The second episode of Superman & Lois airing tonight on The CW introduces us to several new characters, including Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner) and young reporter Chrissy Beppo (Sofia Hasmik). We also meet the Mayor of Smallville, referred to as “Mayor Dean” in interviews (perhaps a reference to Dean Cain of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman?). He’s played by an actor named Eric Keenleyside.
Super-fans might think he looks familiar, and there’s a good reason for that. Eric Keenleyside has been acting for decades, and one of those stops was in a “leafy little hamlet” known as… Smallville. There, he played “Mike the Bartender” in an episode called “Suspect,” but those who have watched the deleted scenes in the DVD sets know him for something more prominent: He played Gabe Sullivan, father of Chloe, in deleted scenes from the Smallville pilot, which was filmed 20 years ago this month.
Keenleyside’s many other credits include Traveler, Hellcats (executive produced by Tom Welling!), two episodes of Supernatural as two different characters, Fargo, and Once Upon a Time.
Considering the interaction with both Kyle Cushing (Erik Valdez) and Morgan Edge, plus the notion that he will raise the attention of local journalists, it wouldn’t be surprising if we see more of Mayor Dean beyond Episode 2 “Heritage.” If you want to see a clip of Keenleyside as Gabe Sullivan from the deleted scenes of the Smallville pilot, go to around the 3-minute mark in the video below.