First Reaction to "Nevermore"

Gentle readers,

My full review of Nevermore is forthcoming, but for now, I am in utter awe and words escape me.

Although I will leave you with one about Jeff's performance tonight, with a promise to write more soon.

Incredible.

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"Nevermore" Starts Tonight!

UPDATE: Tonight (Friday)'s performance of Nevermore...an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe is SOLD OUT!!!

There are still tickets available for this weekend, which includes the second preview night Saturday and Sunday, which is opening night (and official fan night!)

Purchase tickets here

More information on the show and area here

Nevermore will run at the Steve Allen Theater here in Hollywood and performances begin at 8pm.

In honor of the bicentennial of Poe's birth, Nevermore reunites the awesome team of Jeff, Re-Animator writer Dennis Paoli, and director Stuart Gordon with both of whom Jeff worked on his original portrayal of Poe in the Masters of Horror episode, "The Black Cat" in 2007. Nevermore is loosely based on real events and follows Poe on a cross-country speaking tour fraught with strange occurrences that signal his descent into madness. Jeff will weave both Poe's poetry and his eerie tales into the show.

Tickets for these two preview nights are only $5! Come by to preview this special evening!

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Jeff on "All Things Considered"

According to Jeff's official site, he was scheduled to be a special guest on All Things Considered with Alex Cohen today between 3:30-6:30pm PST/6:30-9:30pm EST/10:30pm-1:30am GMT to promote his upcoming one-man theatrical show, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe

We just spoke with KPCC and they were not aware he was going to be on the program, so unfortunately, it seems we received some misinformation. We apologize for this.

We would suggest listening anyway, just in case, but again, it seems as if Jeff will not be on the program today. We are looking into whether he will be on a future broadcast and will post any information when we find out.

To listen live, click here, then click the top left "Listen Live" link and choose your streaming method (iTunes, Windows media, iPhone).

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Jeff LIVE on "Patt Morrison" TODAY!

Jeff and director Stuart Gordon were special in-studio guests on the Patt Morrison radio program today to promote Jeff's upcoming one-man theatrical show, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe!

During the (all too short, yet amazing!) interview, Jeff recited one of Poe's poems in character, giving us a taste of what the show will be like. It was absolutely incredible!!!

For anyone who missed the show (or wants to hear it again!), it is now archived to listen to and download on the site here

And remember, tomorrow, Jeff will be on All Things Considered on KPCC from 3:30-6:30pm PST/6:30-9:30pm EST/10:30pm-1:30am GMT. Listen live here. A reminder will be posted tomorrow as well.

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New "Nevermore" Interview!

There is a wonderful, new interview with Jeff and director Stuart Gordon about Jeff's upcoming one-man show, Nevermore... An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe here at iFmagazine that reveals even more details about the show!

Jeff says of his one-man show: "Before Dennis Paoli put pen to paper, Stuart and I would meet and discuss what stories and poems this evening would entail. What details of Poe’s life would we reveal, and what would the structure of the show be? How do we make it interesting so it’s not just me standing up on stage?"

"We wanted the show to feel like a “visitation” from Poe — something that could almost be a séance...You’re at a recital, and Poe starts drinking halfway through, and that opens the door to the “imp” [of the perverse], which is very much the way it was with Poe. He could hold it together for a little while. Then he needs another one, and the imp gets loose."

The show sounds more amazing with every new detail!

Stuart Gordon says of Nevermore: "We ended up deciding that we wanted to recreate one of Poe’s recitals because he did tour the country reciting his poems, the most famous one being “The Raven.” There are stories of him getting drunk at those recitals, and proposing marriage at one, so we started incorporating those ideas into the play to make it the ultimate “Poe experience” and to capture as much of the man as we could. We started in 1848, which was the year before Poe died and a year after his wife did, so this is a key period for him and a time when Poe wrote some of his greatest stories and poems."

A lot of this performance is about Sarah Helen Whitman, who was a wealthy heiress and poetess whom Poe wanted to marry after the death of his first wife, Virginia. We read that, at one of his recitals, she was sitting in the first row and Poe did the entire recital to Helen. He focused everything on her. It was almost like this kind of public lovemaking. But, of course, Virginia still haunts Poe. She always believed in him."

Poe had a fascinating romantic life, with several women vying for his attention, both during his wife Virginia's life and after her death. Poe courted Whitman, whom he first encountered in a rose garden on the way to a lecture by another woman in his life, poet Frances Sargent Osgood. Although they corresponded frequently through poetry and letters, Whitman and Poe's engagement was never finalized, some believe because Sarah's mother disapproved of their relationship. Poe was also courting several other women at the same time and broke his vow to remain sober several days after the couple was engaged. To have Jeff portray this fascinating, tragic, and somewhat scandalous end to Poe's life onstage will be absolutely incredible!

Gordon also notes: "When we were doing “The Black Cat” with Jeffrey, I realized that this guy is Poe. Now, to be doing Nevermore with him on stage is like going full circle. The thing that’s great about live theater is that they’ll be in the same room, breathing the same air as Edgar Allan Poe, and he doesn’t always stay on the stage. Sometimes he’ll join the audience, so people are going to be surprised by Nevermore."

Nevermore's preview nights are this Friday and Saturday and opening night is Sunday, July 12th, which is also Official Fan Night. Come out and support Jeff and show him how awesome he is!

Click here for details on Nevermore and purchase tickets here

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Combs Curtain Call - Part One

"I'm not sure that acting can be taught. The simpler the better, I guess. Hit your mark and speak the truth. Just go for it. Just do it. Stop thinking about it, and just do it." - Jeff in 2007

"I cut my teeth in theater, and it’s been a long, long time since I’ve been onstage, and I really needed to get back to that nourishment. It’s a challenge to come back to that. Doing a one-man show is a first for me. I’m used to doing plays where the actors go off and work on things, but there’s a real solitude to Nevermore. It’s a lonely endeavor." - Jeff in 2009

This month marks the début of Jeff's new one-man theatrical show, Nevermore...an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe here in Los Angeles. The show will run for four consecutive weekends throughout the month of July.

Click here for details and purchase tickets here

To celebrate his triumphant return to the stage, over the course of this month, we will be taking a brief look at Jeff's incredibly diverse and rich theatrical background. Many fans may not realize that Jeff had a thriving theatrical career before he delved into the film world. He is no stranger to the stage and spent the better part of twenty years perfecting his craft while he trod the boards. This overview will only touch on Jeff's amazing and profound theatrical history.


HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Even as a small boy, Jeff was interested in acting and used to watch hours of television, then go back to his room and act out all that he had seen. But it wasn't until his junior year of high school that he finally had his first taste of actually being onstage.

Although he thought he had chosen to take a drama class for an easy A and to meet girls, Jeff soon realized he was truly interested in learning the craft. He was always too shy to audition for any of the plays, but when a fellow student dropped out of a production, Jeff's drama teacher urged him to take up the role. At first, Jeff was incredibly hesitant, stubbornly not agreeing to be in the play. Through much coaxing, the (wonderful) drama teacher finally convinced Jeff otherwise and the rest is history.

His very first onstage role was as Burt Dinwitty in the charming rural tale, "The Dark of the Moon." On opening night, after uttering his first line and getting a huge laugh, Jeff relates: "I never turned back once I got a taste of that. I could feel the synapses in my brain banging off that first night, and it’s vivid to this day, that magic moment of I’m home.” After this first taste of the stage, Jeff followed with several other successful lead roles in Lompoc High productions, "Night of January 15th," "Star Spangled Girl," and "Teahouse of the August Moon." He was also the highlight of many school assemblies in which he played humorous, original characters that were well-loved by his fellow students.


FIRST STEPS

After high school, Jeff was accepted into the prestigious Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California. Going through the program with several other famous actors, including Robin Williams and Harry Hamlin, Jeff performed in at least ten plays each year for the three years he attended. The school opened him up to various genres, including Shakespearean dramas, and even a few musicals! After Jeff graduated, he was one of the few students asked to perform in the summer theater series and was part of a critically acclaimed modern staging of Grieg's "Peer Gynt" in August 1975.

Earlier that same year, Jeff had auditioned for the University of Washington's elite Professional Actors Training Program and was readily accepted. This specialized and highly acclaimed program in Seattle was limited to a handful of students chosen from all across the country who excelled in dramatic skill. Over four years, Jeff would learn everything from dialects and movement, to mime, stagefighting, and dance. During his time at UW, Jeff performed in various plays, including the charming, "Ah, Wilderness!" a musical, "Oh, What a Lovely War!", a historical drama, "The Wingless Victory," and a controversial staging of Schnitzler's, "La Ronde."

Even before he graduated from UW, Jeff got a job at the prestigious Globe Theater in San Diego, California for the summer repertory season. Later that year, he traveled to Tucson and joined the Arizona Theater Company for their winter season, playing supporting roles in such fare as the classic farce, "Tartuffe" and the eclectic "Royal Hunt of the Sun." In early 1979, Jeff officially became a professional actor by obtaining his equity card. This year celebrates his thirtieth year of acting professionally. A perfect time to return to the stage.

