Many Faces
The Many Faces of Superman (October 2016 Update)
With Superman coming to Supergirl in the form of Tyler Hoechlin, Russ Dimino again looks at the many actors to play the Man of Steel.
Faster then a speeding bullet? Check. More powerful than a locomotive? Certainly. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? With ease. But besides heat vision, x-ray vision, and super hearing, there is another power Superman has which doesn’t often get the credit it deserves. In a pop culture where fads come and go and the mainstream is constantly changing, the Man of Steel has managed to stay both popular and relevant 75 years after his creation. Not bad for a guy who wears a cape!
Superman was the creation of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. He first appeared in Action Comics #1 in June of 1938. The issue cost 10 cents on the newsstand when it came out. Today, a copy in mint condition would command hundreds of thousands of dollars. Superman was a hit, and his own comic book series soon followed. 
Today, even though a reboot with a new #1 in 2011 meant the series didn’t appear to go for 900+ issues anymore, Action Comics is still going strong with Superman as its star, and he appears in many other DC Comics titles on a regular basis.
The character of Superman was first brought to life by Bud Collyer, not on television but on the radio, when the Man of Steel got his own radio show in 1940. Since the audience couldn’t see him, Bud made the distinction between Clark Kent and Superman by varying the tone and pitch of his voice, using a much lower and deeper voice for Superman.
The first time that audiences would thrill to their hero’s adventures on the big screen would come in animated form when a series of shorts by the Fleischer brothers came to theaters in 1941. These Oscar-nominated cartoons used an animation technique called rotoscoping, which involved tracing over the movements of a live actor to achieve a very realistic quality. Fans would find the voice of this first animated Superman quite familiar, as Bud Collyer continued to play the part here as well.
The first actor to don the tights and play a live-action Superman on screen was Kirk Alyn, who played the title character in two multi-part movie serials, “Superman” in 1948 and “Atom Man vs. Superman” in 1950. The special effects of the day were still very limited, so any time Superman needed to fly, an animated version of the character would sub in for Alyn! Thirty years after his debut, Kirk made a cameo appearance in the 1978 “Superman” film, playing the father of a young Lois Lane.
In 1951 Superman appeared again, this time in the form of actor George Reeves, in “Superman and The Mole Men.” The film’s success led to a weekly TV series, “The Adventures of Superman,” with Reeves continuing the title role. After two seasons, the show made the transition from black and white to color, making Reeves the first actor to appear to fans in the classic red and blue instead of simply shades of gray! Reeves also made a notable in-costume guest appearance on “I Love Lucy” in 1957. Tragically, Reeves died in 1959 after apparently committing suicide, though some believe he was murdered. The life and mysterious death of George Reeves is explored in the 2006 film, “Hollywoodland,” starring Ben Affleck as George Reeves. Even though Affleck technically plays Reeves and not Superman, we do get to see the former “Daredevil” star in the Superman suit at several points in the movie. This would not be the last time that Mr. Affleck would portray a superhero on screen… but more on that in a moment!
The next attempt at a television outing would have delved into the early years of our hero, “The Adventures of Superboy”. A pilot episode was filmed, but a series never followed. The 1961 pilot starred John Rockwell as Clark Kent/Superboy, and featured a costume very similar to the George Reeves version. The formerly unreleased pilot was recently made available for fans to see as part of the “Smallville” complete series DVD collection.
Superman got animated again starting in 1966, in “The New Adventures of Superman.” The series would later pair Superman with other costumed crimefighters when it evolved into “The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure” in 1967, and “The Superman/Batman Hour” in 1968. All throughout these incarnations, Bud Collyer returned to provide Superman’s voice, earning him an impressive 28 year career voicing the Man of Steel! These shows would occasionally feature segments involving Superboy, with Bob Hastings providing the voice. Fans of animated superhero tales would later come to know Hastings as the voice of Commissioner Gordon on “Batman: The Animated Series” in the 1990s!
Superman flew from screen to stage in 1966, with the Broadway musical “It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s Superman”! The stage version starred Bob Holiday in the title role, while a TV special adaptation in 1975 starred David Wilson. The special had a campy tone in the style of the 1960s “Batman” TV series, complete with “Bam!”, “Biff!” and “Pow!” type effects during the fight scenes.
From 1977 to 1986, the heroes of the DC Comics Justice League came to the airwaves in the form of the “Super Friends” cartoons. The various seasons of the show, under the names “The All New Super Friends Hour,” “The Challenge of the Super Friends,” and “Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show” combined the likes of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and others against a host of their enemies. Voice actor Danny Dark provided the voice of Superman throughout all these incarnations of the show.
In 1978, Superman would finally make his triumphant return to the silver screen in “Superman: The Movie,” the film that made audiences believe a man could fly. Christopher Reeve stepped into the costume and brought Superman to life for a whole new generation of fans. Reeve was far from the only actor considered for the role, however. Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Charles Bronson and even Arnold Schwarzenegger were among the many actors who either tested or were considered for the part. Director Richard Donner felt that the role should go to an unknown actor, and Reeve, who had previously appeared in only one film and a soap opera, seemed born to play Superman. Surprisingly, Reeve doesn’t actually appear until almost an hour into the film. The part of the young Clark Kent in Smallville is played by Jeff East, although it’s actually Christopher Reeve’s voice dubbed in speaking the lines.
Christopher Reeve would go on to reprise the role of Superman for three more films: “Superman II” in 1980, “Superman III” in 1983, and “Superman IV: The Quest For Peace” in 1987.
In May of 1995 Reeve suffered a tragic accident when he fell off a horse and was paralyzed from the neck down. In the years that followed, he gave the world a whole new definition of the word superhero with his tireless crusade to walk again, instilling hope in millions of people once more. During this time he continued to act and direct, appearing in a remake of the film “Rear Window,” and in two landmark episodes of “Smallville” as Dr. Virgil Swann. Reeve passed away in 2004, but his legacy lives on in the eyes of fans everywhere who will always see him as a true superhero.
A short-lived but popular Superman cartoon by Ruby Spears was the next animated version of the character, in 1988. Here, Superman was voiced by Beau Weaver. Weaver would later voice Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four in several Marvel cartoons in the 1990s.
Multiple actors got to don the tights and cape when the stories of a young Superman came to the small screen, also in 1988! The live-action “Superboy” TV show initially starred John Haymes Newton in the title role. However, due to a falling-out with the show’s producers, he was replaced after the first season. Gerard Christopher assumed the role starting in season two, and carried it until the end of the show’s run in 1992. In an issue of Wizard magazine, John Haymes Newton expressed regret that he played the part with such an “anti-Chris Reeve” attitude, deliberately trying to make Clark seem “not-nerdy.” 
When Gerard Christopher took over the part, he brought more of the familiar bumbling shyness to the superhero’s secret identity. Newton has since appeared on “Desperate Housewives,” alongside former Lois Lane Teri Hatcher.
A special two-part episode in the third season of “Superboy,” titled “The Road To Hell,” featured two more actors playing the part. Joel Carlson played an alternate reality version of Superboy, and Ron Ely played an adult Superman, giving Superboy a possible glimpse into his future. Ely was no stranger to playing superhero types, having previously played both Doc Savage and Tarzan!
