The Faces of Comic Book Superhero Superman

In July of 1940, DC Comics hosted Superman Day at the New York World's Fair and in full Superman Costume, singer/actor Ray Middleton appeared in the first ever public appearance as The Man of Steel. After being the first live face for the Comic Book Superhero Superman, Middleton also played in Annie Get Your Gun as well as Man of LaMancha and Helter Skelter (movie based on the murders by Charles Manson), his last roles before his death in 1984 was as Colonel Reardon in MASH and as a grandfather in Too Close for Comfort.

The first Radio voice of Superman was Clayton "Bud" Collyer. First reluctant to do the duo voices of Superman and Clark Kent because "it was embarassing" to him, he eventually relented and ended up doing the Superman Radio Show till 1949 as well as doing the voice of Superman in the animated tv series from 1941 to 1943. After the run of the voice of Superman, Bud Collyer went on to do TV games like Beat The Clock.

In 1950, Michael Fitzmaurice took over as the voice of Superman following Collyer. However, it only lasted another year and in 1951 not only did the Radio show of Superman disappear but so did Fitzmaurice.

In 1948 a brand new TV series appeared on the screen called Superman. Running 15 episodes in total and starring Kirk Alyn as comic book superhero, Superman/Clark Kent. Alyn started out as a chorus boy on Broadway and vaudeville but after his 1950 appearance in the second Superman TV series called Atom Man versus Superman, he basically only did little bit roles in various shows for a few year and then retired. His co-stars included Noel Neil as Lois Lane, Tommy Bond as Jimmy Olsen and Pierre Watkin as Perry White.

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Born George Keefer Brewer, later adopted by his stepfather Bessolo. George started out as an amateur boxer until his mother decided it may ruin his good looks. So in 1939, George Bessolo changed his name to George Reeves and got into acting small bits util he landed his role as Stuart Tarleton (one of Scarlett's many suitors) in Gone With The Wind. In 1940 George married Ellanora Needles which lasted 9 years and when they finally divorced in 1949 there was no children. Reeves acting career was going along nicely, starring in films with actors like Ronald Regan, James Cagney and Merle Oberon until he was drafted into the US Army, after he returned, things seemed to have slowed down for him. In 1951 after his return to Hollywood from his 2 years in New York City, Reeves was offered the role as the new face for the comic book superhero, Superman in a television series, a role he really didn't want for fear of being "stereo-typed" for the rest of his career.
From the first film made, Superman and the Mole Men in 1951 till his death in 1959, George Reeves continued to play Superman and his off season time was spent doing other films such as From Here to Eternity or touring with co-star Noel Neil and a few other musician friends doing public appearance shows. While working on the Superman series, George was known as quite the gentlemen by his co-workers. Having insisted that his original Lois Lane actress Phyllis Coates receive equal billing in the credits in the first season and quietly defending Noel Niel's (from Alyn's Superman days) nervousness on her first day when she replaced Coates. He also stood by Robert Shayne (Police Inspector Hamilton) when he was subpeonaed by FBI on the Superman set (Shayne's ex-wife made false accusations about him being a communist). Reeves was also known for his practical jokes on the set as well. In addition, he also took the title of "role model" very seriously, giving up smoking and not being seen in public with his lady-friends. His co-stars included Phyllis Coates in 1951 as Lois Lane then Noel Neil from 1952-1957, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen and John Hamilton as Perry White.

His death in 1959 still remains a mystery. Having recently broken up with ex-girlfriend Toni Mannix in 1958, who was married to Eddie Mannix MGM general manager and just having announced his engagement to present girlfriend Leonore Lemmon, it's unsure as to whether one of these women had something to do with his death or was it suicide?

From 1978 to 1987, 4 new Superman movies came to light starring Christopher Reeve as Superman/Clark Kent. The man who made everyone believe that the comic book superhero, Superman really did exist. Reeve was given the part of Superman not because of his resemblance to Superman but to Clark Kent. At 6'4" and only 190 lbs, Reeve started a hard workout schedule and double his food intake to bulk up another 30 lbs because he didn't want to wear the padding under his suit. Playing along side names such as Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Glen Ford (Jonathan Kent) and Ned Beatty (Otis).

Prior to being Superman, Christopher dropped out of Julliard to play Ben Harper, an antagonistic character with a polygamist lifestyle and history of criminal behavior in the 1974 soap opera Love of Life and a year later starred on Broadway with Katharine Hepburn in A Matter of Gravity for a short time. Reeve went from playing Superman/Clark Kent in the 1978 Superman Movie to playing Richard Collier in the 1980 romantic fantasy Somewhere In Time with Jane Seymour. After playing Superman again in Superman II in 1980 and on broadway in The Fifth of July at the same time, he went to play a psychopath with Michael Cain in Deathtrap. Reeve also went onto do 2 more Superman movies in 1983 and 1987 as well as Switching Channels with Burt Reynolds and Kathleen Turner, The Bostonians with Vanessa Redgrave, Anna Karenina where he learned how to ride horses, Speechless with Michael Keaton (who played another comic superhero Batman) and Village of the Damned. In 1979 Reeve and then girlfriend, Gae Exton, had their first child, Matthew and then in 1983 their second child Alexandra. After the union between Reeve and Exton split, Reeve met and married Dana Moronini in 1992 and in 1992 had son William.

