Writing
Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; indeed, as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor. Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles.
Rod Serling narrates an anthology of fantasy, horror and sci-fi stories from a set resembling a macabre museum. A chilling work of art serves as the connective link between the stories.
Can you tell the difference between fact and fiction? Several stories of strange, mysterious and incredible occurrences are chronicled during each episode. It is up to the viewer to decide which stories actually happened and which were completely fabricated by the show’s writers. The answer is revealed by Jonathan Frakes at the conclusion of each episode.
The ABC Weekend Specials is a weekly 30-minute anthology TV series for children that aired Saturday mornings on ABC from 1977 to 1997. It featured a wide variety of stories that were both live-action and animated. Similar to both the ABC Afterschool Special and The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie that had started five years previous, the ABC Weekend Specials differed in that it was primarily aimed at younger viewers following ABC's Saturday Morning cartoon lineup, whereas the ABC Afterschool Special was known for its somewhat more serious, and often dramatic storylines dealing with issues concerning a slightly older teen and pre-teen audience. With the debut of the ABC Weekend Specials, some of the early ABC Afterschool Specials that had been targeted towards younger viewers were subsequently repackaged and re-run instead as ABC Weekend Specials.
For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace, who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales... until she meets Pete, a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete's descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham's stories. With the help of Natalie, an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
Pete, a young orphan, runs away to a Maine fishing town with his best friend a lovable, sometimes invisible dragon named Elliott! When they are taken in by a kind lighthouse keeper, Nora, and her father, Elliott's prank playing lands them in big trouble. Then, when crooked salesmen try to capture Elliott for their own gain, Pete must attempt a daring rescue.
Hosted by Captain Kangaroo's Bob Keeshan, the episodes are half-hour animated adaptations of some of the most beloved children's books published at the time of airing, including How to Eat Fried Worms. Other episodes included Dragon's Blood and Ratha's Creature.
Tony and Tia are other-worldly twins endowed with telekinesis. When their Uncle Bene drops them off in Los Angeles for an earthbound vacation, a display of their supernatural skill catches the eye of the nefarious Dr. Gannon and his partner in crime, Letha, who see rich possibilities in harnessing the children's gifts. They kidnap Tony, and Tia gives chase only to find Gannon is using her brother's powers against her.
An obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses.
Konrad is a factory-made child, perfect in every way. When he is mistakenly delivered to the eccentric Mrs. Bartelotti, the factory demands his return. Konrad must go against everything he has been taught to stand up to his creators.
Poochie, a little pink dog who runs a newspaper advice column for her owner, receives a letter from a little boy who has literally lost his father in Cairo, Egypt. Poochie and her robotic servant, Hermes, travel there to help him and end up finding a lost city that would prefer to keep its secrets.
Two CIA bunglers botch a Soviet defection, then both sides mark them for termination.
Mexican horror film about an American painter named Mary who is living in Mexico where she sells her works and also kills people for their blood. It turns out Mary is a vampire but not the traditional one with fangs. Since she has no fangs she must stab or slash the throats of her victims but soon she has a new man in her life as well as a mysterious man in black who appears to be doing the same type of murders.
Story about a vampire who falls in love with a woman and tries to "re-humanize" himself in order to be with her.
Join Ralph on a string of adventures after he runs away from home at the Mountain View Inn, and makes a new friend.
An animated special about a young girl who must learn to accept her divorced mother's remarriage.
Rose-Petal Place is an abandoned Victorian mansion surrounded by a garden. Little Rose-Petal was created one day when her mistress, in a moment of distress, cried upon her garden and her tears crystallized, bringing her to life.
A reporter investigating a drug dealing ring is murdered. Brought back to life by the voodoo spell of a cleaning woman, he goes after his killers.
Cap'n O.G. Readmore and his friends – Kitty Literature, Ol' Tome Cat, Wordsy, Lickety Page and Dog-Eared – are holding their Friday Night Book Club meeting in an alley next to the public library. When members of the Book Club start to poke fun at some of the characters from their favorite fairy tales, the bookshelves part and Cap'n O.G. is abducted by those same characters. Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk challenges Cap'n O.G. to take his place in the story.
Two 20th century youngsters, Andy and Karen, are accidentally transported back to the year 100,000,000 B.C. by their father's time machine. While dodging dinosaurs, the kids find a loyal friend in the form of Bunjee, a lovable, purple-haired creature who resembles an elephant with suction cups for feet. After escaping danger, Andy and Karen bring Bunjee with them when they return to the present. Alas, Bunjee is hardly ready for modern civilization, and vice versa.
