"Superman II" interview: Leueen Willoughby

In Superman II (1980), actress Leueen Willoughby played Leueen (yes, same name), a Daily Planet employee.

A small role, one of her few lines is one of the most fun to quote: "The big one's just as strong as Superman!" It's made even more memorable because it's followed by Lois shoving her which, alas, is not in the only clip I found online:

What were you doing professionally prior to Superman II?

I was working in theatre: repertory at the Bristol Old Vic and Farnham Repertory theatre.

around the time of Superman II

How did you get the role? 

Through the casting director.

Were you a fan of Superman or superheroes?

Not really. I was familiar with Superman but not exactly a fan.

Any funny anecdotes about your Superman experience?

There was a day when the set (the E stage at Pinewood Studios) was getting very hot and the Director of Photography kept saying they needed to turn light off to reduce heat. No one listened to him and the fire sprinklers went off, pouring water everywhere. That got all of us an extended break from shooting. I think we all just went home that day.

Is there one story about your Superman experience that you tell more than any other?

Yes! I tell the story about how Christopher Reeve decided he was going to do a bit of funny business with his Clark Kent hat—taking it off and fumbling it onto a coat rack. During a break in shooting, he worked and worked on getting it just perfect. When it came time to shoot the scene, he had it down perfectly and made it look like a clumsy Clark Kent move.  

What was your impression of Christopher Reeve?

I thought he was a very nice man. He seemed to be polite, pleasant, and, despite being exceptionally handsome, not the least bit egotistical. [The] accident later in his life was tragic. When he said he would walk again, I thought that if anyone could succeed, it would be him. I based that on his discipline and work ethic as an actor. But sadly, it was not to be. 

Margot Kidder?

I think Margot Kidder was having a difficult time in her personal life while we were shooting. 

Gene Hackman?

He had an end date for the time he was available to work on Superman. On his last day, some special effects things got bogged down, as often happened. He was sitting on top of a row of filing cabinets, a relaxed Lex Luthor, reclining, feet up. Every once in a while, he would say in quite a loud voice "5:20 [pm] and it's adios for me." I had to smile at that. However, it did not speed up anything. 

Memories of any other actors on set?

One day we were all waiting while some special effects were being set up. The "bad guys" were sitting opposite me. Terence Stamp said to no one in particular "I haven't worked for four years and now I'm here making an idiot of myself." He said this, I think, because he was having a lot of trouble with the flying. The harness was fitted around the actors' midsection and they had to balance themselves when flying. He was having trouble crashing through the windows of the Daily Planet and landing on his feet. I think that was why he felt he was making an idiot of himself. I wanted to tell him he was not and that one of the stunt guys could probably give him some help, but he was a famous actor and I was a bit part player so I said nothing. I regretted that later. 

Did you attend the premiere, and if so, what was that like?

I did not attend the premiere. 

Did your opinion of the movie change after it opened?

Not really. I [last saw it] maybe ten years ago and it does look a bit dated because computer generated special effects were not available when the film was made. 

Have you been interviewed before about this specifically?

I have been asked a few questions about Superman as part of a longer interview, but not a specific Superman interview.

What was your favorite acting gig?

That is a tough one! I loved playing Mrs. Molloy in The Matchmaker in the West End in London. I also did nine months in The Rocky Horror Show in London and that was a hoot. Later in my career, I played Lady Macbeth, and that was memorable as well. 

What are you doing these days?

I gave up acting over 30 years ago. I then worked in the financial markets as an equities trader. I retired when I was 50. I now ride and compete in dressage with my horse Biasini. I ride with him at the FEI level, an international level. But I am just an amateur rider! I also have a blog, Horse Addict, [which consists of posts] about my own riding, interviews with international riders, reviews of horse books, reviews of horse products, and posts on horse history and photography. Next week I will be going to the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, NC. This is a huge championship with 70 countries taking part and about 1,000 horses. There are eight disciplines: jumping, eventing, dressage, endurance, vaulting, driving, reining, and para-dressage. I have media accreditation for the games and will be there to cover the dressage and to take photos of the dressage competitors for my blog.

Leueen and Biasini competing at the Global Dressage Festival, 

Wellington, FL, March 2018; photo credit Susan Stickle

Where do you live?

I live in Southern Ontario, Canada, just north of Toronto. 

Tell me about your children/family.

