I am actor Kenny Johnston and I played The Flash in the CBS Pilot Justice League of America. One of the worst Pilots ever. Ask Me Anything!

I've always wondered, at what point do you know it's going to be terrible? When you read the script? When you first speak to the director? After you see footage? When the final product is released?

There are so many talented, first rate actors who have performed in so many utter bombs, I've always wondered what was the first clue it was going to tank?

My first clue on our production is when they fired the director after we were halfway done with filming. But sometimes you can't really tell when you are shooting because a lot of times the production is going smooth and people are happy with the filming, then you see an early version of it, in our case with special effects. At that point we could kind of tell that it was either going to be a campy hit, or a bomb

who was better with the actors between Felix Alcala and Lewis Teague?

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do you have nice memories of working with Miguel Ferrer and David Ogden Stiers?

I think Felix Arcola was really good with the Actors. I really liked working with him, he was great

Did you ever talk to other actors/crew to have a “this is a bad show... right?” conversation?

Not really. Because we were all having a blast and had no idea how the special effects would look, so we had thought we were making something at least decent

what was your reaction when you saw the pilot for the first time?

My first impression was that it was a bit cheesy or "campy". At that point we knew it probably wasn't going to get picked up.

What research did you do for the role?

Hello. I researched the History of The Flash and Barry Allen. There were different versions of Allen and the flash dating all the way back to the Mid-50's. I also watched the early 90's show 'The Flash" to see how he was portrayed

Tbh, "Friends, but it's the Justice League" is a great idea.. in theory.

Thanks for coming on Kenny. Big or small, what is the thing you're most proud of in your career?

Thanks for asking. I would say a TV show called "Grapevine" on CBS. My episode was called "Joey and Fran" I really liked that show and my character. And I just completed a song/music video I wrote and staring in called "Isolators Paradise" . It took me 6 months to make, and very proud of it https://youtu.be/vi2OffKn9GM

Did they invite you to the crisis on infinite earths crossover?

No they didn't consider having me as The Flash on infinite. Being our show never really officially aired

It didn't air....in this dimension. In some other timeline, your show is a huge hit man. Congratulations.

Thanks!

How do you look back on the experience? Do the actors marvel at being sort of “the worst pilot ever”?

Nice marvel reference ;) It definitely gave us something to bond over and good laughs in jest. Like in the pilot, The Atom does a the limbo dance under a Cats tail with music and everything

It's cool you're doing this and I don't really have any questions for you. But you should know the American adaptation of Red Dwarf is the worst pilot made.

But anywho, how ya been? What's your favorite pie?

Ha thanks for letting me know. I will have to try and see that pilot. My favorite pie is a kick ass chocolate cream! Yours?

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I have been good thanks. Actually just released funny Cover parody music video I made. Guaranteed to give ya a chuckle

https://youtu.be/vi2OffKn9GM

Cool beans. I'm a pastry creme and ganache fan. This weekend I made cranberry curd with bread pudding top pies.

That's pretty good, dude!

WOw. Love bread pudding

Do you ever dress up as The Flash for halloween, or maybe just for fun?

I used to. They let me keep some of the costume like the boots and gloves

Is the Flash faster than Superman?

Running for sure!! And yes faster then superman (Faster then a speeding bullet) for sure! They should have them race in one of the movies

I think they did at the end of justice league

Who won?

Not the movie viewers...

lol

It was just a tease sadly, they never showed the victor

Flash stomps superman in a real race.

Yup

makes sense, they never resolve things like that

If you got another shot to do the role all over would you change anything about your portrayal?

I would have made him a little less like Joey form "Friends", but thats how it was directed.

Please take it as a compliment that it was obvious that's what they were going for.

Thanks! Yes I agree

Any insight as to why, since the Justice League of America pilot premiered in 1997, they used Barry Allen instead of the then current Flash Wally West?

Yes they wanted to keep it traditional in that sense

Has the failure of the pilot directly affected chances with any future roles for you?

Not really. Because not many people in or out of the business saw it. So if anything it lends to a fun conversation piece

What do you think of the show on the CW?

I like it! Haven't watch many episodes but it has a simplicity to it and good actors.

As someone who didn’t see the pilot, what made this the worst pilot ever? What would you have changed if you could?

If I was a producer, I would have not tried to cash in on the current huge success of NBC's "Friends". They tried to make us superheroes seem like close friends that deal with everyday problems like getting evicted and relationship problems, etc.

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exactly. I think the direction of the actors was thin and cheep effects

If you had the chance to play any other hero, who would it be?

I would have to say "The Silver Surfer". The coolest

Hi Mr Johnston, would you ever consider reprising your role as one of many Flashes in a multi-universe event (if there was one)?

Absolutely. Even the Flash gets older with time

If you got sent back in time and had a second chance; would you do the pilot again because of the stories you can tell from it, or do you feel like your time would have been spent better looking for other work?

Definitely would do it agin. We actually had a blast doing it

Kenny this is really cool. I didn't know about it at all! I was actually an extra in a TV movie with Mr Ferrer in Minnesota a couple years prior. I remember being really starstruck as he was basically Hollywood royalty. Plus robocop, obviously. I also remember him chain smoking between takes.

My question is did you see anyone try to get him to quit? Were you as alarmed as I was?

I'd have been fired from set but I wish I'd approached him and begged him to stop.

Hello. Thats cool, yes he was royalty. I didn't have many scenes with him so we worked on different days so I didn't really see him smoking so much. But very sad that it probably killed him

How’s it going now?

