John Wesley Shipp
Shipp atMegaCon Orlando in 2025
Born	(1955-01-22)January 22, 1955 (age 70) Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1980–present

John Wesley Shipp (born January 22, 1955^[1][2]) is an American actor known for his various television roles. He played the leadBarry Allen onCBS's superhero seriesThe Flash from 1990 to 1991, and Mitch Leery, the title character's father, on the drama seriesDawson's Creek from 1998 to 2001. Shipp has also played several roles in daytime soap operas including Kelly Nelson onGuiding Light from 1980 to 1984, and Douglas Cummings onAs the World Turns from 1985 to 1986 (which earned him his first Daytime Emmy Award).^[3] He portrayed Barry Allen's fatherHenry, Earth-3 FlashJay Garrick, and Earth-90's Barry Allen / The Flash onthe CW'sThe Flash series.

Shipp was born inNorfolk, Virginia.^[1][2] His father was a farmer who returned to school when Shipp was young, and after attending the seminary inWake Forest, North Carolina, he became the pastor of a small church outside Wake Forest.^[4] 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.^[4]

Shipp attendedButler High School inLouisville, Kentucky and then attendedIndiana University.^[5]

Shipp began his career with a regular role on the daytime soap operaGuiding Light, playing Dr. Kelly Nelson^[6] from 1980 to 1984.^[7] Shipp followed this with more roles in daytime, playing Douglas Cummings^[8] onAs the World Turns from 1985 to 1986 (which earned him his first Daytime Emmy Award in 1986), and Martin Ellis onSanta Barbara in 1987 (for which he won his second Daytime Emmy Award), followed by Blanchard Lovelace onOne Life to Live in 1989, and Carter Jones onAll My Children in 1992. He also had guest appearances on primetime series, such as playing a peeper on an episode ofFantasy Island in 1983.

Shipp won the title role of Barry Allen/The Flash on theCBS seriesThe Flash, which aired in the 1990–91 season.^[9][10][11] He followed this with the recurring role of Lucky on the NBC seriesSisters from 1994 to 1995.^[12] Shipp also appeared on stage in the 1990s, starring inErik Jendresen'sThe Killing of Michael Malloy in 1993.^[13] In 1998, he was cast as Mitch Leery, the father of the lead character Dawson, onThe WB drama seriesDawson's Creek;^[14] Shipp remained part of the series' main cast through its first four seasons, exiting in 2001.^[15]

In November 2010, Shipp returned to daytime in the short-term role of villainous Eddie Ford onOne Life to Live,^[16] who was killed off in a murder mystery in mid-December. In the summer of 2011, he guest-starred on theLifetime seriesDrop Dead Diva, playing the ex-husband of the character played by comedianKathy Griffin. Shipp filmed three episodes of theMTV seriesTeen Wolf as the abusive father ofDaniel Sharman's character, which aired during the summer of 2012. Also in 2012, he starred in the independent filmHell and Mr. Fudge, withMackenzie Astin andEileen Davidson.^[17]

Shipp returned to involvement with The Flash in the 2010s. He was cast in a "mysterious" role onThe CW seriesThe Flash in early 2014,^[18][19] which was later revealed to be the recurring role of Henry Allen, Barry's father.^[20][21] In the second-season finale ofThe Flash, Shipp playedJay Garrick, an alternate universe counterpart of The Flash,^[22][23] and, later, as his earlier incarnation of Barry Allen. He also guest starred asEobard Thawne, Barry's archenemy, in the animated seriesBatman: 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.^[24]

Shipp returned to the stage in 2016 as Juror #8 in Judson Theatre Company's production ofTwelve Angry Men.^[25] He also performed the same role in a 2017 reading of the play at Brookfield Theatre for the Arts.^[26]

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.^[4]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toJohn Wesley Shipp.

• John Wesley Shipp atIMDb

• 1955 births
• Living people
• Male actors from Norfolk, Virginia
• American male film actors
• American male soap opera actors
• American male television actors
• Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series winners
• Butler High School alumni
• Daytime Emmy Award winners
• Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winners
• Indiana University Bloomington alumni

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use American English from June 2023
• All Wikipedia articles written in American English
• Use mdy dates from April 2015
• Articles with hCards
• Commons category link is on Wikidata