Dan Curtis was a renowned American director and producer of television and film, best recognized for his iconic miniseries, The Winds of War, War and Remembrance, and the cult classic, Dark Shadows. The latter, which originally aired from 1966 to 1971, has been a staple in syndication for nearly four decades.
Curtis' extensive filmography includes a range of macabre productions, such as The Night Stalker, Intruders, The Night Strangler, House of Dark Shadows, Night of Dark Shadows, Burnt Offerings, Trilogy of Terror, The Norliss Tapes, Curse of the Black Widow, Dead Of Night, Scream of the Wolf, and many others. He frequently collaborated with sci-fi/horror writer Richard Matheson.
In addition to his horror-themed projects, Curtis ventured into more sentimental territory with the 1978 NBC television film, When Every Day Was the Fourth of July. This semi-autobiographical production was based on his childhood growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in the 1930s. Although intended as a pilot for a potential series, it was not picked up by the NBC network. However, Curtis produced and directed the 1980 television movie sequel, The Long Days of Summer, which aired on the ABC network.
Curtis' work was recognized with numerous Emmy Award nominations and wins, including four nominations for The Winds of War and 15 nominations for War and Remembrance. The latter won awards for best miniseries, special effects, and single-camera production editing.
Sadly, Curtis passed away on March 27, 2006, due to complications from a brain tumor, just two weeks after the death of his wife, Norma. Despite his passing, Curtis' legacy lives on, with his estate signing a deal with Warner Bros. for a new Dark Shadows movie, starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins, set for release in 2012.
