Perry White
Encyclopedia
Perry White is a fictional character
who appears in the Superman
comics
. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis
newspaper
the Daily Planet
.
White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards. He is an archetypal image of the tough, irascible but fairminded boss.
According to comic-book continuity, White was an award-winning journalist who served a term as Mayor of Metropolis. He worked as an assistant editor on the Metropolis Daily Star under George Taylor before becoming editor of the Planet.
and portrayed by actor Julian Noa. The character made his initial appearance in the second episode of the series, which aired February 14, 1940. The character transitioned into the Superman comic book later that year.
and Lois Lane
as working for the Daily Star for an editor named George Taylor. However, this was soon changed, with Perry White first appearing as the editor of a newly-renamed Daily Planet.
In the 1960s and 1970s DC Comics, after the multiverse
method of continuity tracking was implemented, the above inconsistency was explained away by declaring that on Earth-One (the Silver Age universe), Perry White is Clark and Lois' employer at the Daily Planet, while on Earth-Two (the Golden Age universe), George Taylor is that world's editor-in-chief of the Daily Star. The Perry White of Earth-Two is a lead reporter for the Daily Star and, according to a Superman Family
tale, has "filled in" as editor from time to time while Taylor was away.
Prior to the changes detailed in Crisis on Infinite Earths
, Perry begins his career as a freelance reporter for various newspapers, including a Chicago newspaper and Gotham City
's Gotham Gazette. He eventually goes to work at the Daily Planet as a reporter, and earns his first Pulitzer Prize
by being the first to write about Superboy
's extraterrestrial
origins, thanks to an exclusive interview with the Boy of Steel.
Later still, Perry's reporting skills earn more praise after being the first to discover that Superboy has moved to Metropolis from Smallville. (Superboy had intended to keep his move quiet for an undefined period of time, so as not to alert anyone to Superboy and Clark Kent leaving Smallville around the same time.)
Finally, during Clark Kent's junior year of college, Perry is promoted to editor-in-chief of the newspaper, after the retirement of the paper's previous editor, the Earth-One version of George Taylor.
In the early 1970s, the Daily Planet is bought by Morgan Edge
, president of the media conglomerate Galaxy Communications, with much of Perry's power in running the paper overtaken by Edge. In the months just prior to the Crisis "reboot" in 1985, it is implied that Perry White is beginning to succumb to Alzheimer's disease
, manifesting in increased forgetfulness and confusion.
revamp of Superman's origin in the Man of Steel
miniseries and his subsequent Superman comics, Perry's history was fleshed out more fully.
Post-Crisis, Perry is born in Metropolis
' Suicide Slum
area, growing up with a father missing after heading off to war overseas. He becomes a copy boy at the Daily Planet, beginning a lifetime career that will take him up the newspaper's career ladder. Perry goes to school with Lex Luthor
while they are children (Luthor was also born in Suicide Slum).
After Luthor becomes a successful businessman, he begins diversifying his holdings in his newly-founded LexCorp
company, which includes buying the Daily Planet. Luthor soon sells it after deciding to pursue technology and television investments. Turning down an offer from Luthor to become part of Luthor's new television
station WLEX, Perry finds an investor who saves the Daily Planet on the condition that Perry is promoted from reporter to managing editor. The entire episode, not the least of which is what Perry felt as having been forced out of his active writing career, leaves Perry bitter and angry with Luthor.
Perry marries Alice Spencer and has a son, Jerry White. Much later, after Jerry is fully grown, Perry learns that Lex Luthor is Jerry's biological father. Luthor briefly seduces Alice while Perry is overseas reporting on a war and thought to be killed.
Perry White's two greatest moves as editor are hiring Lois Lane
and (later) Clark Kent
. When she was 15, Lois had impressed Perry with her persistence in trying to get employment at the newspaper (by lying about her age). After Jerry White dies from a gunshot, Perry and Alice grieve for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave of absence from the Daily Planet.
