Courtesy photo / Sam Jones appeared as the titular hero in 1980’s “Flash Gordon.”

A mere mortal known as the “savior of the universe” will make an appearance in Altoona next week. Actually, the actor who played Flash Gordon in the 1980 movie of the same name is one of 10 celebrity guests appearing at this year’s ever-growing Sci-Fi Valley Con, in its sixth year.

Sam Jones, whose iconic film persona got a boost in the last five years with extended cameos in “Ted” and “Ted 2,” will join Bob Gunton, whose credits include “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the warden in “The Shawshank Redemption,” as headliners at the show.

Scheduled for June 9 to 11 at the Blair County Convention Center, Sci-Fi Valley Con is an annual fan convention that lures enthusiasts of a number of genres, comic books to science fiction, horror movies to games, almost anything pop culture, said founder and owner Casey Bassett.

The Johnstown resident had planned to devote more attention to workshops this year, and he will feature do-it-yourself kids’ projects, panel discussions on 3-D printing, costume making and other topics and more.

But his celebrity bookings also got a boost with a late confirmation from the Flash Gordon star.

“I was done booking guests when Sam Jones called me back and said he could squeeze me in,” bringing the total number of celebrities to 10 and boosting the panel’s prominence, Bassett said.

In a phone interview from his San Diego home, Jones told the Mirror that he enjoys traveling almost every weekend across the country to see his fans, 38 years after he beat out Kurt Russell and Arnold Schwarzenegger to get his most famous role. “Flash Gordon” came a year after his first film appearance in the 1979 romantic comedy film, “10,” which starred Dudley Moore and Bo Derek.

“The longevity of Flash Gordon has been quite unique,” said Jones, who went on to appear in 57 films and hundreds of television shows. “It became a cult classic. And, of course, the ‘Ted’ franchise rebooted it. I had a fan base that was my age, but (“Ted”) added this new age demographic, my children’s children. It’s been an absolute blessing.”

A former U.S. Marine, Jones supplements his acting career with “high-end security work” that has included running cross-border security operations into Mexico and “other high-risk environments around the world,” he said, declining to provide details.

“I still facilitate teams for someone who needs protections,” he said. “It’s been wonderful. My advice to anyone who wants to go to Hollywood: Get another skill set. Think, ‘What can I do to provide for me and my family,'” when the calls from Hollywood slow down or stop.

Other celebrities who will join Jones at the Sci-Fi Valley Con include Dameon Clarke, who played Handsome Jack from “Borderlands” and Cell from “Dragon Ball Z;” David Eddings, the voice for the robot Claptrap in “Borderlands;” Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander Harris in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer;” Tatyana Yassukovich, who was Barriss Offee in “Star Wars: Clone Wars;” Martin Klebba, who plays Marty in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise; and Donald Fullilove, Harry Waters Jr. and Jeffrey Weissman from the “Back to the Future” series.

For a fee, fans may get autographs and pictures taken with their favorite celebrities, and it’s a much more personal experience than at the big-city fan conventions, Bassett said.

“With our convention, since it’s in Central PA and smaller than the ones in Pittsburgh, it’s a more intimate experience, so people can go up and talk to the celebrities,” he said.

Non-human celebrities will include the “Jurassic Park” Jeep; the “Back to the Future” Delorean time machine; and, “Herbie the Love Bug” Volkswagen.

More than 300 vendors also will be there, including Jason Lenox, an illustrator from State College making his fifth appearance at Sci-Fi Valley Con.

“I was doing other conventions, but I like to do things locally if I can,” Lenox said. “It’s fun. I really enjoy the people. Blair County really gets out and supports the heck out of the show. Casey does a real good job of organizing everything.”

Lenox, whose day job is in sales for a wholesale distributor of heating and cooling systems, said he merged his love for drawing and cartoons into creating comic books. He has collaborated on five self-published projects, including “Lord of the Cosmos” last year, and he has an extensive print and poster library.

He will be interacting with fans and promoting his artwork at Sci-Fi in hopes of lining up freelance and commission work. He said he hopes to make more money than he spends.

“If I could just sit around and doodle all day, I’d do it in a heartbeat,” he said. “I can’t quit my day job; my wife would probably kill me. I’m still like a teenager that likes comics, but I play a 42-year-old adult during the week. I like to draw and I like to watch cartoons. … Some people like fishing and boating. I don’t like that at all.”

In addition to checking out vendors’ wares, attendees may visit one room that will be full of board games and another that will feature the nearly three-dozen retro video gaming systems, such as Atari, made since 1970. Or participate in a vendor auction, raffle or scavenger-hunt type “conquest” to benefit charities.

The convention also will have live entertainment and food.

Bassett said he charges about half the admission price that big-city shows charge to promote a higher turnout and the community has reciprocated, even with increasing competition from Pittsburgh shows.

“I’ve had tons and tons of support from local people,” he said.

Mirror Staff Writer Cherie Hicks is at 949-7030.

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If you go

What: Sci-Fi Valley Con

When: 2 to 9 p.m. June 9, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11

Where: Blair County Convention Center

Admission: Starts at $10 for child and $15 for adult for one-day pass

More info: www.scifivalleycon.com