Ron Sproat facts for kids

Ronald Sproat (born November 2, 1932, died November 6, 2009, in Manhattan, New York) was an American writer for television and theatre. He is most famous for his work on the popular TV show Dark Shadows.

Ronald Sproat's Life and Work

Ronald Sproat was a talented writer who created stories for both television and the stage. He lived from 1932 to 2009.

His Career in TV and Theatre

Sproat became well-known for his writing on Dark Shadows. This show was a gothic soap opera that aired in the 1960s on ABC Daytime. A soap opera is a TV show with many episodes that follows the lives of different characters.

Creating Dark Shadows

Ronald Sproat helped make Dark Shadows a huge success. He created the famous vampire character named Barnabas Collins. An actor named Jonathan Frid played Barnabas. This character helped turn the show from a low-rated program into a very popular one across the country. Sproat worked on Dark Shadows from October 1966 to January 1969.

Other TV Shows and Plays

Besides Dark Shadows, Sproat also wrote for several other soap operas. These included Never Too Young, which was for teenagers, and Where the Heart Is. He also wrote for Strange Paradise, a Canadian show, and others like Love of Life, The Doctors, and The Secret Storm.

In addition to television, Ronald Sproat wrote plays for the theatre. One of his plays was called The Dry Season, performed in 1954. He also wrote for musical theatre. Two of his musicals, Abie's Island Rose and Back Home: The War Brides Musical, were performed off Broadway in New York City. For these musicals, Sproat wrote the story and dialogue, while Frank Evans, who he worked with for many years, wrote the song lyrics.

His Education and Awards

Ronald Sproat studied at several universities. He completed his undergraduate work at Hamilton College. While there, he won the William Duncan Saunders Award for his creative writing. He then earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the University of Michigan. At Michigan, he received the Avery Hopwood Award, another prize for writing. Sproat also attended Yale University, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.