Gerard Christopher almost had another chance to step into the blue and red tights, when he auditioned for “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.” As he explained to Wizard magazine at one time, the producers were all set to hire him, not realizing he had previously starred in “Superboy.” Once they discovered that he had “done this already,” they turned him down!
The actor who finally landed the role of Clark on “L&C” was Dean Cain, a former football player for the Buffalo Bills whose previous acting credits included “Beverly Hills 90210” and “A Different World.” The series put the focus more on Clark Kent than his heroic alter-ego. As Clark says in the episode “Tempus Fugitive,” “Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am.” The series debuted in 1993 and ran for four seasons. During that time, Dean also wrote two episodes of the series, “Season’s Greedings” and “Virtually Destroyed,” both of which were fan favorites. Years later Dean would make a guest appearance on “Smallville” as Dr. Curtis Knox, a villain who seemed to owe something of his origin to DC Comics villain Vandal Savage. Even more recently, Dean has appreared in several episodes of the CBS “Supergirl” TV series, playing Kara Zor-El’s adoptive father Jeremiah Danvers. Since it was revealed that Jeremiah may still be alive, chances are good we will see him again.
In 1996, the creators of the popular “Batman: The Animated Series” set their sights on DC’s big blue boyscout, and launched “Superman: The Animated Series.” The series had a visual style reminiscent of the Fleischer cartoons, and their take on Clark Kent was similar to the George Reeves version. Tim Daly, of “Wings” fame, provided Superman’s voice. Daly has reprised the role many times since then for animated Superman films and video games. Actor Jason Marsden supplied the voice for a younger Clark Kent in Smallville in the pilot episode, as well as the time-travel episode “New Kids in Town.” Marsden appeared on many sitcoms in the 1990s, including “Boy Meets World,” “Step by Step,” and “Full House.”
In 2000, Superman appeared in a two-part episode of “Batman Beyond,” a spin-off from “Batman: The Animated Series” set 50 years in the future. The producers wanted Superman to have an older, more mature sounding voice, and turned to actor Christopher McDonald. Dedicated fans caught the significance of the casting, as McDonald had voiced Jor-El in the pilot episode of “Superman: The Animated Series.”
In 2001, Batman and Superman rejoined some of those super friends of theirs for Cartoon Network’s “Justice League,” which once again banded together Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and more. Tim Daly was unable to reprise the Superman role as he was starring as Dr. Richard Kimble in the “Fugitive” TV series. George Newbern stepped in as Superman, having previously appeared in “Father of the Bride Part II,” and episodes of “Friends.” Newbern continued the role when the series evolved into “Justice League Unlimited,” a spin-off that saw dozens of new heroes joining up with the League.
Also in 2001, the story of Superman’s youth was revisited when “Smallville” flew to the WB network (which later became the CW). Tom Welling played the part of a young Clark Kent growing up in rural Kansas, coming to terms with his evolving powers and the destiny that lay before him. Setting Welling apart from the other live-action stars was the show’s “no flights, no tights” rule, which meant that fans didn’t get to see the series star in the spandex and cape. Over the course of the series Welling also got to play Bizarro, a young Jor-El (in a flashback episode), and Clark Luthor (an alternate reality version of Clark who was raised by Lex’s father). Malkolm Alburqueneque played a young Clark in the pilot episode and in the episode “Lineage.” 
Another, uncredited child actor played a young Clark in “Vengeance.” Jackson Warris played Clark in a flashback scene in the episode “Abyss.” Tom Welling has appeared in feature films including “The Fog” and two “Cheaper by the Dozen” movies. He also directed several episodes in the later seasons of “Smallville.”
In 2004, comedian Jerry Seinfeld appeared in a series of American Express commercials alongside an animated incarnation of Superman. Superman’s voice was provided by Patrick Warburton, who had previously played David Puddy on “Seinfeld.” Warburton also played another superhero, The Tick, on the live-action Fox television series, “The Tick.” He currently voices Joe Swanson on “Family Guy.”
For a long road stretching back almost through to 1987’s “Superman IV: The Quest For Peace”, Warner Brothers sought to bring Superman back to the big screen. The franchise passed through the hands of writers like Kevin Smith and J.J. Abrams, directors like Tim Burton, McG and Brett Ratner, and stars including Nicholas Cage, Brendan Fraser, Josh Hartnett, Ashton Kutcher, Jared Padalecki, and even Jim Caviezel of “The Passion of the Christ” and “Person Of Interest” fame. Some names were only mentioned as hopefuls but never went into negotiations. Others, like Nicholas Cage, were practically ready to step in front of the camera (photos of Cage in a prototype suit recently surfaced online, and they’re not pretty). But for various reasons, be it a weak script, an astronomical budget, or just bad timing, Warner Brothers could not seem to get a new Superman movie to take flight.
Finally, the chance to direct the next Superman film was given to Bryan Singer, director of “The Usual Suspects” and two “X-Men” films. Like Richard Donner before him, Singer insisted that the title role should go to an unknown actor. Brandon Routh, a former soap opera star like Christopher Reeve, landed the leading role in Singer’s 2006 “Superman Returns.” The film followed the Reeve films closely in tone, style, and storyline, with much of the backstory of “Returns” borrowing heavily on what was established in the previous films. As such, Routh’s performance echoed Reeve’s closely, with an almost startling similarity at times. At the Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con in 2013, Routh said that the only thing he consciously borrowed from Reeve was the way he pushed his glasses up when he was playing Clark Kent, but that he was certainly influenced by Reeve’s performance as he was the Superman that Routh grew up with. Also appearing in “Superman Returns” was young actor Stephan Bender, who played a 15 year old Clark Kent in a flashback sequence.
A sequel to “Superman Returns” was discussed, but fell apart early in the planning stages. Bryan Singer has stated that the sequel would have seen Superman fighting Brainiac. Although Brandon Routh did not get the chance to don Superman’s cape for a second outing, he currently portrays another DC superhero on TV; he can be regularly seen as Dr. Ray Palmer, a.k.a. The Atom, on “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.” He has also played that character on episodes of “Arrow” and “The Flash.”
In the fall of 2006, a new animated series called “Legion of Super-Heroes” premiered on the CW network. The series featured a young Superman, just starting out in his role as a superhero, being transported into the 31st century. There, he hones and refines his powers while teaming up with such colorful characters as Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, and Cosmic Boy. When the show returned for a second season, Superman returned again to the 31st century, this time with a few years of experience under his belt. Superman was voiced here by Yuri Lowenthal.
In 2007, Superman made a guest appearance alongside the Dark Knight in a two-part episode of the animated series “The Batman.” George Newbern once again gave voice to Superman here. The series had several other super-connections, with Brandon Routh (“Superman Returns”) and Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan on “Smallville”) providing guest voices in a couple of episodes.
