What attracted you to the role of Lois Lane?
A job. (laughs)
Well, I did the first ones with Kirk Alyn of course... 'cliffhangers' as I call them. I worked with the producer
before - the one who did the old serials. So he called my agent and said that they're doing another serial, and
it's going to be on Superman... and we want you as Lois Lane. So I went out and bought a Superman comic book to
see what she did, how she looked, and what she wore. (laughs) Then a few years later the producer called
me and asked if I would be Lois Lane again with George Reeves. So I did those until we lost him. It was fun, a
nice group to work with... just like a family.
Why didn't
you play Lois on the first season?
Well, a different producer had talked
the company into doing it for nothing... and he would pay everybody, which wasn't the truth. Anyways, Kellogg's
wanted to make the shows lighter because they were selling it to children. They didn't want all of the
blood and guts, so there was a big change... he was taken off the picture... and brought in new people such as myself.
So from then on it was a little more joyful - Superman did not do anything drastic.
Yeah, it was more for kids...
Right, exactly.
What were people's reaction in those days to Superman?
Well,
the only connection that I have is doing the conventions now. People come up to me and say "we grew up with you..."
"why can't they make shows like that anymore...". Of course we never got any of our fan mail - we finally
found out recently that everything was being sent to National Comics in New York, and comic book writers would just answer
for us. So we didn't know how we were doing.
You guys
had a lot of down time between episodes....
Oh yes, it was a strange contract. We would do
twenty-six episodes... of course we were free to do anything we wanted between. So we did other movies and whatever.
Then we'd get the call "well, we have twenty more scripts ready to go". So that's how it worked out.
It was a strange deal, but I guess they just wanted to be sure they could sell it.
What was it like working with George?Oh, it was wonderful. He was so nice... a wonderful
wonderful person. And a very good actor, which a lot of people don't realize... he did such a good job at going
from Superman to Clark... he was an excellent actor. And he's done some great movies, he had one good offer during
one of the in-between times... "From Here To Eternity". He was very happy because it was a big movie.
When they finally finished we were told that - they showed the movie to a select audience for the first screening to see how
it goes. George came on the screen, unfortunately people said "oh, there's Superman"... so the producers
cut out all of his scenes except one little scene... because he was in the credits, and he had to be recognized. You
could imagine... but what can you do?
Now, do you mind talking
about the last days of George?
Well, nobody has proved anything except that he DID NOT commit suicide.
They proved that - his mother came out here from back east to prove that he did not commit suicide. They were Catholic
and if you're Catholic you cannot be buried in their ground. So they finally did prove a lot of evidence... such
as there being more than one bullet hole. It's like Jack always says... "he started seeing the wrong woman".
Which he met over in Florida... he very seldom went on a tour or anything... and he had been going with a lady over here that
everybody liked... and all of a sudden this gal grabbed onto him and followed him out here into the house, and 'stuff
hit the fan'... it didn't last too long, and pretty soon George was dead. But there was no proving who or why.
The only thing it would be... associated to that woman, but she left the next day after it happened... went back east with
whatever money she could find in the house... and we just assumed that it was somebody involved with her. We were just
sick about it because I had seen George just two days before that - and the producer called and said that we had twenty-six
more scripts and that we'll be going to work in September. George was going to do a movie first, and he was going
to direct a lot of the new series... he told me (laughs) "I'm getting a little old to be running around in my underwear"
(laughs) So a few days later I drove by - George was there as happy as a bug... playing Gin Rummy with George Blair,
one of our directors. Just happy as could be, looking forward to working and directing. And a few days later I
got a call from a friend of mine. She said, "did you hear about George?", I assumed she was talking about
her husband... and we carry on this idiotic conversation, and she says, "no no no, not my husband... George Reeves, he
committed suicide". So they decided to do another one of their ideas, it was called "Superpup"... which
lasted one shooting. And they did "Superboy" that lasted one... nothing worked. They wanted to do a
Jimmy Olson and Lois Lane series because our parts have become pretty popular with kids.
But for George,
they said they'll find someone that looks like him from the back... a kid off the beach or whatever. And they'll
use footage from the old stories, and Jack Larson said no. He was so wonderful... only 45 years old.
I never thought it was suicide myself...
Good for you.
You know, you can hear everyone around him... and you just know... but he was so nice... and a lot of people depended on him
because he loved... he even spoke Spanish like a native. In fact, we did a show... we went on the road and he promoted
this himself - so we got a little group together of three musicians and we rehearsed. Oh, Gene LeBell who did a lot of...
well, not tumbling, but you know... whatever they do in gymnasiums. He had a black uniform and George was in a red,
white and blue one. And he'd supposedly make a little pass at me, so they'd fight on the stage. George
was a wonderful singer, played guitar... so I said, "George, why don't we do a record with you singing in Spanish...
and I'll do a little in English... we could do that back and forth." He thought it was a good idea, but we
never got to... it would have been fun. (laughs)
Have
you heard anything about the movie coming out, "Hollywoodland"? The movie about George...
