who is or was the best actor to play Superman.

[doctor9]

Who do you think was the best actor to play Superman.

[md62]

No contest - Christopher Reeve is Superman.

George Reeves is remembered (fondly) by some of us old farts but we are definitely in the minority.

Dean Cain was great as Clark but as Superman he was OK.

Tom Welling in my mind isn't Superman. He has only played Clark plus I can't stand the angsty Smallville series. The series has gotten so bad even my teen age daughters stopped watching several years ago.

Brandon Routh has a good chance to be the next Superman of this generation. Both my teen age daughters are anxiously awiting the next Superman movie.

[Karl O'Neill]

No contest - Christopher Reeve is Superman.

[DeadXMan]

Chris.

:frown:

[Ilash]

I honestly can't imagine anyone voting for anyone other than Christopher Reeve. I don't even think this would change if you included the animated version - that's how muchl Christopher Reeve nailed the character.

[Will.S]

If you take out Chris Reeve (since he'll alway seem to be the obvious majority choice), it turns into a much more interesting poll IMO.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Chris was the best by far, to compare the other actors to him is kinda unfair IMO

[jamal Igle]

I liked George Reeves and Brandon Routh. They played Superman, but Christopher Reeve in my mind was Superman.

[$5 Milkshake]

I liked George Reeves and Brandon Routh. They played Superman, but Christopher Reeve in my mind was Superman.

Exactly.

I still hear Christopher Reeves' voice when I read Superman's dialogue. The two are, most likely, forever joined.

[colossus34]

It's really SAD but as long as Chris is in the cultural consciousness no one can ever be superman again really. He embodied the soul of the character to an extent that's unreplaceable.

[cpahl2000]

Christopher Reeve was the Superman, he was and always will be the Superman face and figure. I also like a lot George Reeves, specially his Adventures of Superman but Chris is Superman.

[King Krypton]

Bud Collyer, hands down.

Honorable mention to Kirk Alyn (why isn't he listed?) and George Reeves. The others listed are jokes.

[mgs]

I like some of the others, including the coice actor of the animated show, but Chris is hard to beat as the definitive one, at least for younger generations (not thinking of my fathers').

[Solaris01]

Both Reeve and Routh ARE Superman to me. I think they are great; however, ever since I saw Brandon's performance in SR, which I really enjoyed, and got to see how much like Clark Kent and Superman he is in real life, he just Is Superman on and off the screen to me. He is a really nice and wholesome guy like Superman, and Brandon's face is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Superman now. He embodies the Kryptonian so well that is wonderful. And his voice is also my favorite from all the Supermen. So I choose him.

God, I so hope he returns as Supes for the next movie.

[rocky123]

Christopher Reeve and it's not really even a contest. Second I would say Routh since it seems that they actually chose him due to his similarity to Reeve. There were numerous times throughout Superman Returns when you could close your eyes and listen to Routh and swear that it was Reeve talking.

[Batman Fan 31593]

Is this poll even necessary? Chris Reeve IS Superman.

[IMJ]

So help me, when I saw Superman Returns in the theater, I swore up and down that they somehow CG'd Christopher Reeves face into the film during that last shot (before the credits) of Routh flying into the camera up into space.

[Augusto]

We already have this kind of polls here (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=233565), here (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=158744)and here (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=199554).

But, anyway, I'll keep voting Christopher Reeve. Nuff' said.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/8/82/200px-Supermanflag.JPG

[Spiffy]

I honestly don't think a truly good actor has ever played Superman. At least not yet. A lot of people get behind Reeve because they grew up with him. And there's probably an unconscious emotive response to his eventual fate. And others get behind Reeves, because he was "the early influence".

Welling is just a horrible actor, like most people on that show. But again, he likely gets some "I grew up with him" support, from a certain age group.

There HAVE been one or two voice actors, I bet, who've done decent jobs... but at the moment they aren't sticking in my head.

[Blackhawkk]

What? No Kirk Allyn?

After Christopher Reeve, George Reeves IS Superman.

Tom Welling never played Superman, only a teenage Clark Kent.

Brandon Routh? Please don't remind me of that movie ever again!

[TuPeT]

Reeve.

But since we can not have him anymore, I would go with Routh, he resembles Chris and it was not a bad choice for Superman Returns, The problem was that just almost everything in the movie was shite.

