John Wesley Shipp

John Wesley Shipp (born January 22, 1955 ) is an American actor known for his various television roles. He played the lead Barry Allen on CBS's superhero series The Flash from 1990 to 1991, and Mitch Leery, the title character's father, on the drama series Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2001. Shipp has also played several roles in daytime soap operas including Kelly Nelson on Guiding Light from 1980 to 1984, and Douglas Cummings on As the World Turns from 1985 to 1986 (which earned him his first Daytime Emmy Award). He portrayed Barry Allen's father Henry, Earth-3 Flash Jay Garrick, and Earth-90's Barry Allen (the Flash) on the CW's The Flash series.

Early life Shipp was born in Norfolk, Virginia. Shipp later gave a keynote speech to the graduating class of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School Class of 1999 to recount the tale of his father's attempts to integrate the community in the late 1960s. Shipp attended Butler High School in Louisville, Kentucky, and later Indiana University.

Career alt=A man with dark hair, wearing blue T-shirt with jeans also holding an art piece of The Flash. Shipp began his career with a regular role on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light, playing Dr. Kelly Nelson from 1980 to 1984. Shipp followed this with more roles in daytime, playing Douglas Cummings on As the World Turns from 1985 to 1986 (which earned him his first Daytime Emmy Award in 1986), and Martin Ellis on Santa Barbara in 1987 (for which he won his second Daytime Emmy Award), followed by Blanchard Lovelace on One Life to Live in 1989, and Carter Jones on All My Children in 1992. He also had guest appearances on primetime series, such as playing a peeper on an episode of Fantasy Island in 1983.

Shipp won the title role of Barry Allen (the Flash) on the CBS series The Flash, which aired in the 1990–91 season. He followed this with the recurring role of Lucky on the NBC series Sisters from 1994 to 1995. Shipp also appeared on stage in the 1990s, starring in Erik Jendresen's The Killing of Michael Malloy in 1993. In 1998, he was cast as Mitch Leery, the father of the lead character Dawson, on The WB drama series Dawson's Creek; Shipp remained part of the series' main cast through its first four seasons, exiting in 2001.

In November 2010, Shipp returned to daytime in the short-term role of villainous Eddie Ford on One Life to Live, who was killed off in a murder mystery in mid-December. In the summer of 2011, he guest-starred on the Lifetime series Drop Dead Diva, playing the ex-husband of the character played by comedian Kathy Griffin. Shipp filmed three episodes of the MTV series Teen Wolf as the abusive father of Daniel Sharman's character, which aired during the summer of 2012. Also in 2012, he starred in the independent film Hell and Mr. Fudge, with Mackenzie Astin and Eileen Davidson.

Shipp returned to involvement with The Flash in the 2010s. He was cast in a "mysterious" role on The CW series The Flash in early 2014, which was later revealed to be the recurring role of Henry Allen, Barry's father. In the second-season finale of The Flash, Shipp played Jay Garrick, an alternate universe counterpart of The Flash, and, later, as his earlier incarnation of Barry Allen. He also guest starred as Eobard Thawne, Barry's archenemy, in the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

In 2015, Shipp also began lending his voice to the unique role of Sheriff Burns on the podcast drama "Powder Burns". It ran from 2015 to 2018, and was written and produced by David A. Gregory, and was recognized by the Voice Arts Awards and the Audio Verse Awards.

Shipp returned to the stage in 2016 as Juror #8 in Judson Theatre Company's production of Twelve Angry Men. He also performed the same role in a 2017 reading of the play at Brookfield Theatre for the Arts.

Filmography

Film Year Title Notes 1990 The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter Barney Bux 1994 Soft Deceit John Hobart 2002 Second to Die Jim Bratchett 2005 Starcrossed Lane Short film 2009 Port City George 2009 Grotesque Father Fahey Short film 2010 Separation Anxiety Sr. Palmer 2012 Hell and Mr. Fudge Bennie Lee Fudge 2014 Sensory Perception Lt. Thawne 2014 Golden Shoes President of the United States 2016 The Sector Stillwell 2019 Night Sweats Nick Frankenthaler

Television Year Title Role Notes 1980 The Dirtiest Show in Town Television film 1980–1984 Guiding Light Kelly Nelson Regular role 1983 Fantasy Island Todd Skylar Episode: "The Songwriter" / "Queen of the Soaps" 1984 Summer Fantasy Callahan Television film 1985–1986 As the World Turns Doug Cummings Regular role 1986 Santa Barbara Martin Ellis Recurring role 1989 One Life to Live Blanchard Lovelace Recurring role 1990–1991 The Flash Barry Allen / The FlashPollux 1991 Baby of the Bride Dennis Television film 1991 Danger Team Spec Television film; voice role 1992 All My Children Carter Jones 1 episode 1992 Human Target Garner St. John Episode: "Designated by Chance" 1994 NYPD Blue Officer Roy Larson 2 episodes 1994 Golden Gate Kenny Scanlon Television film 1994 Green Dolphin Beat Terry Lattner Television film 1994–1995 Sisters Lucky Williams Recurring role, 10 episodes 1995 JAG Gunnery Sergeant Granger Episode: "War Cries" 1996 Deadly Web Dr. Stanton Television film 1996 Strangers Jack Episode: "Visit" 1997 Lost Treasure of Dos Santos Jack Television film 1997 Soldier of Fortune, Inc. Griffin Episode: "Alpha Dogs" 1998–2001 Dawson's Creek Mitch Leery Main role (seasons 1–4); recurring role (season 5) 1999 Road Rage Jim Carson Television film 2001 The Outer Limits Coach Peter Shotwell Episode: "Lion's Den" 2004 JAG Colonel Marcus Sutter Episode: "What If" 2005 Palmetto Pointe Michael Jones Recurring role, 5 episodes 2006 CSI: NY Patrick Quinn Episode: "Sweet 16" 2007 Christie's Revenge Uncle Ray Colton Television film 2007 The Closer Chris Conroy Episode: "Culture Shock" 2010 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Professor Zoom Voice role; episode: "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!" 2010 One Life to Live Eddie Ford 18 episodes 2011 Drop Dead Diva Doug Bailey Episode: "He Said, She Said" 2012 One Life to Live Eddie Ford 1 episode 2012–2013 Teen Wolf Mr. Lahey 4 episodes 2014–2023 The Flash Henry Allen, Jay Garrick / The Flash, Barry Allen (Earth-90) Recurring role 2017 Blindspot Dr. Katz Episode: "Draw O Caesar, Erase a Coward" 2018 Supergirl Barry Allen / The Flash Episode: "Bunker Hill" (cameo) 2018 Arrow Barry Allen of Earth-90 / The Flash 2 episodes 2019 Ruby Herring Mysteries: Her Last Breath John Herring Television film 2020 Ruby Herring Mysteries: Prediction Murder John Herring Television film 2021–2022 Stargirl Jay Garrick / The Flash 2 episodes

Awards and nominations At the 14th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1987, Shipp won the Outstanding Guest Performer Award (in a category that included Celeste Holm, Eileen Heckart, and Terrance Mann) becoming the only actor with consecutive wins from two different daytime dramas. 1987 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Star in a Drama Series Santa Barbara