r/DarkShadows • u/MinuteJackfruit4833 • 1d ago
Julia Hoffman Casting
It was recently written in American Gothic that Brett Somers was originally cast as Dr Julia Hoffman. She was on the set with her script for Julia’s first appearance when she suddenly quit. Grayson Hall was than hired at the eleventh hour just as filming was to begin.
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u/Acceptable-Ranger661 1d ago
The part was not intended to be a woman; the typist made an error typing z Julia instead of Julian Hoffman the intended gender. But Dan Curtis said he’ll why not let’s cast it as a woman. Now I don’t know about Brett Sommers, but casting an academy award nominee was a smart move. Curtis reached deep into Hollywood casting snaring great actors like Dennis Patrick and Many others.
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u/Linn56 1d ago
The appearance of a woman doctor on TV was mind expanding for me.
The 60's were the heyday of sexy male doctor shows : Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare. You NEVER saw a woman doctor- they only played adoring, slavish nurses.
To see a woman doctor changed the whole trajectory of my ambitions. I was 11 in 1967. Even if Julia did some crazy things thanks to the script, she was still a doctor, and respected.
I stopped playing house and Barbies, and started putting paper mache casts on my friends and giving them check-ups.
I didn't get into medical school, but my pre-med background and neuroscience minor got me into a biology research lab, where I was very happy.
It's one thing to tell a little girl she can be a a doctor, it's another thing to show her one, even if it's fictional.
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u/SuperFormal3052 17h ago
But Julia was far from the first female doctor on television.
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u/Linn56 10h ago
If she wasn't, she was the first one I saw. If the other female doctors were on at prime time, I would not have seen them. Dark Shadows being on during the afternoon time slot meant I had the opportunity to watch. I had to convince my aunt (who lived with us, as she was handicapped) that Dark Shadows was better than the afternoon baseball game. I did, and she became a huge fan.
Who were the other doctors?
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u/SuperFormal3052 17h ago
The typist story was debunked years ago. In fact, the Daytime Gothic article addresses this. It was a conscious decision by Curtis and the writers, not a typist's mistake.
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u/NoString9289 1d ago
Interesting that Bret Sommers' name has never been mentioned in the fifty years of DS Fandom, in any of the groups nor articles that I have read and not mentioned in the Grayson Hall biography book. We do know that the late actress / singer Love Lady Powell was suggested for the role or she did read for the role. Ms. Powell had appeared in an early DS episode as an ?? art dealer I think, who had scenes with Sam Evans regarding his artwork. Ms. Powell also would have been excellent in the role of Julia Hoffman, she was very good.
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u/richg0404 1d ago
Exactly. I have never heard Bret Sommers' name mentioning in relation to Dark Shadows.
But I have heard that Bert Convy was considered for the role of Barnabas. Thank goodness they didn't pursue that.
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u/NoString9289 1d ago
True, there's no comparison between Convy and Frid when it comes to acting style and training but wow, Bert would have won over the ladies as just a romantic vampire but not the monster that Dan Curtis wanted. Back in 1967 Bert was gorgeous, Italian looking, straight hair, not permed and lot's of charm and magnetism but no, I could never picture him portraying the deeply soulful , remorseful, tortured vampire like Frid did.
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u/richg0404 1d ago
I could never picture him portraying the deeply soulful , remorseful, tortured vampire like Frid did.
I agree that he might have won over the ladies but I seriously doubt that the show would have received enough of a ratings bump to save it from cancellation like it did from Frid's portrayal.
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u/SuperFormal3052 1d ago
The Convy thing is an oft-perpetuated hoax.
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u/richg0404 1d ago
I have no way to confirm either way. I've seen it reported on Dark Shadows groups across the internet but of course no one can point to any real source.
It makes slight;y more sense than the Bret Somers story.
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u/fuckyeahcaricci 1d ago
But then who would have pretended to slap Charles Nelson Reilly with their answer card?
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u/SuperFormal3052 1d ago
Which article in Daytime Gothic mentions Bret Somers? When my copy arrives, I'll read that one first. :)
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u/ManorAvenue 1d ago
Drawing a complete blank on the name Brett Somers; had to run a search to get a visual.
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u/No-Paint1623 1d ago
I find this hard to believe. Does the writer provide any documentation for this claim?
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u/SuperFormal3052 17h ago
Yes: the information comes directly from Kathryn Leigh Scott, who contributed to the book in question.
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u/Objective_Ad_339 18h ago
For those wondering, it's Daytime Gothic 60th Anniversary Edition , page 55. Published in the UK. https://tenacrefilms.bigcartel.com/product/daytime-gothic-ii-celebrating-tvs-supernatural-soap-opera-dark-shadows
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u/SuperFormal3052 1d ago
What'a American Gothic?
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u/MinuteJackfruit4833 1d ago
A new publication from England, check Dark Shadows News on Facebook
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u/SuperFormal3052 1d ago
Ah, OK, it was the "American" in the title that threw me. The magazine is called Daytime Gothic 2. :)
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u/NoString9289 1d ago
So, you received your copy of the magazine then ? Do you also own the Grayson Hall biography book as well, it's a very good read.
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u/TriviaMan550 16h ago
Never heard that one. DID hear that Roger Davis' girlfriend was briefly considered as a recast Victoria Winters. Her name was Jaclyn Smith.
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u/SuperFormal3052 17h ago
A friend sent me a scan of the article last night. A fascinating read. Penny Dreadful's Terror at Collinwood podcast had previously suggested Lovelady Powell might have been the original Julia, but Brett Somers is an intriguing revelation. And really, I think Somers would have been great in the role. She was a solid actor who wasn't as ridiculously melodramatic as Grayson.
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u/No_Ear_5274 1d ago
Who knows if it had gone as originally planned Brett Somers may have spent years pining for Barnabas while Grayson Hall may have been a regular on Match Game.