In a photo from 1970,
Jonathan Frid, star of the gothic soap opera
Dark Shadows (1966), crowned Domaniecki "Miss American Vampire." The competition was a promotion held by MGM for their theatrical film
La casa dei vampiri (1970). Domaniecki was actually only the winner of the New York regional event. She, along with eight other regional winners, traveled to Los Angeles for the national finals. Marie Cruz ended up winning but in Dark Shadows fan circles, Domaniecki's name and image are most often associated with the contest. Cruz, meanwhile, was also known as
Sacheen Littlefeather, who famously went on stage at
45th Annual Academy Awards (1973) in 1973 and refused the Best Actor award on behalf of
Marlon Brando, who won for
Il padrino (1972).
