Werewolves

Werewolves are men and women who, through specific circumstances, adopt the physical, mental and/or emotional characteristics of a wolf. The clinical term for this condition is called Lycanthropy. Werewolves have been a popular part of Western European folklore for several centuries, but it wasn't until the 20th century that they became a part of modern pop culture. In addition to vampires, witches and ghosts, werewolves are one of the most popular breeds of supernatural creature and they have appeared in every aspect of the horror medium from films to television, comics, video games, role playing modules and more.

Origins
The process of becoming a werewolf varies, but can usually be traced to one of three different points of origin. One may be have a curse put upon them which turns them into a werewolf against their will. Others may be members of an actual species of werewolf and thus, are born with their special traits. In most cases however, a person becomes a werewolf after having been bitten or scratched by another werewolf. The actual process of transformation classically takes place during the three nights of the full moon, but more modern werewolves have also been shown to transform at will regardless of the lunar phase.

The physical elements of a werewolf are also very varied. Sometimes a person shape-shifts into an exceedingly large wolf, with no human characteristics whatsoever. In other cases, a person may maintain prominent human traits, but possess excessive body hair, pointed ears, enlarged canines and claws. In other cases, a werewolf may adopt a perfect blend of both human and animal traits, becoming a veritable power house. These werewolf forms, sometimes referred to as crinos form, have become increasingly popular in the past several decades and are arguably the most visually appealing types of werewolves found in film and literature.

Destroying a werewolf can be a complicated and dangerous process. Some traditions believe that the presence of wolfsbane may harm or drive a werewolf away. Other traditions posit that when wolfsbane is in bloom, a man may become a werewolf. The most effective means of destroying a werewolf is through the use of silver. Any weapon made of silver be it a silver bullet, or a silver-tipped cane will prove fatal to a werewolf. This aspect remains as the one constant in nearly all forms of werewolf lore.

Dark Shadows
Werewolves have been featured in several television series dating back to the 1960s. One of the more popular werewolf characters from this era was Quentin Collins from the ABC gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. Quentin originally appeared as an angry malevolent spirit haunting his descendents in the playroom in the West Wing of Collinwood along with the ghost of his lover, Beth Chavez). Quentin and Beth's spirits befriended the children David Collins and his friend, Amy Jennings. Eventually, they took possession of both children and used them to serve their own interests.

In an effort to save his family, the former vampire known as Barnabas Collins, used the cosmological principles of the I Ching to send his spirit backwards through time to the year 1897 (unfortunately for Barnabas, this meant becoming a vampire once again as such was his physical state during that time period). This series of episodes is commonly referred to as the "1897 flashback.

Upon meeting Quentin, Barnabas discovered him to be a selfish and spiteful individual, a womanizing manipulator constantly at odds with his family. Quentin earned himself the reputation of being the black sheep of the family – due largely in part to his marriage and subsequent abuse of a gypsy girl named Jenny Racosi. Along with Beth Chavez, the two conspired to keep Jenny hidden from the rest of the family by imprisoning her inside of the tower room at Collinwood.

Quentin's philandering lifestyle changed forever when he ran afoul of an occultist known as Count Petofi. Through Petofi's machinations, Quentin inherited a curse that transformed him into a werewolf whenever the moon was full. Barnabas, sympathetic to Quentin's plight, tried to help him overcome the curse, but to no avail. He did however, succeed in altering Quentin's destiny, preventing the creation of the future timeline where Quentin's spirit would plague Collinwood.

Quentin's curse extended through his own family bloodline, affecting his descendent Chris Jennings (Chris' twin brother Tom ironically enough, became a vampire).

In the series, the role of Quentin Collins was played by David Selby. Chris Jennings was played by Don Briscoe and stunt coordinator Alex Stevens played the role of the werewolf for both characters.