Many Faces

The Many Faces Of… The House of Luthor

Russ Dimino takes a look at the entire Luthor family!

Published

17 years ago

April 17, 2008

Since the very beginning, Lex Luthor has proven to be one of Superman’s most enduring foes. Though he does not have the superhuman abilities that some of Superman’s other enemies possess, the bald billionaire has provided a constant challenge to the man of steel through his misguided genius, his ruthlessness, and his never-ending quest for power. But what makes such a man? How did Lex Luthor turn out this way? Perhaps we can learn more about him by examining where he comes from. In this edition of “The Many Faces Of…” we will take a look at Lex Luthor’s family tree as it’s been portrayed on film and TV, and see what other members of the Luthor clan shaped Lex into the villain that we all know.

men, men, men, men, manly, men, men, men In 1987’s “Superman IV: The Quest For Peace,” Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor was saddled with an accomplice in the form of his nephew, Lenny Luthor. Lenny breaks “Uncle Lex” out of prison near the start of the film, then assists him in stealing a lock of Superman’s hair from a museum in order to create the villainous Nuclear Man. Lex has little patience for his nephew, referring to the lad as “the Dutch Elm disease on my family tree.” Though the movie never states specifically how the two are related, the comic book adaptation of the film contains a line about Lex wishing his sister had become a nun, so apparently Lenny is intended to be the son of Lex’s sister. Speaking with an annoying valley accent, Lenny was played by Jon Cryer, popular at the time for his role as Duckie in the John Hughes film “Pretty in Pink.” Cryer is currently one of the stars of “Two and a Half Men.”

In a two-part episode of the “Superboy” TV series titled “Know Thine Enemy,” Superboy is able to live out part of Lex Luthor’s childhood via a virtual reality program. In so doing, he discovers that Lex was raised by an abusive father, and the only person who really cared for him was his sister, Lena. Lena is played by Jennifer Hawkins in the flashback scenes, and as an adult by Denise Gossett. Lex’s father is played by Edgar Allan Poe IV (apparently a descendant of the famed writer/poet), his mother by Kathy Gustafson-Hilton.

On “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” Lois Lane finally lands her exclusive interview with John Shea’s Lex Luthor. He reveals that his parents died when he was in his early teens (in the pilot, Lois says he was 14, but in “Barbarians at the Planet” Lex himself says he was 13). Though the show does not spell it out, the comics at the time had recently revealed that Lex had his own parents murdered in order to collect their life insurance. It is possible that the show intended for their Lex to have the same backstory, but it is unclear whether or not this is the case.

The “Lois & Clark” Lex does have several other branches on the family tree by way of wives and children. Though he almost makes Lois Lane his bride at the end of season one, they do not actually marry, as the wedding is called off at the last second just before Lex is publicly revealed as a criminal. In the second season premiere “Madame Ex,” we learn that Lex has an ex-wife named Arianna Carlin. Arianna blames Lois and Superman for Lex’s apparent death (he jumped off the LexCorp building in the previous episode), and she concocts a revenge scheme that includes subliminal newspaper headlines, a double of Lois, and a kryptonite bullet. Carlin is played by Emma Samms, well known from “General Hospital” and “Dynasty.”

In the season three episode “Virtually Destroyed,” we learn that Lex had an illegitimate son named Jaxon Xavier. Lex had claimed that the son and his mother died in a car accident. A computer genius, Jaxon creates a virtual reality world that he hopes to use to obtain Lex’s computer access codes. We also learn in this episode that, if Lex and Lois had married and had children, their names would have been Alexis, Roxanne, Lynx, and Clark (Lex insisted all his children have an “x” in their names… “Clark” was Lois’s pick). The episode ends with Jaxon trapped in the virtual world. Jaxon is played by Andy Berman, who had played Chuck Coleman on “The Wonder Years.” He also appeared on “Blossom” and “Wings.”

In the show’s fourth season, a three-episode long story arc expanded Lex’s legacy even further. Over the course of “Faster Than A Speeding Vixen,” “Shadow Of A Doubt,” and “Voice From The Past,” we are introduced to Leslie Luckabee, an enterprising businessman who buys the Daily Planet. Working with a troll-like character who goes by “Mr. Smith,” Leslie intends to rebuild Lex’s empire, steal Lois Lane away from Clark Kent, and kill Superman. We are led to believe that Leslie is Lex Luthor’s son, but it eventually becomes clear that it is actually “Mr. Smith” who is, in fact, Lex Luthor Junior, and Leslie is merely a hired actor who provides Luthor Junior with a public face. The fact that Luthor Junior wants to marry Lois Lane, the same woman that his father almost married, is, admittedly, a bit disturbing. Leslie Luckabee is played by Patrick Cassidy, who would later appear on “Smallville” as Henry Small. Keith Brunsmann plays Mr. Smith/Lex Luthor Junior. Brunsmann would later appear on “The X Files,” “Charmed,” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” to name a few more sci-fi shows.

