ISSUE #303 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2001

"Well, this is better than killing him. He just doesn't care. That was the problem with the green kryptonite, it always ticked him off." -- Bill Church Jr., "L&C" episode "Individual Responsibility"

Hello Again!
Lots of news today... it seems promotional stuff for "Smallville" is really kicking in...

And, for you "Lois & Clark" fans, some news regarding a former "L&C" vilain!

Craig Byrne
KryptonSite Webmaster/Editor of Planet Krypton

News

A Chance To Go To The Smallville Premiere!
(9/6) The WB's official site now has put up a chance to see Smallville in a contest to go to a "Premiere in the Park" on October 13.

The WB will fly the winner and a guest to the Warner Bros. backlot to see the premiere (three days early!) and a party with the stars of Smallville.

Check the WB's site for official rules. You can enter the contest by clicking on this link.

So hey, Smallville people... can I come too? (Hey, a webmaster can dream, right?)

US Weekly Names Smallville As One Of "Ten Shows To Watch"
(9/6) Issue #344 of US Weekly (the one with the "Ladies of the 80s" on the cover) features an article by Tom Conroy spotlighting the top ten most promising series of the new fall season. Of course, Smallville made the list.

The story includes a paragraph about the show and its stars (whom the author describes as "really hot"), and is accompanied by a picture of Tom Welling's Clark rescuing Whitney (played by Eric Johnson) from the show's second episode, "Metamorphosis." You can see the photo to the right.

Be warned, however: The US Weekly writeup includes a spoiler about why Clark Kent always seems to fall for Lana.

Smallville Lands On AOL
(9/6) With Warner Bros. and America Online now being parts of the same company, it should come as no surprise that Smallville promotion would be showing up on AOL. Many AOL-based fans may see a "familiar" face -- that of Tom Welling's Clark (actually, the photo to your left) -- and a link to AOL's Smallville section.

If you're on America Online, you can access this by typing in the easy-to-remember keyword: Smallville.

Before The Legend, There Was a Teenager Named Clark Kent...
(9/6) The promotional newspaper of WMDT Channel 47 and "WBD Delmarva" (originating from locations in Salisbury, Maryland and Dover, Delaware) recently featured a front-page piece on Smallville.

The article tells about the concept of the show and the "multi-talented" members of the cast. John Schneider as Jonathan Kent is described as "a father now, a long way from the young & wild Bo Duke he portrayed on the popular series The Dukes of Hazzard." It pointed out Annette O'Toole's previous Super connections, and it noted that Lex Luthor was "brilliantly played" by Michael Rosenbaum. It revealed that Rosenbaum rejected using a skull cap for the role because it made him "look like a Conehead."

"I had a full head of hair, I had no choice really..." Rosenbaum said. "You want to be Lex Luthor? Shave your head then. None of us really knew what it was going to look like. They (the producers) were scared out of their minds."

Accompanying the article was the photo of Tom Welling that is seen above this very article. You *might* be able to get a copy of the Delmarva's Choice newspaper by visiting WMDT's website at (appropriately) http://www.wmdt.com.

Tom Welling: Undeclared
(9/6) Those of you who just can't wait until October 16th to see the former "Karate Rob" and future "Clark Kent" again will be in for a treat in less than two weeks, even though it'll be a very short one.

Tom Welling will be appearing in the pilot episode of Fox's well-reviewed sitcom Undeclared, on September 18th at 8:30 PM. In the brief appearance Tom will be playing a "frat boy."

From frat boy to Superboy all in the course of a month! (Hey, SOMEONE had to say it!)

Undeclared has gotten some great reviews. The show stars newcomer Jay Baruchel, Seth (Freaks and Geeks) Rogan, and Charlie (the UK's Queer as Folk) Hunnam.

Tom Welling Interviewed At E! Online
(9/6) E! Online has posted a new interview with Tom (Clark Kent) Welling, where he talks about "playing the strong guy," Lex Luthor's hair (or lack thereof), and the General Lee.

You can find the complete interview by clicking here.

New Smallville Pilot Review Online
(9/6) SupermanCollectors.com, a website that's actually a member of the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce (that is, the *real* Metropolis in Illinois), has now posted a new and favorable review of the Smallville pilot written by a longtime fan of the character of Superman.

You can find the review, part of their "SuperPlanet Chronicles" newsletter, by clicking here.