Throughout the late 70's into the mid-80's, Jeff performed with various repertory theater companies up and down the California coast, including another season at the Globe Theater. Early roles included Frances Flute in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Dromio of Syracuse in "A Comedy of Errors," for which he won great acclaim for his humorous portrayal. "Errors" was seen by a talent agent, who suggested Jeff move to Los Angeles and try his hand at films.

Stay tuned for Part 2 later this month!

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July Updates

Happy July and Happy Nevermore, Everyone!

Here are the updates for this very special month:


NEVERMORE IS THIS MONTH!!!

Jeff's one-man show Nevermore...an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe begins its four-week run next week at the Steve Allen Theater right here in Hollywood, CA!!! This is so incredibly exciting and marks Jeff's triumphant return to the stage.

The show was written by Re-Animator scribe Dennis Paoli and directed by Stuart Gordon, with both of whom Jeff has worked on numerous projects, including the Masters of Horror episode, "The Black Cat," in which Jeff first portrayed Poe. Based loosely on real events, Jeff's one-man show follows Poe on a cross-country lecture tour he gave just after his wife Virginia's death that becomes fraught with strange occurrences and signals Poe's descent into madness. Jeff will weave both Poe's poetry and his eerie tales into the show.

Click here for more info on Nevermore, including ticket, theater and local hotel information for those fans coming from out of town.

Click here to purchase tickets

Official Fan Night is Sunday, July 12th! Come out and show your support for Jeff and let him know how awesome he is!

If anyone has any further questions, please contact me at nevermore@combscorner.com

Nevermore could very possibly tour the East Coast this fall as part of the bicentennial celebration of Poe's birth. There is a good chance the show will also make it to DVD, which would be awesome for fans across the globe! More info as we receive it!



NEVERMORE PUBLICITY

Jeff will be interviewed on two upcoming public radio programs about Nevermore:

• The Patt Morrison program on Thursday, July 9th at 2:40pm PST/5:40pm EST/10:40pm GMT on KPCC. Director Stuart Gordon will also be interviewed. You can listen live here.

• Correction - Jeff will be on All Things Considered with Alex Cohen on Friday, July 10th from 3:30-6:30pm PST


Reminders will also be posted on the day of broadcast. Both programs are streamed live online, so here's hoping many fans will be able to hear them! And for anyone who misses the programs, they will be available for download soon after airing as well.

• There is a print ad for Nevermore in this week's L.A. Weekly! Check it out here

• Thanks to a heads up from Holly, we discovered Jon Schnepp, director of the popular animated series Metalocalypse wrote in his MySpace blog:

"I saw an early preview performance for "Nevermore", starring Jeffrey Combs as Edgar Allan Poe, written by Dennis Paoli, directed by Stuart Gordon. Probably the best one person play I've ever seen. If you live in CA., I must insist that you go see this play!!!!!!"

How awesome is that? This just makes us more excited for next week's official opening!


NEWS

• There is a great interview with Nevermore writer, Dennis Paoli, in which he gives more details on Jeff's upcoming one-man show and praises Jeff highly. Click here to read it.

• Last month, we got our first glimpses of Jeff's character from the upcoming online animated series, Chadam. Jeff voices the evil mad scientist Viceroy, whom Chadam and his friends battle against to save their world. Click here to see some early shots of Viceroy and a short video showing the character in action!

• Jeff, along with other Star Trek alumni appeared on the season finale of the hilarious online show, The Jace Hall Show. Jeff has worked with Jace, who is the owner of HDFilms on two of his upcoming projects, What If? and Chadam. Click here to see this video that again shows how naturally funny and adorable Jeff is. Unfortunately, the video is only available to U.S. viewers, but we now have a transcription of the interview available here until we can find a "universal" video everyone can enjoy.


CONVENTIONS

• Jeff has a Star Trek convention coming up at the end of this month in Parsippany, NJ. He will appear on Friday, July 31st. This may be tentative due to Nevermore, and we will have details soon. More than likely, Jeff may have to miss a performance of the show to appear at the con.

• Jeff will also be appearing at the immense Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, NV at the beginning of August.

Click here for more info on Jeff's upcoming conventions


OTHER NEWS

• Writer Scott Voisin has a new book coming out this month of interviews with various actors entitled, Character Kings, which includes a rather lengthy interview with Jeff about his career and acting itself. We've had a sneak peek at the interview and it's fantastic!

You can purchase Scott's book through amazon, Barnes and Noble, and at his website here.

Stay tuned all this month for special Nevermore coverage and a look back at Jeff's incredible theatrical career.

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First Glimpse of Jeff as Poe in "Nevermore"!!!

A new advertisement for Jeff's upcoming one-man theatrical show, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe was just released this evening!

Check it out:


Click for full size

Jeff looks absolutely amazing! This is so exciting to get our first glimpse of what he will look like as Edgar Allan Poe in his triumphant return to the stage next month here in Los Angeles!

Nevermore is loosely based on real events and follows Poe on a cross-country speaking tour fraught with strange occurrences that signal his descent into madness. Jeff will weave both Poe's poetry and his eerie tales into the show.

Purchase tickets here

Click here for updated show, ticket, and hotel info.

And remember, Official Fan Night is July 12th. Come out and support Jeff and show him how amazing he is!

Also, watch for details on two upcoming radio interviews with Jeff to promote Nevermore!

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Upcoming Radio Interviews with Jeff!

Jeff's official site is reporting he will be a special guest on two local radio programs here in Los Angeles to promote his upcoming one-man theatrical show, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe!

Both shows will be streamed live online (and available for download soon after broadcast), so hopefully, many fans will be able to hear them! We will have the exact dates and times as soon as possible! This is so exciting!

Jeff will be appearing on:

• Patt Morrison which airs Weekdays from 1-3pm PST on KPCC Program website here

• Most likely on Arts in Review with Julio Martinez. Date and time TBD.

Click here for more details on Nevermore which includes updated show, ticket, and hotel info.

More details on Jeff's radio appearances as we receive them!

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Combs Caregivers - Part 4

This concludes our look at Jeff's many fatherly roles with some dads that take a more unique route to parenting. No matter what character Jeff plays, he always brings a wonderfully realistic and nuanced touch to each one.


Combs Caregivers, Part 4 - The Unconventional Pops
Missed out on the previous entries? Part One Part Two Part Three


"Birth is always painful."

Name: Dr. Herbert West, Re-Animator (1985), Bride of Re-Animator (1990), Beyond Re-Animator (2003)
Location: 666 Darkmore Ave., Arkham, MA (ph. 555-8785 – no calls after midnight pls. Occupants busy in the basement), mortuary/caretaker’s house at Arkham Cemetery, Christchurch Cemetery, Miskatonic Prison (Cellblock B)
Occupation: "Mad," driven scientist
Distinguishing Characteristics: Scratch on left cheek, distinct large-framed glasses, thin black tie, white shirt (often bloodstained), ambidextrous, intense demeanor


"I made you!"

Father to:

Re-Animator: A number of rabbits, guinea pigs, cats and dogs, Rufus the cat (twice), unnamed heart failure victim, Dean Halsey, Dr. Carl Hill's decapitated head (and torso)

Bride of Re-Animator: Unnamed soldier in Peru, finger/eyeball creature, leg/arm creature, Lt. Leslie Chapham, Angel the dog (with Lt. Chapham's arm), The Bride, a plethora of "rough draft mistakes" that live in the crypt next door

Beyond Re-Animator: Unnamed, jawless milk drinker, dismembered arm, Moses (a fellow inmate), Ratty the rat, Laura Olney & Warden Brando (re-agent and NPE - NanoPlasmic Energy used)



Dad Quotient: Although not a conventional father by any means, Herbert, with the help of his partners (and fellow "dads") Dan Cain and Howard Phillips, was paternal enough to bring various different things (back) to life. His crowning achievement was the creation of The Bride, built from various different body parts, including Cain's deceased girlfriend Megan Halsey's heart.



"By mutating the cells, I created the perfect organism – embodying the advantages of both the sea and the land and I gave my son eternal life!"

Name: Dr. Preston King, Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy (2005)
Location: Remote, desolate island in Bulgaria
Occupation: Determined (mad) scientist
Distinguishing Characteristics: Pencil mustache, slicked back hair, Lennon glasses, lab coat, affinity for creating happy (genetic) accidents
Father to: Paul King, former human, now mutated sharkman (played by Antony Argirov)


"He killed Kraus, but he did it with purpose, with his hands...like a human. My son, my son is still in there."

Dad Quotient: After King cross-breeds his dying son Paul’s DNA cells with that of a shark, his cancer goes into remission. But this tampering with nature has its consequences. The man once known as Paul has been transformed into a shark/man hybrid, bent on killing anyone in his path. Will love win out over nature?



"You seem to have this bizarre theory that I'm the father of this new branch of science."

