X-Files Extra! Agent Spender - Alive?!

[b&w photo of smiling Owens]

"I'm not dead!" were the first words spoken by CO of TXF television show.

CO, who was a guest star at the July Sci Fi Expo and Toy Show in Plano, TX, was referring to his FBI agent Jeffrey Spender character, who when last seen on TXF had been shot by his father, the CSM. Since that time, the young Agent Spender has not been seen on the show and has been presumed dead.

Anticipating that that would be the first question asked from the audience, CO beat them to the punch and disputed the character's death immediately after getting on the stage. Pleasant, easy-going, and friendly, the actor spent about forty-five minutes in a question and answer session at the convention. JS's death was just one of many subjects that CO discussed.

He thought that his character's death had a big dramatic impact on the story but also noted that there's no telling what can happen on the series. "The bottom line is that no one dies in The X Files," he said. "It is a big mystery show and even the actors don't know what's going on. I think Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz are the only ones who know what's going on."

As to what is going on for the seventh season of the show, CO didn't know anything definite because things were very hush-hush. But he has heard from Nicholas Lea (who plays AK on the series) that there may be an episode that focuses on Krycek's early life.

And if JS comes back, CO is hoping for a confrontation scene with the CSM. CO thinks that JS not only owes the CSM for shooting him but also for slapping him in the episode before. WBD, who plays the CSM, had trouble with the scene for fear of hurting CO.

"Davis kept saying 'I don't want to hit him. I don't want to hurt him.' The director said 'Hit him!'" CO recalled.

And when the scene was finally filmed CO said that WBD got in a really hard slap. Because of that and for shooting him, CO is hoping JS will get some payback. "If I'm still alive and I come back, I think revenge is in order," he said.

CO told several funny stories of working on TXF much to the amusement of the audience. One of the biggest laughgetters was his answer to the question of who is the biggest prankster on the set.

"The Lone Gunemen," he immediately replied. "You don't want to be alone in a room with the Lone Gunmen. One is okay, but two or more --!"

CO's acting career started in Toronto. He made a living by alternating between acting, waiting tables, and bartending. In recent years, the acting has taken up a lot more time. "I've managed to eke out a living and haven't had to be a waiter in a while. This past year has been a lot of fun," he said.

His work with TXF began when he tried out for a guest role as a doctor. CO didn't get that part but was later asked to try out for another role: the young CSM in the fourth season episode Musings of a CSM. CO did one tryout and was called back for a second.

"In the second tryout, I saw this surfer dude in the back who obviously had some pull. I described him to some friends and they said 'Oh, that's Chris Carter,'" CO said.

He won that part and did another guest starring role in the fifth season in which he played The Great Mutato in the episode "The Post Modern Prometheus." The part required him to wear a lot of facial makeup and prosthetics in order to appear as the misshapen man/monster.

"I spent seven hours the first day in makeup. Then I'm called to the set and the first thing that Chris Carter, who was directing the episode, said is 'Okay, we don't want to see his face,'" CO recalled.

Shortly after that episode, he was hired to play Agent Spender, a recurring character on the series. "I thought 'Oh great, I get to fight with Mulder every episode and lose,'" he said.

CO spoke highly of his working experiences with TXF and had high praise for everyone he worked with on the show. He said that getting hired was his best experience with TXF.

In addition to working on the show, he also watches it. His favorite episode in which he appeared is "The Post Modern Prometheus" and favorite without him is "Bad Blood." "I also liked David Duchovny's episode ['The Unnatural'] and loved the batting cage scene in that one," he said.

As to his future, CO is hoping to work on CC's new show Harsh Realm and is pursuing roles in independent films. "X-Files is a great calling card, so we'll see," CO said.