Network: CBC Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1969 to 1970
Broadcast Medium: Television
Aired Monday to Friday, in the afternoon, from October 1969 to July 1970.
This daily half hour soap opera was a bizarre, gothic kind of show more suited to late night viewing than the middle of the day. It was inspired by an American show called Dark Shadows, a daytime drama about vampires.
The setting for Strange Paradise was the island of Maljardin, somewhere in the Caribbean. It had one millionaire resident by the name of Jean-Paul Desmond, who made a Faustian deal to have his long dead wife brought back to life. A huge cast of weird characters inhabited the island, all contributing to the peculiar life- style of their chief resident.
The show spawned three Dorothy Daniels pocket books and a cult following, due to its presence in syndication on American stations. Over 130 episodes were produced in Ottawa and Old Chelsea, Quebec.
Written by Ian Martin, the series was produced on videotape in colour by Jerry Layton. The executive producer was Steve Krantz for Krantz Films in association with Kaiser Broadcasting and Metromedia.
Principal Cast:
Colin Fox as Jean Paul Desmond
Tudi Wiggins as Erica Desmond
Sylvia Feigel as Holly Marshall
Dawn Greenhalgh as Dr Alison Carr
Cosette Lee as Raxl
Kurt Scheigl as Quito
Bruce Gray as Tim Stanton
Trudy Young as Susan O’Clair
Written by John Corcelli – September, 2006