Warner Brothers and DC Comics released a series of direct-to-DVD animated movies beginning in 2007 with “Superman: Doomsday,” a loose adaptation of the “Death of Superman” storyline from the 1990s comics. Adam Baldwin provided the voice of Superman in the film. Later installments in the animated DVD series included “Justice League: The New Frontier,” based on the mini-series by writer/artist Darwyn Cooke, with Kyle MacLachlan voicing Superman; “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths,” based on Grant Morrison’s “JLA: Earth 2,” featuring Mark Harmon as Superman; an adaptation of Morrison’s “All-Star Superman,” with James Denton as Superman; and “Superman: Unbound,” based on a story by Geoff Johns, which saw Matt Bomer in the title role. Tim Daly voiced Superman again in “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies,” “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse,” and “Justice League: Doom.” George Newbern reprised the role for “Superman vs. The Elite,” as well as a short called “Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam” which was included as part of the “DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection” DVD. Superman also appeared in the animated adaptation of “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,” voiced by Mark Valley. “Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox,” introduced Tim Daly’s son, Sam Daly, as the voice of Kal-El in that outing. “Justice League: War,” which adapts the first Justice League storyline from DC’s “New 52” line-wide relaunch, featured Alan Tudyk as Superman, while “Justice League: Throne of Atlantis” and “Justice League vs. Teen Titans” saw Jerry O’Connell lend his voice to the Man of Steel. Finally, “Justice League: Gods and Monsters” had Benjamin Bratt voicing Superman.
In 2008, Batman received the animated TV treatment yet again in the series “Batman: The Brave And The Bold,” a series that showcased the titular hero regularly teaming up with various heroes from across the DC Universe. Superman appeared in a handful of episodes. He was voiced this time by Roger Rose, whose voiceover work is frequently heard in network promos, documentaries, and announcing award shows.
In 2010 a new animated series called “Young Justice” premiered on Cartoon Network. The series focused on a team of teenage superheroes that included Superboy, Aqualad, Nightwing, Kid Flash, and Red Arrow/Speedy among others. In this incarnation Superboy was a clone of the adult Superman, much like the version in the modern Superman comics. Actor Nolan North lent his voice to both the teenage Superboy and the adult Superman on this series. North has also provided voices for “Wolverine and the X-Men,” “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” and “Transformers: Prime,” among many other shows.
After Superman left the big screen in 2006, the superhero presence at the movies continued to grow. Summer after summer, the cinema was dominated by dark knights, spider-men, mutants, super soldiers, and iron-clad avengers. It seemed only fitting that Superman would eventually find his way back to the movies.
“Man Of Steel,” the first Superman movie not to actually include the character’s name in the title (much like “Dark Knight” and “Dark Knight Rises” did not include the name “Batman”), was released in June of 2013. Henry Cavill, known for his role as Charles Brandon on the TV series “The Tudors,” stepped into the cape and tights to bring Superman to life. The movie was directed by Zack Snyder, who previously directed two other comic-book-to-film adaptations: “300” and “Watchmen.” The film gave audiences Superman in action in a much bigger way than ever before, most likely in direct response to criticism that “Superman Returns” did not see Superman throw a single punch. This very fact seemed to divide audiences, however. While some fans saw a revamped hero who felt right at home in the modern era of big-blockbuster action movies, others felt that the darker, bleaker tone of this incarnation was a bit too grim for a Superman movie. Still, it was hard to deny that Cavill fit the part, bringing a quiet confidence to the role.
In 2014, several DC heroes, including Superman, appeared in “The Lego Movie.” The Lego incarnation of Superman was voiced by Channing Tatum, who is slated to play the X-Men character Gambit in an upcoming film. Tatum’s wife, Jenna Dewan Tatum, currently plays Lois Lane’s sister Lucy on “Supergirl.” Superman has also appeared in Lego-form in the direct-to-video “Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite,” voiced by Travis Willingham.
Superman would next be seen (sort of!) on the CBS “Supergirl” TV series in 2015. From some of the same creators as the popular “Flash” and “Arrow” TV shows on the CW, “Supergirl” brought the adventures of the big blue boy scout’s cousin to network television. Throughout the first season, Superman’s presence was definitely felt, although he was only seen in quick glimpses or silhouette. 
(Though he is uncredited, IMDb lists actor Kevin Caliber as playing the part.) And, while a young Kal-El did appear in a dreamworld sequence in the episode “For The Girl Who Has Everything” (played by Daniel DiMaggio), the adult Clark Kent tended to communicate with his cousin Kara via texts and instant messages rather than flying over to National City to pay her a visit. This status quo is about to change for the show’s second season… but more on that in a moment!
In March of 2016, Henry Cavill’s Superman flew back to the movie screen, and this time he was not alone. Although Batman and Superman had crossed paths many times in the comics as well as animated movies and TV shows, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” marked the first time they were portrayed together in live action. Director Zack Snyder returned to helm “the greatest gladiator match in the history of the world,” as Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor so enthusiastically proclaimed. Ben Affleck played Batman/Bruce Wayne, making him the only actor to have played both Superman (well, George-Reeves-playing-Superman if you want to get picky, in the aforementioned “Hollywoodland”) and Batman on the big screen. Although the movie certainly delivered in terms of action and large scale fight scenes, the fans who felt “Man of Steel” was too dark and depressing would find more of the same in this outing. “BvS” will serve as a lead-in to a larger DC cinematic universe, building towards “Justice League: Part One” in 2017 and “Justice League: Part Two” in 2019.
In October of 2016, Superman will once again fight alongside his fellow superheroes from the Justice League in animated form, when “Justice League Action” debuts on Cartoon Network. Each 11-minute episode will deliver plenty of action (as the name would imply), and feature an artistic style that evokes Darwyn Cooke’s “New Frontier” comics. Superman’s voice in this series will be supplied by Jason J. Lewis.
The “Supergirl” series is in for some changes when its second season premieres on October 10th, 2016. For one thing, the series is moving from CBS to the CW, where the potential to crossover with its sibling series “Arrow,” “Flash,” and “Legends of Tomorrow” can only increase, though producers recently stated those universes will not be merging at this time. Secondly, Kara’s famous cousin is ready to step out from the shadows and make his first official full-fledged appearance when Superman and Supergirl team up in the premiere episode, titled “The Adventures of Supergirl.” Tyler Hoechlin is the latest actor to don the tights and cape and bring Superman to life. Hoechlin is most likely best known to viewers for playing Derek Hale on the 2011 “Teen Wolf” MTV television series. And, while Hoechlin is only confirmed to appear in the first two episodes of the season, it seems likely that future guest appearances will follow.
In a world where the public’s tastes are constantly changing, Superman has proven to truly possess powers far beyond those of mortal men. From a ten cent comic book in 1938 to today’s blockbuster movies and hit TV shows, more than a dozen actors have given life to this iconic character, inspiring generations of children to wear a towel on their back like a cape and pretend that they’re faster than a speeding bullet, instilling hope in people who need an ideal to look up to, and giving the world a hero in times of need. During the nearly eight decades since Superman’s creation, there has never been a span of more than a few years without the character appearing in a TV series, a cartoon, or a film. Even in the times when Superman is absent from the media, his fans still sport his S-shield on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and tattoos. His logo is seen in countries all over the world, places where English is not even spoken. He is more than a pop culture phenomenon. He is Superman, and he is truly a Man of Steel. It is safe to say he will inspire us to look up in the sky for years to come.
