Picture of Joe Haskell, (actor Joel Crothers), at Collinsport, (Collinwood) Manor, with Caroline Stoddard, her Mother, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, and Victoria Winters; and Episode 17 of the first season of 'Dark Shadows', 1966, in which Roger Collins recovers from his car accident and blames Burke Devlin, right in the media section.
Warning: It is rated PG for some supernatural horror violence, adult themes.
You must be 13 years and over to see and hear it.
B/W.
Joe Haskell hated to be in love with Carolyn Stoddard.
He remembered the first time he walked towards Collinwood Manor.
***
Mid 1951
Fifteen years' ago...
It was a cold, scary, night.
I was eight years' old.
Bill Malloy, the head of the Collins Fishing Fleet, knew of my attraction to the haunted place. I wore a blue jumper, black jeans, a black belt, brown socks, and brown school shoes on my feet. I wanted to know why the wives of Widow's Hill killed themselves, while they waited for their seamen husbands come to Collinswood; while they howled in their homes to see through the freezing windows...and wanting them to return to them...and their family.
I raced towards the dark house; I raced until the glow of the lamps outside the front door glowed; I raced to the windows, but no one was there...
...Except for the eerie dark shadows that seemed to come towards me...and shatter my mind. My hair went up like a spark; my eyes gleamed in the dark...
...Until I saw her staring at me...
...And she smiled a wicked smile...
...And she like death itself...
*
"Who are you?", I asked.
"Carolyn Stoddard", she answered.
Her long, blonde hair was messy; her blue eyes twinkled like the evening stars. Her black gown was out of place in a normal setting...unless you lived in Collinsport; unless you lived in Collinwood Manor.
"It's a...", I begun.
"It's not you who seeks us; it's them".
"The seamen".
"Yes, they're not bothering to hide their concerned desire to seek...and destroy us. They're afraid of us".
"Why?".
"Because of the curse".
"The curse".
"Yes, it's an old story. I shall not care of what happens now...Nor ever more. Mother is most insistent once she was here after...".
"After...".
"After Father left eighteen years' ago".
"Where is he, may I ask?".
"Dead. Gone".
"I don't understand".
"There's nothing to understand. You're a human. And, I mean, you can't come inside unless I invite you in".
And she smiled.
*
"Carolyn, who is it?", Elizabeth Collins Stoddard asked.
She wore her silvery grey hair in a bun; her blue eyes glowed.
Her black dress was dressed regally; her black shoes hit the ground near the drawing room's doors, near the foyer.
"It's Joe Haskell, Mother! A seaman's son".
"Oh, well, let him in. I can call Bill Malloy...".
I smiled.
"Mrs Stoddard, I just want to take a look. Bill's very busy. I live with Amy Jennings...and my other cousins...Tom as well as Chris".
Another freezing wind blew.
"Maybe another time, Joe. Your family needs you".
And he nodded...
...And left the haunted house...
...And Carolyn Stoddard's image that was imprinted in his mind.
Page 13.