First Publicity Photo Of Annette O'Toole As Martha Kent Revealed!
(9/6) Annette O'Toole was announced as being Cynthia Ettinger's replacement to play Martha Kent back in July, but none of the promotional photos for the series released so far had reflected this. Now, the WB has finally released a photo of Annette in character as Clark Kent's mother, which you can see to the right.

And yes, you might notice she *does* look kind of like that lady who played "Lana" in "Superman III"... what do you know?

Kristin Kreuk Named One Of The Top 10 Female Rising Stars
(9/5) Hollywood.com recently named Kristin Kreuk as one of the "top ten female rising stars" on their site, as one of "10 ladies soon to be household names."

Other new stars to bestowed this honor include Jolene Blalock of Enterprise, Sarah Downing of Dead Last, and Reagan Dale Neis of Maybe It's Me.

Also from the "top ten female rising stars" page you can get to Hollywood.com's preview and synopsis of Smallville.

You can find the complete article by clicking here.

News

Bill Church Jr. Writes A Book
(Bruce Campbell is one of those actors who's got a huge following, though many have never even heard of him.

His most famous roles were in the "Evil Dead" movies and also as the lead in the short-lived but popular "Adventures of Brisco County." Soon after "Brisco"'s cancellation, Campbell appeared on three episodes of "Lois & Clark" as "Bill Church Jr.," one of the higher "executives" of Intergang.

Campbell has now written a book about his experiences in Hollywood and dealing with fame and fans, and the book is *excellent.* There's even a page or two where he talks about his "Lois & Clark" experiences, particularly with the directors and with Peter Boyle (who played his father).

You can order a copy of the book by following this link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312242646/gijoevid

And of course if you do order through Amazon, you'll be helping KryptonSite's continued existence as well!

Check it out... it's great!

And on the subject of Campbell, some of you might be interested in reading an interview conducted with him by Planet Krypton editor Craig Byrne for issue #148 of the Krypton Club Newsletter (now of course called Planet Krypton). Here's a reprinting from that newsletter, dated December 2, 1996...

CRAIG: Of the episodes of "Lois & Clark" that you had done, which one was your favorite and why?

BRUCE: Gee, I don't know the names of the eps by heart, but I liked the one where we sprung a low-rent Kryptonite on Super-duper guy - the red stuff. It was fun and I had gobs of dialogue. [The episode he's referring to would be the second season episode "Individual Responsibility" -- Craig]

CRAIG: Would you consider reprising the role of Bill Church Jr. if asked, or are there already plans to bring him back?

BRUCE: I'd love to come back, but there are currently no plans - to my knowledge!

CRAIG: What in your mind were the most rewarding and unrewarding parts of appearing on "L&C?"

BRUCE: Good points: It's fun being in a well-liked hit show and playing the bad guy is always a hoot (and easier). The only downside is that it's not my show so-to-speak.

CRAIG: Did any really funny things happen (such as bloopers) when you were on the "L&C" set that you're allowed to tell us about?

BRUCE: Unfortunately, that's one of the great misconceptions people have about doing film work - that we crack up ALL THE TIME! Usually, professional actors get in there, enjoy themselves, and get the heck back to their home - just like anybody else!

CRAIG: The "Evil Dead" movies have achieved a cult status. How does that make you feel?

BRUCE: I'm fine with it - we worked very hard on those films for about 12 years - I'm glad something came from it, but I don't really "feel" anything one way or the other - it's all a little too surreal for me.

CRAIG: Are there any plans for you to play Brisco County ever again?

BRUCE: We casually approached Fox, but there are still some cold feet about it (as a TV film) and new executive regimes are hesitant to dabble in "old" projects. [Better tell that to the producers of the recent and upcoming Dallas, Dukes of Hazzard, and CHiPs reunions. Seriously though, there are a LOT of Brisco fans out there who would love to see him back! -- Craig again]

CRAIG: What kind of work do you find more rewarding--acting, producing, or directing?

BRUCE: All of the above. Acting has the most immediate gratification, but you don't always have the input you'd like. Directing is the unsung job - hard work - not a lot of glory, but plenty of creative satisfaction. Same goes with producing, I guess, but one produces mainly to ensure some form of creative input.

CRAIG: Who are your influences in your work?

BRUCE: I'm a big fan of William Holden who, to me, presented the "average" guy very well. I also like the subdued simplicity of Steve McQueen.

CRAIG: I read that you recently closed a deal to do a new television series, can you tell us anything about that?

BRUCE: I wish I had something to tell you. These deals stretch on for years sometimes. It involves a lot of spitballing, reading, etc. We know we want to find a good, fun 8:00 action-oriented show. Beyond that, no details are available.

