681

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Number	672
Timeline	1969
Narrator	Nancy Barrett
Writer	Gordon Russell
Director	Dan Curtis
Broadcast	February 3, 1969 (Monday)
Recorded	January 27, 1969 (Monday)
Video	Complete: Disc 71 Collection 12: Disc 3

We have 15 images of Dark Shadows 681

Maggie tells Elizabeth about seeing the strange man in the deserted west wing of Collinwood.

Synopsis[]

There was never a greater fear than that which one young woman will experience tonight in the great house at Collinwood. Maggie Evans knows that the two children in the house have changed mysteriously. Where once they were carefree and innocent, now they seem constantly uncertain and terrified. Tonight, Maggie Evans will attempt for the first time to find out why.

Maggie tells Elizabeth about seeing the strange man in the West wing. Carolyn and Chris search the West wing and do not find anything. David takes Elizabeth and Maggie to the West wing and where they find a dummy which “must” have been what Maggie saw.

Memorable quotes[]

David: (singing, to the tune of Yankee Doodle) Mr. Juggins met Miss Evans on a darkened night. The poor girl fainted dead away, he gave her such a fright. Mr. Juggins, keep it up. Mr. Juggins, keep it up. Mr. Juggins, keep it up, until Aunt Liz believes me.

Chris: Someone could hide up here very easily.

Dramatis personae[]

Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans
David Henesy as David Collins
Don Briscoe as Chris Jennings
David Selby as Quentin Collins

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

The name of Mr. Juggins is a reference to boom microphone operator Max Jughans. One line from David's song (see memorable quotes) is an inside joke about Jughans' frequent tendency to allow the microphone to fall into camera range ("Mr Juggins, keep it up...").^[1]
Several behind-the-scenes photographs were taken during the production of this episode. The images can be seen in Kathryn Leigh Scott's book My Scrapbook Memories of Dark Shadows. The photos show the cast sitting around a table reading through the script; Dan Curtis and the production team directing in the control room; and Scott, Joan Bennett, Don Briscoe, Nancy Barrett, David Selby, and David Henesy rehearsing on the drawing room and west wing sets.

Story[]

David quotes the poem "I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell ," written by Tom Brown. It was previously referenced in 335; it is reprised here from the previous episode.
GHOSTWATCH: Quentin's ghost appears to Maggie (reprised from previous episode). Later, he waits in the west wing alone. Later, he appears to David.
TIMELINE: It was early last week when Mrs. Johnson saw Quentin in the cottage (occurred in 669). It was 15 minutes ago when Maggie found David's room empty. It was the "other morning" when David was at Chris' cottage. It was twelve hours later when Chris was poisoned (occurred in 677).

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

In the reprise, Maggie opens the door, and we see Quentin standing there long before Maggie does. This did not happen in the cliffhanger from the previous episode.
When Elizabeth takes Maggie to the drawing room and they sit down, the camera swings too far to the left and then pans back to the right a bit.
Joan Bennett flubs her lines: "Maggie…I can’t dismiss the fact that a strange man possibly got – in – to – the — west wing. But I can’t — and I intend to get to the bottom of it. But I can’t possibly believe that David had anything to do with it!” She then flubs, "I doubt...I don't doubt..."
David Henesy and Joan Bennett say their lines on top of each other. David: "So I did go up there...", then simultaneously David: "...tonight." Elizabeth: "What for?"
If the west wing is locked, how is everyone getting in without using the key? Of course, David and Amy are using the secret panel entrance in the drawing room, but what about everyone else? [Addendum: David himself has been going through the unlocked door to the west wing as well. He did a couple of episodes ago.]
Why is Elizabeth so against Maggie and so pro-David in this episode? This despite her reminding them all that David has gone to the west wing before, that this is not the first time, that he disobeyed before, and that she already gave Maggie full discipline rights in 679.
As Elizabeth, Maggie, and David approach the west wing storage room, there is whispering and other off-stage noise.