Sam Hall

Sam Hall was a writer best known for his work on the gothic daytime drama Dark Shadows.

Born in Carrollton, Ohio, Hall attended Dartmouth College and saw action in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

Hall began his television career during the era of live production on shows such as Studio One in Hollywood, Armstrong Circle Theatre and The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse. He also became head writer on an early daytime drama called Brighter Day.

He joined Dark Shadows in 1967, the show's second season, and remained for four years. During that time, he wrote more than 300 episodes of the saga about mysterious doings in the fictional town of Collinsport, Maine. His wife, Grayson Hall, who received an Oscar nomination for her supporting performance in the 1964 film Night of the Iguana, also had a role in Dark Shadows.

He later co-wrote the screenplays for two feature films spawned by the show: House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows. In addition, he wrote for a short-lived primetime relaunch of Dark Shadows that aired on NBC in 1991.

After Dark Shadows ended its initial run, Hall went on to write for other daytime dramas, including One Life to Live, which he oversaw as head writer and influenced significantly with several memorable story lines. He received five Daytime Emmmy nominations for his work on the show.

His other credits included Santa Barbara, General Hospital and the acclaimed 1976 PBS miniseries The Adams Chronicles.

Hall died September 26, 2014, in Rhinebeck, New York. He was 93.