Josette DuPres: The Love of Barnabas Collin's Life in Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows began in 1966 with Vicki (Victoria Winters) traveling on a train to Collinsport, Maine to try to unravel some secrets of her past. Victoria is a dark-haired girl, who was orphaned and is seen traveling by herself on a train. She has a new job waiting for her in Collinsport as a governess for a very wealthy and important family. The family lives on an estate called: Collinswood. Victoria arrives in Collinsport and finds a ride to Collinswood, where she is introduced to the Collins family. Victoria is accepted as the governess for Roger Collins' young son, David. Collinswood is aa old mansion that sits atop of Widow's Hill. David Collins points out to his governess, Victoria, that he has seen ghosts at Collinswood. Victoria, unexpectedly, sees the ghost of Josette Collins in the closed off west-wing of the house. Josette lived a long time ago and is the true love of Barnabas Collins. Josette is tricked by a witch named Angelique Bouchard in the past, to marry Barnabas Collins' younger uncle, who's name is Jeremiah Collins. Angelique puts a spell on Jeremiah Collins to fall madly in love with Josette. Jeremiah and Josette elope together to get married. The character of the vampire, Barnabas Collins, was introduced into the show after the show had been on the air for almost a year. The introduction of the vampire: Barnabas Collins made Dark Shadows hugely popular, especially with kids, who would run home after school to watch the gothic soap opera: "Dark Shadows!"

Josette du Pres was born in France in 1774 and had met Barnabas in Martinique. They were engaged there, but Barnabas had a short affair with Josette's personal maid Angelique, who is really a witch. Josette travels to Collinsport to marry Barnabas, and Angelique (her personal maid), also, travels with her. Angelique is extremely jealous of Barnabas' love for Josette and is intent on destroying their love and relationship together, and to part them forever. Angelique hexed Josette into falling in love with Jeremiah and she, also, hexed Jeremiah into falling in love with Josette. Jeremiah and Josette elope to get married, and when they return there is a duel between an extremely jealous Barnabas and Jeremiah. Jeremiah loses the duel and dies soon after. His spirit protects Josette for the rest of her life. While Josette is under the witch's spell, she exclaims that her love would always be for Jeremiah and she disavows her love for Barnabas. Her love had always been for Barnabas, before the witch's spell. Barnabas is, also, tricked into marriage to Angelique by Angelique. Barnabas discovers Angelique's secret that she really is a witch. Barnabas takes a pistol and shoots Angelique. Angelique thinking that she is dying, curses Barnabas into becoming a vampire. Barnabas dies shortly after Angelique's curse and comes back as a vampire. He had planned to reunite with Josette. Josette is cursed by Angelique to see grotesque visions of herself as a vampire. Josette finally realizes what Barnabas is asking of her, Horrified and inconsolable, Josette commits suicide by jumping off of Widow's Hill to her death on the rocks below. Angelique is tormented by the betrayal of Barnabas, and his love for Josette Du Pres. Julia Hoffman tries to help Barnabas to become a normal man, but she, also, falls secretly in love with him. Barnabas gives Josette a music box as a token of his love for her.

Dark Shadows originally aired on ABC in the summer of 1066. The series was created by Dan Curtis. The Gothic soap opera featured ghosts, along with witches, warlocks, were-wolves, man-made monsters, zombies, and other monsters. The characters traveled back and forth in time, and lived other lives in the past. The series became hugely popular with the introduction of a vampire by the name of Barnabas Collins. Kids would run home immediately from school to watch "Dark Shadows!" When Barnabas Collins was broken-hearted, the witch Angelique tricked him into marrying her. When Barnabas found out that his new wife was a witch, he shot her. Thinking that she was dying, she cursed Barnabas into becoming a vampire. Barnabas lived at the old house where a portrait of his one true love, Josette, hung on a wall. Barnabas gave his true love, Josette, a music box, which was a token of his love for her. Willie Loomis, who was searching for family jewels (the Collins family was thought to of buried their family jewels with them when they died) came upon the coffin of Barnabas Collins, and unknowingly unchained and released the vampire: Barnabas Collins, to roam the earth again. Barnabas had been chained in his coffin by his father almost two hundered years before Willie came and unleashed him.

Barnabas Collins was played by Jonathan Frid, Josette du Pres Collins was played by Kathryn Leigh Scott, who, also, played Maggie Evans, Victoria Winters was played by Alexandria Moltke, and Angelique (the witch) Bouchard was played by Lara Parker. Quentin Collins was introduced as a ghost, who was played by David Selby. Roger Collins was played by Louis Edmonds, David Collins was played by David Henesy. Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard was played by Joan Bennett, who was the matriarch at Collinswood. Carolyn Stoddard was played by Nancy Barrett, who was the young daughter of Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard. Carolyn Stoddard loved to have fun at the Blue Whale, as she was young and very attractive. Dark Shadows had many characters, actors and actresses, and even a parallel universe.