You can find Russ Dimino’s classic Many Faces columns from KryptonSite here. Hopefully he’ll do some more updates!
Lois & Clark
The Many Faces Of… Super-Finales!
As the series finale of Supergirl approaches, Russ Dimino looks back at Super-finales of the past, including Smallville, Superboy, Lois & Clark and more
As Supergirl prepares to take her final bow tonight (November 9), we thought we would take this opportunity to look back at some other super finales from years past. Here is a look at how five shows starring Kara’s “more famous cousin” (as Barry Allen once called him) each wrapped up their run.
EDITOR’S NOTE: As there were many shows starring Super-people, this list is curated to big highlights and milestones, narrowed down to a Top 5. So, trust – nothing is “forgotten;” just only so much space!
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THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
SERIES SUMMARY: The live-action heroics of Superman hit the small screen for the first time as George Reeves brought the character to life in black and white, alongside Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen, and John Hamilton as Perry White. Starting with the second season, Noel Neill took over the role of Lois Lane. (She had previously played Lois alongside Kirk Alyn’s Superman in the serials of the late 1940s.) Later seasons were broadcast in color. Lex Luthor and the rest of Superman’s comic book rogues gallery were notably absent from this series, instead mostly pitting the Man of Steel against gangsters and mad scientists.
WHEN IT AIRED: 1952 – 1958
SERIES FINALE: “All That Glitters,” April 28th, 1958
HOW IT ENDED: Professor Pepperwinkle has invented a machine that creates gold, making him a target for some crooks who want to steal his device. While investigating the professor’s invention, Lois and Jimmy are exposed to “Positive Kryptonite,” which gives them the same powers as Superman! This actually turns out to be a dream that Jimmy is having after getting hit on the head. Superman shows up in the last few minutes to defeat the crooks, and the professor agrees never to use his invention again. (It turns out it requires platinum to operate, which meant he was losing money in creating the gold.)
SATISFYING ENDING?: Not at all. This is a fun episode, but it’s pretty obvious this was not intended to be a series finale. Superman only appears in about three minutes of it, and the fact that most of it is just Jimmy’s dream is a bit odd. Still, it’s amusing to see Lois and Jimmy flying around like Superman usually would!
FUN FACT: This episode was directed by George Reeves, which may explain why he doesn’t have much screen time in the episode.
WHERE TO WATCH: All six seasons of “The Adventures of Superman” are available on DVD, and they are available for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.
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SUPERBOY
SERIES SUMMARY: The adventures of Superman when he was a boy! “Superboy” got off to a rocky start with John Haymes Newton in the title role, a low budget, and some lackluster storylines in season one. Season two introduced a new leading man; Gerard Christopher took over the role of Clark Kent/Superboy. The later seasons of the show were particularly strong and featured scripts by comic book writers like Denny O’Neil, J.M. DeMatteis, Cary Bates, Mike Carlin, and Mark Evanier. Stacy Haiduk played Lana Lang for all four seasons of the show. The series also featured pretty faithful renditions of Superman villains like Metallo, Bizarro, and Mr. Mxyzptlk in live action for the first time.
WHEN IT AIRED: 1988 – 1992
SERIES FINALE: “Rites of Passage,” part 1 and 2, May 10th and May 17th, 1992
HOW IT ENDED: A message from Superboy’s spaceship is activated, letting him know he is ready for the next stage of his development. However, a crystal that was supposed to come with the ship is missing, and as a defensive measure Clark is stripped of his powers. Now, powerless, he must try to find the crystal and get his powers back – but he’s not the only one looking for it. Lana Lang, Matt Ritter, and C. Dennis Jackson from the Bureau of Extra-Normal Matters are all in Smallville looking for it as well, and Lana is closer than ever to figuring out that Clark and Superboy are one and the same. In the end, Clark finds the crystal first and restores his powers just in time to cast some doubt on his secret identity once more.
SATISFYING ENDING?: It’s not bad. The show stops just short of saying that Superboy has now become Superman with this “next stage of development.” It seems to be what they are implying, but it would have been better if they’d come right out and said that. Also, Lana comes very close to figuring out the secret only to have it be pulled out from under her once again. For the series finale, it would have been more satisfying if she finally got to learn the truth.
FUN FACT: The original plan was for the series to end with “Obituary for a Superhero,” killing off Superboy to be revived later in a spin-off movie. When it became clear that a movie would not be in the cards, “Obituary for a Superhero” was given a different ending with Superboy surviving and this new finale was written instead.
WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons of “Superboy” are available on DVD, and they are available for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
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LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
SERIES SUMMARY: This show put the investigative reporting and will-they-or-won’t-they romantic escapades of the titular duo at the forefront, with superheroics generally taking a back seat. Dean Cain’s portrayal reflected the comic books of the time, taking a “Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am” approach to the character. Teri Hatcher was a feisty and independent 90s woman as Lois Lane. The “love triangle with two people” concept lasted for a couple of seasons before finally letting Lois in on the secret in season three. Lois and Clark tied the knot in season four, in an event timed to coincide with their wedding in the comics.
WHEN IT AIRED: 1993 – 1997
SERIES FINALE: “The Family Hour,” June 14th, 1997
HOW IT ENDED: Lois and Clark are disappointed by the news that they are not able to have children. They ask Lois’s father, Dr. Sam Lane, for help – which involves them revealing to him that Clark is Superman. Unfortunately, a telekinetic villain known as Fat Head (Harry Anderson) has learned Superman’s secret identity as well, and he kidnaps Jonathan and Martha Kent and Sam and Ellen Lane to ensure that Superman won’t stop him from stealing millions of dollars in gold. Ultimately Fat Head is tricked into using a device which removes his powers and his knowledge of Superman’s identity, and also somehow Sam Lane’s knowledge of Superman’s identity as well. A cliffhanger ending has Lois and Clark finding a baby on their doorstep wrapped in a Superman blanket, with a note saying that the child belongs to them.
SATISFYING ENDING?: Not even close. Fat Head is one of the weirdest villains of the series (no offense to the late Harry Anderson, who seems to enjoy chewing the scenery here), and the plot just doesn’t live up to the drama of previous season finales, let alone a series finale. Having Lois’s dad learn Clark’s secret and then unlearn it in the span of an episode is a strange choice as well. This was obviously not intended to be the last episode of the series, as is evidenced by the cliffhanger with the baby, but even if you take that into consideration this is still one of the weaker entries in the entire series.
FUN FACT: Series writer and executive producer Brad Buckner revealed some details to KryptonSite about what the plans were for that baby… you can read about it here! https://www.kryptonsite.com/loisclark/buckner2003.htm
WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons of “Lois & Clark” are included on HBO Max, in high-definition for the first time! The show is also available on DVD, as well as for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu – although those versions are all standard definition at this time.
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SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES
SERIES SUMMARY: The creative team behind “Batman: The Animated Series” turned their attention to the Man of Steel in this series, which took a lot of visual inspiration from the Fleischer Brothers cartoons of the 1940s. Superman was voiced by Tim Daly, and Lois Lane by Dana Delany.