[dancj]

I honestly don't think a truly good actor has ever played Superman. At least not yet.
I don't think Christopher Reeve was ever a great actor, but sometimes a decent actor can be perfectly cast and turn in a perfect performance, and I think that was the case with Reeve.

[Alan2099]

Tom Welling never played Superman, only a teenage Clark Kent.
And he doesn't even do a good job at that.

The answers on this poll need to be changed to
A) Christopher Reeve
B) I've voting for somebody else just because everybody else is voting for Christopher Reeve.
c) I'm stupid.

[Dr. Simian]

I've always felt that Christopher Reeve was the best Earth-1 Superman, and George Reeves was the best Earth-2 Superman.:cool:

[Captain Smith]

That's a good analysis.

George had a dignity about him and a seriousness. As Clark he was a touch sardonic without the wimpy Clark mystique. He was before the Lois-stalker motif and regarded her hots for Supes as amusing.

Brandon didn't have the majesty necessary - too much a pretty model boy and hobbled by the Lois-whining script.

[UserIDGoesHere]

Christopher Reeve was the best Superman, but I don't like his portrayal of Clark Kent at all. I think Dean Cain was the best Clark.

[dancj]

No - Dean Cain played Clark as a smug smarmy git - and exactly the same as his Superman.

[marshal99]

Nicholas Cage's superman. :wink:

http://www.solarnavigator.net/films_movies_actors/film_images/nicholas_cage_superman_outfit.jpg

American gladiator titan's superman :biggrin:

http://www.mikeohearnprofile.com/assets/images/autogen/a_wfshh_suprbat.jpg

[Zod-20186]

No contest - Christopher Reeve is Superman.

George Reeves is remembered (fondly) by some of us old farts but we are definitely in the minority.

Dean Cain was great as Clark but as Superman he was OK.

Tom Welling in my mind isn't Superman. He has only played Clark plus I can't stand the angsty Smallville series. The series has gotten so bad even my teen age daughters stopped watching several years ago.

Brandon Routh has a good chance to be the next Superman of this generation. Both my teen age daughters are anxiously awiting the next Superman movie.

I'm a young guy and I must say I love looking back on George Reeves. He did the role well and brought it plenty of integrity. However, I agree, Christopher Reeve is the legit Superman and forever will be.

Bit tough of Dean Cain, I thought he did a solid job both as Clark and Superman. He was the correct build for the job, though a little "short" in height.

Tom Welling is not superman, for smallville is not based on superman :p It's not even a copy of "superboy" in truth. It started off with that "teenage" drama style and has developed over the years based on the superman mytho. Thus, I cannot agree with your statement here, as Tom has actually grown into the role over the years and has pulled off some good work. I'd actually take him anyday over Routh, whom tried too hard to take over Chris' superman in both "look", "stance" and that bumbling Clark Kent style. Honestly mate, I highly suggest actually "watching" a few episodes from seasons 6 and possibly 8 if you havent already done so. If you still think it's rubbish, then fair enough, though if you've only watched seasons 2 to 4 of smallville, then yeah it's no wonder you can't stand it as that was really the series weakpoint (along with 7, terrible)

[Ontir]

I voted for Reeve as "Superman," but his "Clark Kent" sucked!

Routh is a far better "Kent" than anyone since George Reeves.

[BYC]

Christopher Reeve.

In fact, I think that's the problem why we can't get a good Superman movie made. Somebody says Han Solo, we think Harrison Ford. Same with Indiana Jones. We can't get away from Reeve, and thus, we can't go forward.

Routh is good, but Reeve is the best.

[DonC]

I voted for Reeve as "Superman," but his "Clark Kent" sucked!

Routh is a far better "Kent" than anyone since George Reeves.


Reeve's Clark Kent was written poorly. It almost got to the point of parody in the last two movies. But as an actor, I think Reeve was the only person who made Clark Kent and Superman look like two different people.

[Eric Henson]

Reeve's Clark Kent was written poorly. It almost got to the point of parody in the last two movies. But as an actor, I think Reeve was the only person who made Clark Kent and Superman look like two different people.

