Dark Shadows often used classic stories with Gothic themes. The series modified this material freely, giving the familiar stories unusual twists. The following is a list of novels, short stories and films that influenced the various storylines and its characters.
Frankenstein (1818)
- Author: Mary Shelley
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction
- Notes: The 'Adam and Eve' storyline: Adam. Julia's attempt to reunite the head and body of Judah Zachary; episodes 1134-1137.
The Spider and the Fly (1829)
- Author: Mary Howitt
- Type: Poem
- Genre: Cautionary Tale
- Notes: Quentin quotes from this poem "Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly"; episode 714
Ligeia (1838)
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Gothic, Romance
- Notes: Characters inspired by the story:
- Alexis Stokes is based on Rowena
- Angelique Stokes Collins on Ligeia
- Quentin Collins on the Narrator
Nicholas Nickleby (1838/39)
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Social Criticism
- Notes: Worthington Hall and Trask's running of it is based on Dotherboys; during the '1897' storyline.
William Wilson (1839)
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: Worthington Hall is partly based on the severe, unnamed school; during the '1897' storyline.
The Tell-Tale Heart (1843)
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: The heartbeat that tortures Quentin; episode 710.
The Pit and the Pendulum (1843)
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: Aristede's torture of Quentin Collins; episodes 795-796.
The Premature Burial (1844)
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: Elizabeth's changes to her will; episode 577.
The Count of Monte Cristo (1844)
- Author: Alexandre Dumas with Auguste Maquet
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Adventure
- Notes: Burke Devlin reads this book in episode 38; Carolyn comments that the book is about a man returning to his home town to wreak revenge, which Elizabeth, Roger, Sam and Bill all suspect to be Burke's true motivation for returning to Collinsport.
Queen Margot (1845)
- Author: Alexandre Dumas
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Historical fiction
- Notes: Gregory Trask and Evan Hanley's drugging/hypnotism of Tim Shaw using a potion on the pages of a book in episode 762 is reminiscent of a similar scheme to poison a character using a book in this novel.
The Cask of Amontillado (1846)
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: The deaths of Reverend Trask and Gregory Trask are based on the death of Fortunato.
Jane Eyre (1847)
- Author: Charlotte Brontë
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic, Horror
- Notes: The character of Victoria Winters and her role in the series. The following characters from the '1897' storyline were also inspired by the story:
- Rachel Drummond is based on Jane Eyre
- Gregory Trask on Mr. Brocklehurst
- Edward Collins on Edward Rochester
- Nora Collins on Adele Varens
- Beth Chavez on Grace Poole
- Jenny Collins on Bertha
Wuthering Heights (1847)
- Author: Emily Brontë
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic
- Notes: Characters inspired by the story:
- Bramwell Collins is based on Heathcliff
- Catherine Harridge on Cathy
- Daphne Harridge on Isabella
- Morgan Collins on Edgar
- Gabriel Collins on Hindley
The Scarlet Letter (1850)
- Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Romance
- Notes: Hester Prynne
Dover Beach (1851)
- Author: Matthew Arnold
- Type: Poem
- Genre: Romance
- Notes: Roger Collins quotes the last stanza from the poem, episode 464.
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)
- Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Anti-slavery
- Notes: A reference is made to Simon Legree, the villain; episode 730.
A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Social Criticism
- Notes: Danielle Rogét is based on the character of Madame Defarge.
The Return of the Native (1878)
- Author: Thomas Hardy
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Tragedy
- Notes: The '1841 in Parallel Time' storyline.
Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)
- Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Gothic, Horror
- 'Notes:' Characters inspired by the story:
- Cyrus Longworth is based on Dr. Jekyll
- John Yaeger on Mr. Hyde
- Buffie Harrington on Ivy Pearson
- Horace Gladstone on Dr. Hastie Lanyon
- Dan Curtis produced a television adaptation of the novel in 1968
She (1887)
- Author: Henry Rider Haggard
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic, Romance, Fantasy
- Notes: The 'Phoenix' storyline, in 1966 and in 1897.