WHEN IT AIRED: 1996 – 2000
SERIES FINALE: “Legacy” part 1 and 2, February 5th and 12th, 2000
HOW IT ENDED: An epic two-part finale sees a subplot that had been simmering throughout the series pay off in a big way, as Darkseid (voice of Michael Ironside) takes control of Superman and forces him to lead an invasion of Earth. When Superman finally breaks free from the mind control he heads to Apokolips to settle the score with Darkseid, knowing he will have to unseat the despot once and for all. Upon returning to Earth after a brutal final battle, Superman finds that the world no longer trusts him – in fact, most people are now afraid of him.
SATISFYING ENDING?: Darkly satisfying, but, yes – which is especially ironic considering the writers originally intended for this storyline to kick off a new season, not end the series. Superman gradually regaining the public trust would have been a storyline explored as the show went on. Instead, the final moments of the series have Lois and Superman share their first kiss, as Lois assures Superman that he will win everyone’s trust back “one person at a time.” We would see this version of Superman again in the “Justice League” animated series (voiced by George Newbern going forward), but at the time, as far as we knew, this was it.
FUN FACT: The climactic fight between Superman and Darkseid was storyboarded by Bruce Timm.
WHERE TO WATCH: “Superman: The Animated Series” is included on HBO Max, and was also just released as a series set on Blu-ray. It’s also available on DVD, as well as for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.
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SMALLVILLE
SERIES SUMMARY: The series that started out as young Clark Kent by way of “Dawson’s Creek” would go on to give fans ten years of stories of a pre-Superman coming into his own, with a no-tights, no-flights policy strictly enforced for the majority of its run. Tom Welling played Clark, alongside Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang, and John Schneider and Annette O’Toole as Jonathan and Martha Kent. Erica Durance joined the series in its fourth season as the incomparable Lois Lane.
WHEN IT AIRED: 2001 – 2011
SERIES FINALE: “Finale” part 1 and 2, May 13th, 2011
HOW IT ENDED: Lois and Clark’s wedding day is approaching, but so is the planet Apokolips. Darkseid (who is more of a disembodied evil force here rather than a physical presence) has unleashed doom and gloom on the world, and on top of that Lex Luthor has just been resurrected. Clark finally accepts his destiny and dons the red-and-blue suit for the first time to go save the day – although not before his father reminds him to “always hold on to Smallville.” Superman flies up, up, and away… and physically pushes the entire planet Apokolips away from Earth, to much rejoicing.
SATISFYING ENDING?: Some might disagree, but overall yes. Fan favorite Michael Rosenbaum came back to play Lex Luthor one more time, there are some great Clark and Lois moments as they get ready for their wedding, and there are lots of flashbacks as Clark embraces his powers. Some fans felt a bit cheated though by the fact that we don’t REALLY see Tom Welling in the famous super suit… all the Superman shots are done via CGI. Still, the “flash forward” in the last few minutes of the finale that shows us Lois, Clark, and the rest of the crew at the Daily Planet seven years later is hard not to geek out over, even after multiple viewings. The final shot of the series is the famous shirt-rip and “S” reveal, which seems only appropriate.
FUN FACT: Michael Rosenbaum filmed his scenes for the finale in a single day.
WHERE TO WATCH: All ten seasons of “Smallville” are included on Hulu, and the show was also just released as a series set on Blu-ray. It’s also available on DVD, as well for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.
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The series finale of “Supergirl” will air on the CW on November 9th as a special two-hour event (see pictures here!). Fans are, of course, speculating about how the series will end. Will Kara fly off into the sunset to live happily ever after? Will she travel to the future to be with Mon-El and the Legion? Will she finally admit her true feelings for Lena? Could she possibly be de-powered, or even killed off? Given the interconnected nature of the Arrowverse shows, many fans hope that things will be left open-ended enough that we might see Supergirl again someday, perhaps on “Superman & Lois” or “The Flash,” if Melissa Benoist can be persuaded to don the tights and cape once more.
Back in the second season of “Supergirl,” in the episode “The Last Children of Krypton,” Kara says a Kryptonian phrase to her cousin Kal-El (Tyler Hoechlin) as the two say goodbye to each other. Winn asks what it means.
“There’s not really a word for it in your language,” Superman says. “I guess the closest thing would be… ‘to be continued’.”
A fitting reminder to fans as another super show leaves the airwaves. It’s not really goodbye, when these characters always remain ready to save the day in whatever incarnation comes next. After all, the fight for truth and justice is, as it always has been, a never-ending battle.
Many Faces
The Many Faces of Lois Lane – 2021 Edition
Russ Dimino looks at the many talented actresses who have played Lois Lane over the decades.
There are two things in this world that can make Superman weak in the knees. One is a green, glowing rock that just happens to be a radioactive chunk of his demolished home planet. The other is a feisty reporter with a nose for news and the initials L.L. For years, Clark Kent has tried to balance the fact that Superman belongs to the world with his desire to live a normal life with the woman of his dreams, Lois Lane.
Lois was around from the very beginning – her first comic book appearance was the same as Superman’s. Miss Lane and the Man of Steel both made their debut in Action Comics #1 in June of 1938. Clark seemed to have a thing for Lois right away. He asked her on a date in that first issue!
The first time that Lois was given life on screen it was in animated form, in the cartoon shorts that were originated by the Fleischer brothers in the early 1940s. The voices of both Lois Lane and Superman in these shorts were already familiar to audiences – Joan Alexander and Bud Collyer also voiced the characters on the popular radio show “The Adventures of Superman.”
Audiences got their first two live-action Lois Lanes in a relatively short span of time. Noel Neill first played Lois in the Superman movie serials from 1948 to 1950, which starred Kirk Alyn. In 1951, George Reeves made his debut as Superman in “Superman and the Mole Men.” Here, Lois was played by Phyllis Coates. Phyllis continued the role for the first season of the “Adventures of Superman” TV series. After the inaugural season, Ms. Coates opted not to return, and Ms. Neill returned to the role of Lois for the remainder of the series.
Coates and Neill offered very different portrayals of the Lois Lane character. The Phyllis Coates Lois was a much more hard-edged, no-nonsense reporter, and one of the very few versions who didn’t fall head over heels for the Man of Steel. When Neill resumed the role in 1953, her version of Lois was a much gentler one, who developed a friendship with Clark Kent and an attraction to our hero in blue.
Not only did Neill star alongside both Alyn and Reeves, but she also made a cameo appearance in the 1978 “Superman” movie (she and Alyn played Lois Lane’s parents), an appearance on the “Superboy” TV series, and she had a small role in the movie “Superman Returns.” Phyllis Coates also got a chance to return to the Superman mythos when she appeared on “Lois and Clark” in 1994, playing Lois’s mother in the episode “House of Luthor.”
Next, Superman and Lois would get animated again, and Joan Alexander would return to the role that she’d played two decades earlier! Joan Alexander and Bud Collyer again voiced Lois and Clark during the 1966-1970 “New Adventures of Superman” series, as well as the 1967-68 “Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure.” Though Alexander was the primary Lois, Julie Bennett, the voice of Wonder Girl, stepped in as Lois on some episodes.
