About John Wesley Shipp
John Wesley Shipp (born January 22, 1955) is an American actor known for his various television roles. He played the lead Barry Allen on CBS's superhero series The Flash from 1990 to 1991, and Mitch Leery, the title character's father, on the drama series Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2001. Shipp has also played several roles in daytime soap operas including Kelly Nelson on Guiding Light from 1980 to 1984, and Douglas Cummings on As the World Turns from 1985 to 1986 (which earned him his first Daytime Emmy Award). He portrayed Barry Allen's father Henry, Earth-3 Flash Jay Garrick, and Earth-90's Barry Allen (the Flash) on the CW's The Flash series. Shipp won the title role of Barry Allen (the Flash) on the CBS series The Flash, which aired in the 1990–91 season. In 1998, he was cast as Mitch Leery, the father of the lead character Dawson, on The WB drama series Dawson's Creek; Shipp remained part of the series' main cast through its first four seasons, exiting in 2001. His father John Wesley Shipp Sr. was a farmer who returned to school when Shipp Jr. was young, and after attending the seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, he became the pastor of a small church outside Wake Forest.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.