My husband used to work for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and is now retired. We met when I was still acting and came to Toronto to take a leading role in a CBC drama about a woman with breast cancer. We have two children who are now adults. Our son is 32 and lives in London. Our daughter is 30 and lives about two hours from us. She is married with a four-year-old son and two stepdaughters. Both of our children have full-time careers involving marketing and social media. 

Have you participated in any Superman-related event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? If not, would you be open to meeting fans and signing autographs at an event like San Diego Comic-Con?

I have not. I once went to a Star Trek convention in Toronto as our kids were Trekkies. I thought it was a lot of fun. 

Are you still in touch with anyone from the cast?

No, I'm not. I have lost touch with most of my acting friends.

When was the last time you saw a member of the cast, and was it on purpose or by chance?

I honestly cannot remember. 

Do you have an opinion on Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut?

[NOTE: Leueen's "big one's just as strong" scene is not in this version of the film.]

The Richard Donner cut? I did not know such a thing existed. Richard Lester directed Superman II and I did not know that Dick Donner [who directed Superman: The Movie] had a cut. However, I do remember that Richard Donner was "Dick" Donner and Richard Lester was always "Richard, never Dick." That's what they used to say.

Do you have any mementos from the experience such as set photos, a script, or anything from the set?

No. I wish I did. 

What did you think when you first heard from me?

I googled you to see who you were. I get a lot of requests for autographs on small collectors' cards for Superman; some are from okay people but others are from people on the fringe. I wanted to make sure you were not "on the fringe."

How do you look back on your Superman experience?

It was a very interesting experience. It was a chance to be on the set of a big film and see the workings of it. I learned a lot about the process of filmmaking that stood me in good stead for later film and TV work.

If the experience changed your life in any way, how?

It was an interesting education about film and film actors but not exactly "life-changing."

"Superman II" interview: Robin Pappas

In Superman II (1980), actress Robin Pappas played Alice, a Daily Planet employee.

She had only one line.

But even a small role in an iconic film is big enough to yield fascinating behind-the-scenes nuggets, especially with someone who has a big personality. Ergo, an interview with Robin:

What were you doing professionally prior to Superman II? 

Before, during, and after Superman II, I was a young jobbing actor, working in repertory theaters around Great Britain, generally enjoying the hi-diddly-dee lifestyle. The only bit of film work I'd done previously was in my first term at RADA [Royal Academy of Dramatic Art] in early '72—we students were used as extras in O Lucky Man! We got paid something like three guineas for the day and it was simultaneously thrilling and boring, mostly kinda wonderful to be part of the "magic of movie-making." [I also had] a small role in The Shining, but that's another story. Just to be in a movie, in any capacity, was a major kick.

Okay, you can't just casually toss out "I was in The Shining" as an aside without consequence. Tell me about it!

I played a nurse in an end scene, which was there for the LA and NY previews, then Stanley Kubrick deleted it, supposedly on advice from Warner's. I understand he destroyed the footage. That seems a bit extreme—I've always felt it would've been a better film with me in it. Ha ha, no really, I preferred the original ending. Jack Nicholson was not around [when I shot], but I got the impression he's a lot of fun on set; no Scatman Crothers, either—my scene was in hospital after the labyrinth scene. Shelley Duvall was super friendly, a very pleasant and down-to-earth person, Barry Nelson polite and easygoing, and young Danny just a normal kid who happened to be a really good actor. There were many takes, and Kubrick struck me as quiet, thoughtful, almost monk-like in his precision.

Back to Superman II…how did you get the role?

As I remember, first an interview with Mary Selway, the casting director, then a brief meeting with Richard Lester, the director, which looking back seems a lot of bother for them for a bit part player.

Were you a fan of Superman or superheroes?

As a child, comics-wise, I loved them all, but particularly the females. In film terms, I'd gone to the first Superman with my sister's five young sons and was tickled to see a couple of acting pals in small parts. The theater was packed and we had to sit in the front row. It was great, so immediate; at certain moments we were cheering and jumping out of our seats with mindless feel-good patriotic fervor, John Williams's music whipping us into a rah-rah frenzy. 

Any funny anecdotes about your Superman experience? 

