Lyle Talbot (February 8, 1902 - March 2, 1996)

One of Batman's most trusted allies and Superman's greatest enemies...

Lyle Talbot is another actor that was a pioneer for all character actors that would follow. He appeared in close to one hundred films starting in the 1930's and continuing on through the 1960's.

He appeared in Ed Wood's two more memorable creations "Glen or Glenda" in 1953 and "Plan 9 from Outer Space" in 1959. The latter is now known as the worst movie ever made.

In 1949, Talbot became the screen's first flesh and blood Police Commissioner Gordon in the "Batman and Robin" movie serial starring Robert Lowery as Batman, Johnny Duncan as Robin, Eric Wilton as Alfred, the butler and Jane Adams as Vicki Vale. The actor was very good as Gordon and the serial helped to set up the connection and trust that the police would have with the Dynamic Duo. It also introduced the legendary Bat-signal, the bat shaped beacon that pierced the night sky whenever Gordon needed help.

A year later Talbot turned another page in comic book history when he became the screen's first flesh and blood Luthor in the movie serial "Atom Man vs. Superman." Though he was not yet known as "Lex" Luthor he was firmly established as the Man of Steel's arch rival. Talbot also played the mysterious cloak covered Atom Man. The connection between the two characters is somewhat blurry. Originally Luthor calls the Atom Man his "friend and partner." They never appear on camera together and eventually towards the end of the film people are calling him "Luthor, the Atom Man." Teasers between chapters even say things like "Will Luthor launch another desperate attack? Will something go wrong with the Atom Man's plan?" So...? I don't know. Needless to say, Talbot was fantastic as Luthor and the Atom Man for that matter. He really captured the serious, diabolical, scientific evil genius that Luthor represented in the 1940's and 1950's. His inventions, the ability to create earthquakes and send out powerful missles and laser beams made him one of the most dangerous villains in the rogue's gallery.

I believe that Lyle Talbot did the best job out of the five starring actors in the serial. Now, maybe I am spoiled by the excellent job that the "Adventures of Superman" did at bringing those characters to life but I do not believe that Kirk Alyn (Superman), Noel Neill (Lois Lane), Tommy Bond (Jimmy Olsen) and Pierre Watkin (Perry White) had any kind of decent chemistry whatsoever.

On the television front Talbot was no stranger. He appeared in such shows as "The George Sanders Mystery Theater", "The Lone Ranger", "Death Valley Days", "The Abbott and Costello Show", "Mr. & Mrs. North", "Boston Blackie", "Dangerous Assignments", "December Bride", "The Bob Cummings Show", "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre", "The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show", "Private Secretary", "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet", "Leave it to Beaver", "Studio One", "Perry Mason", "The Ann Sothern Show", "Wagon Train", "The DuPont Show with June Allyson", "Bonanza", "Mister Ed", "Make Room for Daddy", "Dennis the Menace", "The Beverly Hillbillies", "The Lucy Show", "77 Sunset Strip", "Petticoat Junction", "The Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre", "Green Acres", "Dragnet 1967", "The Smothers Brothers Show", "Here's Lucy", "Adam-12", "Charlie's Angels", "The Dukes of Hazzard", "St. Elsewhere", "227", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Who's the Boss?" and "Newhart."

Charactor actors like Lyle Talbot do not exist anymore and it is a terrible shame. It was men like him that made the film and television industry what it is today.

He shared the screen with some of the most legendary performers in the world: Lucille Ball, George Burns, Bob Hope, Ozzie Nelson and many many more and all the while he was a star in his own right.