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)
- Author: Oscar Wilde
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic
- Notes: Angelique's portrait during the 'Adam and Eve' storyline, as well as the 1897 storyline. Characters inspired by the story:
- Quentin Collins is based on Dorian Gray
- Charles Delaware Tate on Basil Hallward
- Amanda Harris on Sibyl Vane
- Dan Curtis produced a television adaptation of the novel in 1973, which starred John Karlen
Dracula (1897)
- Author: Bram Stoker
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic, Horror
- Notes: The introduction of vampire Barnabas Collins to the series.
- Dan Curtis produced and directed a television adaptation of the novel in 1974
The Turn of the Screw (1898)
- Author: Henry James
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic
- Notes: The story was done twice on the show, during the 'Quentin's Ghost' storyline, and again during the 'Gerard Stiles' storyline. Characters inspired by the story:
- Quentin Collins is based on Peter Quint
- Beth Chavez on Miss Jessel
- David Collins on Miles
- Amy Jennings on Flora
- Maggie Evans on The Governess
- Gerard Stiles on Peter Quint
- Hallie Stokes on Flora
- Daphne Harridge on Miss Jessel
- Dan Curtis produced a television adaptation of the novel in 1974, which starred Kathryn Leigh Scott
The Monkey's Paw (1902)
- Author: W. W. Jacobs
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: The 'Hand of Petofi' storyline.
The Sense of the Past (1917)
- Author: Henry James
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Time Travel, Comedy of Manners
- Notes: The love story of Peter Bradford/Jeff Clark and Victoria Winters over the centuries.
The Call of Cthulhu (1928)
- Author: H. P. Lovecraft
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
- Notes: The 'Leviathan' storyline.
The Werewolf of Paris (1933)
- Author: Guy Endore
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: Chris Jenning's and Quentin Collins' lycanthropy.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
- Author: William Hurlbut
- Type: Film
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: The 'Adam and Eve' storyline.
Rebecca (1938)
- Author: Daphne Du Maurie
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Gothic, Mystery, Romance
- Notes: The '1970 in Parallel Time' storyline. The film 'Night of Dark Shadows'. The parallel time versions of the following characters are based on:
- Angelique Stokes Collins on Rebecca
- Quentin Collins on Maxim de Winter
- Julia Hoffman on Mrs. Danvers
- Elizabeth Stoddard on Beatrice
- Maggie Collins on the Second Mrs. de Winter
- Chris Collins on Frank Crawley
- Bruno Hess on Jack Favell
The Wolf Man (1941)
- Author: Curt Siodmak
- Type: Film
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: Chris Jennings's and Quentin Collins' lycanthropy.
The Lottery (1948)
- Author: Shirley Jackson
- Type: Short Story
- Genre: Mystery, Horror
- Notes: The '1841 in Parallel Time' storyline.
The Crucible (1952)
- Author: Arthur Miller
- Type: Play
- Genre: Tragedy
- Notes: Victoria Winters' witchcraft trial; during the '1795' storyline.
The Body Snatchers (1955)
- Author: Jack Finney
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Notes: The 'Leviathan' storyline.
I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)
- Author: Louis Vittes
- Type: Film
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Notes: The 'Leviathan' storyline, particularly Jeb Hawkes' marriage to Carolyn Stoddard.
The Thing That Couldn't Die (1958)
- Author: David Duncan
- Type: Film
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: 'The Head of Judah Zachary' storyline.
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
- Author: Roger Corman (Director)
- Type: Film
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: Stylistic influence on series as a whole.
Rosemary's Baby (1967)
- Author: Ira Levin
- Type: Novel
- Genre: Horror
- Notes: The 'Leviathan' storyline, particularly the Leviathan child.
Mythology & Legend
- Phoenix: The story of Laura Collins in the 1966 and 1897 storylines.
- Faust: The story of Charles Delaware Tate.
- Pygmalion: Amanda Harris was partly based on Galatea.
- Orpheus & Eurydice: Quentin and Amanda Harris' journey through the hellish realm, episodes 932-934.