Name: Dr. Kevin Burkhoff, The 4400 (2005-2007)
Location: Abendson Mental Hospital (Seattle, WA); Western Washington University (Bellingham, WA); 4400 Center (Seattle, WA), remote gas station (Newfield, WA)
Occupation: Neuroscientist, specializing in dormant neural pathways
Distinguishing Characteristics: Quirky, charming, affinity for sunflower seeds, (mildly) neurotic, messy, disorganized, highly intelligent, doesn't like working with people with badges, recovering from paranoid personality disorder
Father to: The 4400


Kevin with some of his "children," 4400 returnees Richard, Lily, and Isabelle Tyler

Dad Quotient: Before he was stricken with paranoid personality disorder and sent to Abendson, Kevin Burkhoff was researching dormant neural pathways that would wake up parts of the brain. This would lead to possible newfound abilities like telekinesis and precognition, much like the powers with which Kevin's "children" were returned to earth by "future people" to prevent a catastrophe from occurring. Although Kevin would probably not make the most nurturing parent, he was the key element in discovering the neurotransmitter Promicin that gave the 4400 their abilities. Kevin essentially became one of his own children after injecting himself with the neurotransmitter and developing his own ability of self-healing.

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Combs Caregivers - Part 3

Combs Caregivers, Part 3 - The Deadbeat Dads
Missed out on the previous entries? Part One Part Two



Name: Sheriff Jimmy Fleck, Blackwater Valley Exorcism (2006) and Brutal (2007)
Location: Blackwater Valley, CA
Occupation: (Naughty) sheriff
Distinguishing Characteristics: Pronounced mustache, (sexy) Southern swagger, cowboy hat, fidelity issues, charmingly ignorant at times



Father to: Two unnamed children, a boy and a younger girl
Dad Quotient: With a young woman craving your attention and a possible serial killer loose in a small town, what’s a sheriff to do? Even through all of this, Jimmy seems to be a model dad, still finding time to play with his kids...when he's not playing with his deputy.



"She takes after her mother...kind of a ho."

Name: Sly (originally Dick) Borden, Cold Case - "Spiders" (Season 5, episode 13), (2008)
Location: Local prison in Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Currently serving a jail sentence for physically abusing his younger daughter
Distinguishing Characteristics: Alcoholic, abusive, affinity for wrestling, large sunflower tattoo on right arm



Father to: Tamyra (played by Emilee Wallace) and unnamed 3-year old stepdaughter
Dad Quotient: Sly is definitely not winning any "father of the year" awards anytime soon. Having a history of abusing his teenaged daughter Tamyra, he was recently indicted for abusing his young stepdaughter. Sly was also cashing Tamyra's Social Security checks and using the money to bet at the track. When he is questioned about his possible involvement in Tamara's death, Sly reveals he is not only abusive, but racist. Somehow, Jeff still makes him awesome.

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Combs Cameos - "The Attackmen"

The Attackmen (2007)

"Jeff's role was different and he nailed it...He played it very naturally and created a nice onscreen emotion." - Topher Straus, director The Attackmen


"Jordan, you do not understand what it takes to exist in the real world." Mr. Simms warns his son about the "frivolous" activity of playing lacrosse.

This short film by actor/director Topher Straus follows the story of a young Jewish lacrosse player's struggle to find his identity through the game. Jordan Simms (Nick Slatkin) attends a Christian boys school, the best in the country, where he is the star of the lacrosse team. When his coach (Dominic Keating) is fired for being a homosexual, Jordan is forced to reexamine his life and his loyalty to the game.



Jeff plays Mr. Simms, Jordan's strict and religious father, who believes the game is frivolous and that his son should focus his energies on more educational pursuits. Mr. Simms believes Jordan's interest in lacrosse is only a passing thing and refuses to support his son's interests.

Although he's only in one short scene, Jeff makes a fantastic impression as the unwavering, highly religious father figure. This is such a different role for him and truly shows his amazing diversity to delve into any character and make it his own. (He also looks very cute in that yarmulke!)



Even though I'm not personally a fan of sports-related films, this one made lacrosse a sort of character in the piece, and focused more on the players' love of the game instead of the sport itself. Director Straus does a wonderful job of showing the prejudice that is still prevalent in our modern society. He lends a delicate touch to the story, not making it too heavy handed, but still dealing with very topical and weighty issues.

Although The Attackmen is a "smaller" film, its pacing and structure make it feel like a full, high-budget feature. If this is what Straus and his team can do with a short, I'm eager to see what they will do with a feature film.

The short did very well at various film festivals, having its premiere at the Baltimore International Film Festival and winning the Remi award at the Houston World Fest, but since it is a short film, the chances of it being released to the general public are slim. Many thanks to lead actor and producer Nick Slatkin for kindly sending us a copy of this film so we could share with all of you.

WATCH JEFF'S SCENE

Producer and star Nick Slatkin has also very kindly given us his blessing to put Jeff's scene online. You can watch it here.

Nick's latest film he's produced is The Blue Hour (Official website here). Thanks again to Nick Slatkin and director Topher Straus for all of their help and information.

TRIVIA

• Both Jeff and Dominic Keating were on Star Trek: Enterprise together. Jeff played the gruff Andorian Shran and Keating was Lt. Malcolm Reed, one of the main crew on the Enterprise.

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Combs Caregivers - Part 2

Combs Caregivers, Part 2 - The Tragic Papas
Missed out on Part One? Read it here



Name: John Reilly, Castle Freak (1995)
Location: Giove, Italy
Occupation: Former University professor (recently fired)
Distinguishing Characteristics: (Somewhat) recovering alcoholic, politically incorrect, somewhat negligent, mildly suicidal, guilty conscience, has issues with authority
Father to: Rebecca (played by Jessica Dollarhide) and deceased son JJ (played by Alessandro Sebastian Satta)



Dad Quotient: After accidentally killing his son in a horrific drunk driving accident, John is left with the guilt of his crime. His daughter, Becky, blinded for life by his misdeeds is a constant reminder of his failure. When John and his family move into a castle he has mysteriously inherited, ghosts of the past rise up again to haunt him. Although somewhat negligent as a father, in the end, John redeems himself in the best possible way by making the biggest sacrifice.






Name: Thomas White, All Souls Day, (2005)
Location: Lost somewhere in Mexico
Distinguishing Characteristics: Thrifty, looks cute in a hat, drives a Rambler
Father to: Lilly (played by Mircea Monroe) and Ricky (played by Noah Luke)



Dad Quotient: John White is a 1950’s dad in a flashback at the beginning of the film, who takes his family on a vacation through Mexico. After a hard day of driving, they decide to stop at a remote hotel for the night...but never check out! Although Jeff's role is fleeting, he still makes a wonderful (and hilarious) mark as a very traditional father.

Watch a clip from the film here

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New "Nevermore" Update!

There is a short interview with writer Dennis Paoli at Fangoria.com here in which he reveals even more details on Jeff's upcoming one-man stage show, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe that will premiere here in Los Angeles next month!

Click here for details on Nevermore and purchase tickets here

Paoli relates: “After playing Poe in our version of THE BLACK CAT for the second season of MASTERS OF HORROR, Jeffrey couldn’t get out of the character. So Stuart and I decided to help him live out his fantasy of actually being the author by developing with him an evening in the theater with Edgar Allan Poe—or is it the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe?—doing a reading, as indeed Poe did many times in his life, of his most famous works, including ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ and ‘The Raven.’ He also goes slowly mad, as Poe indeed did over the last year of his life. It’s a great and respectful homage as well as a torturous look into one of the greatest American writers.”

Each night, that includes Jeff reading both Poe's short stories and his poetry may be a little different, as “we’re not actually certain what the spirit might lead him to read on any given night, but because it’s Edgar Allan Poe, everything that he presents to his audience will be entertaining and frightening.”

Jeff will also have minimal makeup for the role:

“Jeffrey actually looks like Poe, and his craft is so great that we need very little to put Poe on stage. And much of the play is taken from the author’s actual life. It’s as if he’s doing a reading during his final year, and props and effects will be minimal. They will be provided by the genius of Jeffrey Combs.”

How awesome is that? And Jeff is definitely looking very Poe-esque lately, sporting a mustache and gorgeously longer hair for the role.

Paoli also mentions the possibility of Jeff doing other performances as Poe across the country later this year:

“This year being the 200th anniversary of Poe’s birth, which will be recognized in celebrations–mostly around the Northeast–we hope Jeffrey will get a chance to perform the piece in a number of them later this year. Most of them start around October. We hope he’ll be doing it for the next 20 years, because he’s great at it—and because America should have one of its greatest writers reading to them and living among them again."

And who better to bring Poe to life than one of America's greatest actors? Here's hoping many fans get a chance to see Jeff as Poe in the coming months (and years!)

Click here for more information on Nevermore and remember, official fan night is July 12th! Come out and support Jeff and show him how awesome he is!

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Jeff on "The Jace Hall Show"!

Jace Hall, the owner of HD Films, with whom Jeff has worked on two upcoming online series, Chadam and What If? (exclusive info here) has a hilarious weekly online show called The Jace Hall Show. Just last week, when we featured an awesome vid from the show about Jeff's character Viceroy from Chadam (view it here), we were hoping Jeff himself would appear on the program. Well, our wishes have been answered!

Jeff and others from the Star Trek Boys' Club, including Enterprise alum, TJHS regular (and writer of Jeff's episode of What If?) Gary Graham, Connor Trinneer (Commander Trip Tucker from Enterprise), and Deep Space Nine Ferengi brothers Armin Shimerman (Quark) and Max Grodénchik (Rom) all appear in a really fun segment, where they discuss their characters and their thoughts on the new Star Trek film, among other things. Jeff is his absolutely hilarious self as he talks about the Trek reboot, complains about the restaurant's food, reveals a job not officially on his resume, and gets to play Captain Kirk!

