Judah Zachary | |
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Judah Zachary | |
Aliases: | Gerard Stiles Head of Judah Zachary |
Franchise: | Dark Shadows |
Notability: | Recurring character |
Type: | Warlock |
Gender: | Male |
Location: | Collinsport, Maine |
Status: | Deceased |
Died: | 1692 |
Actor: | Michael McGuire James Storm Norman Parker |
Judah Zachary is a fictional warlock (later, a vengeful spirit) featured in the 1960s Gothic daytime soap opera series Dark Shadows. Played by actor Michael McGuire, he was introduced in episode 1063 in 1970. The character played a key role as the central antagonist in several storylines, most notably, the "1840 Flashback".
Overview[]
Judah Zachary was a powerful warlock who led a Satanic coven in the Maine territory in the late 17th century. Amongst his followers was a young woman named Miranda DuVal, whom he fell in love with. He taught her the black arts and she became his most accomplished student. Judah Zachary was ultimately captured however and placed on trial. His own protegé, Miranda du Val became a witness for the prosecution and testified against him. The head of the tribunal was a man named Amadeus Collins. Collins found Zachary guilty of witchcraft and sentenced him to be executed by beheading. Before his sentence was to be carried out, Judah Zachary swore vengeance against Amadeus Collins and the entire Collins family. His angry spirit lived on beyond his body's demise and he orchestrated a prolonged scheme of revenge against future generations of the Collins family that endured all the way through to the mid 1990s.
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Judah Zachary was created by director Lela Swift and writer Don Crabtree based on concepts originally developed by Dan Curtis and Art Wallace.
- Actor Norman Parker played the role of the headless Judah Zachary in four episodes of Dark Shadows.
- James Storm normally played the role of Gerard Stiles. However, as he is possessed by Judah's ghost throughout most of his appearances, he is notable for being the actor to play the character more than any other.
- Judah's student and lover, Miranda DuVal, would ultimately assume the role of Angélique and become one of the most enduring nemesis of the entire Collins family.