John Wesley Shipp Looks Back on ‘The Flash’ & Barry/Henry Scene That Brought All the Feels
Q&A
One of the smartest things that the producers of the Grant Gustin-led The Flash on The CW did was bring on OG Flash John Wesley Shipp, who played the Scarlet Speedster in the 1990-91 series on CBS. Shipp, a two-time Daytime Emmy-winner for his roles on As the World Turns and Santa Barbara, was tapped to not only play Barry’s dad Henry Allen but later, Jay Garrick (the Flash of Earth-3) and also his Barry Allen (from Earth-90).
TV Insider sat down with Shipp to get his thoughts on what it meant to him both professionally and personally to play such integral roles on the revived series, which came to an end last month after nine seasons. What was his favorite Barry/Henry scenes? (Yep, it’s likely your favorite, too.) Read on to get the scoop!
What did you think of The Flash series finale?
John Wesley Shipp: I really appreciated the way that Eric Wallace [executive producer] and the whole team ended it. It was so unusual and special to come back to a franchise 33 years later and have it wrap up with positivity and hope. The story wasn’t about bashing or overwhelming enemies but instead trying to find empathy and to believe in the impossible. I loved when Rick Cosnett’s character [Eddie] said something to the effect of, “We’re still on opposite sides.” Grant’s Barry responded, “But together we can find a way.” I believe that message is so important especially for where we are today. It feels like so many have been in a fever of how rude can we be? How much can we blame the other person? To have an action-adventure superhero advocate for kindness and understanding is wonderful. I need to write Eric and thank him. It was such a beautiful message to go out on — one of hope, unity, compassion, and empathy.
You’re also known for your runs as good guy Kelly Nelson on Guiding Light and psychopath Douglas Cummings on As the World Turns. Do you see similarities between soap opera and superhero audiences?
Yes. Comic books are soaps for superheroes. The stories use the same set of characters for 50 to 60 years in new and different situations with overlapping universes. Characters die and come back [in both genres].
The original Flash series you starred on did not get the kind of finale this Flash did. It means a great deal to viewers to have closure. What does it mean for you?
I got to revisit [my] Flash in [the] Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline. We found out that Barry and Tina [Amanda Pays] had gotten married and that his Earth was destroyed but that Barry makes this sacrifice so that Barry’s [Grant’s] Earth can go on. I got to play this triumphant moment where I see Tina and myself from 30 years ago. That gave me the closure [on the first series] that I didn’t get 30 years ago.
The original Flash series was groundbreaking. Explosions weren’t done with CGI either!
Back then, we were on the cutting edge. We didn’t know if it would work. Would characters be taken seriously in an action-adventure context? I’m very proud of the show. I’ll never forget at the end of filming for the pilot [for the revival series], David Nutter, who directed the episode, brought the cast and crew together and said, “If this man [meaning me] hadn’t proven we could take these shows seriously for a mainstream audience, we wouldn’t be here.” I got so choked up.
For this finale season, Eric had me back and I got to say goodbye to both Henry Allen and Jay Garrick both in and out of the suit. The very last show had Grant, Candice [Patton, Iris West Allen], Danielle Panabaker [Caitlin], Michelle Harrison [Joan/Nora], and Rick in it. All of us were there from the beginning, and we had the wonderful addition of Jon [Cor, Mark Blaine]. After I shot my last scene, the stage manager said, “That’s a series wrap on Mr. John Wesley Shipp.” I looked around and there were over 50 people there, and they all applauded. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to revisit this in a meaningful way. My voice cracked. I wanted to thank Grant. He came bounding over to me and wrapped me in a big hug. I couldn’t have written it better. I stayed for the wrap party. That was an amazing event. I couldn’t have written it any better.
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Viewers long to have series closures, but I imagine actors and everyone at a show likes to have them, too.
