WIKIPEDIA
John Herbert Frid was born on December 2, 1924 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and is best known for portraying 'Barnabas Collins'. He served in the Royal Canadian Navy and attended McMaster University followed by acceptance at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. In 1954, he moved to the United States and received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from the Yale School of Drama in 1957. He first used the stage name of 'Jonathan Frid' in 1962 and had a career in live theater for some 30 years. From 1966 to 1971, Jonathan portrayed vampire 'Barnabas Collins' in the hit series 'Dark Shadows'. His initial plans were to move to the West Coast to pursue a career as an acting teacher but received word that he had won the role of Barnabas. Thinking it would only be a short-term role, he accepted, but once his character's popularity soared, abandoned his plans to move and teach. In 1994, after 40 years in NYC, Jonathan retired and moved back to his native Canada. Through the years he had attended Dark Shadows conventions and participated in charitable events. Last June, Jonathan filmed a cameo appearance for the Tim Burton Dark Shadows film due out May 11TH. This past April 14TH, Jonathan Frid passed away of natural causes at the age of 87. Find the connection!