Then came the first big screen “Superman” movie in 1978, with Margot Kidder taking on the role of Lois Lane. Ms. Kidder seemed to combine the confident, no-nonsense reporter of Phyllis Coates with the swooning, doe-eyed girl of Noel Neill and make that combination somehow seem natural. Ms. Kidder was far from the only actress considered for the part. DVD and Blu-ray extras show screen tests of several other actresses who tried out, including Anne Archer, Deborah Raffin, Susan Blakely, Stockard Channing, and Lesley Ann Warren. (Ms. Warren did play Lois in a 1975 TV adaptation of the 1966 Broadway musical “It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s Superman”!) Christopher Reeve’s screen test is also included, with Holly Palance stepping in opposite him as Lois.
Kidder then returned for “Superman II” in 1980. This time out, Lois learned that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same, and the two finally got together… at least until the end of the film, when Lois’s memory of the entire ordeal was erased with an amnesia-inducing super-kiss. An alternate cut of the film by its original director, Richard Donner, was released in 2006, and included a variation on the moment Lois discovers Clark’s secret; in a scene recreated from Reeve and Kidder’s screen tests, Lois Lane shoots Clark Kent to confirm that he’s invulnerable! (Clark doesn’t immediately realize the bullet was a blank.)
After a falling out with the producers, Kidder’s role in “Superman III” was dramatically reduced. Her screen time for the third installment is only about five minutes, while Annette O’Toole’s Lana Lang becomes Clark’s primary love interest for the film. By the time “Superman IV” came around in 1987, Kidder’s part was larger again, but she had to compete with Mariel Hemingway for Superman’s attention.
Ms. Kidder is yet another Lois Lane who returned for later installments of the Superman legend. The fourth season of “Smallville” featured two appearances by Kidder as Dr. Bridgette Crosby, emissary to Christopher Reeve’s Dr. Virgil Swann.
Lois made surprisingly few appearances on the many animated incarnations of “Super Friends” that aired throughout the 1970s and 80s, probably because the show tended to focus much more on superheroics than secret identities. She was voiced by Shannon Farnon, Mary McDonald Lewis, and Edna Mayo at various points throughout these shows. (Mary McDonald Lewis sounded quite a lot like Margot Kidder, which may have been a factor in her casting.)
When the Ruby Spears “Superman” cartoon came out in 1988, Lois’s voice was provided by Ginny McSwain. Ms. McSwain would go on to become the voice director for animated shows like “Spirit Riding Free,” “Transformers: Rescue Bots,” and “VeggieTales.”
The next to take on the role was Teri Hatcher, who played Lois on “Lois & Clark” from 1993-97. This series emphasized the romance between Lois Lane and Clark Kent, with super-heroics taking a backseat to “will they or won’t they?,” at least for the first couple of seasons. Lois eventually falls for the farmboy and not just the hero in blue, and by the start of season three she’s in on the secret. During the show’s run, Teri received the honor of being the most downloaded woman on the internet, due in large part to a picture of her wrapped up in Superman’s cape and nothing else. Teri would go on to make guest appearances on “Smallville” (a brief cameo as the mother of Erica Durance’s Lois), and “Supergirl” (as Rhea, the mother of Mon-El).
In 1996, Dana Delany voiced Lois for “Superman: The Animated Series.” No stranger to cartoon superheroes, Delany had voiced Andrea Beaumont, Bruce Wayne’s long-lost love, in “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” just three years earlier. Ms. Delany continued to voice Lois throughout multiple appearances on Cartoon Network’s “Justice League” series. (Ms. Delany doesn’t hold the only voice credit for Lois for “S:TAS.” Mae Whitman provided the voice of a young Lois in a flashback scene, in the episode “Monkey Fun.”)
With the premiere of the fourth season of “Smallville” in 2004, Erica Durance made her first appearance as Lois Lane. (This mostly put to rest internet speculation that Allison Mack’s Chloe Sullivan would somehow evolve into the character, either via a penname or new witness-protection identity.) Originally scheduled to make only a handful of guest-appearances, Ms. Durance’s Lois proved popular enough with the fans that her role was expanded – first to 13 episodes, and then eventually to series regular. In an interesting twist, Lois is “in on the secret” before Clark actually becomes Superman, and in fact actually assists him in developing his mild-mannered secret identity throughout season 10. And yes, Erica Durance has also continued the tradition of returning to the world of heroes and capes in a “torch-passing” role: she has played Allura, Supergirl’s mother, in several episodes of the CW’s “Supergirl” beginning in season three.
In 2006, Superman flew back to the screen in “Superman Returns,” Bryan Singer’s love letter to the Christopher Reeve films. Here, Kate Bosworth portrayed a Lois Lane who had seemingly moved on from Superman after his five-year absence from Earth; Superman came back to find that Lois was engaged to another man, and that she had a child. (Spoiler alert: The kid is actually Superman’s, a controversial plot-twist that left fans divided.)
Starting in 2007, Warner Brothers began releasing a series of direct-to-video animated films based on the characters and storylines of DC Comics. Naturally, many of them are Superman stories, and include Lois Lane in some way, shape, or form.
-Anne Heche voiced Lois in 2007’s “Superman: Doomsday,” which was the studio’s first attempt at adapting the legendary Death of Superman storyarc from the comics.
-Kyra Sedgwick lent her voice to Lois in 2008’s “Justice League: The New Frontier,” adapted from Darwyn Cooke’s renowned mini-series.
-Christina Hendricks played Lois in the 2011 release of “All-Star Superman,” based on Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s mini-series of the same name.
-Grey DeLisle was the voice of Lois in 2012’s “Justice League: Doom,” a loose adaptation of Mark Waid’s “Tower of Babel” from the JLA comic books.
-Pauley Perrette provided Lois’s voice in 2012’s “Superman vs. The Elite,” an adaptation of Joe Kelly’s story “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and The American Way?” from Action Comics #775.
-Stana Katic was the voice of Lois in 2013’s “Superman: Unbound,” which adapted a Brainiac story by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. (This film also featured Katic’s “Castle” co-star, Molly Quinn, as the voice of Supergirl.)
-Dana Delaney once again lent her voice to the role of Lois Lane for 2013’s “Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox,” which was an adaptation of the “Flashpoint” mini-series.
-Paget Brewster was the voice of Lois for 2015’s “Justice League: Gods and Monsters,” an original story about a decidedly darker version of the classic DCU characters.
-Rebecca Romijn voiced Lois in 2018’s “The Death of Superman,” the second animated adaptation of the titular comic book story. She reprised the role for 2019’s follow-up, “Reign of the Supermen,” as well as for Lois’s appearance in “Batman: Hush” the same year, and “Justice League Dark: Apokolips War” in 2020.
-Amy Acker was the voice of Lois in 2020’s “Superman: Red Son,” an adaptation of Mark Millar’s mini-series about a Superman who landed in Russia instead of Kansas.
-Alexandra Daddario provided the voice of Lois in 2020’s “Superman: Man of Tomorrow,” a retelling of the early years of Superman’s adventures.
