Watching The 4400

The Sci Fi Channel’s SCI FI Wire is reporting that Jeffrey Combs is set to return to the character of Dr. Richard Benjamin Vannacutt in the straight to DVD feature, Return to the House on Haunted Hill.

I do have to admit that I haven’t actually seen the original House on Haunted Hill, because, to be perfectly honest, I am really not into horror movies at all. And, yes, I say this even though I have seen Jeffrey Combs’ Re-animator many, many times. I know, I know, I’m just plain weird sometimes.

Completely separate from the fact that sometimes I worry people, the article details some of Jeffrey Combs’ comments from getting the initial call to come back to a character we haven’t seen since 1999, to the fact that they completely reconstructed the sets from that time period in Bulgaria. Along with that, this Direct to DVD release will have many new interactive features using brand-spanking new technology, which was why they chose to make this sequel instead of some other movie sequel, says Mr. Combs. The interactive elements that he talks about really make me want to see this, even though I’m weird enough to watch a sequel without having seen the first movie.

Thinking of original versus sequel, they slip a comment in that I overlooked at first. Jeffrey Combs is the only actor who will be returning from the original movie, which made re-creating some of the props a little more interesting.

Combs was the only actor carried over from the 1999 film. As such, he was able to provide useful insights. “They wanted to replicate the strange, 1930s almost Frankenstein-like goggles that I wore in the first, and they had nothing like that in Bulgaria, so they had to build it from scratch, using old photos and freeze-frames of the [first] movie,” Combs said. “I had a very strong memory of how they felt and looked, so I told them they had to be smaller, or this piece went that way, and by the time it was done, they were a virtual replica.”

Read the whole article here.

IMDB Profile for Return to the House on Haunted Hill.

Warner Bros. Official Movie Site.

The 4400, Jeffrey Combs, Kevin Burkhoff, Return to House on Haunted Hill, TV, television, USA

4400spoilers is reporting that Jeffrey Combs, A.K.A. the lovely Dr. Kevin Burkoff, and Billy Campbell, A.K.A. 4400-cum-messiah Jordan Collier, will be at the London Movie Comic Media Expo the weekend of October 20 and 21, 2007. They are both listed as being there on both of the days of the convention on the guest page, which, if it weren’t for both lack of funds to get out to London and the fact that it’s my daughter’s sixth birthday that weekend, I would absolutely adore to be at. Are any of the Watching the 4400 readers out there in the area and would be willing to give me a report of all the action?

There’s a ton of things going on at this convention, as their show info page lets you know, though their website is mildly difficult to navigate for more information, at least for me.

London Movie Comic Media Expo (London MCM Expo, for short)

Hat-tip to 4400spoilers.com.

The 4400, Jeffrey Combs, Billy Campbell, London Movie Comic Media Expo, TV, television, USA

If you’ve not seen “One Of Us”, please don’t read beyond the fold.

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Amy Berg, writer on the “Daddy’s Little Girl” episode of the 4400, talks about writing the episode over on the Writer’s Blog over on the official site, and shares some of her thoughts about the episode.

This episode featured the return of some fan favorites we haven’t seen in a while. We’ve really missed Mahershalalhashbaz Ali. It’s great to have him back. He has such a wonderful presence on screen and his scenes with Isabelle (all three versions of her) were incredibly compelling. In case you’re wondering, the two-year-old Isabelle, the one you saw at the very end? She was played by Jordan Lasorsa-Simon. Jordan was our original baby Isabelle, whom you watched and adored all throughout season two. As for the eight-year-old Isabelle, she was played by Madison Pettis. It was a casting stroke of luck to not only find an amazing actress, but one who looks so much like a young Megalyn Echikunwoke. Both Madison and Megalyn did fantastic work in this episode. I thought both performances were stand-outs.

She also talks about how great it was to have Tess and Kevin back, which I think was actually my favorite part of the episode on review.

Read the whole blog entry here.

The 4400, Amy Berg, Daddy’s Little Girl, Season Four, TV, television, USA

What we do here every Monday is spotlight an actor, just to show y’all what these great actors are doing outside of the show. Our next actor is Jeffrey Combs, the multi-talented actor who plays Dr. Kevin Burkhoff on the show.

