House of Dan Curtis

My good friend Jeff Thompson, horror author and Dark Shadows aficionado, has been quite busy lately. His second book within the past few months hit the stands this week. It is called “House of Dan Curtis: The Television Mysteries of the Dark Shadows Auteur.”

Jeff is quite a unique guy – he is an English Professor at Tennessee State University, a collector of horror and sci-fi memorabilia, a horror host fan, and a Dark Shadows expert. It is the latter that he has explored in this book, which is actually his second book on Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis.

House of Dan Curtis provides an overview of Dan Curtis’ 40-year-long career, as well as an examination of 15 mysteries and crime dramas Curtis produced, co-wrote, and/or directed. It is chock full of photos and has a foreword by John Karlen, one of the stars of Dark Shadows and many other Curtis productions.

Both books, "House of Dan Curtis" and “The Television Horrors of Dan Curtis: Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker and Other Productions, 1966-2006” are available through Amazon, or, as a special offer, Jeff will sell either of his books directly at a much discounted rate of only $20 plus $5 shipping. Or, come to the Nashville Comic Con in September (September 25 – 26) and meet Jeff in person and pick up a copy for only $20.

You can contact Jeff directly at: jthompson@tnstate.edu.

Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker and Other Productions

I ran into my good buddy Jeff Thompson the other day at the PLANET OF THE APES screening at the Belcourt Theater. As I entered the theater I recognized a familiar face, so I went over and sat with Jeff. Before the film started we had a chance to chat and catch up a bit, and Jeff told me about an exciting new book he has coming out through McFarland Publications. It's called Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker and Other Productions, 1966–2006. Here is the McFarland website description:

The award-winning and innovative director Dan Curtis was known for helming epic war movies, but before that he darkened the small screen with the horror genre’s most famous soap opera. Curtis directed the groundbreaking daytime television serial Dark Shadows from 1966 to 1971 and then turned his lens to numerous made-for-TV horror movies. This book examines 16 horror films that Curtis produced, co-wrote, or directed, as well as the cultural impact of Dark Shadows and its various incarnations. The book features 69 photographs and a foreword by Jim Pierson of Dan Curtis Productions.

According to Jeff the 69 photographs are rare and some never before published photos of Dan Curtis. Jeff is a lifelong Dark Shadows aficionado. I've been to his house and it is a veritable museum of Dark Shadows and other fantastic memorabilia. (Tennessee Crossroads did a segment for a Halloween episode there, focusing on Jeff's enormous collection of memorabilia).

Jeff is an English professor at Tennessee State University and incorporates his love of horror films into his courses, even screen various movies for his students. He has written articles on Dan Curtis and Dark Shadows and attends conventions as a guest on Dark Shadows and horror cinema.

His new book will be available starting Friday, March 13th on the McFarland website,

and you can also order it through Amazon.com.