May 27, 1995 was the day of Reeve's accident. His horse had a refusal and Christopher went head first over his horse. The impact of his 215 lb body caused him to be paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. During the next 9 years "Reeve was elected Chairman of the American Paralysis Association and Vice Chairman of the National Organization on Disability. He co-founded the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, which is now one of the leading spinal cord research centers in the world. He created the Christopher Reeve Foundation to speed up research through funding, and to use grants to improve the quality of the lives of people with disabilities." . As well as making his directorial debut in HBO's In The Gloaming with Glen Close, Whoopi Goldberg, Bridget Fonda and David Strathairn. Along with his activism, directing and biographies he also made small appearances in tv shows like Smallville, the story about Clark Kent growing up.

Prior to wanting to be an actor, Dean's first love was football, however due to an early knee injury, a football career was not possible so instead he turned to acting. Doing a few commercials and bits in shows like Grapevine and A Different World. Then in 1992 got the role of Rick in Beverly Hills 90210. In 1993 Cain auditioned, and won, the role of Superman in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, beating out Kevin Sorbo (later to play Hercules) for the role of Clark Kent/Superman. After his run in Lois and Clark, which ended in 1997, Cain acted in several movies including The Broken Hearts Clubs where he played a gay man and Out of Time as an abusive husband who is an ex-football player. In 1998 he started the production company, The Angry Dragon which produced the show Ripley's Believe It Or Not for the TBS Superstation. Then in 2004, he played the husband Scott Peterson in the real life movie of Scott and Laci Peterson called The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story. And then, while in the seventh season, he played the role of Dr. Curtis Knox in Smallville (the teen years of Superman/Clark Kent). Lois Lane was played by Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives), Lane Smith as Perry White and during the first season Michael Landes played Jimmy Olsen during the next 3 seasons it was Justin Whalin.

Before Superman, there was just Clark Kent. Teenage boy from Smallville, Kansas. Tom Welling became that teenage boy from Smallville Kansas named Clark Kent but before that he worked in construction and was discovered by a catalogue camera scout in 1998. After having modeled for names like Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch and Calvin Klein and appearing in some music videos and commercials Welling got a his first major acting role in Judging Amy. In 2001 he became Clark Kent from Smallville. In 2003, Tom starred in Cheaper By The Dozen with Steve Martin and then again in the sequel in 2005. Welling also landed the role of Nick Castle in the 2005 remake of The Fog. He also made his directing debut in a few episodes of Smallville during the last couple of seasons.

Routh worked first as a model and did a little acting in order to put himself thru University. After leaving University in 1999 and going first to New York then to LA and making his first official appearance in Christina Aguilera's video for What A Girl Wants. From 2001 to 2004, Routh made bit appearances in different TV series such as Gilmore Girls, Cold Case and Will and Grace, while also playing in One Life to Live from 2001-2002. In 2006, just prior to his becoming the newest Superman, Routh also played in the movie Karla, the real life story of Karl Homolka and Paul Bernado. A couple that was charged with murdering local girls in the Niagara area in Ontario

Having already auditioned for the role of Superman because his manager thought if they ever made another one he'd be perfect for the role because of his resemblence to Christopher Reeve. When Warner Bros went looking for the new Superman, they wanted someone who was more of a no-body rather then a big name star just like it was for the most popular Superman Christopher Reeve and once they met Routh, it was agreed, not only did he resemble Reeve but his personality reminded them of Reeve too. Routh has already signed on for 2 more Superman movies but do keep your eyes peeled for more him in future movies outside the realm of the Justice League as well.

• At the beginning of the 1978 version of Superman when Clark is racing the train home, there's a family on the train who see him. The father is played by the original superman Kirk Alyn and the mother is played by Noel Neil, the original Lois Lane.

• Both Christopher Reeve and Dean Cain had roles in Smallville. Reeve played Dr Virgil Swan and Cain played Dr Curtis Knox.

• Cain was one of 4 people from Lois and Clark to also play in Smallville. The others were Michael McKean, Patrick Cassidy and Richard Gant.

• After Dr Swan's death, his assistant took information to Clark Kent that the Dr had. The assistant was played by Margot Kidder, Reeve's Lois Lane in the Superman movies.

• In Smallville the voice of Jor-El, Clark's birth father, was done by Terrence Stamp who had played General Zod in Superman II.

• Sharon Thomas, Cain's real life mother, played in 3 different episodes of Lois and Clark. Just Say Noah (1995), Season's Greetings (1994) and The Green, Green Glow of Home (1993).

• Clark Kent's mom in Smallville, Annette O'Toole, also played in Superman III as Lana Lang.

• Helen Slater who played Supergirl in the 1984 movie also plays Clark Kent's birth mother Lara-El in Smallville.

• Joe Shuster, one of the creators of Superman, is a cousin to Frank Shuster of Wayne and Shuster comedy team.

• Jimmy Olson in Smallville is played by Aaron Ashton however, his twin brother Shawn Ashmore also played in a couple of episodes of Smallville in the second and third seasons as Eric Summers.

• Michael McKean who played Perry White in Smallville also played in an episode of Lois and Clark in 1994 as Dr Leek.

• Phyllis Coates played the second Lois Lane, in later years she also returned to play Lois's mother in Lois and Clark. The episode she appeared in was their wedding.

• Bob Holliday did a 129 shows in the broadway musical of It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman in 1966.

• David Wilson did a short stint as Superman in the 1975 TV comedy of It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman.

• Danny Dark lent his voice a number of times to different versions of the animated Superman from 1973-1985

• Tim Daly did the voice of Superman in the '99 animated series. Daly is better known as Joe Hackett in the tv series Wings.

• George Newburn did the voice of Superman in a couple of different animated series from 2001 - 2006.<.li>

• Check our the rest of Superman men as well.