SPIDER-MAN REVEALED!
A conversation with Jeri Colpitts, the Man behind Marvel’s Main Mask
1978 was an important year in comic book history: Will Eisner introduced the world to the graphic novel with A Contract With God, direct market comic specialty stores started popping up around the country, and Jim Shooter took over the reins as Editor-in-Chief at Marvel Comics.
Less newsworthy at the time, 1978 also saw the birth of Marvel’s Personal Appearance Program: live actors in spandex representing some of Marvel’s more popular characters on hand for a variety of media events.
One of the very first actors hired for this fledgling program was Jeri Colpitts, a twenty-two year old theater graduate from the University of Maine. Upon arriving in New York City, Jeri adopted the stage name Jeremy Stuart, the name by which he was known for his entire 23-year career as the most iconic and most popular character in the company’s history: The Amazing Spider-Man.
“For the first nine or ten years Marvel kept me very busy, flying me all over the country,” Jeri explains. “I was opening toy stores, appearing at malls. I’m proud to say I was probably the most recognizable figure in the Macy’s Parade for a number of years.”
The industry boomed in the 1980s, and along with the rise in Marvel’s popularity came a number of more high-profile ev
ents for their signature spokesperson. In 1987, to coincide with the release of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21, the highly-publicized wedding of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, a capacity crowd of 53,000 Mets fans was treated to a live wedding at Shea Stadium. Jeri, in Spidey-formalwear complete with tie and tails courtesy of well-known NYC designer Willi Smith, was married to a Mary Jane-lookalike by none other than Stan “The Man” Lee. “All the Marvel characters were on hand. Captain America was my best man.” Stan sealed the deal (with this ring I thee web) “and the crowd went crazy.”When Marvel went public in 1991, Jeri made an unprecedented appearance at the New York Stock Exchange, climbing down the wall to ring the opening bell. Despite practicing for several days prior, Jeri remembers that “heart-in-the-throat feeling. It’s like taking the stage on opening night: you’re nervous, and you know this could go in any direction, but that’s part of the constant thrill of being a performer.”
Unlike, say, a Disneyland character actor, Marvel’s live heroes spoke to their audiences, and Jeri was given a lot of freedom over the years to write his own speeches and dialogues. “It usually involved recycling the expected cheesy remarks: ‘This job has me climbing the walls,’” but it also meant that Jeri was able to embark on more meaningful campaigns, including an elementary school tour in partnership with the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. Coinciding with the release of a special edition comic book addressing the issue, Jeri had the opportunity to speak to thousands of kids in schools and hospitals around the country. “There was a lot of buzz and excitement about this project, and we really did some extraordinary things. I really am very proud of the program.”Jeri wore the webs for over two decades, and the energy he generated portraying the character was, well, nothing short of amazing. “In traveling with Stan [Lee] over the years we’d often talk about what makes this guy so magic.” Here was a real hometown hero, a guy from New York City, “not Metropolis or Gotham. It was the realistic bent that Stan insisted on.”
This aspect of Spider-Man’s character has, of course, created a very passionate fanbase, and Jeri took on the role, each and every time, with the requisite great responsibility (thanks, Uncle Ben). “My attitude was to always treat everyone as a best friend I hadn’t seen in a while, because they sure know me.” Whether leading tours through the famous Marvel Bullpen, or stopping traffic on the streets of New York City, Jeri’s alter-ego elicited constant smiles, thumbs-up, and photo ops. “This character means so much to so many people. It was such a joy to absorb all that enthusiasm.”
Personally, it was a joy and a privilege to have the opportunity to speak with Jeri. Every story, every anecdote, recanted from a life spent as a central figure in this beloved medium turns me into a wide-eyed attention-rapt little kid all over again, and I look forward to further conversations with the Man Behind the Mask. We warmly welcome Jeri into Idle Time’s extended family, excited that he has already embraced one of our signature mantras. In the words of patron saint Wayne Coyne, “Enthusiasm can save the world.” Enthusiasm, and the proportionate speed, strength, and agility of a spider, natch.
- MDG
Spidey at the '89 Macy's Parade: http://youtube.com/watch?v=
The Wedding! http://youtube.com/watch?v=
1 comments:
I had the pleasure of working with Jeremy (as we heroes knew him) from 1986–1996 when I too was one of the few actors who worked for Marvel's Personal Appearance program, playing Spider-Man, Green Goblin and The Hulk to name a few. Oft times there would be more than one Spider-Man appearance in different parts of the country on the same weekend. Hence the bullpen of heroes. But the events where more than one of us appeared as different characters was always the most fun. I remember one appearance at a mall where Jeremy was Spider-Man and I the Green Goblin. I think by the end of a day of my high-pitched cackle and insults, had Jeremy actually been Spider-Man, he would've killed me all over again! I relate my own experiences as a Marvel hero at www.heroesinmycloset.com.
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