The show that has delved the deepest into Lex Luthor’s familial roots is “Smallville.” Beginning with the pilot episode in 2001, we are introduced to Lex’s father, Lionel, played by John Glover. (Though we did see Lex’s father on the “Superboy” show, the character of Lionel originated with “Smallville,” despite what we may have led you to believe back on April Fool’s Day in 2005!)

Their initial visit to the town of Smallville in 1989 finds Lex and Lionel in the path of the infamous meteor shower that brings baby Kal-El to earth. The meteor exposure causes little Lex’s hair to fall out. Years later, Lionel “exiles” his son back to that same town to manage a failing fertilizer plant. Throughout the series, Lionel drives his son relentlessly, giving him many tests and trials that push him closer and closer to the edge of sanity. In the first few seasons alone we see Lionel close Lex’s factory and fire his entire work force (in the episode “Tempest”), plant listening devices in Lex’s office to thwart his business deals (“Insurgence”), pretend to be blind (most of season two), force Lex to undergo electroshock therapy (“Asylum”), and even have sex with Lex’s former girlfriend, Victoria Hardwick (“Leech”). One of their darkest moments comes at the end of the first season, when a tornado strikes the mansion, leaving Lionel pinned down under some wreckage and about to be impaled. Lex is forced to decide whether to save his father’s life or let him die… ultimately, he saves Lionel, but it is a difficult decision.

Lex’s mother, Lillian Luthor, died of a heart condition when Lex was 13. Though she is referenced often throughout the first two seasons of Smallville, we do not actually see her until the third season episode “Memoria,” in a flashback sequence. She appears again in “Lexmas,” “Void,” and “Fracture.” Throughout Lex’s childhood, Lillian tries to protect her son from Lionel’s influence. In “Lexmas” and “Void,” she appears to Lex to warn him about the path he is headed down, trying to prevent her son’s inevitable turn towards the dark side. Lillian is played by Alisen Down, who has also appeared on “Battlestar Galactica” and “Robson Arms.”

When Lex was 11, Lillian became pregnant again. She gave birth to another son, named Julian. Lillian, suffering from a mental illness and fearing that Lionel would raise their sons to become enemies, smothered the child to death in his crib on the morning of his baptism. Lex took the blame for the baby’s death to protect his mother, incurring Lionel’s wrath himself. Julian was first mentioned in the episode “Stray” in season one, but the full story of his death was not revealed until “Memoria.”

Lex also has a half-brother, named Lucas. While Lillian was sick, Lionel had an affair with one of her nurses, a woman named Rachel Dunleavy. First referenced in the episode “Lineage,” Lionel claims the child died before his first birthday. However, Lex manages to track down the still-living Lucas in the episode “Prodigal.” Lex and Lionel then proceed to use Lucas against each other for control of LuthorCorp. Ultimately, Lex and Lucas turn the tables on their father, and the episode ends with Lucas under Lex’s protection, though he has not been seen or referenced on the show since. Lucas is played by Paul Wasilewski, who has since changed his “stage name” to Paul Wesley. Wesley also starred in the “Fallen” mini-series on ABC Family.

Throughout the third season of “Smallville,” one of the ongoing subplots revolved around the true fate of Lex’s grandparents, Lachlan and Eliza Luthor, who had died in a tenement fire in the 1970’s. In a storyline that paralleled the origins of the comic book Lex Luthor, it was revealed that Lionel had arranged his parents’ murder in order to collect their life insurance. Lex eventually learns of this, and helps the FBI bring his father down, sending Lionel to jail. Lachlan appears in a flashback scene in the episode “Relic,” where he is played by Peter Benson.

Lex has been married three times on “Smallville.” His first marriage came in the second season episode “Heat,” in which Lex marries Desiree Atkins, a biology teacher at Smallville High who has the power to release love-inducing pheromones. By putting Lex under her love spell, Desiree gets the boy billionaire to do her bidding, which includes tying the knot. By the episode’s end, the truth is revealed and the marriage is annulled. Desiree is played by Krista Allen, who has since appeared on several episodes of “What About Brian.”

