Barnabas Collins is a fictional character, a featured role in the ABC daytime serial Dark Shadows, which aired from 1966 to 1971.

A defining feature of Barnabas' character development is his gradual but persistent transformation from a sinister, frightening creature of the night into the show's protagonist, who selflessly, heroically and repeatedly risks his "life" to save the Collins family from catastrophe.

In the 1991 NBC revival version of Dark Shadows, British actor Ben Cross played the role of Barnabas Collins.

Barnabas Collins was the main character in most of the 32 "Dark Shadows" paperback novels written by Marilyn Ross (Canadian author W.E.D.

The spurned Angelique Bouchard, a practitioner of witchcraft, used a number of spells to manipulate Barnabas and his family and force his agreement to marry her.

Collins later frightened his aunt Abigail (Clarice Blackburn) to death, and left the hatefully fanatic witch-hunter Reverend Trask (Jerry Lacy) entombed alive in the Old House basement.

Joshua Collins was unable to slay his son, and ordered servant Ben Stokes (Thayer David) to nail a cross to the inside lid of Barnabas' coffin and to wrap chains on its outside, forever imprisoning the vampire in a secret room of the family mausoleum at Eagle's Hill Cemetery.

In 1967, while searching the Collins family crypt for their rumored lost jewels, Willie Loomis (John Karlen) stumbled upon the chained coffin in which Barnabas slept.

The ghost of Sarah appeared repeatedly throughout and warned Barnabas, who was tormented by a feeling of responsibility for her death, away from evil deeds.

Barnabas Collins initially distrusted Julia, and when her medical cure failed, viewed her as a risk who would be able to expose his true nature.

The romantic relationship Julia desired never happened on-screen, but she became Barnabas' chief confidante and helped him many times, while Barnabas Collins became genuinely devoted to Julia and would go to extraordinary lengths to protect or rescue her when she ran afoul of enemies such as Angelique (eventually a firm friend), ghosts, and the ancient Leviathans.

Barnabas Collins's great love was his fiancée from 1795, Josette du Pres, but throughout the show he had interest in many different women, including Maggie Evans, Victoria Winters and Roxanne Drew.

The 1970 MGM film House of Dark Shadows centers on the release of Barnabas Collins from his coffin by Willie Loomis.

In the 2012 film Dark Shadows, Barnabas is played by Johnny Depp as a somewhat-modernized version of the character from the original series.

Barnabas tries to win the love of David's governess Maggie Evans, now called Victoria Winters, who reminds him of his lost beloved Josette.

He carried on a sexual dalliance with the obsessed Angelique despite his claim of love for Josette, which set in motion many tragedies in his life.

He risked his "life" whenever she was in grave trouble, and only when the Leviathans gave the order to have Julia killed did Barnabas have the strength to break free of their control.

In 1795, Barnabas briefly resurrected Josette DuPres, who in the 20th century would warn the Collins family of approaching danger while wandering the Collinwood halls, and he used visions to lure Rev.

In a 1971 TV Guide article, Dark Shadows head-writer Sam Hall discussed the outline the show's finale would have taken had it not been canceled sooner than anticipated.