Shows these days on a network do about 20-22 episodes a season. I don’t know how Grant did it for nine seasons. He’s just approaching the age I was when I first did The Flash. Nine seasons of this character? He did it and kept the same enthusiasms, momentum, and commitment that he brought to the show from day one. The ending was hopeful. It wasn’t maudlin, tragic, or violent. We all got nostalgic reminiscing. People were pulling photos up on their phones from all nine seasons. I think maybe everyone was ready [to say goodbye]. Is there an emotional sadness attached to it? Yes. But I think people were ready.
You first played Henry Allen, Barry’s wrongly convicted father of his mother’s murder. But from the beginning folks were commenting on your resemblance to a character from the comics, the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick [on TV, the Flash of Earth-3].
When people found out I was going to be in the new series, I was asked if I’d be playing Jay Garrick. Getting to play Henry — a man wrongly convicted of killing his wife [Nora, played by Harrison] — is a role I would have wanted to have played even if I had never been associated with The Flash. I’m glad that I played Henry because I was able to support Grant because I had experienced [playing Barry in the first series].
I had no idea about [eventually playing] Jay Garrick. I figured I’d get one or two seasons as Henry. After I was booked for the last four episodes of Season 2, I was sitting with Jesse [L. Martin, Joe West] and Grant. I’d gone to a fitting where I was wearing this ripped up prison uniform, but it was brown. I thought, “Is this a flashback?” I was told I’d be fitted for the iron mask separately. Jesse and Grant said, “You don’t know what you’ll be doing next season?” I didn’t know I’d be playing the real Jay Garrick. I shot a text off to [executive producer] Greg Berlanti. The man in the iron mask was a doppelganger of Barry’s father who turned out to be Jay Garrick, which is the person many people wanted me to play to begin with. What a great way to channel fan expectation and present it in a way that’s inventive. It was such a creative way to do it.
Barry and Henry had a scene in the prison infirmary after Henry had been beaten up. Henry had figured out Barry was the Flash but didn’t come right out and say it. However, Henry wanted Barry to know he was concerned about him and wanted him to be careful.
I love the way that was written. It was an example of good parenting. Barry had saved Joe’s life and made sure Henry’s attacker was sent away. Henry said, “I’m lucky, too.” Barry said, “Dad, you don’t think if I were the Flash, I would have told you?” Henry didn’t blow his cover. He did say if the Flash were his son, he’d tell him to be careful and that his father is proud of him. Just before I shot my closeups, the director whispered in my ear, “You want to tell him you love him but you can’t.” Grant and I had played so many emotionally vulnerable moments together. If we hadn’t felt safe with one another, we couldn’t have gone there.
Did you get to keep any memorabilia from either Flash series?
It never occurred to me to keep anything from the first show, but I did keep a raincoat that Barry had worn to crime scenes, and I wore that in a new episode as Henry. After the last scene I shot as The Flash in the original, I ripped off the wings [off his mask] and threw them up into the air. Mark Hamill [who played the Trickster] said, “Don’t let those get away!” I think he still has them!
This time, I said, “I’m taking a helmet home.” We got it cleared, of course. The main one is going to the Warner Bros. museum. I’m going to some [comic cons] later this year, and I’ll be bringing the helmet with me. It’s funny. I had this great pitch to ask [the producers] to keep a helmet, but I found out later, it was already cleared!
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In addition to some comic cons, what’s next for you?
I have appearances in Charleston, Savannah, and Washington state. I’ll be going back to the Judson Theatre in Pinehurst, North Carolina to do [a stage production] of A Few Good Men. I’m going there with David Gregory [who played my son Ford on One Life to Live], who will play one of the parts. I’m going to play the Jack Nicholson role did in the movie, Col. Nathan R. Jessep.
You get to say, “You can’t handle the truth!”
That was the first thing I thought of — how can I say that line because nobody can top Jack. I’m already thinking about how I’ll say it. I’ve got a few different ways in mind.
Any final thoughts on your Flash experiences and will you be seeing the movie with Ezra Miller, which opens today!
I’ve had my full circle experience. If this time it really is goodbye, then I’m fine with that. I’m ready to support the next generation of Flash [actors]. I’m going to go to the movie and support it, of course. I think people have to put aside any “They better do that” feelings and put their butts in the seats and see it!