In 2013, Amy Adams portrayed Lois in the movie “Man of Steel.” In this version more than any other we got to see what an intrepid reporter Lois Lane truly is, as she tracked down Clark Kent and uncovered his secret before he ever even made a public appearance in the tights and cape. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Amy Adams revealed that this was not the first time she’d auditioned for the part of Lois. She also tried out for the role for “Superman: Flyby” (Brett Ratner’s Superman movie that never came to fruition) and “Superman Returns.” At the time that “Man of Steel” came out, Amy Adams was arguably best known for her role as live-action Disney princess Giselle in the movie “Enchanted,” but hardcore Superman fans may have recognized her from something else: she played fat-sucking meteor freak Jodi Melville in an early episode of “Smallville!” (Not something that this Academy Award nominee likely touts on her resume.) Ms. Adams reprised the role of Lois for 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and 2017’s “Justice League.” We will undoubtedly get to see much more of her portrayal of Lois when Zack Snyder’s four-hour cut of “Justice League” is released on HBO Max in March 2021.
In early 2018, plans were announced for a “Metropolis” series that would have centered largely around a pre-Superman-era Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, which would have premiered on the DC Universe streaming service. The series never came to fruition, and never even got as far as the casting stage.
Speaking of the DC Universe, Lois made an appearance on the animated “Harley Quinn” series on the streaming service – voiced by Natalie Morales.
The CW series “Supergirl” had made occasional references to Lois Lane throughout its first few seasons, but it was not until the Arrowverse “Elseworlds” crossover event in December 2018 that she finally made her first appearance there. Elizabeth Tulloch (who often goes by Bitsie Tulloch), known for her role on the TV series “Grimm,” became the latest actress to bring Lois Lane to life on television. Promotional images of Bitsie’s Lois and Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman in the Fortress of Solitude gave off a strong “Superman II” vibe.
Bitsie’s Lois appeared again in the following year’s crossover event, “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Since it brought together heroes from across the multiverse, this event allowed Bitsie the opportunity to share the screen with multiple Supermen. She shared a great scene with Brandon Routh talking about hope, and a quick moment with Tom Welling where she compares him to “the buff guy on the paper towel rolls.” We also saw Erica Durance briefly reprise her role as Lois Lane in the crossover as well, in addition to playing Allura.
Fans will soon get to see more of Bitsie’s Lois on a weekly basis, as she, along with Tyler Hoechlin’s Clark, star in their own series, “Superman and Lois,” premiering on the CW on February 23rd. The series will explore something that has only been seen or teased in small doses throughout the long legacy of these characters – Clark and Lois as parents. The show centers around the super-couple raising two boys, Jonathan and Jordan, in Clark’s hometown of Smallville, Kansas.
In September of 2018, Bitsie Tulloch posted on Instagram an image of her casting announcement, accompanied by a long, heartfelt caption describing how much the role of Lois Lane means to her. “As far back as 1938 when she first appeared in Action Comics #1, Lois Lane has defied and subverted society’s expectations of how women should behave,” Bitsie wrote. “She was portrayed as opinionated, inquisitive, and an unapologetically badass career woman at a time when many representations of women leaned more towards meek and demure. One of the reasons the character has remained so compelling for the last 80 years is that she has all these formidable, strong-willed qualities, but she’s also vulnerable, romantic, and feminine. A truly modern woman.” Certainly, Ms. Tulloch hit the nail on the head with that description of why Lois has captured the hearts of readers, movie-goers, and even the Man of Steel himself. Even though Superman can stop bullets and leap tall buildings, it’s Lois who has proven to be the greatest adventure for our hero. Right from the start, she caught the attention of one of the most powerful men in the universe, and he’s been flying after her ever since. No matter who has stepped into the role over the years, there has always been one enduring and endearing quality about Lois Lane… she is the one who gives Superman his humanity, because his dream for a normal life as Clark Kent only makes sense with her by his side.
Many Faces
The Many Faces of Mxyzptlk (2020 Update)
With Thomas Lennon taking over the role of Mxyzptlk for Supergirl Episode 100, Russ Dimino looks back at the other actors to play the role!
Superman has faced many enemies throughout the years. Some have challenged him on a physical level, some on a mental level. There is one foe, however, who has challenged his patience more than anything else. The mischievous imp from the 5th Dimension known as Mr. Mxyzptlk has annoyed, confounded and confused the Man of Steel for decades, usually in the name of a good laugh. This magical prankster can appear on Earth once every 90 days, playing jokes and causing trouble on an epic scale until Superman can outsmart him (which usually involves tricking him into saying his name backwards) and send him back to his own dimension. Sound crazy? That’s exactly the point.
Mxy first appeared in Superman #30 in 1944, in a tale written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. Initially spelled “Mxyztplk” (note the “t” and “p” are reversed), this first story had the imp bringing a nude statue to life, causing the mayor to bray like a donkey, and setting circus animals loose in the streets. The issue ended with a note asking fans to write in if they wanted to see more of Mr. Mxyztplk.
The “Adventures of Superman” TV series in the 1950s didn’t involve many supervillains from the Man of Steel’s rogues gallery, opting instead to put George Reeves’ Superman up against gangsters and mad scientists. It’s no surprise then that they didn’t include Mr. Mxyzptlk. The closest they came was a diminutive alien with otherworldly powers called Mr. Zero who appeared in the show’s fifth season. Could the show’s creators have been drawing some inspiration from Mxy with this character? It’s certainly possible. Mr. Zero was played by Billy Curtis, who had also played one of the Mole Men in “Superman and the Mole Men” a few years prior. Billy Curtis was also the man beneath the mask playing the lead role of Bark Bent / Superpup in “The Adventures of Superpup” pilot! (And if you don’t know what that is… don’t ask!)
The first animated adaptation of Mr. Mxyzptlk came in 1966, in “The New Adventures of Superman” episode titled “Imp-Practical Joker.” In this episode, Mr. Mxyzptlk takes over a carnival and has some fun with the Man of Steel. Since this was the first time the character was officially adapted into another medium, it has the notable distinction of being the first official attempt at pronouncing his name! It was pronounced here as something like “mix-yez-PITTLE-ik.” Mxyzptlk was voiced here by voice actor Gilbert Mack.
Mr. Mxyzptlk made several animated appearances throughout the various “Super Friends” series that spanned from 1977 – 1986, in such episodes as “Mr. Mxyzptlk and the Magic Lamp,” “Mxyzptlk Strikes Again,” and “Uncle Mxyzptlk” (which featured Red Kryptonite turning Superman into a little kid!). Voice actor Frank Welker provided the voice of Mxyzptlk, as well as several other characters in the series. The prolific Welker has voiced hundreds of cartoon characters throughout his amazing career, with roles ranging from Kermit on “Muppet Babies” and Abu the monkey in “Aladdin” to Dr. Claw on “Inspector Gadget” and Megatron on “Transformers.”
Did you know Mxyzptlk was almost in “Superman III”? In 1980, Ilya Salkind, one of the producers of the Christopher Reeve “Superman” films, wrote a treatment for the third installment of the franchise that was very different from what ultimately ended up on screen. Though some elements from this outline are present in the final film (i.e. Lana Lang, and the fact that Superman’s personality is altered to make him violent and destructive), Salkind’s version also included not only Mr. Mxyzptlk, but Brainiac and Supergirl as well! Superman and Supergirl would not have been cousins in this version; in fact, they fall in love! Though this version never got to the casting process (we were four years away from Helen Slater as Supergirl), Dudley Moore was reportedly the top choice for Mr. Mxyzptlk. You can read the full treatment at http://meatfighter.com/superman3/part4/s3_original_idea.pdf if you are so inclined. It’s an interesting read, to be sure!