Check out the absolutely awesome video here:


Vid is somewhat NSFW. ;) Transcription for fans outside the U.S. now available here. The video may also be available worldwide on XBox Live Marketplace for 120 points or a small fee.

Many thanks to Jace Hall for finally having Jeff on the show! It was well worth the wait!

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Combs Caregivers - Part 1

Over the course of his diverse career, Jeff has played an array of fatherly figures. Some are ideal dads, while others are not the best role models. Some have a traditional way of parenting, while others take a more modern approach.

In this month that celebrates the dad, we'll be taking a look at Jeff's more parental roles and how he brings a realistic and varied touch to each one.


The Strict Sires


"Jordan, you do not understand what it takes to exist in the real world."

Name: Mr. Simms, The Attackmen (2007)
Location: New Jersey
Distinguishing Characteristics: Stubborn, looks cute in a yarmulke, ability to make the smallest scene memorable
Father to: Jordan (played by Nick Slatkin)



Dad Quotient: Simms is the strict Jewish father of a young Lacrosse player who would rather focus on the sport than his studies. He wants his son to succeed and get a good job, and not waste his time on a sport that won’t get him anywhere. Simms doesn’t understand that Lacrosse is much more than a game for young Jordan. Even in this brief scene, Jeff plays the traditional father perfectly, giving him an unswaying nature that is understandable, but inevitably hinders the relationship with his son.




Name: Thy'lek Shran, Enterprise - "These are the Voyages", (Season 4, episode 22), (2005)
Location: Trading outpost on Rigel X (Level 4) and the USS Enterprise
Occupation: Former Commander of the Imperial Guard
Distinguishing Characteristics: Wonderful blue skin, antennae, gruff, yet lovable demeanor
Father to: Talla (played by Jasmine Anthony)



Dad Quotient: After faking his own death, Shran, an Andorian that helped Commander Archer and his Enterprise crew many times, re-emerges to ask for Archer’s help. His young daughter has been kidnapped by his former shady associates and needs to be rescued. The usually gruff Shran shows his softer side in this episode and does everything in his power to bring her back safely. Jeff gives Shran this wonderful gentleness that makes the character that much more complex and charming.

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Exclusive "Nevermore" Update!

UPDATE!

Mark your calendars! We just spoke with the people at the Steve Allen Theater and official fan night is July 12th! Come out and support Jeff and show him how amazing he is!

Also, for those who can't attend a show, there is a good possibility Nevermore will be released on DVD! Nothing is certain yet, but the idea is in the works.

Click here for details on Nevermore and purchase tickets here


EXCLUSIVE!

Friday night at the Steve Allen Theater here in Hollywood, where Jeff's one man show, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe (that we first announced here) will premiere next month, there was a double bill screening of Stuart Gordon's films, King of the Ants and the Masters of Horror episode, "The Black Cat," in which Jeff first portrayed Poe.

After "The Black Cat" screening, there was a special Q&A which was only supposed to be with Stuart Gordon, but Jeff was a special surprise guest!!! It was absolutely wonderful to see him again and he was in good spirits (and adorably bespectacled) as he took the majority of questions from the small, appreciative crowd.

Stuart Gordon revealed that Nevermore is almost like a sequel to "The Black Cat." Jeff's one-man show is loosely based on real events and follows Poe on a cross-country speaking tour that is fraught with strange occurrences. Jeff even gave us a little taste of the show, quoting a few lines of one of Poe's poems in character! It was absolutely incredible!

Jeff has been rehearsing Nevermore in his "little home away from home" as he called the Steve Allen all week in preparation for next month's opening. The theater itself is very intimate, a perfect and charming setting for a one-man show. Here's hoping Jeff has wonderful rehearsals leading up to his triumphant return to the stage!

Click here for more details on Nevermore and stay tuned for even more info soon!

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First Glimpses of Jeff's Character from "Chadam"!

Trade publication Computer Graphics World had a special four-page spread in their April issue on Chadam, Jeff's upcoming online animated project. We got our hands on a copy to give you a first glimpse at the villainous character he voices, Viceroy!

Check him out here:


Click for full size

This online 3D animated series follows artist Alex Pardee's character, Chadam, that he originally created for the band, The Used, who lives in the fictional, hyper-stylized city of Vulture. Using the power of his imagination, he can physically change his environment and ultimately save it from evil. Jeff's character, Viceroy is a serial killer whom Chadam and his friends have to battle against to save their world.

The Jace Hall Show is a hilarious program hosted by the owner of HDFilms, with whom Jeff has worked on both Chadam and the upcoming online sci-fi series, What If?* (exclusive info here) In the season finale of TJHS we get some early glimpses of Viceroy in action and the full look of his character!

Check out the episode here (Chadam is the second item featured):


(Having trouble viewing it? Click here. The vid may not be available outside the U.S. yet, but we'll find one that will work for everyone soon!)

At one point, artist Pardee shows how he animates a scene with Viceroy where the character injects himself with a glowing greenish fluid! This has to be a wonderful little tribute to Jeff's character, Herbert West and the film, Re-Animator. Earlier this year, we featured Pardee's awesome artistic tribute to the film that you can view here. And you can view Pardee's other amazing artwork here.


Screencap of Jeff's character Viceroy from the episode. Check out that familiar glowing fluid in the syringe!

Pardee has described Viceroy as "a meglomaniac / mad scientist / serial killer devoid of any morals, and only concerned with furthering his scientific studies, regardless of the costs and consequences. It's pretty safe to say that Jeffrey plays the main villain in the Chadam series and he plays it AMAZINGLY."


Screencap of the Viceroy's full (unfinished) look

Chadam uses the Unreal Engine, a video game development tool to create its incredibly surreal and cool animation. Jace Hall mentions in the Computer Graphics World article that the series may port to both a video game and a possible TV series, which means Jeff may continue voicing the evil Viceroy in other projects as well!

Check out a special behind the scenes video of Chadam featuring Jeff here.

With these first glimpses of Viceroy coupled with Jeff's amazing voice, the project looks even more exciting! The 10-part series that Jeff has called "ultra cool" will debut on The WB some time later this year.

*Fellow Enterprise actor Gary Graham, who hosts the hilarious "bumps" between items on The Jace Hall Show wrote Jeff's episode of What If? entitled, "Transaction." In the last bump of the season finale above, Graham makes mention of his being "tortured on Star Trek." This is a small, amusing nod to Jeff's character on Enterprise, Shran, who interrogated Graham's character, Soval in the episode, "Kir'Shara." We're ever hopeful Jeff may be a guest on TJHS in the near future!

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June Updates

Jeff, the Johnny Cash of Vortas. Photo by official FedCon photographer, Thomas Brückl


Happy June, Everyone!

Here are the updates (including new info) for this month:

HUGE NEWS!

It's official! Jeff will be portraying tortured writer, Edgar Allan Poe onstage in Hollywood in July in a special one-man show entitled, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe!!! Read all the details here

Purchase tickets here

We have also set up a handy information post for anyone interested in attending a show. Read it here.

Jeff trod the boards for over two decades, honing his craft in everything from Shakespeare plays to first-run, experimental fare, and even a few musicals! This is so absolutely exciting and marks Jeff's triumphant return to the stage!!!


NEWS

• Jeff begins filming his upcoming thriller, TBK - The Toolbox Murders this month in Los Angeles and North Carolina. In this sequel to the remake of the classic horror, The Toolbox Murders, Jeff will be playing hardened LAPD Criminal Profiler McGavin, who, along with two CSI detectives try to unearth the origins of the mysterious Toolbox Killer, which lead to a shocking discovery from Hollywood's seedy past! Click here for more details, the official website, and a special promo video prominently featuring Jeff!

• Jeff's upcoming fantasy/thriller Parasomnia recently had a screening at the Cannes Film Festival last month and also just screened at Monsterpalooza here in Los Angeles. Click here to see the brand new trailer for the film!

Parasomnia will be released on R2 DVD in the UK and Europe on September 7th. They are still searching for a North American distribution deal, so here's hoping we all get to see this unique and surreal film soon!

• Dark House, in which Jeff portrays flamboyant entrepreneur Walston Rey had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last month. Check out the trailer here. Here's hoping it finds a distributor soon so we can all enjoy it!

• Jeff's upcoming Western, American Bandits: Frank and Jesse James in which he plays a member of the outlaw gang is now in post production and we'll hopefully have more details soon!

• The Dunwich Horror, Jeff's latest Lovecraft adaptation runs through this month on digital cable OnDemand and an edited version will air on the Sci-Fi Channel sometime later this year. More details here. There is no set release date yet for the DVD, but most likely will be out before the end of the year.



CONVENTIONS

Last month, Jeff made his very first appearance at the immense FedCon in Bonn, Germany. From all accounts, he had an absolute blast and was one of the major highlights of the weekend! Click here to read the con report filled with photos of Jeff, including two absolutely stunning photos by professional photographer Andreas Reiner. The fans enjoyed Jeff's appearance so much, there is already much hopeful talk on the official FedCon forum about his possible return to next year's event!