Jeffrey Combs’ resume was extensive long before the 4400 came along, with my first memory of seeing him in the cult-status Reanimator movies, along with multiple appearances on so many different Star Treks, that at times it’s hard to keep up with all of the things that he has done.

Interesting Trivia From Jeffrey Combs’ IMDB Profile:

Played five different clones of the same character (Weyoun) on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993); he also played two other roles on the show. Also played two roles (so far) on “Enterprise” (2001), an Andorian and a Ferengi.

Graduated from Lompoc High School in 1972 [1972]

Has starred in 5 movies based on H.P. Lovecraft stories.

Auditioned for the role of Commander Riker on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987). Although he didn’t get the part, Jonathan Frakes, who did get the part, remembered Combs when directing an episode of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) and cast him in a guest role in that episode. The producers liked his performance so much he was later cast in two different recurring roles on the show.

Named “the first Lovecraftian actor” by fans of writer H.P. Lovecraft, for his frequent appearances in movies based on Lovecraft’s writings (including a portrayal of Lovecraft himself, in _Necronomicon (1994)_ ) and also for his involvement in other “HPL projects”.

Out of all the Star Trek characters he has played, Weyoun (the officious Vorta ambassador for the Dominion) is his personal favorite.

Along with Vaughn Armstrong, he is one of only two actors to play three different characters in a single “Star Trek” season (”Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) Season Six.)

Along with Brian Markinson, he is one of only two actors to play two different, completely unrelated characters in a single episode of “Star Trek”. He played Weyoun and Liquidator Brunt in the “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) Season Seven episode “The Dogs of War”.

Along with Marc Alaimo, Rosalind Chao, John de Lancie, Jonathan Frakes and Tim Russ, he is one of only six actors to appear in ten different seasons of “Star Trek”: “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) Seasons Three through Seven, “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995) Season Six and “Enterprise” (2001) Seasons One through Four.

Along with J.G. Hertzler, Randy Oglesby and Thomas Kopache, he is one of only four actors to play seven different characters on “Star Trek.” He played Tiron, Liquidator Brunt, Weyoun and Officer Kevin Mulcahey in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993), Penk in “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995) and Command Shran and Krem in “Enterprise” (2001).

Has appeared with Brian Thompson in three different productions: Doctor Mordrid (1992), “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) and “Enterprise” (2001).

Along with Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn and Colm Meaney, he is one of only six actors to appear in the finales of two different “Star Trek” series (”Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) and “Enterprise” (2001)). He is also the only one who was not a regular on any “Star Trek” series and the only one to play different characters in each finale: Weyoun in the former and Shran in the latter.

Jeffrey Combs’ Official Fan Club Site.

Jeffrey Combs’ IMDB Profile.

Jeffrey Combs’ Wikipedia Entry.

The 4400, Jeffrey Combs, Kevin Burkhoff, TV, television, USA

Jeffrey Combs is signed to be a guest at Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors in Secaucus, New Jersey on June 29-July 1 at the Meadowlands Crowne Plaza. The listing for the New Jersey convention is about half-way down the page, after the Burbank listing. Creation Entertainment, who I believe are organizers for the New Jersey, have complete information and ticket sales on their site.

While I’m sure that most people who are going will want to hear all about the Reanimator movies, if I could get up to that convention, I know that my questions to him would be mainly 4400 related.

Are you in the New Jersey area? If you end up going to the convention, let me know how it goes, ok?

The 4400, Jeffrey Combs, Kevin Burkhoff, Fangoria, TV, television, USA

It looks as though the Ballad of Kevin and Tess isn’t quite finished yet, as it seems that Jeffrey Combs, who plays Kevin Burkhoff on the 4400, has signed on for a total of five new episodes for the upcoming Season 4, along with Summer Glau (who plays Tess Doerner).

While I can’t seem to find any official word on this bit of news (at least I can’t seem to find anything on Google or Technorati about this yet), it would make sense in the story to keep Kevin and Tess around, at least to sort out some of the trailing plot threads that are still out there.

Jeffrey Combs Official Fan Club Site.

Summer Glau.

The 4400, Jeffrey Combs, Kevin Burkhoff, Summer Glau, Tess Doerner, TV, television, USA