I don't know that it's that funny, but we'd been burgled the night before. A bunch of us RADA actors were living down the street from the academy in a huge Victorian. The gypsies would occasionally come knocking and want money to tell your fortune. If you refused, you were liable to get a curse, so I always gave them something, and usually got an intriguing verbal bit in return—fascinating how clever at reading people fortune-tellers are. What I didn't realize was this routine was often also a gambit to size up a potential hit, which is what I think happened that night. We were all home and they managed to work around us, very deft they were. Cleaned me out and left a nail file and pair of scissors, which I'm told is a kind of symbolic intimidation tactic. Upshot I didn't sleep much that night, which left me dozing off the next day, sitting upright in a chair between takes.

Is there one story about your Superman experience that you tell more than any other?

Oh yeah. My one and only line was "Catch ya later, Clark." [On] the first take I guess I was thinking "Clark Kent" and the line came out "Catch ya later, Clunt." Very embarrassing.

What was your impression of Christopher Reeve? 

He seemed thoroughly engrossed, seriously committed to getting his character right, from throwing that hat onto the peg to working out his motivation, to such a degree that while he was talking to Dick Lester, I jumped in with some idiot remark like "I think he just feels left out and wants to be liked," which was not appreciated. He shut me down with a quick "Do you mind? I'm having a private conversation with the director." Also, he had a little battery whirly fan he took out of his pocket between takes to cool down. I backed off, sat down, and went back to sleep.

Margot Kidder? 

She did poke her head around her dressing room door at one point, as we little people were walking down the hall to our dressing rooms, and, after clocking us, ducked back in. 

Gene Hackman? 

As far as I know, he wasn't there that day.

Memories of any other actors on set?

Leueen Willoughby I knew from our time together with Cambridge Theatre Company. I shared a car to studio with the actor playing Jimmy Olsen, Marc McClure. He was very sweet. I was sorry there wasn't more of him in the final film. Sarah Douglas was a doll and invited us into her dressing room, offered us her phone if we wanted to call America, etc.; very generous. 

My absolute favorite memory of the day was meeting Jackie Cooper, a legend from the golden days—how they threatened to kill his dog to get him to cry for [the 1931 film] The Champ, as a teenager being seduced by Joan Crawford, Our Gang for chrissake! This man was so real in the midst of such artifice, so genuine and interested and polite, gritty as a truck driver—complaining about coming over on the Concorde and how the food was shitty ("We can put a man on the moon and we still can't get a decent meal on an airplane"). Very friendly, gave us a ride over to the commissary in his car. I'm not sure if I watch his performance admiringly because he was so nice to me or [because he was] such a delightful actor—probably both. 

Did you attend the premiere, and if so, what was that like? 

Lord no, wasn't invited!

Did your opinion of the movie change after it opened? 

Strangely, I was less excited about Superman II— didn't think it worked as well as the first, for whatever reason, and there wasn't enough of me in it.

Have you been interviewed before about this specifically? 

No I have not. Thank you for asking.

What was your favorite acting gig? 

Mother Courage [in the play Mother Courage and Her Children] because it's impossibly hard and Madame Ernestine Von Liebedich (Little Mary Sunshine) because it was such fun. The best gigs are in my mind.

What are you doing these days?

Feels like I'm working harder, but maybe that's just the nature of getting older…too much responsibility! By nature I'm a bum.

Where do you live?

In the picturesque Pocono Mountains, PA. Wish the winters were milder, otherwise it's lovely.

Tell me about your children/family.

Hey, everybody's healthy. I'm the luckiest woman in the world.

Have you participated in any Superman-related event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? If not, would you be open to meeting fans and signing autographs at an event like San Diego Comic-Con?

Would love to. If only I could charge $50 a photo like Carrie Fisher.

Are you still in touch with anyone from the cast?

No, and it's depressing how many people have died already.

When was the last time you saw a member of the cast, and was it on purpose or by chance?

I don't believe I've seen anyone from the Superman II shoot since that day.

When was the last time you watched Superman II? How did you think it held up? 

It's a fun movie. I think it works on its own terms, but I do sense a certain disjointedness—even the Thin Man films suffer from sequel syndrome. 

Do you have an opinion on Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut?

I've never seen it, so can't say. Of course I have loyalty to Dick Lester—this man directed A Hard Day's Night! But again, when I met Lester to get approval for the gig, he was (like Jackie Cooper) so unpretentious and self-deprecating. I told him I admired his work and he came back with "There are so many people involved in making a film it's ridiculous to give any one person the credit." I couldn't help but be impressed by his humility and intelligence.