Later, Perry and Alice adopt an orphaned African-American boy named Keith Robert, who soon has his name changed to Keith Robert White. At about this time, Perry takes another leave of absence for lung cancer
treatment, putting Clark Kent in charge as the Planets temporary editor. After many grueling months of chemotherapy
, the cancer goes into remission.
One of Perry's proudest moments is attending the wedding of Lois and Clark. He sits in the front row beside Lois' parents (Lois considers him as close a relative as her own family).
As the paper continues to struggle, the Planets owner Franklin Stern
sells the paper to Lex Luthor. Luthor, acting out of pure malice, dismantles the paper. He fires everyone except Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and two others who are relocated to Lexcom, Lex' new Internet
-based news company. Fortunately, shortly thereafter, Lex sells on the Planet to Bruce Wayne
for $1 (thanks to a secret deal with Lois Lane). White is hired back as editor-in-chief, and the entire former staff are hired back as well.
Though Perry's knowledge of Clark's alter ego is uncertain, it is known that he has found a dusty suit of his star reporter's clothes in a supply closet, including his passport
. For this reason, Perry may well suspect that Clark and Superman are the same person, but due to his personal admiration for both Clark and Superman, he has never confided this suspicion or knowledge to anybody. Bruce Wayne believes that because of White's superior skill as a reporter, he knows that Clark is Superman ("Perry White is too good a reporter not to have uncovered Clark's secret. And yet, he acts otherwise... reminding me how good a detective Jim Gordon is back in Gotham City..." -Batman: Hush
).
Perry's editorship keeps the Daily Planet as one of the few newspapers that dare to heavily criticize Luthor (even after Luthor's successful election as President of the United States
).
Because of the changes in Superman's history in recent years, including 2003-2004's miniseries Birthright
, much is not certain about Perry's history.
In Final Crisis
#2, Lois and Perry are caught in an apparently fatal explosion triggered by Clayface
at the Daily Planet. As of Final Crisis #3, it was revealed that Perry is alive, but on life support. Perry has since then recovered however, and is now back to running the paper.
When the world begins to grow increasingly more paranoid towards the new population of Kryptonians, Lois begins to investigate the conspiracies executed by the US Government, and her father General Lane in particular. However the government becomes aware of Lois' actions, and attempt to shut her down. As a result, Perry is unable to print any of Lois' stories because of General Lane's power. Unwilling to let this slide, Perry suggests that Lois 'quit' the paper so as to continue her investigation.
was the first actor that played Perry White, in the two Superman serials starring Kirk Alyn
from 1948 and 1950. In the 1950s television and radio series, as played by John Hamilton
, Perry typically barked "Great Caesar
's ghost!" when angry, exasperated or surprised. His other trademark line was "Don't call me 'chief'!" Both of these lines eventually became staples in the comics. In at least one episode, it is revealed that Perry has served a term as mayor
of Metropolis before becoming editor-in-chief on the Planet.
played Perry as a tough character, who never let his reporters forget he had worked for the Planet nearly all his life. The "don't call me 'chief" line was worked into a gag about ordering coffee, and became "don't call me 'sugar'!" (when he orders a coffee with sugar, and Jimmy Olsen
calls him chief and he tells him not to call him "sugar"). Cooper's Perry was also fond of aphorisms such as "A good reporter doesn't get great stories — a good reporter makes them great." In the commentary track for Superman, director
Richard Donner
reveals that Cooper got the role because he had a passport, and thus was able to be on set in a few hours, after Keenan Wynn
, who was originally cast, suffered a heart attack.
television series. Perry White himself never appeared in the show; however, he did appear in the second issue of the tie-in comic book series, in which T.J. was kidnapped by an organized crime family on which Perry did an exposé.
, Perry was a Baby Boomer
with an abiding fondness for rock and roll
, particularly Elvis Presley
. Instead of "Great Caesar's ghost," he sometimes said "Great shades of Elvis!" and the comics briefly followed suit. In a subplot that carried over many episodes, Perry is portrayed as having marital difficulties with his wife Alice due to his dedication to the paper. The couple later reunite just before the series finale.
