Barnabas Collins is a fictional character and one of the feature characters in the ABC daytime serial Dark Shadows, which aired from 1966 to 1971.

BARNABAS COLLINS WEB SEARCH ENGINE

He was originally played by Canadian actor Jonathan Frid. Barnabas Collins is a 200-year-old vampire who is in search of fresh blood and his lost love, Josette. The character of Barnabas Collins was introduced to the serial in a last-effort attempt to resurrect the flagging ratings. The role of Barnabas Collins was originally intended to be a brief one, to run but a mere 13 weeks, but the popularity of the character and the quick spike in ratings resulted in his continuing on and becoming virtually the star of the show.

One of the most defining features of Barnabas' character development is his very gradual but persistent transformation from a frightening creature of the night into the show's protagonist, where he is the one who selflessly and heroically risks his life time and time again to save the Collins family from catastrophe. Despite this, he was a flawed character whose foibles ensured that he never became the show's outright hero.

In the 1991 NBC revival series of Dark Shadows, British actor Ben Cross played the role of Barnabas Collins. Alec Newman played the part in the unreleased 2004 pilot film. In the recent series of audio dramas produced by Big Finish Productions, he is portrayed by Andrew Collins, with Frid returning one last time to portray the role in The Night Whispers. He is played by Johnny Depp in the 2012 film by director Tim Burton.

Barnabas Collins was a member of the late 18th century-era Collins family, from the fictional town of Collinsport, Maine. He was the son of Joshua Collins (Louis Edmonds) and Naomi Collins (Joan Bennett). Barnabas has many cousins during his mortal lifetime: Millicent Collins and Daniel Collins. He also had another cousin named Alakuz Collins, who died sometime before 1795. In later life, Barnabas intended to marry an heiress.