Do you have any mementos from the experience such as set photos, a script, or anything from the set?

That's painful. I had the scripts from The Shining, Superman II, Chariots of Fire (didn't have one for Reds)…but, along with play scripts, the pile became huge and heavy and I think I threw them out even before I left England—dumb move.

What did you think when you first heard from me? 

"Oh god, not more homework."

How do you look back on your Superman experience? 

I've embarrassed myself so many times I'd like to think I learned something…what can you do? Try to get smarter. Working on a film is always sort of thrilling because it's pretty glamorous as work goes, and ultimately it's about creating magic, but it is tedious and fragmented and you can feel like you're in a really nice prison, which is why it's wonderful when you happily connect with the people you're confined with. That's entertainment!

If the experience changed your life in any way, how? 

Well, yeah, for most actors, one is unemployed more often than not, so if you're lucky, it's kind of like having an affair for the duration of the job…then it's over. But you always remember that special relationship, day, tension, scene, moment—and the beauty of film is it's in the can forever. That is, if you don't get completely cut out of the movie, sob sob. Thus, like Cinderella, it changes your life, and then you change back.

Anything you'd like to add?

If you get offered a film role, do it.

See also: my interviews with cast members of Superman: The Movie.

Superman “bad outfit” line in “Greatest American Hero” pilot!

In 2011, I posted an interview with actor Bo Rucker, whose one line in Superman: The Movie is what YouTube user Jason Makiaris called “the most important moment in the Superman saga.”

In 2014, I posted an interview with singer Joey Scarbury, whose song “Believe It or Not” from is, I’d argue, one of the most beloved TV theme songs of the 1980s, if not all time.

I recently heard from a fan of Bo’s who pointed out that the 1981 pilot of GAH paid tribute to Bo’s funny/memorable line from Superman (1978).

Superman:



Greatest American Hero (a little after 50 minutes into the show):



I’m sure that flew right over my 9-year-old head when I first heard it. I love when people take the time to remind me of these “lost” moments of pop culture.

Vigil for Superman

 

New York Post 5/31/95

I remember seeing this and thinking "That's what a newspaper front page would look like if Superman were real." Unfortunately, that accident was real.

It's hard to believe that this was not already on the Internet. I'm glad I saved a copy.

That was the day I began running for exercise and pleasure. At the time, I lived a block from Central Park, near the running path—obvious inspiration.

As was Christopher Reeve.

He died nine years after this accident, nine years ago today. To me, to many, he will always be Superman, fictional and real.

(art by Ed McGuiness, repurposed from cover of 

Superman #174 [11/01]; I believe this tribute ran in 
certain DC comics)

Bill Finger’s sole official credit in his lifetime...on Superman?

Only once in his lifetime, Bill Finger received a “written by” credit on a first-run Batman story, and it wasn’t a comic book.

And though he wrote Superman stories, too (he created Lana Lang!), same deal—one credit, in TV:

“Lava Men” is an episode of The New Adventures of Superman, a Filmation series of animated shorts that debuted in 1966.

Though there is currently almost no trace online that Bill wrote for this series, in 2006, I did follow a path to determine that this was the case. But I didn’t look for the visual proof until now.

Thank you to Bill Davis of Toronto for prompting me to revisit this.

Adios, Señor Superhombre.

Bonus:

Excerpts from emails with Bill’s second wife Lyn Simmons, and one other, in figuring this out:

From: Marc Tyler Nobleman
To: Lyn Simmons
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 9:02 AM
Subject: Hi Lyn - Superman movie

You said they called Bill to ask him to come to California to write a script for the Superman movie. I've talked with a few people who were involved with the film and they don't remember that. Are you sure?

There was another writer named Alfred Bester who was friends with Bill who was definitely asked—there are written accounts online. Did you know Alfred? Is it possible you're confusing the two? Can you remember any more details?

From: Lyn Simmons
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 4:25 PM

good to hear from you marc. bester's name rings a bell but don't think i ever met him. i'm pretty sure that bill received invitation to ca to write superman films. it's so long ago and i could be mistaken but I don't think so. in any event he never went. he had anxiety about flying and about leaving nyc.

bill may never have told his fellow writers about ca because he didn't want to explain why he wasn't going.

From: Pierre Spengler
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 1:05 PM

We purchased the rights in november 1974 and therefore started hunting for writer in the beginning of 1975. Very soon thereafter we engaged Mario Puzo. Therefore we never approached Bill Finger.