FedCon attendee Caprica_Lex has also graciously uploaded the original photo of Jeff from his Wii Tournament used in the report at FedLympics. Check out the comments section of the con report to see it. Thanks, Lex!

We also just received word that this was Jeff's very first time playing on a Wii system and he effortlessly beat MC Marc B. Lee at "Wii Tennis"! Go Jeff!

There's also a brief interview with Jeff at FedCon in German and English here and a tiny clip from his panel with Marc Alaimo here

• Jeff has two more Star Trek cons upcoming this summer - one in July in Parsippany, NJ* and one in August in Las Vegas, NV.

*New Jersey may now be tentative because of Nevermore

Click here for more info on Jeff's upcoming conventions

OTHER NEWS

• There is a new fan-made trailer on youtube for a live action version of the popular comic series, Green Lantern. The author, JaronPitts has used manipulated footage of Jeff as Shran from Enterprise to represent a Guardian, an overseer of an interstellar police force in the comic. Note that this is only a fan-made trailer and not "real," but it would be amazing to see Jeff in a big budget comic book film and it's very cool that the creator of this video chose to use him in this trailer! You can view it here.

• Artist Bridgette Bruna created some awesome Facebook graffiti art of Jeff as Herbert West in Re-Animator. The Facebook app with which she created this keeps track of your strokes as you draw so that people can see your progression when you're done. Watch Bridgette create her piece here.

Stay tuned all this month for a look at Jeff's more fatherly roles!

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"Parasomnia" DVD Update!

Fresh from the Cannes Film Festival, Jeff's upcoming fantasy/thriller, Parasomnia had a special screening on Friday at Monsterpalooza in Burbank, CA.

At the screening, we spoke with director Bill Malone (with whom Jeff has worked on FearDotCom, House on Haunted Hill and the awesome Perversions of Science episode, "The Exile") and confirmed that Parasomnia will be released on DVD throughout Europe and the UK.

The confirmed release date for the R2 DVD is September 7. Check out the cover art here. They are still searching for a North American distribution deal, so here's hoping everyone gets to see this unique and surreal film soon!

Parasomnia (official site here) follows the story of a young woman who suffers with a rare condition that causes her to sleep her life away. When a young art student becomes enamored with her, her dream world and reality collide in a horrifying love story. Jeff plays Detective Garrett, a burnt-out, hardened, Film Noir cop on the hunt for the killer that murdered his partner.

Check out the new trailer here

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Combs Cameos - "Spoiler"

Spoiler (1998)

This month's Combs Cameo features the one film of Jeff's that we get asked the most to identify.

Set in the distant future, Spoiler tells the story of Roger Mason (Gary Daniels), a man who is wrongly accused of a crime and sentenced to the strictest prison in the nation. After making a daring escape, he becomes a "spoiler," a fugitive from justice. Over the course of his life, Roger is recaptured and imprisoned several times, then punished for escape by being put into a cryogenic suspension for several years. As a result, the family he left on the outside continues to age, while he stays relatively the same. Discovering that his wife has died during his most recent stasis, Roger is determined to find his daughter, who is well into her old age and see her one last time before it's too late.

After his most recent escape from incarceration, Roger befriends a young girl, who takes him home to her family in futuristic Seattle, WA. Although the family welcomes him initially, and let him sleep overnight, they fear their own safety harboring a fugitive and alert the authorities to his whereabouts.




Jeff plays the unnamed Captain of a small band of guards who are in charge of recapturing Roger. The Captain is out for blood. He is sick of having Roger make the police force look bad by continually escaping from them when they're "the good guys." To try and break Roger's will, the Captain orders his team to brutally beat Mason into submission.

From our first glimpse of Jeff, he owns the role. As the guards pummel Mason, The Captain looks on with an air of enjoyment, a pleased smile flickering across his face. He chides Mason like a small child, describing the unprovoked beating as a sort of punishment for "being naughty."



Instead of merely playing the role as a straight-ahead authority figure, Jeff adds a slightly effete quality to the character, and an underlying sado-masochistic streak, that makes him all the more interesting and gives depth to the role. The Captain finds perverse pleasure in his power over Mason, eagerly watching him being beaten into submission by his underlings. This gives the character a deliciously wicked angle that makes him irresistible, although inherently evil.


"This is a lovely home. Pity, no ashtray."

Although smoking is usually an incredibly vile and bad habit, Jeff somehow makes the act so incredibly attractive in this role. Tobacco is very rare in the future, and only synthetic cigarettes still exist. The Captain tries to lure Mason into custody with the promise of a "real" cigarette. When Roger refuses, to spite him, the Captain smokes the cigarette in front of him instead.

From the moment the cigarette is lit, Jeff is in constant motion. He makes the act of taking a drag and casually blowing the smoke in Roger's direction, then gliding slowly across the room taunting Roger with the lit cigarette, and flirtatiously biting his thumb one fluid movement. Giddy with power, the Captain sways his hips slightly when questioning Roger, in anticipation of being able to bring him to justice. These little nuances Jeff adds make the character so much more than a one-dimensional "evil" character, but a wholly formed, relentless madman.

As Roger will still not acquiesce, the Captain orders further torture, delighting in Mason's misery. Jeff adds a wonderfully maniacal laugh as a final touch to this scene as he "conducts" the torture by waving his lit cigarette through the air.


"Boys...go get him. Let the games begin."

Recovering in a local hospital from his brutal assault by the guards, Mason escapes again and finds himself face to face with a young girl who is the spitting image of his daughter. She turns out to be his great-granddaughter visiting Mason's elderly daughter, who is in her final moments at the hospital. Still on a personal vendetta, The Captain lies to the doctors that he and his men will stay away and goes after Mason himself, hunting him down through the maze of hospital corridors. Mason takes a brief moment to say goodbye to his dying daughter before fleeing from the guards once again.

The final scene is both intense and tragic. The Captain tries to call Mason back from making a decision he may regret. But Mason has decided his fate. The Captain can only call after him, then follow his orders...

This is an amazing role for Jeff and he truly makes a character that could easily have been stereotypical so fresh and original. It's unfortunate he's so underutilized in the film, as the Captain could easily have been fleshed out into a larger, more faceted role. Although Jeff is onscreen less than ten minutes, he makes such an incredible impression and gives even this fleeting character such a memorable and unique persona.



AVAILABILITY

Region 1 DVD and VHS.

WHERE TO FIND IT

This is relatively easy to find online or at Netflix in North America. I found a copy at Big Lots for $3(!) In Europe, it's a little harder, as Spoiler is only on R1 DVD. My UK DVD expert Jamie tells us that the VHS and R1 DVD can both be found at amazon UK. There is a R2 DVD in the works, but it still has not materialized.

You can also check out a teaser clip from the film here and watch for a longer clip at the end of this week.

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It's OFFICIAL!!! Jeff as Poe ONSTAGE!!!

EXCLUSIVE!



We are thrilled to announce that Jeff will officially be portraying Edgar Allan Poe ONSTAGE in a one-man show entitled, Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe at the Steve Allen Theater right here in Hollywood, CA beginning in July!!!

In honor of the bicentennial of Poe's birth, Nevermore reunites the awesome team of Jeff, Re-Animator writer Dennis Paoli, and director Stuart Gordon with both of whom Jeff worked on his original portrayal of Poe in the Masters of Horror episode, "The Black Cat" in 2007.

Purchase advance tickets here

This is so incredibly exciting for Jeff (and for us!) as he makes his triumphant return to the stage and it's an amazing opportunity to see him in his original (and live!) element!

Click here for more info

Watch for more details and a possible fan meetup night soon!

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New Trailer for "Parasomnia"!

Jeff's upcoming fantasy/thriller, Parasomnia, which was just screened at Cannes this week has a brand new trailer!

Check it out here

Thanks to Bloody Disgusting for the heads up!

Parasomnia (official site here) follows the story of a young woman who suffers with a rare condition that causes her to sleep her life away. When a young art student becomes enamored with her, her dream world and reality collide in a horrifying love story. Jeff plays Detective Garrett, a burnt-out, hardened, Film Noir cop on the hunt for the killer that murdered his partner.

The film will also have a special screening at the upcoming Monsterpalooza in Burbank, CA on May 29 at 9pm!

Here's hoping this special and unique film finds a distributor, so we can all have the opportunity to see it!

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"TBK - The Toolbox Murders" Update!

We just received some updates on Jeff's upcoming thriller, TBK - The Toolbox Murders!

Written and directed by special effects master Dean Jones, TBK is a sequel to the 2003 remake of The Toolbox Murders, that dealt with a couple who move into a historic Hollywood building. Soon after, their fellow tenants begin to disappear mysteriously, possible victims of the supernatural force known only as the Toolbox Killer!

In TBK, Jeff will be playing hardened LAPD Criminal Profiler McGavin, who, along with two CSI detectives try to unearth the origins of the Toolbox Killer, which lead to a shocking discovery from Hollywood's seedy past!

A brand new website for the film has just gone live. Check it out here

And check out the promo video (prominently featuring Jeff!) here:



Jeff looks (and sounds!) absolutely incredible!

