Original Flash TV Series Co-Creator
Paul DeMeo Has Passed Away
He was not on the list.
June 4, 1953 - February 26, 2018 It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of screenwriter and producer, Paul De Meo (64). Paul, along with longtime writing partner and dear friend Danny Bilson, wrote and produced for motion pictures, television, video games and graphic novels including,"The Flash," "The Sentinel," "Viper," the beloved Disney film, "The Rocketeer" and the hit video game, "The Sims." Paul spent much of the last decade as an admired screenwriting professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Paul was a devoted, caring and compassionate husband to Lauren Glassman and father to daughters, Miranda and Annabella. Paul is also survived by brothers, Pete and Michael, sister Sarah, as well as nephews, nieces, and extended family. Paul's enduring kindness, patience, humor, wisdom and gentle heart make him an individual whose sudden loss is indescribably felt by anyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Memorial to be scheduled for a later date.
The modern Flash TV series is a marvel, but a lot of elements from the show come from the original Flash TV series which aired in 1990.
The show starred John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen/The Flash, and of course, he has had a presence on the new series as Henry Allen and Jay Garrick. Other veterans from that series who have shown up on the new show have been Mark Hamill (whose Trickster pre-dated his Joker by several years), Amanda Pays (Dr. Tina McGee), Alex Desert (Julio Mendez), Corinne Bohrer (Prank), and Vito D’Ambrosio (Anthony Bellows, the former Mayor on the new show who was a cop on the original).
The original Flash series was developed by writer-producers Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo, who originally had the Flash as part of a larger DC series called “Unlimited Powers” that they were directing. At the time, it was one of the most expensive series CBS had ever had. The team of Bilson & DeMeo also had their hands on a few other comic book properties over the years, including The Rocketeer movie and the first Human Target TV series. There was talk at one point about getting the pair to write for the new show at some point but it never transpired; they did, however, return to The Flash with a brief comic book run after the Infinite Crisis event for DC Comics.
Sadly, Bilson has Tweeted this morning that his “brother, friend, and creative partner in all things” has passed away. No details about DeMeo’s passing have been revealed as of yet.
Current Flash writer Sterling Gates — who was a co-writer on the Flash episode “The Elongated Knight Rises” which had many callbacks to the original show — posted his own tribute on Twitter this morning.
“I had the honor of meeting Paul DeMeo twice: once when he was writing Flash: The Fastest Man Alive and once at the ’90s Flash Anniversary event at Cinefamily. His contributions to all things Flash are immeasurable (not to mention The Rocketeer!). Rest in peace, Paul,” Gates said.
John Wesley Shipp himself has also posted a tribute.
“I’m shocked and terribly sad to learn of Paul’s passing,” the actor posted on Twitter. “@DannyBilson and Paul DeMeo changed the course of my life 28 years ago by trusting me with their Barry Allen, and I am forever grateful. My heart goes out to family and friends.”
We will share more information when and if it becomes available. In the meantime: Thank you, Mr. DeMeo, for some really fun adventure.
Writing credits
Year Title Notes
1985 Trancers
Zone Troopers
1986 Eliminators
1987 Kung Fu: The Next Generation TV series
1988 Pulse Pounders
The Wrong Guys
1989 Arena
1990-1991 The Flash TV series
1991 The Rocketeer
1992 Human Target TV series
1996-1997 The Sentinel TV series
1996-1999 Viper TV series
2003 Medal of Honor: Rising Sun Video game
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing Video game
2004 GoldenEye: Rogue Agent Video game
2011 Red Faction: Origins Video game
2013 Company of Heroes
Metro: Last Light Video game
Company of Heroes 2 Video game
2020 Da 5 Bloods Posthumous release
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