Lex’s second “Smallville” wife was Dr. Helen Bryce. The two had met in Metropolis years earlier, then cross paths again in Smallville at an anger management class. The two slowly fall in love and then marry at the end of the second season, but it was not meant to last… Helen tries to kill Lex right after the wedding in a staged plane crash. Lex, of course, survives his brush with death, then attempts to get Helen to confess by re-enacting the scene on another plane. Helen ends up parachuting out, her current status is unknown. Helen is played by Emmanuelle Vaugier, who went on to appear in “Saw II,” “Saw IV”, “Two and a Half Men,” an episode of “Supernatural,” the pilot episode of “Painkiller Jane,” “CSI: NY,” “One Tree Hill” and “40 Days and 40 Nights”… a pretty impressive resume!

Wife number three was none other than Lana Lang, much to the chagrin of Clark Kent. The marriage occurs in the sixth season episode “Promise.” Though she has reservations about going to the altar, Lana is coerced by Lionel, who threatens to kill Clark if Lana doesn’t marry Lex. At the time, Lana also believes she is pregnant with Lex’s child, though that eventually proves to be untrue (she was apparently never pregnant after all). The season ends with Lana faking her death to get out of the marriage. Lana is, of course, played by Kristin Kreuk.

The movie “Superman Returns” contains a brief reference to Lex’s father. Lex asks Kitty Kowalski what it was that his father told him when he was young. “You’re losing your hair?” she suggests. “Before that,” he replies. “Get out?” she asks. No, Lex explains. “You can print money, manufacture diamonds, and people are a dime a dozen, but they’ll always need land,” Lex says. “It’s the one thing they’re not making any more of.” This prompts Lex’s plan to create a new continent using a crystal from the Fortress of Solitude. This is also a throwback to the first Superman movie, in which Lex makes a similar reference to his father advising him on the value of land.

In the seventh season of “Smallville,” The Daily Planet gets a new editor, a young man named Grant Gabriel. At the end of the episode “Blue,” viewers are teased into believing that Grant is actually Julian Luthor, somehow still alive and all grown up. The following episode, “Gemini,” explains that Grant is not actually Julian, but a clone that Lex created of his late brother. When Grant learns his true origins, he turns against Lex and becomes close with Lionel, despite Lex’s warnings to stay away from his father. Lex then hires a hitman to kill Grant, making it look like a mugging. Grant dies in Lionel’s arms. Grant is played by Michael Cassidy, known for his roles on “The O.C.” and “Hidden Palms.”

Grant was not Lex’s first attempt at cloning Julian. A man named Adrian Cross was an early result of Lex’s “Project Gemini” program, but the imperfect process led to the clone aging too quickly. Lex shoots and kills Adrian in an attempt to cover up the truth. Adrian is played by Tim Guinee.

Over the course of season seven, Lex learns of Lionel’s involvement in a secret society called Veritas in the 1980’s, which was preparing for the arrival of a “Traveler” from another planet. The Traveler’s arrival was the real reason that Lex and Lionel were in Smallville the day of the meteor shower. Furious at his father’s constant lies and deception, Lex finally reaches his breaking point. In a final confrontation at LuthorCorp, Lex steals a locket from his father that he believes will help him discover the truth about the Traveler, then kills Lionel by pushing him out the window. “I was raised in your shadow,” Lex tells Lionel just before sending him to his fate. “Now you’re going to die in mine.”

These glimpses into Lex Luthor’s backstory help create a more complete picture of the classic villain. Lex, it seems, is at the center of a legacy of darkness. Across most these versions, he has struggled through a difficult childhood, whether at the hands of a physically abusive father in “Superboy” or the cruel manipulations of Lionel on “Smallville.” Some, like Lillian, have tried to redeem him, and prevent the dark turn that awaits his future, but tragedies like the death of Julian or the betrayal of Helen Bryce seem to keep driving him further into a downward spiral of desperation and despair. And, as “Lois & Clark” would suggest, Lex seems destined to pass on the legacy of evil to future generations, with children who follow in his misguided footsteps. Just as baby Kal-El was destined to become the world’s greatest hero and defend truth and justice as Superman, Lex Luthor is equally unable to escape his destiny… one of evil, greed, and the pursuit of power.

Note: The views of Russ Dimino don’t necessarily represent the thoughts and feelings of everyone at KryptonSite.

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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

Published

3 years ago

November 9, 2021

Russ Dimino

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!

——————–

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.

——————–

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.

——————–

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.

——————–

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.

——————–

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.

——————–

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.

Published

4 years ago

February 21, 2021

Russ Dimino

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!

Published

5 years ago

February 23, 2020

Russ Dimino

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.