Joan Alexander Stanton (April 16, 1915 - May 21, 2009)

This is one of those blogs that I wish I didn't have to write. Joan Alexander Stanton is someone that I also felt a great deal of admiration for. She was an actress but her career was somewhat small. In the 40's she spent a great deal of time on radio programs such as "Dimension X", "Philo Vance", "Against the Storm" and "Perry Mason." On "Perry Mason" she played Mason's secreatary Della Street. In 1964 she made her only Broadway appearance in the production of Poor Richard. On television she appeared on the game show "The Name's the Same" from 1951 to 1955. For me though she will always be that light but stern voice on "The Adventures of Superman" which was on radio from 1940 until 1951. Joan provided the voice of girl reporter Lois Lane in more than 1,600 episodes. She also provided the voice of Lois in 17 animated Superman shorts produced by the Fleischer Studios between 1941 and 1943. In 1966, the animated series "The New Adventures of Superman" began it's four season run. Joan returned to play Lois during the 1966-1967 season before she was succeeded by voice actress Julie Bennett. Joan Alexander Stanton and Bud Collyer as Lois Lane and Clark Kent were perfect together. She played Lois as very sly and pushy but at the same time very vulnerable. In addition to Lois Lane, Joan also provided the voices of whatever minor female roles the script called for. Of course this Lois Lane just like all that would follow always went weak in the knees for Superman. Because most of the show took place during and after WWII there were many episodes devoted to addressing the issue of racism, prejudice and in some cases Nazi spies. Lois Lane showed her true colors as an all American girl who looked for peace and equality for everyone. Some notable storylines involving Lois Lane were "Drought in Freeville", "Dr. Bly and his Confidence Gang", "The Meteor From Krypton", "The Man Without a Face", "Superman vs. Kryptonite", "The Phantom of the Sea" and "The Mystery of the Walking Dead." In "Dr. Bly and his Confidence Gang" Joan also provided the voice of Lois Lane's doppleganger Dixie LaMarr, a girl mixed up in the underworld who shoots and kills a federal agent. Because of her uncanny resemblance to Lois her boss Dr. Bly makes arrangements for Lois to take the blame. Superman, Batman and Robin save the day. Joan Alexander Stanton was a woman of class, elegance and great talent and dignity. She was a wonderful actress and she set the standards on what an actress had to do to bring Lois Lane to life.