Superman (franchise)

The comic book character Superman has appeared in many types of media. Since his first appearance in 1938, Superman has appeared in radio, television, movies, and video games each on multiple occasions, and his name, symbol, and image have appeared on products and merchandise.

Portrayals of Superman

Actors who have portrayed Superman: (clockwise from top) Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, Tom Welling, and Dean Cain

Among the actors who have played Superman (and/or his alter ego, Clark Kent) are:

• Bud Collyer ( 1940 - 1949 )
• Ray Middleton ( 1942 - 1944 )
• Kirk Alyn ( 1948 - 1950 )
• George Reeves ( 1951 - 1958 )
• Billy Curtis ( 1958 - 1960 )
• Johnny Rockwell ( 1961 - 1964 )
• Bob Holiday ( 1966 - 1968 )
• Danny Dark ( 1973 - 1985 )
• David Wilson ( 1975 )
• Christopher Reeve ( 1978 - 1987 )
• John Haymes Newton ( 1988 - 1989 )
• Gerard Christopher ( 1989 - 1992 )
• Dean Cain ( 1993 - 1997 )
• Tim Daly ( 1996 - 2000 )
• George Newbern ( 2001 - 2006 )
• Tom Welling ( 2001 - present )
• Patrick Warburton ( 2004 - 2005 )
• Michael Dangerfield ( 2005 )
• Yuri Lowenthal ( 2006 - 2008 )
• Brandon Routh ( 2006 - present )
• Kyle McLachlan ( 2008 - present )

Radio & other audio

• 1940s: The Adventures of Superman, radio series starring Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander.
• 1966: The Adventures of Superman, vinyl LP featuring Bob Holiday as Superman.
• 1970s - 1980s: various Superman-related vinyl albums from Peter Pan Records.
• 1995: DC Comics Super Heroes - Attack of the Elementals - audio drama featuring the Justice League. Superman is voiced by David Earl Waterman.

Film

See also: Superman (film series)

• 1948: Superman a serial in 15 chapters starring Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill; recounts origin story; then fights the Spider Lady.
• 1950: Atom Man vs. Superman serial in 15 parts starring Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill and Lyle Talbot. Fights Atom Man / Lex Luthor.
• 1951: Superman and the Mole Men, feature film, starring George Reeves and Phyllis Coates.
• 1954: Stamp Day for Superman, short film featuring George Reeves and Noel Neill promoting Stamp Day for the U.S. Treasury.
• 1978: Superman, directed by Richard Donner and starring Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman and Margot Kidder. Superman is ranked at no. 26 on The AFI's Top 50 Heroes list based on his appearance in this film.
• 1981: Superman II, directed by Richard Lester and starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and Terrence Stamp.
• 1983: Superman III, directed by Richard Lester and starring Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, Annette O'Toole and Robert Vaughn.
• 1984: Supergirl, spin-off directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Helen Slater and Faye Dunaway. In the film, Superman as portrayed by Christopher Reeve appears on a poster.
• 1987: Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and Mariel Hemingway.
• 2006: Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer and starring Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey.
• 2006: Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut. New edit of Superman II, featuring around 70% new footage originally shot by director Richard Donner, including material featuring Marlon Brando.

Television

• 1952 - 1958:Adventures of Superman TV series, starring George Reeves, Phyllis Coates (season 1) and Noel Neill (seasons 2 - 6).
• 1957: I Love Lucy - "Lucy and Superman" episode featuring George Reeves as Superman.
• 1958: The Adventures of Superpup starring Billy Curtis as Superpup/Bark Bent.
• 1961: The Adventures of Superboy unaired TV series pilot starring Johnny Rockwell.
• early 1970s: Superkeds commercial featuring unknown actors as Superman and Batman.
• 1975: It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman, Televised production of the Broadway play starring David Wilson and Lesley Ann Warren.
• 1988 - 1992: Superboy television series, starring John Haymes Newton (1988–1989), Gerard Christopher (1989–1992) and Stacy Haiduk
• 1993 - 1997: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman television series, starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher.
• 2001 - (present): Smallville television series, starring Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, and Kristin Kreuk.