Oh, the one with Ben Affleck?
Yeah, what are your thoughts
on that?
Well, it's kind of hard to be... I haven't seen it. Jack has gotten a script
because he is a writer and has been for several years... somebody wanted him to give them some input or whatever. I
was supposed to go out to do a promo for the movie, but I don't know... Warner Brothers put me in the new movie (Superman
Returns)... they were so nice, and I'm even going down to San Diego for a big convention... they're down there
on the main floor. They wanted two people from the first movie with Christopher Reeve... it's hard to turn
down work, but it's so strange to push that movie... especially with Ben Affleck playing Superman. He's not
doing anything in the uniform, and they're not using the intro to the show... you know, "faster than a speeding bullet...".
So they were going to use the "Truth justice and the American way...", which is the name of my biography...
which they sell at the conventions. But, they didn't clear it with anybody... they found out about it and they couldn't
use that title. But I had to use some dignity... it's just loyalty. They were very nice, and I hated to say
no... but I'm sure they'll understand how I feel.
So
you go to a lot of comic conventions?
I have been for the last couple of years. The people
are so nice. Most of the people who come to the conventions have money, they're not just kids buying comic books.
They're very nice and come up to you... and I say, "don't be afraid, I have grey hair too". (laughs)
They grew up with us, and they love having their pictures taken and tell me that their husbands had a little crush on me...
and I say, "where are they now?" (laughs). We have a lot of fun. And they ask where Jack is... he's
a neighbor of mine - only lives ten minutes away, but he doesn't like to travel. He'd have to get somebody to
take care of the dogs, so I tell him that I'll say hello to everybody for him... and he says, "please do".
(laughs) We're better friends now than when we worked together - when you work together you work long hours...
all you want to do is get out, grab a bite to eat and go to bed. The only thing that made me a little mad with Kellogg's
is the commercials. The men got to do all the commercials... they just couldn't have Lois Lane... now days they'd
have the whole group. (laughs)
They should have
you guys having breakfast at the Daily Planet... or something like that.
I guess everything was
so strict way back then.
So how'd you get involved in Superman
Returns?
I guess they knew that I was doing the conventions... and carrying the flag for Superman
for all these years. So they called and asked if I could come out to Warner Brothers and meet Bryan Singer. He
was awfully nice... he said that they can't have me as Lois Lane's mother... I said, "yes, you want a younger
lady... I'm aware". But they said they have an idea for a script that they couldn't tell me... but they
said they'll have me do a cameo... "don't call us, we'll call you". A few days later they
called me and wanted me to talk Jack Larson into coming... "we know he doesn't like to fly" (laughs).
So Jack said he'll do it. Jack went first, but I had to wait for Kevin Spacey because he was still in England doing
a play... so I waited. Jack did his and went home first. Everything was very 'hush hush'. Jack wanted
to get his script before hand, but they said they could do that... they said if he really wanted to see it he could come down
to Warner Brothers and ask for a certain person, who was sworn to secrecy... and he'll let you look at it. Jack
said forget that. But it was fun... but why couldn't they make me look gorgeous for a while? (laughs)
But I hope the movie goes well, Bryan was very nice... Routh (Brandon) was a very nice person. A lot of weight
on his shoulders.
What advice would you give the new cast
of Superman?
Hang in there. Of course most of them... especially Kevin Spacey, he has a twenty-five
year deal in London because he runs one of the playhouses there. So he doesn't have to worry. Of course he's
a wonderful actor. And the new gal was so nice, I just met her once... I was walking to my estate to see what it looked
like and she came up to me and said, "I'm Lois Lane..." - she was very nice, very sweet. Some critics
said there wasn't enough passion between her and Superman, but maybe that's what they wanted...
It'll show up in the sequels...
Oh, sure. They say
they're going to make two more.
So what else are you
up to these days?
Well, nothing... just the conventions. Every three days... maybe a day
off to re-pack... then back out again. But it was really fun to see all parts of the country, this weekend we'll
be down in San Diego with the Warner Brothers group for two days. Then another movie that I did was called "Surge",
this fellow made it himself... he is Surge. It's a takeoff of Superman... and they had The Hulk, Ferrigno, play
a part in it... I played a part as Auntie Lois. (laughs) It was really fun... a 'B' type movie.
I met him (director, Michael Donahue) twenty years ago at a convention.. he said that someday he will produce a
movie and asked me if I wanted to be in it... I said of course I would. Then all of a sudden I get a call from him.
They did it on their own... he had the money and made the movie with his friends doing the camera work... it was a hoot.
But after this week... I go to the Sacramento State Fair... I've never done one before. So I'm kind of keeping
busy... little things keep popping up.
