We lost John Karlen this week. As someone who runs a website that's supposed to be fun and engaging, it always feels a little ghoulish to use these kinds of losses to give my website traffic a bump. At the same time, I've got content that people want to see, so it's foolish -- maybe even selfish -- to keep it under lock and key. In this case it's a 2013 interview with Karlen counducted by Marie Maginity for The Collinsport Historical Society podcast. This is one of many episodes that were tossed into the vaults following the podcast's integration with Spotify. This episode hasn't been available to the public for a while now.The episode is a little rough around the edges ... Karlen was recuperating in a hospital at the time, which didn't help is already cantankerous mood. But it's one of our most popular episodes, and features Karlen talking about his childhood, acting career and his experience as henchman/hero Willie Loomis on Dark Shadows.
6 comments:
Bless you for making this happen. The interview itself was a delight, which I wondered about after your intro. No worries about John wanting to focus on his beliefs about acting (you said you were frustrated); I was happy he talked about what he wanted to talk about. One thing I believe John was mistaken about is when he said he was the only one of the DS cast to have attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I've read in more than one place that Kathryn Leigh Scott did.
I thought John sounded very nice, considering his situation. Good job with the interview.
What a joy to listen to this! John was always so kind and friendly to all of us at conventions. I'm so pleased he's doing better.
I found at least 6 DS actors who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, including Kathryn Leigh Scott, Christopher Pennock, Conrad Bain and Kate Jackson. None of them were there at the same time as John, though. Sorry, I can't remember the other other two. My memory ain't what it used to be either.
Here is one of them. In that 1966 article from The Daily Reporter I found this clip
Alexandra Moltke, pretty young star of ABC-TV's new romantic suspense series, "Dark Shadows," (premiering Monday, from 3-3:30 p.m., Channel 5), made her acting debut at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts tilting slightly to the left, and with one arm stiffly extended. She was an airplane wing. Before she graduated in 1965, however, her roles became somewhat more animated. She played featured roles in "The Reluctant Debutante" and "I Remember Mama," drifted languidly as Alexandra In "The Swan," and died the death of Desdemona in "Othello."
Yes, Alexandra Moltke. The 6th one was Keith Prentice.
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