From: Lyn Simmons
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:18 AM

i believe he was asked to come out to ca in the late 60s. i'm pretty sure it was superman. maybe they wanted him out there for ideas or stories a year or so before he died which i think was in '74. but perhaps it was for cartoons.

Boys of Steel with "Boys of Steel"

In honor of today's opening of Man of Steel, the first live-action Superman movie since Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman came out, I was thrilled to introduce the book to not one, not two, but three people who have portrayed Superman as a child in a feature film.

So just like the post title says, it's Boys of Steel meet Boys of Steel:

Aaron Smolinski, toddler Superman in Superman: The Movie (1978); 

I interviewed him in 2009

 Cruz and Ryder Colgan, baby Superman in Man of Steel (2013); 
I will interview them in approximately 2019

Here are all three in a younger day:

 

 Aaron

 

Colgan twins (of steel)

The first two photos in this post were taken on 6/13/13. Thank you again to Aaron and Candice (the twins' mom) for your willingness to take and send them.

First-ever guest on the Superman Homepage live radio show

In which I got to talk about my "Super '70s and '80s" blog series (100 interviews with "lost" stars of superhero pop culture), my 2012 book on Bill Finger and Batman, and the never-before-revealed connection between the Superman Homepage and Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman. My segment starts at 12:16 (though the whole show is worth listening to):

Listen to internet radio with SupermanHomepage on Blog Talk Radio

I've known Steve Younis, the gracious ringleader of the Superman Homepage, since 2005. At around 8 p.m. on 11/7/11, Steve messaged to ask if I'd like be a guest on the SH Internet radio show. The first-ever guest, apparently, hard as that was for me to believe! I said I'd be honored and asked when. He said they do the show Monday nights at 11:30 p.m. EST. I said I was already planning to be up that late for other obligations, so we spontaneously scheduled the interview for that very night.

Thank you again, Steve, for the opportunity.

Super ‘70s and ‘80s: Thank you to all who participated

Introduction to series “Super ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Between 12/09 and 7/11, I compiled this series; what started as a few unconnected interviews ended up being an expansive, cohesive feature that, when pasted into Word, fills more pages than I would be sane to reveal.

Along the way, I was fortunate to meet seven of the people I interviewed, most of whom I’d been curious about since childhood. As it happens, those seven people represented five of the ten subseries in this series without repeats.

Thank you again to you seven...

with Jody Spence and Reyna Blasko, Sea World skiers
April 2010, Las Vegas

with Bo Rucker, the pimp from Superman: The Movie
May 2010, New York

with Liberty Williams and Michael Bell, the Wonder Twins from Super Friends
July 2011, Los Angeles

with Garrett Craig, Captain Marvel from Legends of the Superheroes
July 2011, Los Angeles

with Mick Smiley, "Magic" singer/songwriter
July 2011, Los Angeles

...and, of course, the other 93.

Super ‘70s and ‘80s: “Superman: The Movie”—Bo Rucker (pimp)

Introduction to series “Super ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Introduction to subseries “Superman: The Movie” (including list of interviewees).

How did you get cast in Superman: The Movie?

Through an agent.

What was your thought when you heard it was Superman?

When you’re in the business, you don’t jump over broomsticks. You don’t jump up and down. You just go and give it a shot. You always believe you can do it.

What were you doing before that?

I was just starting out as an actor. I’d been studying acting. I met someone from an agency at the health club, a gym. I’ve worked out all my life. At the time I think I was doing an off-Broadway play. I was playing Bigger Thomas in Native Son. I was knocking down commercials. I used to do a lot of commercials—McDonald’s, shaving. The money’s very good in commercials. You get paid for 2-3 years for one commercial.

Was that your first film role?

Yes.

How many days were you on set?

About four days. They make sure you don’t go nowhere. They might’ve paid for me the whole week just to have me on call.

Always at night?

My scene was at night.

Where was it filmed?

57th Street. The building has a big red “9” in front. Everyone had a trailer. A lot of time I’d be down on the set watching them shoot other stuff.

What did your family think about your involvement with something as famous as Superman?

I’ve always been very subtle. I’m a humble person. People usually don’t know I did something till they see it on the screen or stage. Like when I’ve done Broadway, they learn from the reviews.

Do you still save reviews of your Broadway work?

