~Barnibus Collins~

arnibus Collins, the character created by producer/director Dan Curtis, and played by actor Johnathon Frid, was introduced, in 1967, into the storyline of the failing daytime soap opera Dark Shadows. He becomes the show's central character and saves it from early cancellation. As the show eventually reveals, Barnibus is the son of Joshua Collins and the nephew of wealthy family patriarch Jeremiah Collins in New England during the 1780's. At the time, the Collins family is hosting Andre du Pres and his daughter Josette, Barnibus's fiancee, who arrived from thier plantation in Matinique for the wedding of Jossette and Banibus. Josette is accompanied by her maid, Angeligue Bouchard who is also a witch. Angelique, in her desire for everything her employers possess makes moves on Barnibus, but he refuses her advances. Angelique then turns on Jossette, and through her witchcraft causes Jossette to marry Barnibus's Uncle Jeremiah. Barnibus then kills Jeremiah in a duel.
Eventually, Barnibus is tricked into marrying Anelique, but when he discovers her occult actions, he shoots her. Believing that she is dying, Angelique curses Banibus with words that set the course of his future: "I set a curse on you, Barnibus Collins. You will never rest. And you will never be able to love. Whoever loves you will die. That is my curse, and you will live with it through all eternity." As her words die out, a vampire bat flies into the room and heads straight for Barnibus's throat. He dies from the attack and only to arise as a vampire. He thinks that Jossette should join him in his vampiric existence, and begins to drain her of her blood. before he can finish the transformation, however, Angelique's spirit lures Jossette to a cliff where she falls to her death. Joshua Collins, having learned of his son's condition, locks and chains Barnibus in a secret room in the family mausoleum to stop the plaque of his vampiric attacks.
Barnibus's employee Willie Loomis, looking for buried treasure, dicovers the secret room that contains the coffin in which Barnibus has been secured. Not realizing what he was doing, Wllie releases Barnibus from his prison of many decades.
His adventures would continue for 800 more Dark Shadows episodes. In 1970 Dark Shadows creator featured Banibus in a full length movie, House of Dark Shadows. Barnibus died at the end, and thus did not appear in the follow up, Night of Dark Shadows. Barnibus is only the second modern vampie to gain a wide public following. Though there is little liklihood that a new Dark Shadows series will come to TV, the continuation of Dark Shadows fan conventions and publications suggests that interest in Barnibus will remain for many years.















~ Loops of Fury ~