Originally airing on January 7 and 14, 1973 on The Wonderful World of Disney, this live action movie was directed by Robert Totten, who mostly worked in TV, and written by Sue Milburn, who mostly wrote episodic television and made for TV movies.
Marsha Booth (Mariette Hartley) is a single mom who has a deadline to write her new book, which causes her to take a vacation to the beach, bringing along her sons Alfie (Johnny Whitaker) and Leonard (Scott C. Kolden). They occupy themselves by taking over an abandoned lighthouse and making a movie, "Dracula's Castle" with the sheriff's daughter Jean (Maggie Wellman) and a dog named Watson.
What they don't know is that there's a bunch of jewel thieves - Keith (Clu Gulager) and Noah (Mills Watson) - who have found the Daumier diamond necklace in the lighthouse. There's a conspiracy in town and the sheriff (James T. Callahan) - who is Jean's dad - doesn't want to hear these kids and their stories. But maybe, just maybe, he will come around.
If Watson the dog looks familiar, he was played by Higgins, who was also Uncle Joe Carson's dog on Petticoat Junction. A mix of Miniature Poodle, Cocker Spaniel and Schnauzer, Higgins was found by animal trainer Frank Inn found the dog at the Burbank Animal Shelter as a puppy. His most famous role was played when he was already retired, coming back to star in Benji, becoming the first dog actor to have the role.
If you're expecting vampires, this is not the movie for you.
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