Beat the Clock

Even as small as an obituary that appeared today for Joan A. Stanton, 94, Radio Voice of Lois Lane can be cleverly written as well as informative.

Lois Lane, from the Superman series is described as the "intrepid but perpetually imperiled reporter." The writer, Bruce Weber, has definitely been raised on Superman.

A 1943 picture of Joan at a Mutual Broadcasting microphone clearly gives you the impression she certainly had the looks for Lois Lane. That she didn't play her in the television series is wholly another story, I'm sure.

But Mr. Weber sneaks in a fact between his dashes. The radio Superman was played by Bud Collyer. And he leaves it at that.

All those years of watching Beat the Clock as a kid, emceed by Bud Collyer...who knew? Even a similarly aged friend of mine who grew up in Manhattan and whose family was entertainment connected, didn't know Bud Collyer was Superman. Talk about clever disguises.

By all measurements, Bud Collyer as a television Superman would not have made it. Truth, justice, and the American way would not have advanced. You have to thank those producers, whoever they were.

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