Of all the men on Earth that served as a role model and mentor to Clark Kent/Superman, none is perhaps more memorable than his Daily Planet boss, Perry White. Throughout Superman’s storied history, no less than seven notable and award-winning actors have portrayed live-action versions of Clark’s Editor-In-Chief at the Daily Planet in 2 serials, 3 Superman series, and 7 big-screen motion pictures. Each one brought something unique to the role, as each version showed Perry White at various stages in both his personal and professional life.
Perry White first appeared in the Superman comics in 1940, Superman #7, later becoming a central figure in the Columbia pictures Superman serials that were screened in movie theaters in a chapter format. His catchphrase, “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” became almost as popular as Superman’s “Up, up, and away!” during the run of the first Superman television series, The Adventures of Superman, which aired for 6 seasons during the 1950s.
In the CW Arrowverse, Perry White has been mentioned often, but an on-screen version of the character has yet to make an extended appearance. time at the Daily Planet, which will likely include a significant appearance from Perry White at last. The actor cast in the role will this list of distinguished actors who have played a hand in bringing Perry White to life.
Pierre Watkin
Veteran stage and character actor Pierre Watkins has the honor of being the first actor to portray a live-action version of Perry White in two of Columbia Pictures' popular Superman serials in the 1940s. He brought the same level of distinguished gentleman vibe that he was noted for to the role of White. He appeared as the seasoned, cigar-smoking newsman in both the Superman and Atom vs. Superman 15-episode serials alongside Kirk Alyn’s Clark Kent/Superman and Noel Neill’s Lois Lane. He also played a number of minor characters in The Adventures of television program in the early ’50s and was even cast to reprise his Perry White role in 1958, to replace John Hamilton who had ed away, in the series when producers were looking to revive the show after cancellation. Those plans never went forward as the show ended following the untimely death of series star George Reeves in 1959. Watkin had a long and successful career in television’s Golden Age with appearances on such iconic programs as Perry Mason and I Love Lucy. His last television appearance was in 1960 in an episode of Wanted: Dead or Alive.
John Hamilton
Although he was a familiar name in both stage and television circles, John Hamilton’s work as Daily Planet Editor-in-Chief Perry White in The Adventures of Superman is his most ed role. He was on the series for 6 seasons from 1952-1958, as part of the cast that included George Reeves as the costumed Clark Kent/Superman, along with both Noel Neill and later Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. He carried Perry’s famous cigar and is noted for coining and his delivery of Perry White’s most famous line, “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” He was featured in one of the show’s most ed episodes, season 3 episode 5, also called "Great Caesar’s Ghost" that had criminals trying to discredit Perry’s courtroom testimony by haunting him with a live version of Caesar’s Ghost. Hamilton died in 1958 as plans to revive the show were being initiated.
Lane Smith
The New Adventures of Superman creator Deborah Joy Levine turned to Memphis, Tennessee native and Golden Globe nominee Lane Smith to portray her show’s Perry White. Out of respect for her actor, she even changed Perry’s iconic line to “Great Shades of Elvis” and made Perry a big fan of The King and fellow Memphian, Elvis Presley. What Smith brought to the Lois & Clark series character in the four seasons he played White (1993-1997) was a more humanized look at Perry. His featured storylines included his marital troubles with the love of his life, Alice, due to the high-pressure demands of his job at the Daily Planet, and his love for his troubled son, Jerry who stole red kryptonite and tried to use it to control Superman. A respected stage and film actor in such noted films as My Cousin Vinny, Places in the Heart, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, Smith’s work as Perry White on Lois & Clark endeared him to Superman fans everywhere.
Michael McKean
Michael McKean’s excellent work on Veep.
Jackie Cooper
What many fans of the actor who played Perry White in the four such programs as M*A*S*H and The White Shadow.
Frank Langella
When a recast of the role was necessary, Tony Award-winning actor Frank Langella became Perry White in director Bryan Singer’s vision of Brandon Routh’s Superman in Oscar-nominated Trial of the Chicago 7.
Laurence Fishburne
Tony and Academy Award-nominated, and Emmy Award-winning actor Laurence Fishburne was director Zack Snyder’s choice for Perry White in his Superman films, Matrix co-star Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 2.
