The Flash is an American television series developed by the writing team of Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo that aired on CBS from September 20, 1990 to May 18, 1991. It is based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. The Flash starred John Wesley Shipp as Allen, along with Amanda Pays and Alex Désert.
Multiple references to the series have been made on the 2014 Flash television series, including Shipp portraying multiple characters. Shipp also reprised his role as Barry Allen from this series in the crossovers "Elseworlds" and "Crisis on Infinite Earths", which established The Flash as existing on a parallel Earth to the Arrowverse series called Earth-90, while Pays, Désert, and Mark Hamill reprised their roles as alternate versions of Tina McGee, Julio Mendez and the Trickster in the main Arrowverse.
Summary Barry Allen, a forensic scientist working for the Central City police, is struck by lightning and doused in chemicals in his lab. He develops superspeed and creates a superhero identity for himself to fight crime: The Flash. Research scientist Dr. Tina McGee works at S.T.A.R. Labs and helps Barry fight crime while trying to understand how his powers are developing. As well as his superheroics, Barry tries to maintain a private life, and tries to keep his superhero identity from his colleagues, his boss Lt. Garfield, and his best friend, Julio Mendez.
Cast and characters Main John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen / Flash: A forensic scientist in the Central City Police Department (CCPD) who gains the power of super speed after his lab is struck by lightning causing him to be doused with chemicals. Shipp also portrays the Flash's clone, Pollux. Amanda Pays as Tina McGee: A scientist at S.T.A.R. Labs who provides the Flash with experimental inventions to adapt and overcome his enemies and learn about his powers. She is also a love interest of Barry. Alex Désert as Julio Mendez: A Central City Police Department scientist who is Barry Allen's co-worker and close friend.
Recurring Richard Belzer as Joe Kline: A WCCN TV news reporter, known as the "Voice of the City", Kline often does tabloid-style news stories about the Flash and his exploits. Jason Bernard as Dr. Desmond Powell / Nightshade: A 1950s vigilante who captured criminals using tranquilizer darts. Desmond gave up being a vigilante after he stopped The Ghost in 1955; later he became a Doctor and Chief of Staff at Central City Hospital. When the Ghost reappears in 1990, Powell becomes Nightshade once again and teams up with the Flash to apprehend the Ghost. Later, he unknowingly inspires the Deadly Nightshade. He later reveals his secret identity and becomes a celebrity. Vito D'Ambrosio as Officer Tony Bellows: A CCPD patrol officer, partner of Murphy; in the early episodes, Bellows notices whenever the Flash appears, Murphy is never around. Bellows accuses Murphy of being the Flash, until he sees Murphy and the Flash at the same time. Biff Manard as Officer Michael Francis Murphy: A CCPD patrol officer and partner of Bellows, he does not believe the Flash is real because he has never witnessed the Flash (until he saw the Flash save hostages trapped inside a frozen bus, courtesy of Captain Cold). Murphy has served the CCPD for many years and is considering retiring to a job where he does not get shot at all the time. Mike Genovese as Lt. Warren Garfield: A Lieutenant in CCPD and Barry and Julio's supervisor. Despite his gruff demeanor, Garfield actually cares for his men. Garfield deduced the true identity of the Nightshade, Desmond Powell, who has been a friend of Garfield for more than 30 years. Mark Hamill as James Montgomery Jesse / The Trickster: A psychopath and delusional mass murderer with multiple personalities, and a con artist. Wanted for murder in six states, he is obsessed with Megan Lockhart and kidnaps her to be his fantasy sidekick, Prank. Believing that Megan is under the influence of the Flash, the Trickster challenges him to be rid of his "evil spell", but the Trickster fails and is arrested. He is put on trial & awaiting his verdict, when he is freed by Zoey Clark, who becomes the second Prank. As revenge, the Trickster captures the Flash and brainwashes him to do his bidding. The Trickster wreaks havoc upon Central City and puts the entire city on trial with the aid of his new partner. The Flash overcomes his programming and turns the tables on the Trickster, who is sent to a padded cell. Joyce Hyser as Megan Lockhart / Prank (1st): A private investigator and repossession agent, she deduced the Flash's Identity for a corrupt D.A., who would later blackmail the Flash. Opposed to what the Flash was working for until she witnessed him save someone she was spying on, and helped to put an end to the scheme of the corrupt D.A. She later becomes the Trickster's unwilling sidekick, Prank. Later she helps Tina McGee stop the Trickster (fed up with the Trickster's antics, Megan punches and knocks out the Trickster) and the brainwashed Flash. She also becomes one of Barry Allen's love interests. M. Emmet Walsh as Henry Allen: A sergeant, retired CCPD and father of Barry and Jay Allen. Henry inspired his sons to join the police force, though his relationship with Barry is partially estranged. Henry is also a supporter of the Flash. Dick Miller as Fosnight: A police informant who provides Barry Allen with tips on criminals. Fosnight owes a "life debt" to Henry Allen, and extended that debt to his two sons as well. He was originally arrested by the first Nightshade and is the first person to believe his innocence. Priscilla Pointer as Nora Allen: The mother of Barry and Jay Allen, she is a volunteer at a shelter for single mothers. Gloria Reuben as Sabrina: Julio's girlfriend, she is constantly trying to set up Barry with blind dates, and constantly breaking up and getting back together with Julio. Robert Shayne as Reg the News Stand Vendor: Reg was the owner of a news stand whom Barry Allen buys his daily newspaper from. He also offers Barry occasional advice and information on underworld activities. Michael Nader as Nicholas Pike: A disgraced former CCPD patrol officer who became the leader of the Dark Riders biker gang; in revenge, Pike murders Barry Allen's brother Jay Allen, who was once Pike's partner and the person who turned Pike in for corruption. Pike is captured by the Flash and put on trial, but is released on a technicality. Pike tries to kill the Flash, but his plan backfires and Pike is arrested again. In an alternate future timeline, Pike becomes the fascist Mayor of Central City, but is again defeated by the Flash before the hero returns to the present to avert Pike's younger counterpart's attempt for power.
