John Wesley Shipp, The Original Barry Allen, Joins CW's 'The Flash'
Credit: The WB
Barry Allen will be passing the torch...to Barry Allen.
John Wesley Shipp, the original Barry Allen/Flash from the 1990s CBS series The Flash, has joined the cast of The CW's The Flash.
Shipp will guest star in the pilot in a mysterious, unspecified role. If the Arrow spinoff receives a series order, Shipp's role would become a recurring one. Shipp, best known to modern audiences as family patriarch Mitch Leery on The WB's Dawson's Creek, joins a packed cast that includes Tom Cavanagh as physics big-wig Harrison Wells; Jesse L. Martin as Detective West; Candice Patton as Barry's love interest, Iris; Danielle Panabaker as bioengineering expert Caitlin Snow; and Rick Cosnett as Detective Eddie Thawne. The only role remaining is Hartley Rathaway, better known as the Pied Piper. But casting news is expected soon, as the pilot should begin shooting shortly. If the show is picked up to series, it would premiere during the 2014-2015 broadcast season.
I'm way more excited for this show than I probably should be, but seriously, I don't think the casting directors have made a single mistake so far! If it's anywhere near the quality of Arrow, this should be a hell of a series.