EM Exclusive: Jim Beaver Discusses His New Book, His Work on Supernatural and Harper’s Island

“Holy water.  Don’t leave home without it.”

Sage advice for young, up and coming ‘hunters’ from the wise veteran Bobby Singer or actor Jim Beaver letting us know what’s the one thing he’s learned from working on the hit CW Network series, ‘Supernatural’?

Having caught up with the talented actor, who has been embraced by ‘Supernatural’ fans in his role as hunter/father figure Bobby Singer, to do an interview with him I’d like to think of it as a little bit of both.

Jim Beaver is more than just a talented actor though; he is also an accomplished writer, having recently published his first nonfiction novel, the compelling and emotionally touching ‘Life’s That Way’.

‘Life’s That Way’ is based on a yearlong email newsletter/journal that Jim kept in 2003/2004, when his wife Cecily Adams was diagnosed with lung cancer.  “It wasn’t planned as a book, but just sort of grew into one,” Beaver says of the book in which he opens up and shares the good, the bad and the painful memories of losing his beloved Cecily and does so in a way that is a testament to how enduring love can be and an uplifting look at how deeply connected people can become in times of loss as well as times of gain.

‘’Life’s That Way’ is a powerfully written story of his wife’s journey through her battle with lung cancer as seen through her husband’s eyes. And even though that battle ends with her dying, there is nothing defeating about Cecily Adams story. Instead it is a story of love, strength and moving on with life for as long as you can and making the best you can for those being left behind.

Jim Beaver has found a lot of support for his book among the people who have embraced his character of Bobby Singer. “Supernatural fans have been amazingly supportive, spreading the word about the book far and wide, and I cannot say enough in gratitude to them for that,” he says of the grassroots efforts of the fandom to promote his book and keep it in the public eye. “ If we can convince some of the talk show people that it’s an uplifting, warm, funny, and, I hope, inspiring book and not just a tearjerker, I think that it can be a great success and perhaps a help for a good many people.”

I asked him if there was going to be a follow up book about how he and his daughter Maddie were doing now and Jim told me that he’s thought about the possibility of a follow-up book about life with Maddie, but that he wasn’t certain how he would frame that.

“There’s no driving story now, so it would have to have something solid to hold it up, a spine that would carry the weight of a book,” he says of why he doesn’t have any immediate plans for a follow-up book. “ It’s early, though, so I won’t say no to the possibility.  Of course, I have two other books, a novel and a biography of ’50s TV Superman George Reeves, that I’ve been working on a long time, long before “Life’s That Way,” that I need to wrap up, too.”

What has been ‘wrapped up’ for Jim Beaver is his part in the amazing roller coaster ride that has been Supernatural season 4, which is heading down the wire to the season finale with only two more episodes to go.

His character of Bobby Singer was first introduced to fans and viewers in the ‘Supernatural’ season one episode ‘Devil’s Trap’ and quickly became an integral part of the lives and history of Winchester brothers (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) and a beloved member of the ‘Supernatural Family’. Having his character on the series in this recurring role since the first season, I asked Jim what he thought has changed most about the character of Bobby Singer since that introduction?

“I don’t sense much actual change in Bobby’s character so much as I see that more has been revealed,” the actor tells us.  “We know a little more about him–most of it in drips and drabs, admittedly.  I suppose if there’s one real change it’s been in his relationship to the boys.  I think he feels for the first time in a very long time that he has something like a family with them.  I think he’d probably given up on that feeling long ago.”

In the third season episode ‘ Dream a Little Dream of Me’ we as viewers and fans along with Sam and Dean Winchester had an opportunity to learn just how Bobby Singer became a hunter and about his wife being possessed. Yet even with this revelation there has to be more to this highly intriguing character in the Supernatural universe so I asked Jim what he would like to see come to light about Bobby Singer. His answer was an echo of what so many fans and viewers have been wondering about as well.

“I’d like to know more about what Bobby was before he became a hunter, and how his wife came to be possessed.  Maybe a little more about his relationship with John and the boys way back.  Same stuff everybody wants to know, I guess.”

Jim Beaver has been pretty impressed with the new direction that season four has taken the show into and he tell us that he thinks the season four turns have all been very sound dramatically.   “Drama is about giving characters goals and then throwing obstacles at them.  Eric and his troupe of writers have done that wonderfully this season.  I like that they’ve continued to tighten Bobby’s relationship with Sam and Dean, made more of the growing familial aspect.”