, the successful TV series about the life of a younger Clark Kent before being Superman, featured their version of the character. In the season-three episode "Perry", Perry is portrayed by Michael McKean
. In this, he is a former Daily Planet reporter who gets reduced to tabloid television
after attempting to expose Lionel Luthor
's corrupt dealings. He attempts to regain some of his old reputation by exposing Clark's powers, but his plan backfires when sunspot activity temporarily nullifies Clark's abilities, although Clark's subsequent heroism despite his currently-powerless status prompts Perry to consider turning over a new leaf. The phrase "don't call me Chief" was worked into this episode, when White calls Sheriff Nancy Adams "Chief".
It's later implied in the season 4 episode "Gone" that Perry is working his way back up with an article on Lionel's conviction.
He reprised his role in the season 9 episode "Hostage" as the new boyfriend of the returning Martha Kent, who had moved to the Senate
in Washington
. Michael McKean provided the voice of Perry White in the very last scene of the final episode but the actor himself wasn't seen on screen.
.
's Superman Returns
, Perry White was originally going to be portrayed by Hugh Laurie
. But when it was determined that there would be a schedule conflict involving Laurie's TV series House
(which is incidentally, executive produced by Singer), Laurie was forced to drop out and Frank Langella
stepped in to play Perry White. In this movie, Perry has a nephew, Richard White, who is engaged to Lois and serves as a father figure to her son Jason, although it is implied over the course of the film that Jason's biological father is Superman himself.
will portray Perry White in The Man of Steel making him the first African American to play Perry White in a live action film .
The 1966 series The New Adventures of Superman featured the talented Jackson Beck
providing the voice of the character.
Perry also appears in Super Friends
, in the episode "Superfriends, Rest In Peace" of Challenge Of The Superfriends, when Superman tries to rescue him and Lois Lane from Luthor and Solomon Grundy
.
The Superman 1988 TV series
showed a Perry White modeled after his comic book counterpart but with a tough attitude, similar to the movie series, and was voiced by Stanley Ralph Ross
.
featured Perry White played by voice-actor George Dzundza
, that only interacted with the characters in the Daily Planet. This version of the character had cameos in the Justice League
and Justice League Unlimited
animated series. Dzundza reprised his role as Perry White in the video game Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
and in the 2006 direct-to-video animated film Superman: Brainiac Attacks
.
, Perry White is played by voice-actor Ray Wise
. Here, he is bald, but shares the same characteristics as the comics-counterpart.
, voiced by Edward Asner.
and Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
for the GameCube and PlayStation 2
, voiced again by George Dzundza.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
who appears in the Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
comics
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
the Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
.
White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards. He is an archetypal image of the tough, irascible but fairminded boss.
According to comic-book continuity, White was an award-winning journalist who served a term as Mayor of Metropolis. He worked as an assistant editor on the Metropolis Daily Star under George Taylor before becoming editor of the Planet.
Radio serial
The character of Perry White was created for the radio serial, The Adventures of SupermanThe Adventures of Superman (radio)
The Adventures of Superman was a long running radio serial that originally aired from 1940 to 1951, adapted from the DC Comics character. ....
and portrayed by actor Julian Noa. The character made his initial appearance in the second episode of the series, which aired February 14, 1940. The character transitioned into the Superman comic book later that year.
Golden and Silver Age history
The earliest Superman comics present Clark KentClark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
and Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
as working for the Daily Star for an editor named George Taylor. However, this was soon changed, with Perry White first appearing as the editor of a newly-renamed Daily Planet.
In the 1960s and 1970s DC Comics, after the multiverse
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
method of continuity tracking was implemented, the above inconsistency was explained away by declaring that on Earth-One (the Silver Age universe), Perry White is Clark and Lois' employer at the Daily Planet, while on Earth-Two (the Golden Age universe), George Taylor is that world's editor-in-chief of the Daily Star. The Perry White of Earth-Two is a lead reporter for the Daily Star and, according to a Superman Family
Superman Family
Superman Family was a DC Comics comic book series which ran from 1974 to 1982 featuring stories starring supporting characters in the Superman comics...
tale, has "filled in" as editor from time to time while Taylor was away.
