2009 TV News Archives

Superman on TV

January 22, 2009: Melrose Place - Superman Connections (A "Superman on TV" Extra)

By Barry Freiman

So now they're saying the new version of "Melrose Place" may take two more of the "Smallville" Producers away from the show for a ninth season. It's ironic that "Melrose Place" may put "Smallville" out of business given the number of Superman related celebs who appeared on the original version of "Melrose Place".

The "Melrose Place" pilot episode had Courtney Thorne-Smith's Allison Parker sexually harassed by the greatest criminal mind of our time, Lex Luthor. Actor Sherman Howard, Lex Luthor from the live-action "Adventures of Superboy", played Hal Barber, Allison's first superior at the advertising agency who takes a shine to her.

In fact, much of the principal "Superboy" cast appeared on "Melrose" during its initial run. Salome Jens, Ma Kent on "Superboy", played Billy Campbell's mother opposite Malachi Throne as Billy's Dad. Throne played False-Face on the 1960's TV show "Batman" though he didn't receive a guest credit, just a "?" as False Face.

Gerard Christopher, who portrayed Clark Kent and Superboy for seasons two through four of "Superboy", in one of his few post-"Superboy" roles, played a model, Gregory Davis, in episode "The Two Mrs. Mancinis" in 1994. Christopher's character was very interested in Daphne Zuniga's Jo Reynolds character; that is, until he finds out she's been knocked up by her high school sweet-heart ex-con who she shot and killed after he kidnapped her.

Stacy Haiduk, Lana Lang on "Superboy" and the only original cast member to appear on all four seasons of the show, has a mini-arc on "Melrose Place" as the mother of the illegitimate son of Grant Show's Jake Hanson. Haiduk's Colleen Patterson character appeared on the show early on played by a different actress. After a six episode arc, actor Show's character leaves the show to make a go at a family with Haiduk's Patterson and son.

First season Superboy actor John Haymes Newton, who lost the "Superboy" job after season one due to contractual problems, joined "Melrose Place" just in time for its series finale. He played Ryan McBride for the final year of the show.

Other Superman stars on "Melrose" have included Phil Morris (John Jones on "Smallville", Imperiex on "The Legion of Super-Heroes" cartoon, Vandal Savage on "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited", and King Faraday in "Justice League: The New Frontier"), Joseph Campanella (guest shot on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman", guest shot on first season episode of "Superboy"), Jasmine Guy (guest shot on "L&C"), and Tori Spelling (Linda Lake on "Smallville" reprised her "Beverly Hills, 90210" role to help "Melrose" spin-off from the Beverly Hills high school drama). In fact, Spelling is about to reprise both her "90210" role on the new "90210" and her Linda Lake role on "Smallville".

Hopefully, the pre-existing symbiotic relationship between "Melrose" and Superman will save "Smallville" from a premature end. Or maybe "Melrose Place" will become, in its new version, "Metropolis Place". Then the whole cast of "Smallville" can move into the building. Better yet, keep them apart. There is no "Melrose Place" without swimming pool accidents; and we all know nobody's about to drown in the pool if Clark Kent's a tenant of "Melrose Place".



2009 Television News

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