Having been a semi-regular part of ‘Supernatural’ playing a character that has been taken into the hearts of may fans along side of Sam and Dean Winchester; Jim has had a chance to be involved in other aspects related to the hit series including attending conventions to meet fans. “  I love the conventions.  I love meeting the fans; it is tremendously flattering and fun. No show I’ve ever been involved with has had conventions, so Supernatural is a first for me in that regard.”

Speaking of his convention going activities, Jim told us that he is trying to bring a special treat for Supernatural fans with him to the next several conventions he is lined up for. “I had a wonderful part in a hilarious comedy spoof of old dark house mysteries, called Dark and Stormy Night, which we shot a few months ago.

It’s having its L.A. premiere on Friday, May 29 at 7:30PM, The American Cinematheque, The Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028.  I’m hoping to bring a print of it to one or more of the conventions I’ve got scheduled in the next few months.”

Here’s to hoping he can make this happen for fans attending upcoming conventions because this sounds like a really cool project.

While Jim Beaver loves to meet the ‘Supernatural’ fans at conventions the one thing that he is not quite so sure about being a part of is the amount and varied types of merchandising that has come about with the popularity of ‘Supernatural’.

“It’s pretty weird finding oneself on a trading card.  Supernatural isn’t the first time that has happened.  I was on a card for Star Trek:  Enterprise because I was in the pilot–even though I never did another episode!  It’s fun, I guess.”

He tells us that while it is flattering to be part of the merchandising, he wishes he could have a little bit more say in the photos chosen for the ‘Supernatural’ trading cards.

“One card company used a TERRIBLE shot of me from that ‘Supernatural’ episode where I wore a suit and pretended to be a lawyer (the season 3 opener, ‘The Magnificent 7’).  I HATED that shot.  I’m not sure how I feel about people making money off my photo on a card if they haven’t checked with me, but basically it’s flattering, I guess.”

When he’s not being seen on ‘Supernatural’ as Bobby Singer, the versatile Jim Beaver can be seen in his incarnation of Sheriff Charlie Mills, in the CBS mini series, ‘Harper’s Island’ which airs on Saturday nights a 9 Pm EST.

‘Harpers Island’ is about a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island off the coast of Seattle for a destination wedding. This island is famous for a streak of unsolved murders from seven years ago. Although they’ve come to laugh and to love, what they don’t know is they’ve also come to die as a murderer claims victims, one by one, transforming the wedding week of fun and celebration into a terrifying struggle for survival.
‘Harper’s Island’ also stars ‘Supernatural’ alumni Katie Cassidy who played the first ‘meat suit for the demon Ruby who was introduced ‘Supernatural’s’ the third season and I asked Jim if it made things easy to be working on a new project with someone they were familiar with.

“It was nice to see Katie on the set the first day, since I didn’t really know anyone else besides the director, Jon Turteltaub,” he confirms then adds, “but it doesn’t take me long to get close to the people I work with, if they’re willing, so in a matter of days, they were ALL ‘familiar faces’.”

Jim Beaver’s character of Sheriff Charlie Mills, who is the man who killed John Wakefield, has only had a few scenes so far in the first several episodes of ‘Harper’s Island and I asked Jim if he could, without giving too much away, let us know if it was safe to say that he will play a larger, more pivotal role in upcoming episodes?

“Charlie Mills will become MUCH more active and present in future episodes, especially after episode four,” Beaver says without giving too much away.  “By that time, it will be clear to everyone that something horrible is ongoing on the island, and the sheriff will be a vital part of the story, particularly as regards to his relationship with his daughter Abby.”

So what else will we be seeing Jim Beaver in besides the final episodes of ‘Supernatural’ season 4 and ‘Harper’s island’?

“Other than that, I’ve got nothin’!  When Supernatural wrapped for the season, I devoted myself to my book’s promotional activities and haven’t had time to shoot anything.  With luck, though, there’ll be something soon. There always is, it seems.  I’ve always been lucky that way.”

And we are all lucky to have Jim Beaver as a part of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Harper’s Island’ and look forward to seeing his talent in many other future projects as well.

‘Supernatural’, which stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean Winchester, airs it last two first run episodes of season four on the CW Network at 9 PM EST starting with ‘When the Levee Breaks’ which airs on May 7th and the season finale tentatively titled ‘Lucifer Rising’ airing on May 14th.