Phonographs, Dark Shadows and Quentin's Theme

[Lucius1958]

It appears we've all just entered….

the VAULT OF MINDLESS FELLOWSHIP!!

Bill

[RAK402]

Is that near the "Wall of Science"?

[Sonora]

There were three distinct "Quentin-o-phones",T first was a banner front Home model B with a red eleven panel translucent horn made by Standard with pink roses.That one was seen throughout the ghost of Quentin Collins in 1969 phase of the storyline.When the character Barnabas Collins traveled back through time to 1897 to resolve the matter and to save the life of one of the characters the phonograph was replaced with a suitcase home with a rather battered black Edison morning glory.The second machine disappeared after a few more weeks and the original Model B Home with the red horn reappeared for most of the eight month duration of the 1897 storyline.This red horn sometimes appears to have white roses so there is the distinct possibility that two nearly identical Standard horns were employed.At some point well into the nearly nine month run a third horn was used interchangably with the first horn.This was another red tanslu
cent one with 17 narrow panels and decorated inside with white chrysanthemums.This latter horn was seen infrequently.After the show returned to then present day Collinwood(1969) Quentin popped up again via a Dorian Gray portrait that left him unaged for 73 years but he was an amnesiac going by the name Grant Douglas.The folks at Collinwood needed to enlist his help to aid the family so it became necessary to jog his memory.What better way to do it than to dig out his old phonograph and play his favorite song "Shadows of the night"?This time the first horn was used but it was stuck on top of a banner front Model B Edison Standard!
There is a plausible reason why the production designer played musical chairs with horns and machines.Ramse Mostoller,the show's costumer, also owned an antique shop and she made money renting out to D.S. quite a number of set props.From time to time an item would go back to the shop either to be sold or rented to another show so Quentin's machine changed a bit!No one was concerned that a morning glory horn on a Model B Edison Home were anachronistic for 1897 as they perceived the machine as looking classically "Victorian"!
I'd started collecting phonographs in 1965 when I was ten so I was very "jazzed" to see an early Edison on Dark Shadows.Moreover the 1897 storyline was the best writing and acting from the show's run.It made such an impression on me that 25 years later I bought a nearly identical red horn,put it on an Edison Home and made a brown wax recording of Quentin's Theme to play on it .Old fans of the show are nonplussed when they come in the house and see it!

[Orchorsol]

Is that near the "Wall of Science"?

I come from the shadows too!
Well, we'll just have to see the Doctor about this...

[RAK402]

"I come from the shadows too!"

In this case-the "Dark Shadows."


Ah Clem...