That is very true. His expressions were his disguise (to a point). My wife agrees as well. Somehow, he just looks a little different as Clark (could be because the frames of his glasses mostly cover his eyebrows too). Overall though, his demeanor, mannerisms, confidence level, & slight voice alteration were a complete change as Clark--effective ones at that.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Agreed with what other people have said. Chris Reeve, and it's a hands-down thing. Second, Brandon Routh.

[Jigsaw]

Tom Welling, no doubt about it.

[josh straightedge]

I voted for the dead guy in the wheelchair. Up, up and away!

[Jigsaw]

Was that comment really necessary?

[Mikeymike]

Christopher Reeve without a doubt.

Absolute worst without a doubt---Brandon Routh. Horrible, wooden, lifeless performance. Bad acting and no charisma. I hope he never makes another Superman movie again. If he does, I certainly won't watch it.

[Stanlos]

If I hadn't revisited all the Superman stuff in my collection recently, I would have kneejerked Christopher Reeve. But having done so, I have to say he is my number 2.

My number 1 is Dean Cain.

Same for the score. L&C #1, STM a very close #2

The B&W show made me laugh with the way the running jump stunt was done for flight.

[Jigsaw]

To be bloody honest, I've always thought Tom Welling had added more to the character than him simply deciding to put on a suit, save people, & call it a day. His Clark Kent is more complex than glasses & a spit curl. Chris Reeve was awesome, no doubt, and he's a close second, but he didn't add as much flavor to the character as Tom has.

My $0.02.

[The Shadow]

No contest - Christopher Reeve is Superman.
Agreed!!!!!

Hey, what happened to Kirk Alyn? :confused:

[Evil-Spidey]

http://members.tripod.com/~CARIART/deancaincollage.jpg

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I think the public's overwhelming affection towards Christopher Reeve's Superman goes beyond nostalgia or some sort of guilt about his eventual fate.

Christopher Reeve just feels like Superman to most people. There's something unquantifiable about it. He's got the look, the nobility, majesty and sadness without losing the knowing wink of how ridiculous Superman really is that no other actor has managed to bring to the table.

It's a supremely difficult thing to walk around in a red cape and underwear outside your blue tights without being a laughing stock. The fact that Reeve pulled that off while also doing a genuinely great performance is pretty remarkable.

[pitbull in a skirt]

I love Christopher Reeve, I really do, but the fan worship is getting a little too overwhelming for me. Same with the Dean Cain bashing. Anyone who isn't like Reeve is "bad". Most people who act like this don't even dislike Cain, they're only just hopping on the bandwagon because they know people will make fun of them if they say they do.

That said, Chris Reeve and Dean Cain are my two favorites. I voted for Cain though, because I know everyone and their mama is going to vote for Reeve.

http://i42.tinypic.com/2utp43r.jpg

my .gif cuts off right when he's about to do the shirt rip. damn you ninjagif.com (http://ninjagif.com)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2zhnk74.jpg

I feel bad for Routh, he didn't even get to make Superman his own. Imagine getting to play SUPERMAN, the all time most famous superhero, and the director just tells you to imitate the deceased man who played him 30 years ago.

No - Dean Cain played Clark as a smug smarmy git - and exactly the same as his Superman.

As opposed to a bumbling baffoon? :confused: I never found Dean Cain's Clark smug nor smarmy. I loved his and George Reeves' Clark (Dean more so than George). I'm not a fan of the overtly "gee look at me I could never be Superman I'm so clumsy!" Clark Kent. Cain played it like Reeves' except he added a nice square, smallville farmboy quality to Clark that made it make sense that Lois would poke fun of him for being from Kansas. Its called mild mannered. :)

His Superman was nothing like his Clark Kent. As Superman, he's playing Clark Kent pretending to be someone else (a "super man" if you will). He's not Superman pretending to be himself, who was really not himself because some alien guy 30 years later into his life told him he's not really him, he's Kal El, so he has to pretend his real self is really someone else because he is Kal El and not Clark, despite the fact that he was raised as Clark by the Kents. Now here, put on some blue tights and go save some people.

You mentioned this in the older thread

There was nothing humble about Dean Cain's Clark. He was a smug dickhead

Were we watching the same show?

I thought Dean Cain made too smug a Clark Kent and looked nothing like the character.