The film is now in pre-production and will start shooting in June in Los Angeles and in North Carolina at The Myers House, an incredibly cool replica of the house from John Carpenter's original Halloween film.

TBK will be pre-sold at the Cannes Film Festival market this week, which means three of Jeff's projects (Dark House, Parasomnia, and TBK) will now be at Cannes! How awesome is that?

Stay tuned for more info on the film soon!

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Con Report - FedCon Germany

Another of Jeff's amazing official FedCon photos by Andreas Reiner
Check out the other one here. Make sure to check out Andy's other fantastic photos at his website as well!

Earlier this month, Jeff was a special guest at the massive FedCon in Bonn, Germany. This is the largest and most established science fiction convention in Europe and it was Jeff's very first time to attend!

The weekend was enviously amazing and it looks like Jeff had an absolute blast! Many fans, photographers, and press were in attendance, so we have loads of photos to share! We even considered splitting this con post into two sections, but figured you might not be able to wait for the second half! So sit back, take your time, and enjoy the full weekend.

If anyone else attended this con and wants to contribute photos or reports, please click here to submit your stuff or email cons@combscorner.com. Thanks!

Watch for updates to this post as we receive more info (and more photos!)

Read on for all the fun!


(Click on any photo for full size)


Jeff signing autographs on Saturday. Photo by Ralph Brockmann


FRIDAY - OPENING CEREMONIES

Jeff was still sporting his very Poe-esque mustache and gorgeous longer hair when he arrived at the Maritim Hotel in Bonn on Friday. As the weekend began, there was a special opening ceremony, that gathered all of the guests and MC Marc B. Lee onstage.


Jeff with fellow Trek actors Robert Picardo, Nana Visitor, and Marc Alaimo.


Jeff and Marc Alaimo bow to the lovely Nana Visitor. Photo by Reiner Krauss at FictionBox


At the Opening Ceremonies. Photo by Peter Schlömer


FRIDAY - PRESS CONFERENCE

Friday afternoon, there was a massive press conference, with all of the celebrities in attendance.


Photo courtesy of Frank Dudley


Combs for Obama! Photo by Rule Twenty Nine

Photographer Frank Dudley relates: "I can tell you that Jeff was in a very good mood. The jet lag hadn't affected him and when some journalist asked what it is like to have a president like Barack Obama, Jeffrey jumped up screaming "Whoo-hooo! Best president we ever had!" All the other actors agreed and the assembled media representatives applauded."


Photo courtesy of Frank Dudley


Jeff with John Billingsley, Robert Picardo, and Marc Alaimo at the press conference. Photo by Rule Twenty Nine

You can watch the full press conference (including Jeff's adorable reaction to the Obama question - yay!) here. (For optimal viewing, it is highly recommended to download the HD version.)

You can also watch Jeff whoop happily here too. This was one of the major highlights of the press conference and Jeff got so excited, he actually knocked over his chair! Now where's his invitation to the White House already?


FRIDAY - PANEL


Jeff welcomes his adoring fans. Photo by Weyoun05

Friday, Jeff had a panel all to himself, taking questions from a very welcoming audience and delighting the crowd with his awesome Captain Kirk impression!


Photo by Weyoun05


Photo by Weyoun05


SATURDAY - PANEL

On Saturday, the lovely Summer Glau (Tess Doerner), Jeff's co-star for three seasons of the wonderful show, The 4400 was onstage right before Jeff's panel and the two greeted each other warmly.


Kevin and Tess reunite during Summer Glau's panel. Photo by Weyoun05

Poor Summer was very ill with a cold, and Jeff comforted her momentarily before taking the stage.


Photo by Sammi

Then it was the bad boys' turn to delight the crowd: Jeff, who played Weyoun, the smoothly underhanded Vorta on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (as well as eight other characters on three different series in the Trek universe, not including the video games!) and his cohort Marc Alaimo, who played the ruthless Cardassian, Gul Dukat.


Photo courtesy of Michael Dufner

Soon after the panel began, Jeff had a rather "revealing" moment that had the audience in fits of laughter!


Jeff casually strolls onstage. Photo by Sebastian at Sci-Fi Space.net

This "pantless" theme seemed to be a running gag at FedCon, with fellow Trek actor John Billingsley appearing earlier on his panel sans pants. Jeff took it to new heights by coming onstage so nonchalantly, casually beginning the panel, and wondering why people were laughing!


Jeff officially answers the "boxers or briefs?" question. Photo by IgiWorld


Marc Alaimo finds a handy footstool! Photo by Sci-Fi Trek

Fellow fan Michele attended the panel and relates: In Jeff's first dialogue with Marc, he blamed him, that he hasn't told him that his pants are down. It was really funny. :)


Jeff continues to nonchalantly drop trou. Photo by Peter Schlömer

This again shows Jeff's amazing sense of humor and fun. Let's hope he repeats this hilarious act at another con in the near future!


Photo by Michele at Hypnotized

Somehow, Jeff managed to get his jeans back on, and began taking questions from the highly amused crowd.


Photo by Detlev Helmerich


Photo by Michele at Hypnotized

Michele also relates: "Jeffrey is really congenial...I loved his role as Brunt and Weyoun in Star Trek and of course I met him and he signed my photo with a personal dedication :D"


Photo by Peter Schlömer


Photo by IgiWorld


Photo by IgiWorld


Photo by Weyoun05


After the boys' panel was finished, the beautiful Nana Visitor (Major Kira Neris on Deep Space Nine) took the stage. The three all chatted momentarily before Nana's panel started and Jeff was very pleased to see her. And at both the opening and closing ceremonies, Jeff cut a mean rug with Nana!


Jeff with Nana Visitor and Marc Alaimo. Photo by Weyoun05


PHOTO OPS/AUTOGRAPHS

All weekend, Jeff posed for photo ops and signed autographs for hundreds of fans!


Cynthia (Cynni) and Joyce cuddle up with Jeff at their photo op. Photo courtesy of Cynthia

Fellow fan Cynthia relates: "Jeffrey is really kind and funny. He signed the two "group pictures" of him, my girlfriend and me for free, since he thought he looked damn good on those pictures! Haha! The girl from FedCon told him that we did not pay for that, but it was his treat! So nice of him to do so."


Jeff signs autographs on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Cynthia

Cynthia continues: "He was quite funny and very easy going. He is polite to his fans and when you treat him well, he'll treat you equally. Jeffrey is such a great man and it truly was an honor to meet him several times at this con."


FED-LYMPICS

To add to the fun, there was also a special Wii Tournament called Fed-lympics that took place all weekend and benefitted childrens' charities. Jeff's team squared off against other teams made up of fans and celebrities.


FedCon MC Marc B. Lee sets up Jeff for his Wii match. Photo courtesy of Fedlympics Fansite


Jeff in action! Photo courtesy of Fedlympics Fansite

This was Jeff's very first time playing on a Wii system and he effortlessly beat MC Marc B. Lee at "Wii Tennis"! Go Jeff!


Check out that mean backhand! Photo courtesy of Fedlympics Fansite and Caprica_Lex

Although his team wasn't triumphant, it still looks like Jeff had a great time and raised a lot of money for charity!


SUNDAY - CLOSING CEREMONIES


Jeff looking gorgeous at the closing ceremonies. Photo by IgiWorld


Photo courtesy of Andy

As the convention came to a close, Jeff was still full of energy and delighted the fans with his awesome dance moves onstage at the Closing Ceremonies.


Jeff gettin' down at the Closing Ceremonies. Photo by Peter Schlömer

Cynthia relates: Jeff had a great "moonwalk" kinda dance during the closing, with his leather jacket and hat. Very amazing and cool.


Jeff mid-moonwalk! Photo courtesy of Andy


Gotta love that hat! Photo by Sebastian at Sci-Fi Space.net

Jeff looks he had an absolutely wonderful time at FedCon and so did all the fans! In a poll on the official FedCon forum, Jeff is ranked in the top five favorites out of all guests for this year! Here's hoping he has this much fun at his other upcoming cons!

Many, many, many thanks go to the incredible photographers and fans who contributed to this report. Tausend Dank! Mit tiefer Dankbarkeit!

Click here for Jeff's other upcoming conventions and more con reports

Read More......

May Updates

Jeff's amazing official FedCon photo by Andreas Reiner (Click for full size)

Stay tuned for the full FedCon report with loads of photos next week, including some rather "revealing" shots from Jeff's Saturday panel and another one of Andy's amazing official photos! And for anyone who attended FedCon, if you'd like to add any photos or stories to the report please click here or email cons@combscorner.com. Thanks!


NEW UPDATE!

The website to Jeff's upcoming thriller, Dark House has just gone live!

Check it out here!


Happy May, Everyone!

Here are the updates for this month:

NEWS

• Jeff has just been announced as part of the cast for the upcoming sequel to the 2003 remake of The Toolbox Murders! Tentatively titled, TBK, the sequel continues the story of a couple who move into an old Hollywood building and soon after, strange murders occur that are caused by a supernatural force known only as the Toolbox Murderer!