Prior to the changes detailed in Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, Perry begins his career as a freelance reporter for various newspapers, including a Chicago newspaper and Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
's Gotham Gazette. He eventually goes to work at the Daily Planet as a reporter, and earns his first Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
by being the first to write about Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
's extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
origins, thanks to an exclusive interview with the Boy of Steel.
Later still, Perry's reporting skills earn more praise after being the first to discover that Superboy has moved to Metropolis from Smallville. (Superboy had intended to keep his move quiet for an undefined period of time, so as not to alert anyone to Superboy and Clark Kent leaving Smallville around the same time.)
Finally, during Clark Kent's junior year of college, Perry is promoted to editor-in-chief of the newspaper, after the retirement of the paper's previous editor, the Earth-One version of George Taylor.
In the early 1970s, the Daily Planet is bought by Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain, leader of the mob known as Intergang and one of Superman's enemies. He was created by Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 .-Pre-Crisis:...
, president of the media conglomerate Galaxy Communications, with much of Perry's power in running the paper overtaken by Edge. In the months just prior to the Crisis "reboot" in 1985, it is implied that Perry White is beginning to succumb to Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, manifesting in increased forgetfulness and confusion.
Modern Age history
With writer John Byrne's post-Crisis on Infinite EarthsCrisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
revamp of Superman's origin in the Man of Steel
The Man of Steel (comic book)
The Man of Steel is a six-issue comic book limited series released in 1986 by DC Comics, several months after the twelve-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths completed. The Man of Steel was written and penciled by John Byrne and inked by Dick Giordano.-Overview:The mini-series was...
miniseries and his subsequent Superman comics, Perry's history was fleshed out more fully.
Post-Crisis, Perry is born in Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
' Suicide Slum
Suicide Slum
Suicide Slum is a notorious fictional slum in publications from DC Comics. The area was first introduced in the "The Newsboy Legion" feature as a slum in New York City. It was later placed in Superman's city, Metropolis, when the Newsboy Legion was reintroduced...
area, growing up with a father missing after heading off to war overseas. He becomes a copy boy at the Daily Planet, beginning a lifetime career that will take him up the newspaper's career ladder. Perry goes to school with Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
while they are children (Luthor was also born in Suicide Slum).
After Luthor becomes a successful businessman, he begins diversifying his holdings in his newly-founded LexCorp
LexCorp
LexCorp is the fictional company founded by Lex Luthor in the popular DC Comics Superman series. It made its first proper appearance in John Byrne's The Man of Steel miniseries, which established the post-Crisis Superman setting...
company, which includes buying the Daily Planet. Luthor soon sells it after deciding to pursue technology and television investments. Turning down an offer from Luthor to become part of Luthor's new television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
station WLEX, Perry finds an investor who saves the Daily Planet on the condition that Perry is promoted from reporter to managing editor. The entire episode, not the least of which is what Perry felt as having been forced out of his active writing career, leaves Perry bitter and angry with Luthor.
Perry marries Alice Spencer and has a son, Jerry White. Much later, after Jerry is fully grown, Perry learns that Lex Luthor is Jerry's biological father. Luthor briefly seduces Alice while Perry is overseas reporting on a war and thought to be killed.
Perry White's two greatest moves as editor are hiring Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
and (later) Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
. When she was 15, Lois had impressed Perry with her persistence in trying to get employment at the newspaper (by lying about her age). After Jerry White dies from a gunshot, Perry and Alice grieve for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave of absence from the Daily Planet.
Later, Perry and Alice adopt an orphaned African-American boy named Keith Robert, who soon has his name changed to Keith Robert White. At about this time, Perry takes another leave of absence for lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
treatment, putting Clark Kent in charge as the Planets temporary editor. After many grueling months of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
, the cancer goes into remission.