Its going well, thanks for asking. I do a fair amount of commercials. Was on Modern Family a couple years ago. and just premiered a funny music video parody I wrote and star in called "Isolators Paradise" that people are digging

https://youtu.be/vi2OffKn9GM

How does it feel to be the second best Flash to Grant Gustin?

JK - have you two met?

I loved his Flash. Yes we met in the early 90's, or seen him around at auditions, don't know if I actually met him

We’re you upset you were not contacted to be a part of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” on the newest incarnation of The Flash in the Arrowverse?

No not really. Being that our production never officially aired

Thanks for posting this! Couple questions:

First - have you checked out /r/acting? Loads of us newer actors could benefit from tips and advice you could impart!

You have a huge amount of 1 episode guest star/day player roles. What kind of pay can one get from those roles?

Do you support yourself 100% from acting, or do you have other means of income? I see you also write and produce - how do those factor into your livelihood?

I’m trying to understand what it takes to be a regular, working actor in Hollywood. My future goal is to be able to support myself on acting work, alone, but perhaps also with writing to fill the gaps.

I’ve only done about a dozen student films, one recurring character role, some stage plays, and one independent feature length. What tips do you have for people like me?

I will check that Sub out for sure. Guest arts pay pretty good, depending if it's half hour or hour and if you work 1 day or the whole week. Day rate id around $1000 and the week is around $3900 I believe. You can negotiate more if you are a celebrity of course. I think immersing yourself in acting, watch classic movie especially Brando films and keep getting better. And do everything in your power to find the roles you would be best suited for and get an agent that has the same vision and persist!

Would you say that before the filming of this you were at all into comics at the time? And if so, did this experience, despite it's problems, make you more/less into the superhero genre itself and comics in general?

Thanks for doing this by the way, I love weird cultural footnotes like this and insight into them is always appreciated!

Thanks! I was very into the Superman hero and Silver Surfer actually , but not a die hard. But when I was auditioning I really got into the Barry Allen/Flash character

How did they expect to do a successful "Justice League" show without Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman?

Exactly! They did spend the money to license any of those and it hurt them obviously

How does something like this get funding, and go through so many channels to be developed so poorly?

Was everyone involved in the management of this production just "yes men"?

Did no one really see it was going badly?

They really wanted it to have a "friends" feel to it and the studio entrusted the executives that thought it was coming off good, but they couldn't have anticipated the campy SFX

Do you have any memories of David Ogden Stiers you’d care to share?

My wife is a big mash fan, (along with beauty and the beast, Pocahontas, Spirited Away...)

He was a lovely man, said hello to everybody before getting in the make up chair for hours for the Martian

Whats a good chicken and rice recipe?

KFC?? Nah

So, how does it work in the industry when a project is unsuccessful? How much stigma gets attached to the people associated with a flop? I assume the studio/producer/director shoulder more blame than the performers?

Yes you are correct. The director takes the biggest blow. They are mainly responsible for directing a bomb. The performers, unless very bas performance, go unscathed

Wow!

So, we can all see that well done superhero films can be wildly successful and make insane amounts of money, while thrilling fans.

I have wondered WHY films like, Fantastic Four and your movie, weren't made well. The movie was made in 1997, which was a time where high production values and writing was happening, so what went wrong?

Why don't filmmakers want to, or can't, make something that will be a massive success?

Secondary question: I saw you made a film with Sean Young. I have had a massive thing for her, and I never care about celebs like that, since the 80s. What was she like?

Thanks. I think Producers/filmmakers try to put new spins on popular genres like superhero films and some work and some don't. Ours didn't I guess.

Sean Young was very much a pro and supportive of the process. She is as hot off screen as she was on

Do you ever feel like this could have all been part of some larger prophecy where live action Justice League features tend to have director issues?

I thought about that issue with Directorial issues live action wise

Wow! Hard to believe this was only a few years before the excellent animated Justice League series.

My question: If you could have a superpower in real life, what would it be?

Good question. I think Hate Eradicator Man. Because people are gonna hate even after you save a city from disaster

Did you sense where the tone of the show was? More serious or comical?

The tones of the show was supposed to be like "Friends" kinda light and funny

If you knew it would turned out as badly as it did would you still have done it, for the simple matter of having bills to pay?

Yes I probably would do it again at that point

Was this one of those things that were shot up in Van, BC?

No, filmed at the WB's ranch lot in Burbank. Down the street form the main lot. It was right before the big Van, BC exodus

4 answers in an hour?!?

Barry Allen very slow thinker

What do you think of the MCU (since it also has comedy and "relatability" in a superhero universe, as opposed to the current grimdark DC tone)?

Haven't really checked out MCU

Did you have any superheroes in mind that you wanted to portray, or was Flash the first time you had thought about playing a superhero?

Never thought about it until that role as "The Flash" came up. I was a big Superman fan but that was about it

How are you doing?

Doing good, thanks for asking. How are you?

I just released a funny Cover parody music video called "Isolators Paradise" people are digging if you are interested, https://youtu.be/vi2OffKn9GM

Best

If you could go back and do it again, Would you?

In a heart beat

1. What do you think of your predecessor, John Wesley Shipp, and the two current Flash actors, Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller?
   
2. Are you willing to appear in The Flash show (or any other DC show) or DC films?

I like Grant the best, but I think they are both good. And yes I would be willing if they reprised for sure

Did you have fun filming it?

A blast!! Good crew and WB's paid well

Have you ever met or talked shop with Adrianne Palicki, star of the failed 2011 Wonder Woman pilot?

No never talked to her but knew of her at the time