Guest stars Corinne Bohrer as Zoey Clark / Prank (2nd): The owner of Clarx Toys and a huge fan of the Trickster, her obsession leads her to free him during his trial. Originally, the Trickster intends to recreate his criminal life but Zoey seduces him back to his Trickster self and becomes the Trickster's true sidekick, Prank, which is what she always wanted. Prank uses her wealth to finance the Trickster's evil schemes, including the brainwashing of the Flash. The corrupted Flash becomes the Trickster's favored sidekick and she is locked and tied up in her own toy store for complaining about it. Despite her best efforts, the Trickster has lost interest in Prank and ultimately boots her out of the getaway truck that they are in, resulting in Prank's arrest. Richard Burgi as Curtis Bohannan / Deadly Nightshade: A philanthropist and son of mob boss Derek Bohannan, an enemy of Nightshade, he decides to atone for his father's sins by becoming a vigilante resembling Nightshade, except the Deadly Nightshade wears red-glowing goggles and uses real bullets. The Deadly Nightshade guns down a terrorist group and several of Derek Bohannan's former mob associates before the Flash confronts him. Due to their similar appearances, the real Nightshade is framed for the murders. Using his wealth, Bohannan builds a high-tech lair inside his mansion and an advanced cybernetic exoskeleton, which gives Bohannan super-speed similar to the Flash. The Flash then attempts to apprehend him, but is nearly overwhelmed by the exoskeleton and an injury he sustained earlier in the leg, but then it is Bohannan who is then tranquilized by the original Nightshade and arrested by the police. David Cassidy as Sam Scudder / Mirror Master: A professional thief who is an expert with mirrors and holography, he steals a crystal from S.T.A.R. Labs and attempts to kill his ex-partner Stasia Masters, a high school girlfriend of Barry Allen. The Flash (with help from Tina) uses a high-powered spotlight to blind Scudder and drown out his illusions, allowing the Flash to capture him. Michael Champion as Leonard Wynters / Captain Cold: An infamous albino hitman known for freezing his victims to death with a nuclear-powered freeze gun. Cold is captured by the Flash and arrested by CCPD pending trial, but later escapes using concealed freeze weapons. He is seemingly killed by his own freeze ray when the Flash deflects the ray back at him. Jeffrey Combs as Jimmy Swain: A mob boss who hires Captain Cold to eliminate his enemies, including the Flash. Since Captain Cold initially failed to kill the Flash, Swain refuses to pay Cold, who kills Swain with a freeze bomb and takes his fee out of a twisted sense of honor. Denise Crosby as Dr. Rebecca Frost: A psychologist specializing in psychoanalyzing masked vigilantes such as the Flash, assigned to be Felicia Kane's psychiatrist after the Deadly Nightshade rescued her. She went out on one date with Barry Allen. Paula Marshall as Iris West: A computer graphics artist who is dating Barry Allen at the time he is transformed into the Flash without her knowledge. Barry wants to marry Iris, but she refuses, feeling that their relationship is moving too fast, and they break up. Iris later moves to Paris to make a new start in her life. She sends a postcard to Barry in the second episode, but Barry's interest subsided, so Julio burns it to help Barry move on with his life. Even though Barry puts Iris behind him, he still keeps a family picture with her in it that they took during his brother's birthday party. Marshall was credited as a principal character for the pilot episode, but was subsequently written out of the show with the second episode. Bill Mumy as Roger Braintree: An eccentric but brilliant scientist who creates a sound wave device capable of putting its targets into a deep slumber. Braintree's cousin, small-time hoodlum Harry Milgrim, steals the device and uses it in a crime spree until he is caught by the Flash. Christopher Neame as Dr. Brian Gideon: Former S.T.A.R. Labs scientist with a grudge towards the company after an accidental gas killed hundreds. Months later, Gideon, using an invisibility belt, sought to poison Central City but was stopped by Flash short-circuiting out his device, killing him. Lois Nettleton as Belle Crocker / The Ghostess: The Ghost's sidekick and girlfriend, she is saved by the Nightshade after their hideout catches on fire. Thinking the Ghost has died, she gives up the life of crime and becomes a lounge singer. Thirty-five years later, she learns that the Ghost survived the fire and has not aged. While she initially welcomes him back into her life, she cannot handle the fact that he is still a young man and eventually leaves him, informing Nightshade of the Ghost's location. Sherrie Rose as young Belle Crocker