Again, which version? Dean Cain looks just like the 1940s Superman animation cartoons. Broad shoulders, darker skin, hefty blazers, no particularly blue eyes, nice framed glasses. Notice this version has the curl as Clark as well, so it is "canon" (unlike the complainers who claim he's supposed to have it slicked back and be a klutz).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/oldschoolckdeancain.jpg



Bit tough of Dean Cain, I thought he did a solid job both as Clark and Superman. He was the correct build for the job, though a little "short" in height.


Dean Cain and George Reeves are the same height (6ft). Kirk Allyn (poor guy, everyone forgets him) is only an inch taller.

[dancj]

Again, which version? Dean Cain looks just like the 1940s Superman animation cartoons. Broad shoulders, darker skin, hefty blazers, no particularly blue eyes, nice framed glasses. Notice this version has the curl as Clark as well, so it is "canon" (unlike the complainers who claim he's supposed to have it slicked back and be a klutz).
I'm not fussed about the hair.

I just can't see this guy:
http://www.theculturebeat.com/wp-content/photos/DeanCainClark.jpg

as looking anything like Clark Kent.

[pitbull in a skirt]

Not a good picture. In the last season they cut his hair. In fact, they cut Lois' hair too. The show jumped the shark by than.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/PML722.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/ManOfSteelBars264.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/WallOfSound747-1.jpg

OK so I'm heavily biased, but I prefer these looks (http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6837/lcpilot10679674808ti8.jpg) shown here than the other Clarks' we've seen over the decades. For this particular show, it works. I understand the premise of L&C:TNAOS may not be everyone's cup of tea, but its different, and for me that's very appealing (in its early incarnation anyway).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/LCPilot2192.jpg

[cpahl2000]

Not a good picture. In the last season they cut his hair. In fact, they cut Lois' hair too. The show jumped the shark by than.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/PML722.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/ManOfSteelBars264.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/WallOfSound747-1.jpg

OK so I'm heavily biased, but I prefer these looks (http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6837/lcpilot10679674808ti8.jpg) shown here than the other Clarks' we've seen over the decades. For this particular show, it works. I understand the premise of L&C:TNAOS may not be everyone's cup of tea, but its different, and for me that's very appealing (in its early incarnation anyway).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/floetic_justice/lac/LCPilot2192.jpg



I liked Cain´s Superman/Clark, not so special but a decent one.

[BYC]

I think the public's overwhelming affection towards Christopher Reeve's Superman goes beyond nostalgia or some sort of guilt about his eventual fate.

Christopher Reeve just feels like Superman to most people. There's something unquantifiable about it. He's got the look, the nobility, majesty and sadness without losing the knowing wink of how ridiculous Superman really is that no other actor has managed to bring to the table.

It's a supremely difficult thing to walk around in a red cape and underwear outside your blue tights without being a laughing stock. The fact that Reeve pulled that off while also doing a genuinely great performance is pretty remarkable.
We've talked about this before. It's because of Superman's unique stature in comics. He is the first superhero, the most well-known, and he doesn't hide behind a mask when on the job. Other superheroes have masks, so the face isn't 100% absolutely essential. Clark Kent has glasses, but they are so less obstructive than a full mask. Even a domino mask like Robin's in the 2 bad Joel Schumacher hid Chris O'Donnell face well enough. You just can't escape that in Superman.

Reeve's face is iconic. Until fans forget or we find a better one, I don't think a true Superman movie (not Elseworlds, not young Clark, not old Kal-El) will go very well. We might as well think about CGing Reeve's face onto a body.

[jade_nova]

Christopher Reeves hands down. He has the look, the attitude, everything.

[Black Atom]

I voted for Reeve as "Superman," but his "Clark Kent" sucked!

Routh is a far better "Kent" than anyone since George Reeves.

Did I miss a scene in Returns where Routh wasn't simply playing Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent?

[marshal99]

Routh is basically just emulating reeves version of clark and superman.


http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9535/supermanstance22as.jpghttp://img79.imageshack.us/img79/7116/supermanstance1tn.jpg
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/6528/cknotepad22ks.jpghttp://img79.imageshack.us/img79/341/cknotepad7ca.jpg

[pitbull in a skirt]

But he didn't have a choice.

Interesting they didn't have Kate Bosworth dye her hair black and curl her hair with bangs. It would of least give it some credible continuity...and cover up that forehead.

