Jonathan Frid

Jonathan Frid (December 2, 1924 - April 14, 2012) was a Canadian actor, probably best known for his portrayal of Barnabas Collins in the original Dark Shadows. He also played Bramwell Collins in the final year of the show.

BiographyEdit

EducationEdit

Born John Herbert Frid, after war service in the Canadian Navy he attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada^[1] before attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. From there he eventually attended Yale School of Drama where he obtained another Master’s Degree in Directing.

CareerEdit

A seasoned Shakespearean actor, he appeared in many plays in the USA and Canada before Dark Shadows and is well known for his part in the cast of Arsenic and Old Lace with Jean Stapleton, where he replaced Abe Vigoda (who had played two small roles in Dark Shadows) after the series ended. Frid took a hiatus from attending Dark Shadows conventions after 1993.

Frid retired to Ancaster, Ontario, which is a part of his native Hamilton where he grew up. After a long hiatus, Frid made an appearance at the 2007 Dark Shadows Festival, and continued to appear frequently until his death. In 2010, Frid returned to the role of Barnabas after 39 years in the Big Finish Productions dramatic reading, The Night Whispers.

His final appearance on film was a cameo in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows film along with fellow original cast members Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott and David Selby, where he portrayed a party guest. He appeared at the 2010 Dark Shadows Convention in California and performed with David Selby at the 2011 Convention in New York City. At the time of his death, he was scheduled to appear at the 2012 Dark Shadows convention in Tarrytown, New York.

Personal lifeEdit

It has been noted by Frid's family and assistants that he likely suffered from some form of dyslexia, and had trouble in school because of it.^[2] He never married, apparently believing that the life of an actor was fraught with insecurities.

DeathEdit

Jonathan Frid died after a serious fall early Saturday morning 14 April, 2012 (some sources say Friday 13 April).^[3]

AppearancesEdit

As Barnabas Collins:Edit

211, 212, 214, 218, 220, 221, 222, 224, 225/226, 227, 230, 233, 234, 236, 238, 239, 240, 241, 243, 245, 247, 248, 250, 251, 253, 255, 258, 260, 261, 264, 267, 274, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 299, 300, 301, 302, 305, 306, 309, 310, 311, 312, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 325, 326, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 343, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 353, 354, 355, 356, 358, 359, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 368/369, 370, 371, 374, 375, 378, 379, 380, 381, 383, 384, 385, 386, 388, 389, 390/391, 392, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 411, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 429, 430, 431, 432, 435, 438, 439, 440, 442, 446, 447, 449, 450, 451, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 475, 476, 477, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 490, 491, 492, 493, 495, 496, 498, 500, 501, 505, 506, 511, 512, 516, 520, 521, 522, 530, 531, 532, 534, 535, 536, 538, 542, 546, 547, 548, 549, 551, 552, 553, 554, 556, 557, 558, 560, 561, 562, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568, 570, 571, 572, 573, 579, 582, 583, 584, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 599, 600, 601, 604, 605, 606, 608, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 618, 619, 620, 621, 630, 631, 633/634, 635, 636, 637, 645, 650, 651, 652, 654, 656, 657, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 708, 709, 711, 712, 713, 717, 718, 720, 721, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 732, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 746, 747, 754, 755, 756, 759, 760, 761, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 775, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 787, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 803, 804, 805, 807, 814, 815, 817, 821, 825, 827, 834, 835, 837, 839, 841, 842, 844, 845, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 889, 890, 891, 892, 894, 897, 900, 901, 904, 905, 906, 907, 912, 915, 916, 926, 929, 930, 931, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 947, 948, 950, 951, 952, 954, 955, 957, 961, 963, 965, 966, 969, 970, 971, 972, 975, 977, 978, 980, 981, 982, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1020, 1021, 1024, 1026, 1027, 1029, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1038, 1039, 1041, 1043, 1044, 1045, 1046, 1047, 1048, 1051, 1053, 1055, 1056, 1057, 1058, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1062, 1063, 1064, 1065, 1066, 1067, 1068, 1069, 1070, 1071, 1072, 1073, 1075, 1078, 1081, 1082, 1090, 1091, 1092, 1095, 1097, 1098, 1101, 1102, 1104, 1105, 1106, 1108, 1109, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1115, 1116, 1118, 1121, 1122, 1124, 1129, 1130, 1131, 1133, 1134/1135, 1136, 1137, 1138, 1139, 1143, 1144, 1148, 1149, 1159, 1163, 1164, 1168, 1169, 1171, 1172, 1178, 1179/1180, 1181, 1185, 1186, 1195, 1196, 1197, 1198

• House of Dark Shadows

As Bramwell Collins:Edit

1199, 1200, 1201, 1202, 1205, 1206, 1207, 1213, 1214, 1217, 1218, 1219, 1220, 1221, 1224, 1228, 1229, 1232, 1233, 1235, 1238, 1239, 1241, 1242, 1243, 1244, 1245

Audio PerformancesEdit

• The Night Whispers

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/jonathan-frid
2. ↑ Hailstones and Halibut Bones - Prepared yet Stunned
3. ↑ [1], Frid family Facebook page memorial.

External links Edit

• ^[1] Jonathan Frid at the Internet Movie Database
• Jonathan Frid at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jonathan Frid at Wikipedia
• Jonathan Frid interview - FLIP - April, 1969
• Jonathan Frid interview - Monsters of the Movies #8 - 1975
• Jonathan Frid interview - Afternoon TV, November, 1969
• Jonathan Frid interview - The Houston Post, 1971

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