It was a cold night in Pinewood Studios, back in 2011, when the original vampire finally met his successor. Jonathan Frid, the man who basically invented the "reluctant monster" archetype on daytime television in the 1960s, stood on a lavishly decorated set. He was 86 years old. He looked frail, but his eyes still had that sharp, theatrical glint. Across from him stood Johnny Depp, decked out in heavy white makeup and prosthetic fingers, playing the very character that had made Frid a household name decades earlier: Barnabas Collins.
Most people who went to see the Jonathan Frid Dark Shadows 2012 collaboration—if you can even call a five-second cameo a collaboration—didn't really know who the old man in the tuxedo was. To the casual moviegoer in 2012, Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows was just another quirky, high-budget gothic comedy. But for the "Shadows" cult following, that brief moment in the film was a passing of the torch. It was also, tragically, a final bow.
Frid died just weeks before the movie actually hit theaters.
Why the 2012 Cameo Almost Didn't Happen
Tim Burton gets a lot of flak for his later-career movies, but the guy genuinely loved the original soap opera. He wasn't just checking a box. He wanted the original cast there. So, he flew Frid, along with co-stars Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans/Josette), and David Selby (Quentin Collins), over to England.
It wasn't an easy trip for Frid.
By this point, he’d mostly retired to his native Canada. He wasn't looking for the limelight anymore. He spent his time doing "Readers Theatre" and staying out of the Hollywood grind. Honestly, the logistical hurdle of getting an octogenarian across the Atlantic for a background shot in a party scene is something most studios wouldn't bother with. But Depp was adamant. Depp has gone on record multiple times saying that Jonathan Frid’s Barnabas was the reason he wanted to be an actor in the first place.
They filmed the scene at a "Collinsport" party. If you blink, you miss it. During the ball at Collinwood, the camera pans past a group of guests. There they are: the original stars. Frid is holding a drink, looking dignified, perhaps a bit bewildered by the sheer scale of the production compared to the rickety, low-budget sets he worked on at ABC’s Studio 16 in New York.
The Contrast Between Two Barnabases
Seeing Jonathan Frid in Dark Shadows 2012 creates this weird, jarring juxtaposition. Frid's Barnabas was a product of 1967. He was Shakespearean. He was heavy with guilt. When Frid played the role, he often forgot his lines because the production schedule was so grueling—they were basically filming a play a day. That clumsiness actually added to the character’s charm; he seemed perpetually out of time.
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Then you have Depp’s version.
Depp went full "fish out of water." He played it for laughs. The 2012 movie leaned heavily into the 1972 setting, mocking the era’s macramé and lava lamps. Some fans hated it. They felt it mocked the source material. But having Frid there, even for a heartbeat, served as a sort of seal of approval. It told the audience, "Yeah, we’re being silly, but we know where we came from."
Kathryn Leigh Scott later wrote about how gracious Depp was during that shoot. He supposedly stepped out of character immediately to greet Frid, treating him like royalty. For Frid, who had spent years trying to distance himself from the "vampire" label to be taken seriously as a stage actor, it was a moment of total vindication. He realized that his work hadn't just been a "disposable soap opera." It was a legacy.
The Tragedy of the Timing
The movie premiered in May 2012. Jonathan Frid passed away on April 14, 2012, in Hamilton, Ontario.
He died of natural causes, complicated by a fall. Because of the timing, he never saw the finished film. He never saw the reaction of the fans when his face appeared on the big screen. There’s something incredibly poetic and a little bit haunting about that. His final professional credit was returning to the house that made him famous.
The Jonathan Frid Dark Shadows 2012 appearance wasn't just a cameo; it was a bookend.
What People Get Wrong About the Cameo
There’s a common misconception that Frid had a speaking role that was cut. That’s not true. According to the production notes and the accounts of the other original cast members, it was always intended to be a "walk-on" style appearance. The goal was an Easter egg for the "Collinsport Historical Society" types.
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Another weird rumor? That Frid didn't like Depp’s interpretation.
