‘Flash Gordon’s’ Sam Jones Explains His Resurrection In Hit Film ‘Ted’

For those of you who were born in the 70s, the fun television series Flash Gordon, is a show that is revered with memories of catch phrases and campy 80s action sequences. It has been over two decades since anyone has seen its star Sam Jones, who starred as Flash Gordon. However, that all changed when the he-man-esque 62-year-old appeared at the center of the runaway hit comedy Ted.

While Ted, the fast-talking, wise-cracking, crude, teddy bear simply owned the film, and out-acted Mark Wahlberg, Jones was another highlight. Jones stole a scene in a pretty epic Flash Gordon-y action sequence during Ted’s house party. What followed was the reintroduction of Jones into people’s lives, and for some, the introduction to that annoyingly-catchy Flash Gordon theme song that played throughout Seth MacFarlane’s Ted.

So how exactly did Sam Jones find himself on the set of a raunchy comedy, especially when he had long retired? Well, according to Jones, who sat down with The Huffington Post, MacFarlane gave him a ring. “He called me and told me that he was a big fan. When he saw Flash Gordon, he was very young and it inspired him to do what he’s doing now. And he wanted to know if I wanted to come on board on his film. I said, “Well, let’s talk.” So I went to L.A. and met with him, and there it is! Ted.”

Jones elaborated on playing that particular wild party scene, that shows the lead characters doing drugs, and Jones tearing a hole into a wall:

“You know, it was fun. It was challenging to figure out, “OK, what are we doing, Seth? You’ve hired me to play myself and the way it’s written, it’s not really the true me. So we can do a spoof or a parody or do pieces.” But Seth is very creative and it worked very well. And I told him, “Flash Gordon” has a following with a lot of young children. So, there are certain things he can’t do and some things he cannot say because that would confuse the children. So, he understood that.”

Do you think Sam Jones should resurrect the character of Flash Gordon for a film of his own?