About Grayson Hall and the story of Dr. Julia Hoffman...

Julia does blood work on Maggie and finds a strange foreign element in her blood. Maggie talks about a little girl named Sarah and Sam Evans shows Dr. Hoffman a drawing he did of a little girl named Sarah Collins. She is dressed in clothes from the late 17th century. Maggie confirms it's Sarah who gave her the doll. Julia visits Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the Matriarch of the Collins family, and tells her she's a Historian and asks to examine the family history books. It's here that Julia first meets Barnabas Collins. Julia discovers that Sarah Collins died in 1795, and was the little sister of the "original" Barnabas Collins. Collins governess Victoria Winters tells Julia she saw Maggie standing outside the Collins Family Masolieum at Eagle Hill Cemetery. Hoping to get thru to Maggie, Julia takes her to the masolium. Julia now realizes that Sarah is a ghost. Maggie tells Julia "that man" will find her and take her away again. To discover who "that man" is, Julia asks her about the Collins men. When she mentions Barnabas Collins, Maggie becomes hysterical. Julia visits Barnabas at the Old House, the original Collins home. Going on a hunch, she uses her purse mirror to look over her shoulder and notices that Barnabas has no reflection. He realizes she has discovered that he's a vampire and threatens her. Julia tells him she knows he abducted and bit Maggie and report him to the police. Julia sees a painting of Josette and that Maggie bears an uncanny likeness to her. Barnabas admits he wanted to use Maggie to replace his lost love. Julia tells him about her research into the life/death connection, and that she may be able to cure him of his vampirism. At first he resists, but then agrees and she setups a laboratory in the basement. Julia begins giving Barnabas daily injections a plasma serum. When the process is going too slow for him, Barnabas demands Julia increase his doses. When she gives him a massive injection it ages him to his true age, 200 years old, and he must feed and revert back to a vampire or die. Over time their relationship grows closer and Julia falls secretly in love with Barnabas. Over the remainder of the DARK SHADOWS series Julia and Barnabas share many adventures in both the present day, in the past thru time travel and in the alternate universe. All the while she stands faithfully by his side. Ultimately Julia cures Barnabas. At the end of the very last DARK SHADOWS episode the writers tell their vision of what becomes of each character. A cured Barnabas falls in love with Julia and the two travel to South America where they are married.


Grayson Hall (Sept. 18, 1922 - Aug. 7, 1985) was born Shirley Grossmann. She was married to stage and TV writer Sam Hall, who became a major writer for DARK SHADOWS. In 1964 she was nominated for an Oscar for her role of Judith Fellows in the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams play Night of the Iguana. She joined DARK SHADOWS in 1967 as Dr. Julia Hoffman and remained until the end of the show. She played other roles including that of Magda Rakosi the gypsy and Countess Natalie DuPres, the aunt of Josette DuPres. She also played in the DARK SHADOWS movies "Night of Dark Shadows" and "House of Dark Shadows". Grayson Hall went on to play briefly on soap operas and guest star on many popular TV shows of the 1970's. Grayson Hall lost her battle with cancer on August 7, 1985, at age 62.

Credits: Dan Curtis, Grayson Hall, Dark Shadows, ABC-TV, Wikipedia