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54 |
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| Broadcast |
September 8, 1966 |
| Recorded |
August 25, 1966 |
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| We have 1 images of Dark Shadows 54 | |
Roger and Burke trade accusations about Bill's disappearance.
Synopsis
- My name is Victoria Winters. At night ghosts from the past haunt this doomed house at the top of Widows' Hill, howling for revenge. In the morning, although they cannot be seen, they're still there. Waiting.
Burke calls Roger to needle him about Malloy, and Roger needles him about the crystal ball -- an inappropriate gift for a "sensitive" boy like David.
Elizabeth asks Matthew how he could have done what he did; he claims Bill drowned. It was widely known that Malloy couldn't swim, despite his job involving water. Matthew doesn't want it known that there was another Collinwood death.
Matthew claims that from the body's appearance, it must have been in the water 24 hours at least when he found it. Morgan tells Elizabeth that now's the time to coach him if she wants to; he ain't too bright. Elizabeth suspects that there will be questions from Burke in addition to the police.
Roger is installing a new paperwork system and has to fight about it with a man named Hanton. Burke barges in on Roger.
Elizabeth orders Matthew to tell the truth as Sheriff George Patterson arrives. They tell him the news but offer no proof.
Burke correctly puts a jigsaw together, but Roger insists he's wrong.
There's no appropriate charge for Matthew's actions. Burke again states the plot directly, that Malloy was about to offer evidence before he disappeared. Burke tells Roger about his deal with Malloy -- Roger on a silver platter in exchange for leaving Elizabeth alone.
George gets Matthew's timeline down. The sheriff plans to track the body down. Matthew overhears George tell Elizabeth that if they can't find the body, Matthew may have done something worse than push a dead body out to sea after he leaves the room to go with Harry Shaw, a deputy.
Elizabeth calls Roger and orders him home immediately. When he gets home, he faces another inquisition.
Memorable quotes
- Burke [to Roger, regarding David's crystal ball]: I thought he might get a kick out of it. Lord knows the kid has little enough fun in that tomb you call a home.
- Elizabeth: St. Elmo brought Bill home...but not safely.
Dramatis personae
- ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
- ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
- ← Mitchell Ryan as Burke Devlin →
- ← Thayer David as Matthew Morgan →
- Dana Elcar as George Patterson →
Background information and notes
Production
- Location footage: Roger walks past boats, water, and the dock, and waves to workers until he walks to the exterior wall of his office and goes inside.
- First episode with actor Dana Elcar and the character Sheriff George Patterson.
- Sheriff Patterson's last name is first revealed in the end credits.
Story
- The sheriff's deputy is named Harry Shaw, who goes with Matthew to look over the area where Bill's body was found. He was also mentioned in episode 23.
- TIMELINE: Bill's body had been in the water for 24 hours. It was shortly after midnight when Matthew found the body; 5 or 10 minutes later he pushed it back out to sea. Matthew says he was at the location for a good 20 minutes deciding what to do. He returned to Collinwood in 30 minutes. It was 12:30 a.m. when Matthew pushed the body back out to sea.
Bloopers and continuity errors
- In Roger's office, the phone rings, but he leaves without answering. The camera zooms in on the phone but none of the buttons are lit. The line the call came in on should have lit up while it rang.
- As Elizabeth talks to Sheriff Patterson after Matthew leaves the room talking can be heard coming from off-stage. It sounds like someone says "Over here." (Dana Elcar has his back to the camera at the time.) [Addendum: It seems likely the voice is talking to Louis Edmonds and Mitch Ryan, who would be setting up for the next scene.] [Addendum II: It sounds like Mitchell Ryan is asking Louis to join him at a certain spot on stage.]
- The dart is already in bulls-eye before Burke throws it.
- A crew member walks in front of the dartboard just as the credits end.
End credit announcement
- Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis production.
External Links
Dark Shadows - Episode 54 on the IMDb
The Collinsport Historical Society - Dark Shadows Diary - Episode 54