Animated

• 1941 - 1943: Fleischer Studios' Superman theatrical cartoon series of 17 shorts starring Bud Collyer.
• 1966 - 1969: Various Superman series by Filmation. Featured Bud Collyer as Superman and Bob Hastings as Superboy.
  • 1966: The New Adventures of Superman
  • 1967: The Superman-Aquaman Hour of Adventure
  • 1968 - 1969: The Batman-Superman Hour
• 1969 / 1971: Two animated shorts were created for Sesame Street featuring the letters of the alphabet D and S, appearing in 1969 (Episode 0025, season one) and 1971 (Episode 0184, season 2), respectively. Here he is voiced by Lennie Weinrib.
• 1972: Superman guest stars in the "Cindy's Super Friend" episode of The Brady Kids
• 1973 - 1985: Various Super Friends series produced by Hanna-Barbera. Featured Danny Dark as Superman.
  • 1973: Super Friends
  • 1977: The All-New Super Friends Hour
  • 1978: Challenge Of The SuperFriends
  • 1979: The World's Greatest Super Friends
  • 1979: A villainous "Frankenstein monster" clone of Superman (Superstein) appears in one episode of The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show, where he is voiced by Stanley Ralph Ross.
  • 1984: Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show
  • 1985: The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians
• 1988: Superman TV series based on the "new" DC Comics Superman. Produced by Ruby-Spears. Starred Beau Weaver and Ginny McSwain.
• 1996 - 2000: Superman by Warner Bros. Starred Tim Daly and Dana Delany.
• 2000: Batman Beyond episodes "The Call Parts 1 & 2" by Warner Bros. featured Superman (Christopher McDonald) as the leader of the Justice League.
• 2001 - 2006: Justice League / Justice League Unlimited by Warner Bros. Features George Newbern as Superman.
• 2004: The Adventures of Seinfeld & Superman, short films and commercials by American Express featuring live action with an animated Superman voiced by Patrick Warburton.
• 2005: Krypto the Superdog, TV series. Superman, voiced by Michael Daingerfield, appears in the first episode.
• 2006: Superman: Brainiac Attacks, straight-to-video film utilizing character designs from Superman: The Animated Series. Stars Tim Daly and Dana Delany
• 2006 - 2008: Legion of Super Heroes by Warner Bros. Features Yuri Lowenthal as Superman.
• 2007: Superman: Doomsday straight-to-video film by DC Comics. Features Adam Baldwin as Superman
• 2007: The Batman by Warner Bros. Superman is featured in the two part season premiere, "The Batman/Superman Story" and the two part series finale, "Lost Heroes". George Newbern reprises the role.
• 2008: Justice League: The New Frontier by DC Comics. Features Kyle MacLachlan as Superman.

Video games

Main article: Superman video games

• 1979: Superman by Atari for the Atari 2600.
• 1984: Superman III by Atari for the Atari 8-bit family of computers. Unreleased.
• 1985: Superman: The Game by First Star Software for the Commodore 64.
• 1987: Superman by Kemco for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
• 1988: Superman: Man of Steel by Tynesoft for the Commodore 64.
• 1988: Superman by Taito; Arcade game.
• 1992: Superman: The Man of Steel by Virgin Interactive for the Sega Master System.
• 1992: Superman by Sunsoft for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
• 1994 / 1995: The Death and Return of Superman by Sunsoft for the Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
• 1995: Justice League Task Force by Acclaim for the Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
• 1998: Superman by Titus for the Game Boy.
• 1999: Superman by Titus for the Nintendo 64.
• Cancelled: Superman by Titus for the PlayStation.
• 2002: Justice League: Injustice for All by Midway for the Game Boy Advance. Superman is a playable character.
• 2002: Superman: The Man of Steel by Infogrames/Atari for the Xbox.
• 2002 / 2003: Superman: Shadow of Apokolips by Infogrames/Atari for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube.
• 2003: Superman: Countdown to Apokolips by Infogrames/Atari for the Game Boy Advance.
• 2003: Justice League: Chronicles by Midway for the Game Boy Advance. Superman is a playable character.
• 2005: Justice League TV Games unit by Jakks Pacific. Superman is playable in some games, non-playable in others.
• 2006: Superman: The Greatest Hero by VTech for the V.Smile system.
• 2006: Superman TV Games unit by Jakks Pacific. Five different games featuring Superman.
• 2006: Justice League Heroes by Eidos for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PlayStation Portable. Superman is a playable character and is voiced by Crispin Freeman
• 2006: Superman Returns by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 2, Xbox & Xbox 360. Features voices from the cast of the film.
• 2006: Superman Returns by Electronic Arts for the Nintendo DS.
• 2006: Superman Returns: Fortress of Solitude by Electronic Arts for the Game Boy Advance.

Upcoming:

• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe by Midway for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Scheduled for a Fall 2008 release.
• DC Universe Online by Sony Online Entertainment & Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 and PC. Features Superman. Scheduled for an early 2009 release.

Theater & live appearances

• 1940: New York World's Fair Broadway actor Ray Middleton played the Man of Steel in his first public appearance on July 3 for "Superman Day". Several photos of him in costume survive.[1]
• 1966: "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman", a Broadway musical; lyrics by Lee Adams, music by Charles Strouse. Starring Bob Holiday and Jack Cassidy.

Merchandising

File:Supermanpeanutbutter.png

Superman peanut butter

• Sunnyland Refining Co., in 1983, marketed jars of creamy and crunchy peanut butter using the familiar image of Superman.

Theme park rides

• Superman: The Escape, roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
• Superman: Ultimate Flight, roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags Great Adventure, and Six Flags Great America.
• Superman - Ride of Steel, roller coaster at Six Flags America. Also at Darien Lake without the "Superman" branding.
• Superman - Ride of Steel, different roller coaster found at Six Flags New England.
• Superman: Krypton Coaster, roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
• Superman el Ultimo Escape, roller coaster at Six Flags México.
• Superman Escape, roller coaster at Warner Brothers Movie World.

Literature

• Author Larry Niven wrote the short essay/study "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex", about the psychological and biological problems with Superman's romance with Lois Lane, or any human female. The story is rarely illustrated because of issues with DC Comics' legal department.

References

• "O Superman: Music & comics" (by Alan Moore, The Daredevils #5, 1983)