Tom Welling, once a teen-aged Clark Kent, is about to play a great-grandfather. Well, sort of.
Welling (shown here) will join “The Winchesters” (8 p.m. Tuesdays on CW) later this year. He’ll play Samuel Campbell, the gruff and distant father of Mary Campbell.
Since the show is a prequel, fans know the rest: Mary married John Winchester and begat Sam and Dean Winchester, the demon-hunting heroes in 15 seasons of “Supernatural.” That means Welling’s character is the future grandfather of Sam and Dean and great-grandfather of Dean II and Emma.
One other quirk: For a time, Welling, 45, might be on two shows that air back-to-back.
“The Winchesters” debuts Oct. 11, followed by “Professionals” at 9. Welling joins the former in the seventh episode ..,. and is also a star of the 10-episode “Professionals.”
That show has Brendan Fraser as a billionaire and Welling as the adventurer (shown here) hired to find who blew up his satellite launch. Don’t expect “Professionals” to have a long life: It was filmed two years ago and has already aired in several countries.
“Winchesters,” however, could stick around. It offers a rich mixture of heroes, demons, action, romance and 1970s nostalgia.
Drake Rodger, a newcomer, plays John, a Vietnam vet. He meets Mary – played by Meg Donnelly of “American Housewife” and the Disney “Zombies” movies – while she’s battling monsters. Bianca Kajlich (“Rules of Engagement”) plays John’s mother, with Welling eventually arriving as Mary’s dad.
Previously, he starred in “Smallville” for a decade on CW (and its predecessor, WB). It’s the longest that anyone (animation excluded) has played Clark Kent. During that time, he was also in the movie remakes of “The Fog” and “Cheaper By the Dozen.” He’s done other TV roles (including a year on “Lucifer”), in addition to some directing, plus producing the “Hellcats” series.
Now he’ll arrive on “Winchesters,” fighting monsters while trying to fix his fractured family.