With the conclusion of Smallville last week (did you see it?!), which hit all the right sweet spots for most Superman fans, I’m feeling nostalgic about the Man of Steel. Whose face do you see in your head when someone mentions Superman? Most people think of Christopher Reeve. An elder generation might see George Reeves. TV viewers probably think of Tom Welling. The youngest viewers might even think of Brandon Routh. But did you know there have been a total of eleven actors who have donned the cape and tights?
Ray Middleton
Middleton was a Broadway actor who was the first person to ever appear live, in costume and in character, as Superman. His “performance” was an unscripted appearance at the New York World’s Fair in 1940. He was hired to play Superman as part of a special “Superman Day” sponsored by Macy’s and Toyland, which included a variety of kid-friendly activities throughout the day. Middleton is best remembered for longrunning Broadway gigs in productions of South Pacific and Man of La Mancha.
Kirk Alyn
Most people think that George Reeves was the first actor to play Superman on any screen, but it was actually Kirk Alyn. Alyn, who’s chiseled features were a dead ringer for the character, portrayed the Man of Steel in a series of big-screen serials from 1948-1950. The woefully barely-remembered Alyn can be credited with introducing the idea of Clark Kent showing a different personality to that of his alter ego, as well as the S-shaped curl of hair on Superman’s forehead. Alyn was so respected and beloved in the role, he was offered the part in the famous 1951 Adventures of Superman TV series. Only when Alyn turned it down was George Reeves offered the role.
George Reeves
Between 1951 and 1958, Reeves played Superman in 102 episodes of The Adventures of Superman. A big screen actor with noted potential and industry respect, Reeves was reluctant to do TV at first, but eventually accepted the role. The debate over the circumstances that caused his death — some argue his despondency at being typecast as a superhero led to suicide, while others believe it to be the work of a spurned lover — continues to this day, even being commemorated in a modern day film called Hollywoodland, starring Ben Affleck as Reeves.
Bob Holiday
After Adventures‘ end and the death of Reeves, it would be almost ten years before Superman was seen again. This time he skipped the screen altogether and starred in a Broadway musical called It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman. In the title role was Bob Holiday, who relished the role far more than his predecessor did. He easily bested Reeves’ record for appearances as the character, with 129 performances of the musical. Just don’t mention the hokey songs or choreography to comic book fans. [Image source.]
David Wilson
A 1975 TV movie was made using the It’s a Bird… musical as its source material. Actor David Wilson made his one and only appearance as the Man of Steel in this 2-hour telefilm, which used the same music but updated dialogue. By all accounts, this was the embarrassing “Star Wars Christmas Special” of Superman’s career. [Image source.]
Christopher Reeve
In 1978, audiences believed a man could fly when Richard Donner cast unknown actor Christopher Reeve as Superman for his big-budget blockbuster. Reeve was cast based on his acting ability, then exercised relentlessly to bulk up for the role — a process many modern actors have emulated for all sorts of heroic parts. His take on both Clark Kent and Superman is still considered the most iconic and classic spin on the character, and most fans still consider Superman II to be the best Superman movie ever made. But on the flip side, his third and fourth movies are reviled for their horrid writing. Reeve tragically became a quadriplegic after a horse-riding accident in 1995, and died in 2004 from heart attack.
John Newton
After Reeve gave up the cape in 1987, the film series’ producers dreamed up a new small-screen adventure for not Superman, but Clark Kent in his college years. This Superboy’s setting was the biggest departure of any live-action incarnation, since he was based out of Florida (where the series was shot). John Newton starred in the first season of The Adventures of Superboy, but was fired after a DUI arrest solidified the producers’ feelings that Newton wasn’t right for the role. [Image source.]
Gerard Christopher
Christopher took over the Superboy role from Newton, and held onto it for three additional seasons. His positive reception allowed him to go on to write and produce for the show. He wore the cape for a total of 72 episodes, and very nearly won the part in ABC’s Lois & Clark. [Image source.]
Dean Cain
One year after Superboy left the airwaves, ABC kicked off Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in 1993. The show capitalized on the chemistry between its two lead actors — Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher — to create a more grounded, rom-com type show. Eventually the series evolved into a more traditional depiction of the Superman mythos over the years, but eventually fizzled out after Lois and Clark got married. The so-called “Moonlighting curse” struck again.
Tom Welling
Smallville was a bold reimagining of Clark Kent’s teenage years for the small screen that strictly held to a “no flights, no tights” policy. Star Tom Welling spent more time on screen as the character than any other actor, in a total of 217 episodes. Which is ironic, considering that (SPOILER ALERT) he’s the only one to never wear Superman’s red and blue costume. (The finale showed a CGI Supes with Welling’s head attached.) The show was often hokey with its emotions, yet its high production values and clever writing made it impossibly hard to turn away from.
Brandon Routh
Superman Returns seemed like a good concept on paper, but the execution was somehow lacking. Bryan Singer’s love letter to Richard Donner’s two films pretended that the third and fourth movies never happened. But its slow, reverential pace needed more adrenaline, and turning Superman into an absentee dad was not Hollywood’s bestest idea ever. (If you value your life, never mention the teeny-weeny “S” shield on Routh’s costume in a geek’s presence.) The movie wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t great. Brandon Routh’s time in the role was cut short, and I would’ve liked to have seen what he could do if given better material. Fun fact: when Superman Returns hit theaters in 2006, Brandon Routh was 27-years old; Tom Welling is two years Routh’s senior, though in 2006 (when Welling was 29) he was playing Clark Kent as an 18-year-old high school senior!
Now that Smallville is over, and Bryan Singer will make no more Superman movies, the torch has been passed to director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception), and actor Henry Cavill, who will become the first British national ever to play the Man of Steel. Their take on the mythos is to abandon all existing continuity (unlike Singer’s film), and craft a modern reboot for Superman. Here’s hoping they give us a Superman for the ages.
The Almost-Supermen
I can’t end this without pointing out two people who very nearly took their place alongside the pantheon of actors to portray Clark Kent/Superman. For better or for worse, here’s a glimpse at what — and who — might have been.
Johnny Rockwell
Three years after George Reeves’ passing, another TV show came thisclose to happening. Actor Johnny Rockwell was cast in 1961 and starred in a pilot for The Adventures of Superboy, and things looked so promising that twelve further scripts were written in preparation of the series pickup. But even though the pilot was thought to be very good, the pickup never came (likely because of high production costs), and the project was abandoned.
Nicolas Cage
If you know anything about Superman movies at all, you may already know that almost 20 years passed between Christopher Reeve’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and Brandon Routh’s Superman Returns. Standing between Kal-El and the big screen was a winding road of legal battles, a revolving door of writers and directors, and the ever-difficult task of casting the Man of Steel. Somewhere in there, Tim Burton was set to give Superman a gothic makeover. His proposed film, titled Superman Lives, was said to draw inspiration from the “Death of Superman” storyline from the comics, focusing on a Superman who’s reborn without his powers after being killed by Doomsday. Supposedly, in Burton’s film, Clark uses (Kryptonian?) technology to emulate his powers until he’s able to get them back for real. Burton’s choice for the lead role? Nicolas Cage. The photos above show some costume tests performed during preproduction. I love Burton as much as the next guy, but one look at those pics is enough to see what a disaster this would have been.
TALES of JUSTICE:
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