First introduced in a 1938 comic book, Superman has since become an iconic character in American entertainment. This complete history covers Superman’s appearances in film and television, from the 1941 introduction of the first Superman cartoon to the 2006 live-action film Superman Returns. The book includes several rarely seen photographs of the actors who have brought Superman to life for over seven decades, including Clayton “Bud” Collyer, Kirk Alyn, George Reeves and Christopher Reeve. Multiple appendices provide a complete listing of Superman-related books and websites, along with a comprehensive list of the cast and characters featured in Superman films, television shows, and radio programs since 1941.

Bruce Scivally is a film historian, teacher, and writer with many years of experience in the film business. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Bruce Scivally
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 248
Bibliographic Info: 12 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2022 [2008]
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9136-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi
Preface      1
Introduction      3

1. Siegel and Shuster Create a Legend      5
2. Superman on the Air      16
3. Superman Paramount      24
4. A Job for Kirk Alyn      29
5. Superman Comes to Television      45
6. The Middle Years      62
7. You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly      76
8. Echoes of the Past      110
9. Lois & Clark      121
10. Superman Wings It to the WB      135
11. Smallville      141
12. And Now a Word from Superman      159
13. Reviving Superman      166

Afterword      190
Appendix I: Superman Books      191
Appendix II: Superman-Related Websites      193
Appendix III: Superman Cast      194
Chapter Notes      197
Bibliography      217
Index      225

• “Comprehensive…detail is numbing…thorough…excellent…value…enthusiastically endorsed”—Library Journal

• “Riveting media history…covers every movie, radio, film and Broadway incarnation of Superman, with full accounts of how the people who created or starred in them got involved with the project”—Big Reel

• “A terrific book”—Cinema Retro

• “Quite comprehensive; something Superman aficionados will certainly appreciate”—Script Magazine

• “Complete…chronicles the men who have portrayed Supeman…as well as the behind-the-scenes struggles to bring the superhero to life in cartoons, serials, TV programs, movies and on the Broadway stage”—The Huntsville Times

• “Meticulous”—American Profile

• “The story behind the various Superman films and television shows, as well as the 1966 Broadway musical, ‘It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman’”—Pioneer Press