WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

[Raineypark]

Regarding the possibility that John Karlen played the "Mysterious Old Man"......I believe that if Jonathan Frid had said yes to their request they would have moved heaven and earth to keep it a secret, (but knowing full well it would be a wildly discussed rumour) just to give the older fans a rush when they spotted him in the opening.  But he said no, so there was no harm in letting the fans know that they tried, but it didn't happen.

So, if John Karlen HAS played that part....why would they tell us, if they could keep it a secret?  Let us wonder....let us talk about it amongst ourselves...exactly like we are doing right here!!

I'm quite sure that nothing about the taking (or releasing) of that photo was left to chance.

[Mary]

On the other hand, let's hope that isn't it. Well, at least that they're not some sort of actual returning "zombies" or some such. That sort of stuff was already a bit over the top when it was done on the original and already well established DS - and having "zombies" actually rising from their graves could easily seem like a bit of overkill so soon in the series when its main focus should be introducing the characters, setting the premise, and dealing with its vampire, who should be the exclusive and front and center "undead" character. After all, I think most of us want a new WB audience to look at DS seriously, not as some bit of camp...

Just MHO. 

JMHO, but zombies rule!  LOL! When I saw all the zombies rise out of their graves when I was a kid I thought that was soooo cool!!  And I still haven't grown any more mentally mature today!  LOL!  So as far as I'm concerned bring on all of the undead in any form!  Hee hee!

(Gonna maybe duck now -- uh oh.  Ha!)

(Unfortunately, though (LOL!), I have to admit, you're probably right, MB, about it being a bit of overkill for right at the beginning of the series.  On the other hand, though, it would be cool if, as Gothic suggested, this would be Barnabas when Willie first lets him out of the coffin! )

[Mysterious Benefactor]

So, if John Karlen HAS played that part....why would they tell us, if they could keep it a secret?  Let us wonder....let us talk about it amongst ourselves...exactly like we are doing right here!!

I'm quite sure that nothing about the taking (or releasing) of that photo was left to chance.

Well, given that ShadowGram #101 is going to share the career highlights of the person cast, we all may know soon enough. 

[Raineypark]

Well, given that ShadowGram #101 is going to share the career highlights of the person cast, we all may know soon enough. 

Oh dear....am I not paying enough attention to those Shadow Grams?

[ProfStokes]

I received my ShadowGram today and it names E.J. Callahan as the old man and Nathan Weiss as the boy in the devil costume.

ProfStokes

[michael c]

zombies in the pilot?it seems to me as if they are trying to cram alot of stuff(and characters)into a one hour pilot.i'm also hoping the new show avoids some of the nonsense of late.o.s.(like zombies)i'd rather it focus on a few characters viewers can identify with and care about(like o.s. first 2-3 years),not a bunch of disposable monsters.

[Raineypark]

I received my ShadowGram today and it names E.J. Callahan as the old man

Oh well....it was a fun idea while it lasted.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I received my ShadowGram today and it names E.J. Callahan as the old man

Oh well....it was a fun idea while it lasted.

Apparently, Callahan is a very busy actor. He's currently appearing in the film Envy, which just opened this past Friday. And you've actually seen him because he appeared as Lean Man in the 9/14/2003 episode of one of your favorite series, HBO's Carnivale.

He was also in the 3/19/2003 episode of Angel. But then, should that surprise us when so many of the actors in the WB pilot's cast have previously appeared in other WB shows?

[Raineypark]

And you've actually seen him because he appeared as Lean Man in the 9/14/2003 episode of one of your favorite series, HBO's Carnivale.

Right.  Cecil B. DeMille didn't use as many extras in a film as "Carnivale" does.....there are never less than 100 people in any given wide shot.  I'm afraid I couldn't identify one of them as the "lean man"....... .....guess I'll just have to wait and see.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Actually, according to the TV Tome Web site, Callahan had a co-starring role in that Carnavale episode, so chances are you would have taken note of him. So far, though, I haven't come up with a photo of him...
(Of course, as a last resort there's always my taped copy of his appearance in that Angel episode...)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Of course, as a last resort there's always my taped copy of his appearance in that Angel episode...

Well, unfortunately, that isn't an option either. Callahan appears in one of Angel's flashbacks, this time to the 1920s, as a man playing craps on the street (which is no doubt why his character is named Old Craps Man). However, the scene is too dark to get a good screen capture, and he's only on screen for about 5 seconds, anyway. So, unless SG has a picture of him, it looks like most fans might have to wait until the pilot airs (hopefully) to see him...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I forgot to mention that while I was researching his credits on Variety's Web site, I noticed that E.J. Callahan appeared in the 2001 film Bubble Boy, which also happened to star Marley Shelton. Wonder if they shared a scene? How wild would it be if they did and they've been reunited in the WB pilot? 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Just posted an article in the Focus Group thread that says that the WB has decided to completely drop that practice as part of the process to select its new programs for next season. The first passage I've included in the following link would seem to confirm my contention that focus groups can often have a decided influence on a show's artistic vision. And best of all, the second passage would seem to indicate that the version of the pilot that Wells, Verheiden, DC, Hogan and company deliver to the WB will remain relatively untampered with. Chalk one up for original artistic vision! 

...

It's no surprise that most producers abhor testing as intrusive to the creative process. "The networks always tell you it's simply a 'tool,' but testing has an enormous amount of influence," ...

...

But some industry experts also view the WB's decision as an attempt to boost creativity. With less outside feedback, shows are more likely to retain their original DNA and avoid major revamps. That could pay big dividends, since generic, watered-down material is often blamed for viewer flight to cable channels. "This is a gutsy move," says Laura Caraccioli-Davis, a senior vice president at Starcom Entertainment, which buys ad time and is part of Publicis Groupe SA. In a business that is changing rapidly, she says, "you can't keep doing everything the way it has always been done."

Click on the above link to read the entire article...

[Mary]

zombies in the pilot?it seems to me as if they are trying to cram alot of stuff(and characters)into a one hour pilot.i'm also hoping the new show avoids some of the nonsense of late.o.s.(like zombies)i'd rather it focus on a few characters viewers can identify with and care about(like o.s. first 2-3 years),not a bunch of disposable monsters.

Well, we all have our own opinions of which aspects of the original DS we liked best, and I agree that having characters viewers can identify with and care about is of utmost importance, but I would appreciate not seeing an aspect of the show that I have posted that I enjoyed and clearly, politely marked as JMHO, categorically labeled by someone else as "nonsense."

(Maybe Curtis and company could just edit out the scenes of "disposable monsters" and send them to me!  Ha! )

[dom]

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Thanks,
dom