The sequel will still be set in Hollywood and will deal more with the murderer's backstory of where he's from and how he came to be. The cast also includes horror greats Lance Henriksen and Tony Todd. Here's hoping this gets a theatrical release, so we get to see Jeff on the big screen again! More details are forthcoming, but there are already rumors that Jeff won't just have a cameo, he will be one of the more main roles!

• Jeff recently wrapped on his upcoming Western, American Bandits: Frank and Jesse James in which he plays a disgruntled member of the rival gang, sick of being bullied by the infamous James brothers. This is such a different role for Jeff and here's hoping we all get to see it soon!

• Last month at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors here in Los Angeles, it was announced that Jeff's upcoming thriller, Dark House in which he plays flamboyant entrepreneur Walston Rey will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later this month! The screening will be on May 18 at 10am at Palais E. Here's hoping it does well and it has at least a limited theatrical run before it goes to DVD!

• The trailer to Dark House is also now online! You can check it out here and check out the brand new website that just went live!

• Jeff's upcoming fantasy thriller, Parasomnia in which he plays Film Noir detective Garrett will also be at Cannes and has a screening at The Riviera on May 13 at 10am in LERINS 2. Here's hoping it finds a distributor!

This means two of Jeff's upcoming projects will be at Cannes! How exciting is that?

• There is a brand new behind the scenes teaser video from Jeff's upcoming animated online series, Chadam that gives us a wonderful little taste of what Jeff will sound like as the evil Viceroy! Watch it here

• Jeff's newest Lovecraft adaptation, The Dunwich Horror premiered on digital cable OnDemand last month. Various cable providers will be airing the film as a pay per view feature through June. More details here. An edited version of the film will premiere on the Sci-Fi Channel in October.

Click here for Jeff's other upcoming projects


CONVENTIONS

• Last month, an incredibly handsome and sharply dressed Jeff (complete with Poe-esque 'stache!) was at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors convention in Los Angeles, CA as a special, surprise guest on the Dark House panel Sunday afternoon. Read the con report here.

• Jeff also just appeared at the massive FedCon in Bonn, Germany and looked like he had an absolute blast! A photo-heavy con report is coming later this week! If anyone wants to contribute photos or con reports from FedCon click here to submit your stuff. Thanks!

• Jeff is also scheduled to attend two upcoming official Star Trek conventions, one in Parsippany, NJ and the largest in Las Vegas, NV

Click here for more info on Jeff's upcoming conventions

Stay tuned this month for the massive FedCon report and a feature on Jeff's film we get the most requests to identify!

Read More......

"Dark House" Trailer Now Online!

The trailer to Jeff's upcoming thriller, Dark House that premiered at Fangoria L.A. a few weeks ago is now online thanks to Upcoming Horror Movies!

Check it out here:



Jeff looks absolutely fantastic!

The story follows his character, Walston Rey, flamboyant entrepreneur of haunted house attractions who turns a former foster home with a bloody past into a "haunted mansion for the ages" for Halloween. A young woman named Claire returns to the house in hopes of exorcising her past. When she and some of her acting students are hired to perform in Rey's show, a new string of grisly murders begins and we discover the house may truly be haunted by the ghosts that are part of the attraction!

Dark House will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18th and if all goes well, there is even talk of a possible theatrical release! Here's hoping we all get to see the film soon!

Read More......

Convention Reminder - FedCon in Germany

This weekend, May 1-3, Jeff was at the massive FedCon convention in Bonn, Germany.

If anyone attended this convention and wants to contribute photos or reports to share with fans at The Combs Corner, click here to submit your stuff! Thanks!

Watch for a full con report next week, but please keep sending in your stuff! We'd love to see any other photos of Jeff, especially of him dancing at the closing ceremonies!

Read More......

Jeff in a New Horror Film!

Bloody-Disgusting is reporting that Jeff will be part of a sequel to the horror film, The Toolbox Murders!

The 2003 film directed by Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) was a remake of the 1978 classic and dealt with a couple who move into a historic Hollywood building. Soon after, their fellow tenants begin to disappear mysteriously, possible victims of the supernatural force known only as the Toolbox Murderer!

Tentatively titled, TBK, the sequel will still be set in Hollywood and will deal more with the murderer's backstory of where he's from and how he came to be.

The film also stars Lance Henriksen, with whom Jeff has also worked in Abominable, Felony, and The Pit and the Pendulum and Tony Todd, who was also in Jeff's film Caught Up.

First time director Dean Jones is also a special effects master and made up Jeff many times when he appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

More details as we receive them!

Click here for info on Jeff's other upcoming projects

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New Behind The Scenes Video of "Chadam"!

Website io9 has a new behind the scenes teaser of Jeff's upcoming online project, Chadam that we first mentioned here.

Check out the video:



Jeff sounds incredible and the series looks totally awesome!

Chadam is a 3D animated series that follows artist Alex Pardee's character, Chadam, who lives in the fictional, hyper-stylized city of Vulture. Using the power of his imagination, he can physically change his environment and ultimately save it from evil.

Jeff plays the sinister serial killer, Viceroy, whom Chadam and his friends have to battle against. Artist Pardee describes Viceroy as: "a meglomaniac / mad scientist / serial killer devoid of any morals, and only concerned with furthering his scientific studies, regardless of the costs and consequences. It's pretty safe to say that Jeffrey plays the main villain in the Chadam series and he plays it AMAZINGLY."

Chadam uses the Unreal Engine, a video game development tool to create its incredibly surreal and cool animation. The 10-part series is produced by Jace Hall's company HDFilms, with whom Jeff worked on another upcoming web series, What If?.

We just received word from creator Alex Pardee that there is still no solid release date yet for Chadam, but it will debut on The WB.com sometime in the near future. This has been in the works for quite awhile, so it's awesome that the series is finally coming to fruition! Watch for more updates soon!

Thanks to fellow fan psycat for finding this video!

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Fangoria L.A. Weekend - Con Report

Jeff and director Darin Scott. Photo courtesy of Dread Central

Sunday's Dark House panel included Jeff, writer/director Darin Scott (with whom Jeff has worked previously on Love and a .45, Caught Up, and the upcoming graphic novel adaptation, The Night Driver), and fellow actors Diane Salinger, Matt Cohen, Megan Ory, Bevin Prince, Ryan Melander, and Scott Whyte. It was held in a smaller room upstairs in the convention center, which gave it a very intimate setting.

Jeff came in last, adorably bespectacled, his hair still wonderfully longer, looking stunning in a sharp grey suit and white linen shirt. Yet the most striking part of Jeff's appearance was his new mustache! This has to be for his upcoming one-man Edgar Allan Poe theatrical show he's developing with Stuart Gordon! Here's hoping this project comes to fruition so Jeff can make his triumphant return to the stage!

Before the panel began, we were treated to a first glimpse of the Dark House trailer. The plot revolves around Jeff's character, Walston Rey, a "master of the macabre," as Darin Scott described him, who opens a haunted attraction in a house with a bloody past. He hires a troupe of actors, one of whom was the sole survivor of the terrible massacre that occurred in this same house years earlier. Ghosts of the victims still haunt the old mansion and soon take over the special effects system, wreaking havoc upon anyone who dares enter the Dark House!

The film looks really amazing and Jeff's role as the flamboyant entrepreneur of Dark House is so different! He even sports a cane!



Jeff said of his character:

"This one really afforded me the chance to be sort of the light note. He's still a scoundrel, he's the entrepreneur that's sort of the cheerleader, so I've always kind of got a smile on my face and just enjoying thinking about the amount of money that I'm gonna make by this spectacular thing that I'm putting together, until it turns very, very, very bad and then I get really pissed off. I'm really not happy at that point. But I got to play notes that I don't normally get to play, so that was great. I had a cane and twirling the cane, and thinking I'm just a dazzling personality when really, you know, they're all looking at me like I'm the dork that I really am. But I had a great time playing it. I don't think it's like anything else I've done."


Jeff also gave his thoughts on a possible Re-Animator remake:

"I suspect that will happen. That sometime there'll be a remake of Re-Animator. And I suspect that they may make some mistakes. The charm of the first one was that it was all practical effects and in this day and age of CGI, whoever probably does it in the future, near or far, will probably be tempted to do a bunch of cool visual effects and f*ck it up."

(I think we all wholeheartedly agree with him!)


Photo courtesy of Dread Central

Many of the cast and crew had some wonderful praise for Jeff. Here are a few highlights:

"I always try to write a part in almost everything I do for Jeff cause he's just such a joy to work with...He takes over the screen, so I basically just put the frame around him and let him go. I know something cool's gonna happen when he's onscreen." - Darin Scott, director

"Jeff's awesome cause when he walks onset, his energy's just like right up there and he brings it and totally makes everybody in the moment in the scene and it's awesome." - Megan Ory, lead actor


Jeffrey Combs, "Vivid" actor. ;) Photo courtesy of Rob at Icons of Fright

Jeff was in wonderfully high spirits, cracking jokes and being his adorably hilarious self. The panel was over far too quickly and there was no autograph session, but it was still absolutely wonderful to see him again.

Dark House has just completed post production and Darin Scott revealed that they will be taking the film to the Cannes Film Festival* next month. Here's hoping they find a distributor soon so we can all see it!

