NOTE: This is a bit of a “full circle” article for Russ Dimino, who was a regular contributor to the Krypton Club Newsletter with its “What’s Up With That?” column and later here at KryptonSite with the “Many Faces Of…” series. Russ is a longtime Super-fan and it’s great to have him around again – Craig
Almost from the time he first appeared in the comics, Superman was just too big to be contained on the printed page. He leapt not just over tall buildings, but onto movie screens and television sets as well. Cartoons, movies, and weekly TV shows have brought the Man of Steel to life for generations, as the Superman saga is constantly retold, reinvented and reimagined for new audiences. As each new version unfolds, a new group of actors gets the chance to take part in the never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way. Many of these actors have become icons in the eyes of the fans, almost synonymous with the roles that they play.
Oftentimes as a new version of the Superman story takes center stage, an homage will be made to those that have come before. By bringing back the actors who have portrayed Superman and his supporting cast in previous incarnations, there is a sense of paying tribute to those who have helped make Superman’s story so legendary.
In “Lois & Clark” season four, Jack Larson actually got a chance to play Jimmy Olsen again! In the 1996 episode “Brutal Youth,” Jimmy (played by actor Justin Whalin) was the victim of a scientist whose latest invention could quite literally steal someone’s youth, causing them to age rapidly. The aged version of Jimmy was played by Mr. Larson.
Even some of the recent animated versions of Superman have featured familiar actors providing the voices. “Smallville” star Allison Mack supplied the voice of Power Girl in “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.” Michael Rosenbaum, well known for playing Lex Luthor on “Smallville,” provided the voice of The Flash on Cartoon Network’s “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited.” In the episode “The Great Brain Robbery,” Flash temporarily switched minds with Lex Luthor, giving Rosenbaum a fun opportunity to voice Lex Luthor on the animated series as well. (Worthy of note: on “Justice League,” the name is pronounced “Lu-THOR,” whereas “Smallville” pronounces it more like “LU-ther.”)
At the end of the second season, Clark first heard the voice of his father, Jor-El, speak to him from beyond via the spaceship that brought him to Earth. The booming voice of Clark’s Kryptonian father was provided by Terence Stamp, well-known for his turn as the ruthless General Zod in “Superman II.” The casting led many fans to speculate that this was not actually Jor-El speaking to Clark, but some kind of a trick by Zod himself! Though this was proven not to be the case, Clark’s tumultuous relationship with his father has provided much conflict throughout the series.
In the sixth season, “Smallville” welcomed a guest who, while not directly tied to the Superman mythology, is iconic enough in the hearts and minds of superhero fans that she is worth mentioning here. In the episode “Progeny,” Chloe reconnected with her mother, Moira Sullivan, who had spent years in a mental hospital. Moira was played by Lynda Carter, famous for bringing Wonder Woman to life on TV in the 1970s.
Also in season seven, in the episode “Persona,” Clark met Dax-Ur, a Kyrptonian living a normal life on Earth without super powers, thanks to constant exposure to blue kryptonite. Playing Dax-Ur in this episode was Marc McClure, the Jimmy Olsen of the Christopher Reeve era. McClure was the only actor to appear in all four of the Superman films and the Supergirl movie.
The legacy of Superman continues to march on, more powerful than a locomotive. Another big-screen installment is in the works, with Zack Snyder of “Watchmen” and “300” fame in the director’s chair, and “Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan overseeing the project. As for whether or not any familiar faces from the previous installments will appear, we can only speculate at this time – the movie is not due out until 2012, and no casting announcements have been made.
There is something about the character of Superman that brings out a natural sense of nostalgia. He has been around since the late 1930s, so we all grew up with him. No matter how old we are, there has always been a Superman comic book, or TV show, or movie, or cartoon, or radio show out there, heralding his exploits into our living rooms. Each new writer, or director, or actor who steps in to provide their vision of what the Man of Steel could be almost surely has in the back of their memory the day they first tied a towel around their neck like a cape, and imagined they were saving Metropolis from Brainiac and Lex Luthor. Perhaps that is why each new story of Superman’s adventures seems to include a wink and a nod to all those that have come before. It’s a chance to say thank you to those who gave us the stories we fell in love with, and with that, the hope that today’s new tales will inspire tomorrow’s storytellers.
Russ Dimino has been a frequent contributor to KryptonSite since its early incarnation as an email newsletter devoted to "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." He enjoys writing, drawing, making short films, and any other creative outlet he can find for his inner galacticness. He lives in upstate NY with his wife and two children.
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