Did I miss a scene in Returns where Routh wasn't simply playing Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent?

:tongue:

[Black Atom]

But he didn't have a choice.

Interesting they didn't have Kate Bosworth dye her hair black and curl her hair with bangs. It would of least give it some credible continuity...and cover up that forehead.

:tongue:

Don't ge me wrong. I thought Routh was a decent Superman. I was mainly trying to understand Ontir's point that Routh's Kent was good while Reeve's wasn't.

[Alan2099]

To be bloody honest, I've always thought Tom Welling had added more to the character than him simply deciding to put on a suit, save people, & call it a day. His Clark Kent is more complex than glasses & a spit curl. Chris Reeve was awesome, no doubt, and he's a close second, but he didn't add as much flavor to the character as Tom has.

My $0.02.

To be bloody honest, I never felt like Tom Welling was playing Clark, Kal, Superman, or whatever you wanted to call him at all. It's not so much that he added to the character to me as it is he's playing somebody else entirely that just happens to share a few similarities with Superman.

I'm not fussed about the hair.

I just can't see this guy:
http://www.theculturebeat.com/wp-content/photos/DeanCainClark.jpg

as looking anything like Clark Kent.
He looks far to GQ to be a mild mannered reporter if you ask me.

[cpahl2000]

Routh is basically just emulating reeves version of clark and superman.


http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9535/supermanstance22as.jpghttp://img79.imageshack.us/img79/7116/supermanstance1tn.jpg
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/6528/cknotepad22ks.jpghttp://img79.imageshack.us/img79/341/cknotepad7ca.jpg


A bad copy to be true.

[eggie]

Christopher Reeve all the way! I can still remember seeing Superman: the movie for the first time...since the first time I saw him in the suit, he was my Superman.

I enjoyed Brandon Routh in SR...I thought he did a good job as Clark Kent the bumbling reporter.

[pitbull in a skirt]

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/222/th15c2571378hy9.jpg
To be bloody honest, I never felt like Tom Welling was playing Clark, Kal, Superman, or whatever you wanted to call him at all. It's not so much that he added to the character to me as it is he's playing somebody else entirely that just happens to share a few similarities with Superman.

He looks far to GQ to be a mild mannered reporter if you ask me.

But that's just one promo picture. Not a very good representation of L&C's Clark Kent. If you want to talk GQ, look at the season 6 (I think it was) promo pictures of the Daily Planet attire for Smallville.

Perhaps Dean Cain is simply too good looking to not look GQ in business attire.

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/2/33612s6tm006122543lo273ru7.jpg

[Alan2099]

Routh is basically just emulating reeves version of clark and superman.


http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9535/supermanstance22as.jpghttp://img79.imageshack.us/img79/7116/supermanstance1tn.jpg
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/6528/cknotepad22ks.jpghttp://img79.imageshack.us/img79/341/cknotepad7ca.jpg

Just looking at these pictures, it's amazing how diferent Reeves looks as Clark than he does as Superman, while on the other hand Routh does look basically like the same guy.

[Mikeymike]

I love it when people put pictures of Routh and Reeve together because I get so sick of hearing how Routh looks like Reeve, when he doesn't. Look at those two pictures of Superman. Routh looks like a pencilneck with a pin head next to Reeve.

Sorry, I think Routh was the worst Superman ever. I liked Dean Cain just fine. Cain not only has a good look for Superman but he has personality and charisma, charm and screen presence----all things Routh is sorely lacking in.

[Stanlos]

To be bloody honest, I never felt like Tom Welling was playing Clark, Kal, Superman, or whatever you wanted to call him at all. It's not so much that he added to the character to me as it is he's playing somebody else entirely that just happens to share a few similarities with Superman.


He looks far to GQ to be a mild mannered reporter if you ask me.

I thought Welling was playing someone who was hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhawt.

[Jigsaw]

I think that Tom Welling & Chris Reeve honestly have done the best jobs with the character to date. I feel as if Chris Reeve passed the torch to Tom Welling.

[ARach]

Brandon Routh shouldn't have been an established Superman for more than 5 years. By his young look, he should have been in an origin/beginning story, then he could bulk up and age naturally to get the more supe-y look for the sequels.
Hell Superman Returns.