Jimmy Olsen From ‘The Adventures of Superman’ Is Dead

It is another sad moment in Hollywood as actor, playwright, producer and screenwriter who was best known from the classic 1950s comic book series The Adventures of Superman, Jack Larson is dead.

Jack Larson died on Sunday in his Brentwood home he was born in 1928 in Los Angeles and died at the age of 87.  Larson’s film debut was in the 1948 war movie “Fighter Squadron.” Intent on becoming a Broadway actor, he only reluctantly took the role as cub reporter and photographer Jimmy Olsen on The Adventures of Superman. Afraid of being typecast, he agreed to appear in the series only after his agent convinced him the show was unlikely to be aired. The opposite happened.

Larson’s fear came to pass when Superman ended, he found his capacity to get new acting work severely limited by his association with the show. Encouraged by friends, he switched career paths, focusing on behind the scenes work and eventually forging a successful career as a librettist, playwright and producer. Among his plays are The Candied House (1966) Chuck (1968) and later in life, The Astronaut’s Tale (1998).