at the end of the episode.
• After Barnabus sank his fangs into Willie Loomis and Maggie Evans, drinking their blood, they fell deathly ill; but after Barnabus attacked Carolyn, she was perfectly fine.
• The threshold and the floor of Josette's room appear to be concrete. The Old House was supposed to have been built in 1767 and concrete, as we know it, wasn't around until the 1800's & certainly wouldn't have been used for flooring on a second story of a house.
• In the previous episode, when Carolyn left to go to the Old House, she left the toy soldier on the table in the foyer. In today's episode, it isn't there. Who took it?
• In the final act, the camera stays on the portrait of Barnabas for a long time, obviously to give a stagehand a chance to change the time on the grandfather clock.