Dark Shadows hero Bill Baird Vampire Bat puppet also used in the feature film House of Dark Shadows....

Description

Dark Shadows hero Bill Baird Vampire Bat puppet also used in the feature film House of Dark Shadows. (ABC TV, 1966-1971) Vintage original articulated Vampire bat marionette puppet created by legendary puppeteer Bill Baird for the Dan Curtis-produced early Horror/Soap Opera. Constructed of wooden components, metal wing armature hinged at shoulder and elbow joints and covered with finely stitched black chamois material, counter-weighted body and head painted flat black, with green sequin eyes affixed, and with screw eyelets at 6-strategic points for marionette stringing to be operated by the attached original wooden operating cross. The bat measures approx. 23 in. from extended wing tip to wing tip, with a 6.5 in. long body. The operating controller measures 11 x 3.75 in. Created by Bill Baird, master puppeteer also responsible for fabricating and operating the marionettes in "The Lonely Goatherd" puppet show in The Sound of Music. The bat puppet was used extensively from its debut in Episode 330: that aired September 29, 1967, as "Barnabas" (Jonathan Frid), in bat form, taunts "David Collins" (David Henesy) in his bedroom. The bat also appears in what is considered the most important episode of the series, Episode 405: aired Jan. 12, 1968 - Barnabas' origin story, when he is cursed by the witch, "Angelique" (Lara Parker), causing him to first become a Vampire. The bat continued to be featured in many episodes including, but not limited to: Episode 341: aired Oct. 16, 1967 - when "Dr. Woodard" (Robert Gerringer) dies, Episode 409: aired Jan. 18, 1968 - when Barnabas dies in a 1795 flashback, Episode 411: aired Jan. 22, 1968 - when Barnabas rises as a Vampire, Episode 423: aired Feb. 7, 1968 - when Barnabas kills "Suki Forbes" (Jane Draper), Episode 535: aired July 12 1968 - when Barnabas has the dream curse, Episode 702: aired March 4 1969 - in flashback to 1897 when "Magda Rakoski" (Grayson Hall) realizes the Bat and the Vampire are one and same, Episode 703: aired March 5 1969 - when Magda again see Barnabas in the form of the bat. The bat puppet also appears in the final scenes of the feature film spin-off, House of Dark Shadows (MGM, 1970) directed by Dan Curtis. This one-of-a-kind, screen used prop represents horror's earliest emergence in mainstream TV pop culture, which paved the way for many wildly popular horror-themed series of today. Provenance: Sold by the Baird family at The Greenwich Auction Room, Ltd., N.Y. September 19, 1987, lot 43. Comes with a signed letter of authenticity by Peter B. Baird on "Bill Baird's Marionettes" stationery. In vintage fine condition.

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