Donna McKechnie Autobiography

An autobiography by Donna McKechnie (Amanda Harris) should be available in stores in September 2006. Amazon lists an August 29, 2006 release for McKechnie's Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life.

While Dark Shadows fans know McKechnie for her portrayal of Quentin Collins' love interest, Amanda Harris, fans of musical theatre know her for her Tony Award winning portrayal of Cassie in A Chorus Line on Broadway. She has made occasional film and television appearances since Dark Shadows, but the majority of her work has been on stage.

For an overview of the chapters contained in Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life, read the Playbill Online article about the book.

If you plan to purchase this book, please consider using this Amazon link. Your purchase will help to support this web site.

New Documentary from Alexandra Isles

Alexandra Isles (Victoria Winters) has directed a new documentary, The Healing Gardens of New York. Two screenings are scheduled in New York in June. For more information, visit the New York Women in Film and Television web site.

The film will be broadcast on WNET, New York's PBS station, as part of their Reel New York series, on July 27. For more information, visit the WNET web site.

Isles' previous documentary credits include Scandalize My Name, which chronicles the impact of McCarthy-era blacklisting on African-American performers. This film is available on DVD from Amazon. Click here for additional information.

This information was originally posted on the Dark Shadows Forums by victoriawinters.

Grayson Hall Biography Due This Summer

R. J. Jamison's biography of actress Grayson Hall (Dr. Julia Hoffman) is set to be released this summer. Hall, an Academy Award nominee, was married to Sam Hall, who went on to write for Dark Shadows. Their son, Matthew Hall, served as a writer for the 1991 Dark Shadows series.

Here's an announcement regarding the book:

Ms. Hall (1923-1985) was a widely acclaimed New York Theatre actress, 1964 Academy Award nominee and co-star of the 1960s-70s iconic Gothic television serial, Dark Shadows. Research into her career has uncovered reviews of Grayson's earliest stage appearances as a teenager on Long Island and includes material on her extensive stage work in New York City; Spoleto, Italy; and the Hedgerow Theatre outside Philadelphia. Rare, previously unpublished documentation of her television and film careers will also be presented.

The biographical project's goal is to provide a comprehensive, candid view of Ms Hall's professional achievements, persona and legacy for her admirers, the theatrical community, and students of the history of the American media arts.

The book contains excerpts of interviews with Kathryn Leigh Scott, David Selby, Nancy Barrett, Alexandra Isles, Marie Wallace, Diana Millay, Sylvia Miles, John Guare, Ted Mann, Arthur Penn, and Sam and Matthew Hall. It will also include several privately, unpublished photos of Grayson's early life, including a photo of her first husband -- Ted Brooks, and her theatrical endeavors.

The book is scheduled for publication in August 2006.

Information on the book can be found at www.rjjamison.com (Click on Non-Fiction)

Look for an announcement on this site when the book becomes available.