One of Perry's proudest moments is attending the wedding of Lois and Clark. He sits in the front row beside Lois' parents (Lois considers him as close a relative as her own family).
As the paper continues to struggle, the Planets owner Franklin Stern
Franklin Stern
Franklin W. Stern is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Superman: The Man of Steel #27 , and was named after long time DC writer Roger Stern.-Fictional character biography:...
sells the paper to Lex Luthor. Luthor, acting out of pure malice, dismantles the paper. He fires everyone except Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and two others who are relocated to Lexcom, Lex' new Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-based news company. Fortunately, shortly thereafter, Lex sells on the Planet to Bruce Wayne
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
for $1 (thanks to a secret deal with Lois Lane). White is hired back as editor-in-chief, and the entire former staff are hired back as well.
Though Perry's knowledge of Clark's alter ego is uncertain, it is known that he has found a dusty suit of his star reporter's clothes in a supply closet, including his passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
. For this reason, Perry may well suspect that Clark and Superman are the same person, but due to his personal admiration for both Clark and Superman, he has never confided this suspicion or knowledge to anybody. Bruce Wayne believes that because of White's superior skill as a reporter, he knows that Clark is Superman ("Perry White is too good a reporter not to have uncovered Clark's secret. And yet, he acts otherwise... reminding me how good a detective Jim Gordon is back in Gotham City..." -Batman: Hush
Batman: Hush
Hush is a 2002-2003 comic book story arc that ran through the Batman monthly series. It was written by Jeph Loeb, penciled by Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams and colored by Alex Sinclair. The story depicts a mysterious stalker called Hush, who seems intent on sabotaging Batman from afar, and it...
).
Perry's editorship keeps the Daily Planet as one of the few newspapers that dare to heavily criticize Luthor (even after Luthor's successful election as President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
).
Because of the changes in Superman's history in recent years, including 2003-2004's miniseries Birthright
Superman: Birthright
Superman: Birthright is a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2003 and 2004, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu....
, much is not certain about Perry's history.
In Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
#2, Lois and Perry are caught in an apparently fatal explosion triggered by Clayface
Clayface
Clayface is an alias used by several DC Comics fictional characters, most of them possessing claylike bodies and shape-shifting abilities. All of them have been enemies of Batman.-Publication history:...
at the Daily Planet. As of Final Crisis #3, it was revealed that Perry is alive, but on life support. Perry has since then recovered however, and is now back to running the paper.
When the world begins to grow increasingly more paranoid towards the new population of Kryptonians, Lois begins to investigate the conspiracies executed by the US Government, and her father General Lane in particular. However the government becomes aware of Lois' actions, and attempt to shut her down. As a result, Perry is unable to print any of Lois' stories because of General Lane's power. Unwilling to let this slide, Perry suggests that Lois 'quit' the paper so as to continue her investigation.
Kirk Alyn serials and The Adventures of Superman
Pierre WatkinPierre Watkin
Pierre Watkin was an American actor. He was a character actor in many films, serials and TV series from the 1930s through the 1950s, especially westerns...
was the first actor that played Perry White, in the two Superman serials starring Kirk Alyn
Kirk Alyn
-External links:...
from 1948 and 1950. In the 1950s television and radio series, as played by John Hamilton
John Hamilton (actor)
John Hamilton was an American actor, who appeared in many movies and television programs. He is probably best remembered for his role as the blustery newspaper editor Perry White on the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman.-Biography:Burly, stentorian-voiced John Hamilton was born John...
, Perry typically barked "Great Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's ghost!" when angry, exasperated or surprised. His other trademark line was "Don't call me 'chief'!" Both of these lines eventually became staples in the comics. In at least one episode, it is revealed that Perry has served a term as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Metropolis before becoming editor-in-chief on the Planet.