CRAIG: What kinds of other projects do you have coming up that your fans can look forward to?

BRUCE: Sure - you can look for me in the following stuff:

-- As a jaded, pissed-off jerk of a mechanic in the TV movie update of "The Love Bug" due out on ABC in early '97.

-- As a revolutionary computer wizard in the cyber-adventure film, "Menno's Mind," for Showtime. No air date yet.

-- As the voice of "Fin" in the CD-ROM adventure game "Cold-Blooded" due out end of the year some time - check those Comp USA stores!

-- As one of Tom Arnold's sidekicks (Virgil, the skirt chaser) in Universal's "McHale's Navy." Probably to be released Spring of '97.

-- As an ex-con in a gritty crime drama called "Running Time," formerly called "Blood Money" (wow - Black and White!) I play a guy who sets out to rob the prison laundry system where he worked for 5 years (while in the pen) and re-capture his wasted youth in the process. It's an independent effort, bound for Art House Theaters, directed by a long-time associate Josh Becker (Lunatics: A Love Story, Thou Shalt Not Kill...Except). No release date yet.

-- As a new Bookstore "manager" on Disney/ABC TV's "Ellen," starring Ellen Degeneres. I play a just-doing-his-job nice guy (ED), who is brought in to run Ellen's bookstore after she sells it. Right now, I'm not sure how many episodes in total I'll be in - there is no determination what my status is, i.e. recurring, etc. This all kind of just happened...

-- As an old-time sportswriter in a new batch of Nike Ads for College football on ABC. I do play-by-play during classic football moments. As usual, I don't know when they'll run.

-- As the voice of "Jake," for a cool "Doom"-like Video game called "Broken Helix" for Konami. It's a hard-edged, multi-level game that will blow all those other losers away. I could tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you. Watch for it near the end of the year-ish.

-- As Gene, a rogue-ish yet sophisticated Genie who courts the beautiful "computer genie," Lisa (Vanessa Angel), on USA's "Weird Science," the show based on the mid-eighties flick of the same name. I'm not sure when it will be on the air, so check those local listings -- watch it or no more wishes for you!

-- As a modern-day "Clyde-esque" bank robber living on the edge in the NBC TV movie "Jeff and Jill," opposite "Full House's" Lori Laughlin. No air date yet. If you miss it, I'll rob your bank...

There you have it! Best to everyone!

Trivia!

Annette O'Toole replaced Cynthia Ettinger as Martha Kent in "Smallville," but several years before that, in the "Lois & Clark" episode "Vatman," a relative of O'Toole's appeared in the same episode as Ettinger. Who was the relative?

The answer to last issue's trivia: Nigel's last name was St. John, perhaps named after sometime-"Lois & Clark" producer Thania St. John.

PLANET KRYPTON: THE KRYPTONSITE NEWSLETTER, Vol. 1, Issue 303, September 7, 2001. KryptonSite is located at http://www.kryptonsite.com. This newsletter and the material inside is copyright (c) 2001 Craig Byrne, unless the material is listed as coming from or written by someone else. Any opinions within belong solely to the individuals who express them. Copying or any unauthorized publication of material from this newsletter without permission is illegal. I want to go to that Smallville premiere! *whine*

Superman For All Seasons
Smallville explores the story of a young Clark Kent and his place in the world on television. In the comics, this was very well illustrated in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's "Superman For All Seasons." This has been labeled a "must read" by many fans and also listed as the favorite Superman story of recent years by many. Check it out!

Anne Frank and Me
Authors Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld wrote this tale of a young girl from the present day who is learning about Anne Frank in class and suddenly finds herself in wartime France and encountering Anne Frank herself.

This book should be of interest to Smallville fans especially because the book's writers, Bennett and Gottesfeld, will be writing episode #3 of Smallville, titled "Jitters," and most likely several more episodes in the show's future. While you're at Amazon you can also find several of Cherie Bennett's other popular young adult novels such as "Life In The Fat Lane."

Superman Transformed!
In 1997 the creators of the Superman comics altered Clark's powers. Since it's a given that Smallville's Clark may be dealing with at least one electrical wraith, here's where you can find out what happened when things turned shocking for Superman. It's also good if you were away from the comics for a while and were wondering what that blue Superman thing was all about.

Any purchases through the Amazon.com link keep KryptonSite going. (Webspace sadly isn't free when you want your own domain!) So if you do purchase something through one of these links, thanks!

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