Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jul 26, 2014 8:24:47 GMT -6
www.fangoria.com/new/barnabas-column-14-rip-dark-shadows-producer-robert-costello/
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep……..”
William Shakespeare, The Tempest, read by Jonathan Frid on the Dark Shadows LP record album in 1969
DARK SHADOWS fans are mourning the May 30th passing of Robert Costello, who worked as a producer on the series during its first three years. Costello had a long and illustrious career in television, which began in the 1950s with Armstrong Circle Theater. Costello produced the anthology drama, working with Hollywood legends such as James Dean, Grace Kelly, Jack Lemmon, Paul Newman and Caroll O’Connor.
After his three year stint as producer of THE PATTY DUKE SHOW ended, Costello accepted a job on DARK SHADOWS. Starting with the show’s debut, Costello produced hundreds of episodes, and played a major role in establishing the look and tone that would eventually captivate millions. Reportedly it was Costello who made the decision to cast Jonathan Frid as the vampire Barnabas Collins, which changed the fortunes of a then failing show. Costello at the time had no idea how influential his work would become: TRUE BLOOD, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, along with other current and recent series have all acknowledged the influence of DS.
Costello left the wildly popular DARK SHADOWS after three years, in order to produce spooky soap STRANGE PARADISE. That series only lasted a year, but Costello wasn’t out of work for long. He won a Peabody Award for producing the acclaimed PBS mini-series THE ADDAMS CHRONICLES, in which a number of familiar DARK SHADOWS faces popped up, most notably Nancy Barrett, Addison Powell, Cavada Humphrey and Robert Gerringer.
Costello was awarded two Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on RYAN’S HOPE, which was produced in DARK SHADOWS’ former studio on West 53rd Street in New York City.
In his later years, Costello was a tenured professor at New York University’s Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. Costello, who was 93 years-old, is survived by Sybil Weinberger, his wife of 37 years. Weinberger served as the musical director on both DARK SHADOWS and RYAN’S HOPE.
RIP.
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep……..”
William Shakespeare, The Tempest, read by Jonathan Frid on the Dark Shadows LP record album in 1969
DARK SHADOWS fans are mourning the May 30th passing of Robert Costello, who worked as a producer on the series during its first three years. Costello had a long and illustrious career in television, which began in the 1950s with Armstrong Circle Theater. Costello produced the anthology drama, working with Hollywood legends such as James Dean, Grace Kelly, Jack Lemmon, Paul Newman and Caroll O’Connor.
After his three year stint as producer of THE PATTY DUKE SHOW ended, Costello accepted a job on DARK SHADOWS. Starting with the show’s debut, Costello produced hundreds of episodes, and played a major role in establishing the look and tone that would eventually captivate millions. Reportedly it was Costello who made the decision to cast Jonathan Frid as the vampire Barnabas Collins, which changed the fortunes of a then failing show. Costello at the time had no idea how influential his work would become: TRUE BLOOD, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, along with other current and recent series have all acknowledged the influence of DS.
Costello left the wildly popular DARK SHADOWS after three years, in order to produce spooky soap STRANGE PARADISE. That series only lasted a year, but Costello wasn’t out of work for long. He won a Peabody Award for producing the acclaimed PBS mini-series THE ADDAMS CHRONICLES, in which a number of familiar DARK SHADOWS faces popped up, most notably Nancy Barrett, Addison Powell, Cavada Humphrey and Robert Gerringer.
Costello was awarded two Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on RYAN’S HOPE, which was produced in DARK SHADOWS’ former studio on West 53rd Street in New York City.
In his later years, Costello was a tenured professor at New York University’s Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. Costello, who was 93 years-old, is survived by Sybil Weinberger, his wife of 37 years. Weinberger served as the musical director on both DARK SHADOWS and RYAN’S HOPE.
RIP.