TGIF: Jonathan Frid talks monsters and typecasting

1987 was a busy year for Jonathan Frid. If his participation in the national tour of ARSENIC AND OLD LACE wasn't enough, Frid was also beginning to develop his one-man shows. The interview was recorded in May that year during a visit to the Rhode Island International Film Festival for one of his solo appearances. It's a meaty discussion involving some of the usual topics, such as HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, his perspective on typecasting and the demise of DARK SHADOWS in 1971.

"The last year has been the happiest year of my life," he says in the interview. The long runs of ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and his one-man show, "Fools and Fiends" allowed him to explore the material, which was a new experience.

"I realize that my whole career has been wrong from the very beginning," he said. "I never should have been in (repertory theatre). Well, of course that's good training. But stock and television soaps ... I was never happy doing it because I was never that sure of myself."

The episode originally featured segments with astrologer Joyce Levine, witches Cheryl Sulima and Tamara Roddenberry, psychic Dimitria, and Bruce Michaud of the Salem Witch Museum.The video above is edited down to just Frid's portion, though.