Mxy then popped up on the live-action “Superboy” TV series, which aired from 1988- 1992. In the first season episode “Meet Mr. Mxyzptlk,” Superboy removes a magic totem pole from the ground and accidentally opens a gateway to another dimension, releasing Mxyzptlk. The imp uses his magic to steal Lana Lang away from the Boy of Steel. Michael J. Pollard played Mxyzptlk, and his visual appearance was straight from the comics, right down to his purple bowler hat. Pollard reprised the role in season two, in the episode “Mr. and Mrs. Superboy.” Mr. Pollard passed away last year at the age of 80.
On “Lois & Clark,” Howie Mandel portrayed Mr. Mxyzptlk in the fourth season episode “Twas the Night Before Mxymas.” In this Christmas-themed tale, Mxy created a time loop that trapped Superman in the same day, but with hope and good cheer giving way to gloom and despair with each cycle. Mandel shares a few credits with his Mxyz predecessor Frank Welker, as Mandel also lent his voice to the “Muppet Babies,” playing Animal and Skeeter. He was also the voice of Bobby on “Bobby’s World,” while Welker provided the voice of Roger the Dog. Howie is probably best known to today’s audiences as a host of such shows as “America’s Got Talent” and “Deal or No Deal.”
Gilbert Gottfried was the next to give voice to Mr. Mxyzptlk, on “Superman The Animated Series” in 1997. The character first appeared in the episode “Mxyzpixilated,” which was based very heavily on the initial Jerry Siegel story from Superman #30. Mxy later returned and teamed with Bizarro in the episode “Little Big Head Man.” Other screen credits for Mr. Gottfried include Mr. Peabody in the “Problem Child” movies, and some episodes of “Crank Yankers.” His distinctive yell was also the voice of the Aflac duck for quite some time. And he also has a tie to Frank Welker… Gottfried voiced Iago the parrot in “Aladdin.” Gottfried has reprised the role of Mxyzptlk in episodes of “Justice League Action” as well as in a couple of video games.
In the fourth season of “Smallville,” Mxyzptlk appeared not as an imp from the 5th dimension but as a foreign exchange student with verbal mind control powers. Mikhail Mxyzptlk appeared in the episode titled “Jinx,” running a sports gambling racket. He would influence the outcome of games by causing the players to fumble or trip via his spoken suggestions. The episode ended with a de-powered Mikhail being taken to Lex Luthor’s mysterious Level 33.1. (He did not appear again, though the Level 33.1 subplot would pay off several seasons later.) Mikhail Mxyzptlk was played by Trent Ford, who later appeared on “The Class” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
In 2011, Mr. Mxyzptlk made a brief appearance on “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” in the episode titled “Battle of the Superheroes.” Batman and Superman confront Mxy as he is using his magic to cause mayhem in Metropolis, and Superman tricks him into saying his name backwards via a knock-knock joke. Mxyzptlk is voiced here by Kevin Michael Richardson. Richardson had previously voiced The Joker on the 2004 series “The Batman,” among many other voice roles.
In late 2013, reports began circulating that Ben Affleck (who had been just recently cast as Batman) wanted his friend Larry David to play Mr. Mxyzptlk in the live-action DC film universe. While it’s unlikely that the mischievous imp’s brand of humor would have fit in very well with the decidedly dark “Batman vs. Superman,” it’s hard to deny that Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Mxy would be, as he would say, “pretty, pretty, pretty good!”
We would next find Mr. Mxyzptlk popping into the dimension of CW’s “Supergirl,” appearing in the closing moments of the 2017 episode titled “Luthors” and professing his love for Kara Zor-El. This cameo led to a full appearance in the following episode, “Mr. and Mrs. Mxyzptlk.” (A callback to the “Superboy” episode title, perhaps?) Upon finding that Supergirl didn’t reciprocate his romantic feelings, Mxy began conjuring up chaos to both challenge and impress the Girl of Steel. This version of Mxy was played by Peter Gadiot, who previously played Cyrus on “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.”
Mxy made his return to “Supergirl” this season much the same way he did previously, with a quick cameo just before the credits rolled on last week’s “Back From The Future, Part Two.” With this week’s episode, the series’ landmark 100th, Mxy will provide Kara with a glimpse into some possible alternative versions of her own history if she had made some different choices along the way. Thomas Lennon, a comedic actor known for a reboot of “The Odd Couple,” “Reno 911!” and MTV’s “The State,” is portraying Mxy this time around. (Whether his change in appearance is attributed to his magical nature or some kind of fallout from Crisis is almost certain to be addressed at some point.)
The thing that fans seem to love about Mxyzptlk is the sense of fun that he adds to any story that he appears in. Because his powers are magical in nature and his personality is so wild and unpredictable, fans know that all bets are off and anything can happen. Superman’s other foes may be able to trade punches with him or plan elaborate schemes, but Mxy can literally turn his world upside down with a wave of his hand. That playful mischief and sense of wonder was what got fans to respond to the query at the end of Superman #30, and that’s the same thing that keeps them coming back for more today.
Mxyzptlk returns in Supergirl Episode 100 TONIGHT (Feb. 23, 2020) at 9PM ET/PT on The CW!
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SVIlleGal03
October 9, 2016 at 10:07 pm
Quick note on “The Batman”:
“The series had several other super-connections, with Brandon Routh (“Superman Returns”) and Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan on “Smallville”) providing guest voices in a couple of episodes.”
Interestingly, they both appeared in the Season 4 episode “The Everywhere Man.” Brandon Routh voiced the character of John Marlowe, who, thanks to a device stolen from Wayne Enterprises, was able to create clones of himself. Allison Mack, meanwhile, voiced Clea, one of Bruce Wayne’s many lady friends. They’re pretty easy to spot because their characters look very much like them.
As for “Supergirl,” what is not mentioned is tonight’s season premiere will be historic in several ways. Not only will this be Superman’s first appearance on TV in nearly two decades (if you don’t figure in the “Smallville” finale), but this will mark the first time in a live-action format where we will see the Super-Cousins, side-by-side, in their respective blue-and-red suits. What’s more, this occurrence was supposed to happen in the 1984 “Supergirl” movie, with Christopher Reeve rumored to make a cameo ppearance as the Man of Steel in support of Helen Slater in the title role, but that fell through. Instead, his Superman appears on a poster in Lucy Lane’s (Maureen Teefy) dorm room.
As for “Smallville,” Tom Welling’s Clark and Laura Vandervoort’s Kara had plenty of scenes together throughout the final four seasons, but neither actor ever donned the full Super-ensemble onscreen (though Vandervoort was closest to doing so, in Season 10’s appropriately titled episode “Supergirl.” Then there was the series finale, which I will permit the reader to be the judge as to whether or not Welling appeared as Superman onscreen).