Christopher Reeve films
In the 1978 film Superman: The Movie (and its three sequels from the 1980s), Jackie CooperJackie Cooper
Jackie Cooper was an American actor, television director, producer and executive. He was a child actor who managed to make the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first child actor to receive an Academy Award nomination...
played Perry as a tough character, who never let his reporters forget he had worked for the Planet nearly all his life. The "don't call me 'chief" line was worked into a gag about ordering coffee, and became "don't call me 'sugar'!" (when he orders a coffee with sugar, and Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
calls him chief and he tells him not to call him "sugar"). Cooper's Perry was also fond of aphorisms such as "A good reporter doesn't get great stories — a good reporter makes them great." In the commentary track for Superman, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Richard Donner
Richard Donner
Richard Donner is an American film director, film producer, and comic book writer.The production company The Donners' Company is owned by Donner and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner. After directing the horror film The Omen, Donner became famous for the hailed creation of the first modern...
reveals that Cooper got the role because he had a passport, and thus was able to be on set in a few hours, after Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
, who was originally cast, suffered a heart attack.
Superboy
Perry White's son, T. J. White, was a supporting character in the SuperboySuperboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
television series. Perry White himself never appeared in the show; however, he did appear in the second issue of the tie-in comic book series, in which T.J. was kidnapped by an organized crime family on which Perry did an exposé.
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
In the 1990s television series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as played by Lane SmithLane Smith
Walter Lane Smith III was an American actor. Some of his well known roles included portraying collaborator entrepreneur Nathan Bates in the NBC television series V, Mayor Bates in the film Red Dawn, newspaper editor Perry White in the ABC series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,...
, Perry was a Baby Boomer
Baby boomer
A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
with an abiding fondness for rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, particularly Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Instead of "Great Caesar's ghost," he sometimes said "Great shades of Elvis!" and the comics briefly followed suit. In a subplot that carried over many episodes, Perry is portrayed as having marital difficulties with his wife Alice due to his dedication to the paper. The couple later reunite just before the series finale.
Smallville
SmallvilleSmallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, the successful TV series about the life of a younger Clark Kent before being Superman, featured their version of the character. In the season-three episode "Perry", Perry is portrayed by Michael McKean
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
. In this, he is a former Daily Planet reporter who gets reduced to tabloid television
Tabloid television
Tabloid television, also known as Teletabloid, is a form of tabloid journalism. Tabloid television newscasts usually incorporate flashy graphics and sensationalized stories.Often, there is a heavy emphasis on crime, stories with good video, and celebrity news...
after attempting to expose Lionel Luthor
Lionel Luthor
Lionel Luthor is a fictional character in the television series Smallville, portrayed continuously by John Glover. Initially a recurring guest in season one, the character became a series regular in season two and continued with that status until he was written out of the show in the seventh season...
's corrupt dealings. He attempts to regain some of his old reputation by exposing Clark's powers, but his plan backfires when sunspot activity temporarily nullifies Clark's abilities, although Clark's subsequent heroism despite his currently-powerless status prompts Perry to consider turning over a new leaf. The phrase "don't call me Chief" was worked into this episode, when White calls Sheriff Nancy Adams "Chief".
It's later implied in the season 4 episode "Gone" that Perry is working his way back up with an article on Lionel's conviction.
He reprised his role in the season 9 episode "Hostage" as the new boyfriend of the returning Martha Kent, who had moved to the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Michael McKean provided the voice of Perry White in the very last scene of the final episode but the actor himself wasn't seen on screen.
Saturday Night Live
Michael McKean also played Perry White in a Superman spoof on Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
Superman Returns
In Bryan SingerBryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
's Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
, Perry White was originally going to be portrayed by Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
. But when it was determined that there would be a schedule conflict involving Laurie's TV series House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
(which is incidentally, executive produced by Singer), Laurie was forced to drop out and Frank Langella
Frank Langella
-Early life:Langella, an Italian American, was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, the son of Angelina and Frank A. Langella Sr., a business executive who was the president of the Bayonne Barrel and Drum Company. Langella attended Washington Elementary School and Bayonne High School in Bayonne...
stepped in to play Perry White. In this movie, Perry has a nephew, Richard White, who is engaged to Lois and serves as a father figure to her son Jason, although it is implied over the course of the film that Jason's biological father is Superman himself.