There is also a brand new website for the film that will be up very soon. Watch for the announcement at The Combs Corner as soon as it goes live!

As Jeff said at the end of the panel, "Keep your eyes and ears open for Dark House!"


Darin Scott spots Jeff a $20 for praising him as a director. Photo courtesy of Rob at Icons of Fright

Fangoria also had a special auction of movie props on Saturday, and I was fortunate enough to win Jeff's full Geek outfit from Wizard of Gore including his beaten up shoes! More on this special outfit in a future Combs Collectibles post.

If anyone else attended this convention and wants to contribute photos or con reports, click here to submit your stuff! Thanks!


*Re-Animator premiered at Cannes on May 29, 1985 and won the coveted Critic's Choice Prize. Here's hoping Dark House makes just as much of an impression!

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Combs Clay Creations - Dee (Vila Wolf)

(Click to see full size)

"When you have the amulet in hand, feel around the rim. You'll find a stud. Shield your eyes, and press it. There'll be a flash of light. Anyone who sees the flash of light will be frozen, momentarily in time, then released as if nothing happened."

Fellow fan and self-professed "hobbyist" Dee (aka Vila Wolf) is an expert at clay design. She enjoys creating various different items from her favorite movies and television shows. Just recently, she created this awesome reproduction of Anton Mordrid's amulet from Doctor Mordrid!



Mordrid's amulet is featured prominently in the storyline of the film, and helps both Anton and his love interest, Samantha Hunt out of some tight situations. Ever since I first saw the film, I have wanted a reproduction of this amulet. A friend and I even tried to cajole Charles Band, owner of Full Moon Pictures and co-director of the film into releasing the DVD with a cool reproduction. Sadly, he didn't go for it.

But Dee's amulet is even better! Her work is so detailed and amazingly accurate, I'm honored to own one of her pieces. If you click on the photo of the amulet above to see it large size, you will notice that she even added a stud on the side that Anton presses in the film to activate it!



Here are Dee's thoughts on her work:

I don't consider myself an artist. To me the word artist invokes that image of some smug bastard trying to explain how his paint smear is invocative of the depths of the human soul. If you have to explain what you were trying to do then you obviously failed at what you were doing.

I'm a hobbyist. I have way too much free time at the moment and a tub of sculpy with which to fill that time. Give me a picture and I challenge myself to see how close to it I can get. It does help that I'm a perfectionist and I was once forced to sit through a four hour long class on the proper way to fold dinner napkins, so I'm able to focus pretty well.

I don't consider anything I do in clay to be art for another reason-all but two things have been copies of someone else's work. I've done things from the original Wolf Man movie with Lon Chaney Jr., I've done David's medal from The Lost Boys, some stuff from the old TV show Dark Shadows. I think the only thing I thought up and made entirely by my lonesome was a Cthulhu Idol from the Lovecraft Mythos I did for a friend of mine who's got me hooked on the stuff.

Everything I do is normally done in a single sitting more because once I start I can't stop. My brain won't let me. "It's not done…it's not right…it doesn't look like the picture."

I'll end by saying this; if anyone wants me to make em something bum me out a photo of it and I'll see what I can do. I am running a bit low on sculpy at the moment so I hope I'm not opening the floodgates here. :)

Many thanks to Dee for her thoughts and her awesome creation!

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Convention Reminder - Fangoria Los Angeles

This weekend, April 17-19 was Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors convention in Los Angeles, CA and Jeff was a special, surprise guest on Sunday.

It was absolutely wonderful to see him again (complete with Edgar Allan Poe-esque mustache!). The big news revealed on the panel this weekend was that Jeff's upcoming thriller, Dark House is going to be part of the Cannes Film Festival next month! Watch The Combs Corner for a full con report later this week!

If anyone else attended this convention and wants to contribute photos or con reports, click here to submit your stuff! Thanks!

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Combs Collateral

April marks the traditional deadline for tax returns being due in the United States and Canada and many other places around the world have deadlines looming. This brings trepidation to many, so to ease the tension, I thought we'd have a fun look at some of Jeff's more money-related roles.

(Click on any links for more info)


"I'm going to...liquidate you!"

Deep Space Nine - Brunt (Seasons 3-7) (1995-1999)

Brunt is Jeff's most "taxing" character to date. Being a liquidator for the Ferengi Commerce Authority, he has the power to essentially make anyone's life a living hell by auditing and checking any discrepancies, and preventing other Ferengi from making profit, which is the main goal in a Ferengi’s life. Brunt is hilariously stubborn and power-hungry, with lovely comic overtones that Jeff plays so well. After several confrontations, Brunt became the burden of fellow Ferengi and Deep Space Nine bar owner, Quark (Armin Shimerman). There are some great humorous confrontation scenes between the two that really show Jeff’s wonderful comic ability.

Trivia: Rene Auberjonois, who was in the same repertory theater troupe with Jeff in the early 1980's, was directing the first Ferengi episode, "Family Business" and suggested him for this role.

Availability: All seasons of Deep Space Nine are readily available on DVD to buy or to rent.



"You oughta see the inside of my car...it's all tufted in velour...yup."

Honky Tonk Freeway - Bank Teller (1981)

This was Jeff's very first film role in his diverse career. He played a flirtatious unnamed bank teller who tries to win lead character Carmen (Beverly D'Angelo)'s heart in this screwball comedy about a tiny Florida community lobbying to get their own exit along a new freeway.

Check out a clip here

Trivia: Jeff auditioned with Jonathan Frakes (Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation) for another role as two men who steal a car. Frakes was not cast, but Jeff got the role as a bank teller. Later on, Frakes would remember Jeff when auditioning for an episode of Deep Space Nine he was directing and cast Jeff in his very first Star Trek role as Tiron in the episode, "Meridian."

Availability: Readily available on DVD to buy online or to rent through Netflix.




Caught Up - J. Smith, Bank Security Guard (1998)

Jeff plays a distraught bank security guard in this film noir about a young man (Bokeem Woodbine) who makes one wrong choice that changes his life forever. This is one of Jeff's most gripping and realistic performances as he plays a man who has been dealt such a terrible hand in life. His "soliloquy" in the film is absolutely mesmerizing and haunting. Although his scene is short, it's one of the most memorable parts of this incredible film.

Trivia: Director of Caught Up, Darin Scott, also produced Love and a .45 in which Jeff played the awesome Dinosaur Bob, and two of Jeff's upcoming projects – an adaptation of the graphic novel, The Night Driver, to which Jeff lends his distinct voice, and the upcoming thriller, Dark House, in which Jeff plays haunted house attraction entrepreneur, Walston Rey.

Availability: Readily available on DVD to rent through Netflix.




What If...? (2009)

This is one of Jeff's newest projects set entirely inside a bank in which he plays a man who is short on cash and will go to extreme lengths to get it.

Trivia: This project is helmed by Jace Hall and his company, HDFilms, which is also producing Jeff's upcoming online project, Chadam, in which Jeff voices the evil villain Viceroy.

Availability: Written by fellow Star Trek actor Gary Graham and directed by actor Colin Cunningham, the webisode will air online sometime in the near future.

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Easter Greetings!

Hope you’re all having a wonderful, chocolate-filled weekend!

Here’s a little sweet treat. On many DVD's, there are hidden features nicknamed "Easter Eggs." In honor of this weekend's holiday, there is a special "Easter Egg" hidden somewhere in this post. Find the link and you will be rewarded. Happy hunting!

Here’s hoping everyone has a lovely Easter and an enjoyable long weekend! (And enjoy Easter Monday, all you Canadians and Brits!)

Read on for more Easter Eggs from Jeff's various movies and TV shows.

BONUS EASTER EGGS

• There is an Easter Egg on the original Re-Animator laserdisc (and original DVD release) which is a really fun commentary over the original trailer for the film featuring Jeff, Barbara Crampton, Bob Sampson, and Brian Yuzna. To access it, on your DVD controller, click Audio 2. For those who don't have the original DVD, you can watch the Easter Egg here.

As previously mentioned in The Combs Cosmos, Jeff appears in many of the special features on both the Deep Space Nine and Enterprise DVD’s. Hidden on the Deep Space Nine DVD’s are two easter eggs that are interviews with Jeff about how he first got into the show, his various characters, and his thoughts on the Star Trek universe.

Here’s how to find them:

DEEP SPACE NINE

Season 5, Disc 7
How to find it: Click on “Special Features” and then click on "More" to get to the second screen of extras. "Inside DS9 with Michael Okuda" should be highlighted. Click down 4 times then right twice. A small rectangle should be highlighted in green. Click on this, and it will get you to ”Hidden File 10”
Description: This is a wonderful (albeit too short!) interview with Jeff about his start in the Star Trek universe and the creation of Brunt and Weyoun.

Season 7, Disc 7
How to find it: Go to special features. “Ending an Era” should be highlighted. Click down twice, then left once. You should have a small triangle highlighted in green. Click on this, and it will get you to ”Hidden File 2”
Description: This is one of my absolute favorite interviews with Jeff. He discusses his various characters on Star Trek and his place within the Trek universe.


Give up and can't find the Easter Egg? Here's a hint: It's hidden in the last line before the break.

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