Kirk Alyn
Kirk Alyn (October 8, 1910 – March 14, 1999) was an American actor, best known for being the first actor to play the DC Comics characters Superman on screen in the 1948 film serial Superman and its 1950 sequel Atom Man vs. Superman, as well as Blackhawk from the Blackhawk serial in 1952, and General Sam Lane in 1978's Superman: The Movie.
Early life
Kirk Alyn was born John Feggo, Jr. in Oxford, New Jersey, on October 8, 1910 to Hungarian immigrant parents. In his youth he lived in Wharton, New Jersey. A plaque commemorating his life in the borough is hung in the municipal building.
Career
Alyn started out as a chorus boy on Broadway, appearing in notable musicals such as Girl Crazy, Of Thee I Sing, and Hellzapoppin' in the 1930s.
He also worked as a singer and dancer in vaudeville before moving to Hollywood in the early 1940s to make feature films, where he was successful only in gaining bit parts in low-budget films before landing the role of Superman in 1948. During World War II he served in the United States Navy.