Actually, by all accounts, Frid was amused. He’d seen other people play Barnabas before—Christopher Pennock in the 70s, Ben Cross in the 90s. He wasn't precious about it. He told reporters at the time that he found the scale of the 2012 production "extraordinary." You have to remember, Frid’s Dark Shadows was famous for boom mics dipping into the shot and actors tripping over the carpet. Seeing a $150 million version of his old workplace must have been surreal.
The Reality of "Dark Shadows" (1966 vs 2012)
To understand why this cameo mattered, you have to understand how big Frid was. In 1968, he was getting more fan mail than some of the biggest movie stars in the world. He was a middle-aged man with a receding hairline who became a sex symbol. It was bizarre.
The 2012 film tried to capture that mania but shifted the tone to camp.
- Original Series: Gothic horror, melodrama, serious stakes, accidental humor.
- 2012 Film: Stylized comedy, intentional camp, massive CGI, heavy 70s nostalgia.
- The Link: The character of Barnabas remains a man looking for a family he can't quite belong to.
Frid’s presence in the film acts as a bridge. Without him, the 2012 movie is just another Burton-Depp collaboration. With him, it becomes a piece of television history.
Exploring the "Lost" Footage
If you dig into the Blu-ray extras of the 2012 film, there is a featurette called "The Collinses: Every Family Has Its Demons." It shows some behind-the-scenes glimpses of the original cast on set. Watching Frid navigate the modern movie set is fascinating. He’s wearing a heavy overcoat, chatting with the crew, and looking like a man who has seen it all.
He wasn't there to reclaim his throne. He was there to say goodbye.
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There’s a specific shot in the behind-the-scenes footage where Frid and Depp are standing side-by-side. It’s the best way to view the evolution of the genre. You have the classical, stage-trained actor who created the trope, and the modern character actor who deconstructed it.
Actionable Ways to Experience the Frid Legacy
If you’re a fan of the 2012 movie and want to understand the man who made it possible, don't just stop at the cameo. The history is deep.
Watch the "Barnabas" Beginning
Skip the first 200 episodes of the original 1966 series. Most people don't realize Barnabas didn't appear until Episode 211. That's when Jonathan Frid arrives, and the show transforms from a boring "governess in a spooky house" story into a supernatural epic.
Check out the 1970 Film "House of Dark Shadows"
If you want to see Frid playing Barnabas with a big-screen budget (for the time) and real blood, this is the one. It’s much darker than the TV show and gives you a better sense of his acting range than the 2012 cameo ever could.
Read "The Dark Shadows Daybook"
Written by Kathryn Leigh Scott, who was there in 1966 and on the 2012 set. It provides the most intimate look at Frid’s personality. He was a complex, sometimes prickly man who was deeply devoted to his craft.
Locate the 2012 Cameo
Load up the movie. Skip to the 1-hour and 36-minute mark (roughly, depending on the cut). Look for the "Grand Ball." During the arrival of the guests, the camera lingers on a trio of older people. That’s him. That’s the legend.
Jonathan Frid’s contribution to the 2012 film was small in screen time but massive in significance. It validated a niche piece of 60s culture and gave a legendary actor one last moment in the sun—or rather, the shadows—before he left us for good. He remains the definitive Barnabas Collins, a man who played a monster with such humanity that we’re still talking about him sixty years later.
Final Takeaway for Fans
The Jonathan Frid Dark Shadows 2012 appearance serves as a reminder that even in the middle of a massive Hollywood machine, there is room for a little bit of soul. If you ever find yourself watching the movie again, ignore the CGI and the pop music for a second. Look for the man in the tux. He’s the reason any of it exists in the first place.
Next Steps for the Interested Viewer:
- Verify the Cameo: Watch the ball scene in Dark Shadows (2012) specifically to spot Frid, Scott, Parker, and Selby.
- Compare the Performance: Watch Episode 211 of the original series on streaming platforms to see Frid's first-ever entrance as Barnabas.
- Explore the Documentary: Look for Master of Dark Shadows (2019), which features extensive interviews about Frid's life and his experience with the 2012 film project.