The Man of Steel
Laurence FishburneLaurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
will portray Perry White in The Man of Steel making him the first African American to play Perry White in a live action film .
Animation
The Superman Fleischer cartoons from the 1940s featured a Daily Planet editor without name, because at the time Perry White was used in the radio serial and George Taylor was featured in the comics.The 1966 series The New Adventures of Superman featured the talented Jackson Beck
Jackson Beck
Jackson Beck was an American actor best known as the announcer on radio's The Adventures of Superman and the voice of Bluto in the Famous era Popeye theatrical shorts.-Career:...
providing the voice of the character.
Perry also appears in Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
, in the episode "Superfriends, Rest In Peace" of Challenge Of The Superfriends, when Superman tries to rescue him and Lois Lane from Luthor and Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy (comics)
Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and...
.
The Superman 1988 TV series
Superman (1988 TV series)
Superman is a 1988 animated Saturday morning television series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions and Warner Bros. Television that aired on CBS featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name...
showed a Perry White modeled after his comic book counterpart but with a tough attitude, similar to the movie series, and was voiced by Stanley Ralph Ross
Stanley Ralph Ross
Stanley Ralph Ross was raised in Brooklyn New York, starting his career in advertising, then soon going to work as a writer and actor on various television shows, most notably cult-classics such as the 1960s Batman series starring Adam West and also The Monkees...
.
DC animated universe
The 1990s Superman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
featured Perry White played by voice-actor George Dzundza
George Dzundza
George Dzundza is an American television and film actor.-Personal life:Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian father and Polish mother who were forced into factory labour by the Nazis. He spent the first few years of his life in displaced persons camps with his parents and one...
, that only interacted with the characters in the Daily Planet. This version of the character had cameos in the Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
and Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
animated series. Dzundza reprised his role as Perry White in the video game Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips is a video game that was released in 2002 by Atari for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube consoles. It was developed by Infogrames and published by Atari in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
and in the 2006 direct-to-video animated film Superman: Brainiac Attacks
Superman: Brainiac Attacks
Superman: Brainiac Attacks is a 2006 direct-to-video animated film with production designs based on Superman: The Animated Series from Warner Bros. Animation, released on June 20, 2006. It also aired on Toon Disney on June 16, 2008, being the first Superman film to air on Toon Disney. The film...
.
Superman: Doomsday
In Superman: DoomsdaySuperman: Doomsday
Superman: Doomsday & Beyond is a licensed novel, published in 1993, set in the DC Comics universe, written by Louise Simonson, and with illustrations from Dan Jurgens and José Luis García-López. It is a young-adult version of The Death of Superman comics storyline from 1992...
, Perry White is played by voice-actor Ray Wise
Ray Wise
Raymond Nicolas "Ray" Wise is an American actor, known for his roles as Leland Palmer in Twin Peaks, as Leon C. Nash, right-hand henchman to villain Clarence Boddicker in the science fiction classic RoboCop, and recently as the Devil in the CW television series Reaper.-Life and career:Wise was...
. Here, he is bald, but shares the same characteristics as the comics-counterpart.
All-Star Superman
Perry White appeared in All-Star SupermanAll-Star Superman (film)
All-Star Superman is a direct-to-video animated film based on the acclaimed comic book series All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The film is the tenth in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation and the first in the...
, voiced by Edward Asner.
Batman the Brave and the Bold
Perry white appears in the episode "Battle of the Superheroes" saying his lines "Great Caesar's ghost" and "Don't call me Chief".Video games
Perry White's only video game appearances are Superman for the NESNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
and Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips is a video game that was released in 2002 by Atari for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube consoles. It was developed by Infogrames and published by Atari in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
for the GameCube and PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, voiced again by George Dzundza.