Down there somewhere. I’m sure if I went digging I could find it. They keep reviews at the library at Lincoln Center. I did Streamers off-Broadway. I got a lot of play out of that. Native Son, I won a Theatre World Award. It was my first play!


 
Any anecdotes about filming STM?

The funniest part is people see you’ve got on this pimp uniform and people see you and actually think you’re a pimp! There’s always a lot of people watching. People asked me if I was smoking dope.

The casting people told you in advance that the role was a pimp?

I didn’t know it was a pimp till I got there. I mean, I was excited to get it. They could have given me a rabbi and I would’ve played him. (laughs) I’m a student of life.

 
When they said it was a pimp, what was your reaction?

The casting director gives you a script to read to see what you can do with it. I thought there was something very funny about the line [“Say, Jim—whoo! That’s a bad out-fit! Whoo!”]. I liked the way the line sounded. It was easy money.

The fact that they cast you as a pimp didn’t bother you?

No, it didn’t. Morgan Freeman was nominated for an Oscar for playing a pimp! In a movie with Christopher Reeve. And Terence Howard in Hustle and Flow. It could be a person negative to society, but [that can be a good] role.

What were you paid?

I don’t remember but I still get residuals from it. They pop up with other stuff. Whenever they show it in Europe or on TV or on DVD. You don’t get rich but you get a piece of the change.

Do you still have any props or other memorabilia (call sheets, correspondence, your contract, etc.) from the shoot?

No, I threw away a lot of scripts I had. Nobody thinks like that at that time.

Do you have any personal photographs from the shoot?

No.

Did you see the other Superman movies?

Yeah, I always did.

Did you attend the STM premiere in Washington DC? If so, what do you remember about it?

No, I didn’t. I could’ve gone.

Do you remember why you didn’t?

No, I don’t. I probably went to the New York screening.

Did you make friends with anyone in the cast of STM?

No. You meet everybody. They have a cast party in a restaurant. But it was like different worlds meeting and partying and disappearing, like smoke.

Do you remember a cast party?

I remember going to dinner somewhere in New York.

What was Christopher Reeve like?

Our meetings were brief but he was a very humble, nice person. He loved what he was doing. He was into it.

Did you think he was doing a good job?

I thought it was a great role for somebody. He was tall. They had a brand they were promoting and he fit the bill.

Did you ever see him after the movie was done?

I just missed him in Wurtsboro, New York. There’s a little airport up there and he had a little German-built fiberglass glider there that cost $30,000, like in The Thomas Crown Affair. I used to go up there but I wasn’t a pilot. You’d pay and they’d take you up. The pilot that I went up with once told me that Christopher Reeve was just there.

Did the pilot know you were in STM?

No, I didn’t mention it to him.

Even after he mentioned Christopher Reeve?

I didn’t mention it.

You really are modest! Has anyone else interviewed you about STM?

I don’t think so.

Have any strangers ever recognized you from STM?

People recognize you from anything. [For example:] “I know you from [1996 ABC Afterschool Special] Daddy’s Girl.”

But has anyone recognized you from STM recently?

No. How many years ago was that?

More than thirty. Where would people have recognized you?

In the gym, on the street, in your building. [mentions something about Law and Order]

Were you on Law and Order?

I think every actor in New York was on it.

Do you have children?

I have two children. [he did not want to reveal more]

What do they think of your link to Superman?

They know everything I’ve been in. They saw it a long time ago.

But if they saw it for the first time as kids, were they excited?

They said “That’s my daddy!”

Some of the friends you’ve made in your life must have seen you in STM before you met them. Any funny stories about that?

That would happen. People would even say “I didn’t even know you acted.” Now I’m working on some writing. Other than that, I keep on a low profile.

What kind of writing?

It’ll probably be a novel or a script.

For adults or kids?

Not for young kids.

Where do you live now?

I lived in New York then and still do. I still have the same phone number.

What do you like to do when not working?

I like camping. I like long walks in the woods. I got what I call my shack in upstate New York. Door-to-door two hours from the city. It’s not deep in the woods. But it looks like a lot of property. You see mountains in the distance. Black bears, deer, possums, foxes, coyotes show up back there. I think I saw a bobcat! I took my samurai sword with me. I don’t carry guns. I followed him on tiptoe. He came back and had a groundhog in his mouth. I like watching birds of prey. I have a lot of bird houses up in the woods. I got to meet a lot of birds. I learn through osmosis. You start to feed them and then you buy a book. I like horseback riding. I used to ride in Manhattan at a stable before they closed it. I like motorcycles.

What do you do for a living now?

Personal fitness. Privately at people’s homes and gyms in the apartment buildings.

How do you market yourself?

I don’t really market. It’s word of mouth. I would never get rich from it.

What did you think when you heard why I was contacting you?

I kept trying to understand. I thought there must be some ulterior motive. This sounded too easy, too good to be true. I don’t like to filet myself. (laughs) That makes me feel uncomfortable. I don’t know you [so I was wary to agree to an interview].

Hopefully you feel differently now!

I’m trying to. (laughs)

What do you think when I say a lot of Superman fans really want to know what’s going with you?

It’s hard to fathom that. That’s mind-blowing if that’s true.

Would you be open to attending a comics convention as a guest to meet fans?

I would.

[I then expressed gratitude for his time, especially since I know he went outside his comfort zone to do this; I said I owe him lunch]

You don’t owe me anything. When I’m driving if I see someone who needs help, I stop. They always want to give you money but I don’t take it. I say, “If you see anyone stranded, you stop and help him. That’s all I want you to do.”

Spoken like a Superman...

9/28/14 addendum: A storyboard of Bo’s scene turned up at auction:

 

Next: Legends of the Superheroes.

Super ‘70s and ‘80s: “Superman: The Movie”—Jeff East (Clark Kent as a teenager)

Introduction to series “Super ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Introduction to subseries “Superman: The Movie” (including list of interviewees).

How did you get cast in Superman: The Movie?

I was cast by Richard Donner in April 1977 at Lynn Stallmaster’s office in Los Angeles. Richard had seen me star in a film called The Hazing and he had me come in and cast me on the spot.

Courtesy of CapedWonder

What was the first movie you were in?

Tom Sawyer (1973) with Johnny Whitaker and Jody Foster. I was Huck Finn.

Before filming STM, what did you want to do for a living? Did you change your mind after filming it?

I have been an actor since I was 14.

What do you remember about filming your scenes?

I was uncomfortable with the wig and nose piece at first, but eventually got used to it. It was fun to travel to London to shoot and Canada as well.

Where were your scenes shot?

London and Calgary.

If it was an actual location, not a set, have you been back there since?

I have not been back.

Do you know how many days your shoot was?

I was on the film from April through October 1977.

What was your impression of Christopher Reeve?

Chris Reeve and I got along okay. I would say it was a professional respect for each other but he was a little uneasy having another person playing him at a young age.

Any funny, scary, or just odd stories from the set? Did you hang out with the other actors at night/when not shooting?

Lana Lang and I had a fling.

Did you pay much attention to Superman before you worked on the movie?

Not really.

Did you like him after?

Yes, very much. I was always a fan of the TV series with George Reeves.

Did you see the other movies?

I have seen the other films and I think STM is still the best-made.

Lots of actors who’ve done superhero movies or shows go on to do voice-overs in superhero cartoons. Have you, or would you?

I have done some voice-overs. In 1983, I did the singing voice for Meatball in [the cartoon] Meatballs and Spaghetti for CBS.

Did you ever correspond with anyone else from the cast of STM at any point?

I am still good friends with Marc McClure and Jack O’Halloran and Sara Douglas and Valerie Perrine.

Did you ever meet Christopher Reeve?

Chris and I spent a lot of time together on the film so I could get to know his personal traits.

Were there ever any cast reunions?

There was a 30-year reunion Warner Bros. held for the DVD distribution.

When/who else has interviewed you on STM? Were you ever interviewed on TV?

Merv Griffin.

Have any strangers ever recognized you as the young Clark from STM?

Yes.

Do you have children? If so, have they seen you in STM? What do they think?

I have two children, Alexander and Madison. They both love the film and their friends get a kick out of it.

Did you see Superman Returns? Did you watch Smallville? If yes to either, what do you think?

I did not like Superman Returns and I have watched Smallville. It’s a good show. John Schneider is a friend.

Do you ever still act? If not, do you want to?

I am still acting and I am producing as well. I am currently producing a remake of the film Macon Country Line.

Would you be open to attending a comics convention as a guest to meet fans?

I have done [a couple of comic conventions] and yes, I would be interested in doing more.

Next: Bo Rucker (pimp/fashion consultant).