Premiering on ABC on September 12th 1993 and starring Teri Hatcher & Dean Cain, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman ran for 4 seasons, peaking with an audience of 22.3 million, before being abruptly cancelled after ratings dropped down to around 4 million toward the end of the fourth season. At the end of its run, 87 (or 88 if you split up the 2 hour pilot) episodes had aired before Lois & Clark signed off on June 14th 1997 with one heck of an unresolved finale cliffhanger.
Several of the main cast either left or were replaced after the first season, and the show never reached that year's heights again. But when Lois & Clark was good it was very good, and it was well received by the critics of the day too. Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain were praised for their performances as the lead characters. Lane Smith breathed life and humor into the Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White and John Shea received positive reviews for his portrayal of Lex Luthor.
Across the years the main cast were joined by a whole host of famous actors and actresses in the guest star of the week role, and we have rounded up 20 of them. Famous people who you more than likely know but may not realise you saw them on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman.
1. Adam West
TV's original Batman, Adam West had a brief cameo role as Jerry, the presenter of his own self-titled show (sort of a Jerry Springer type thing), seen only on a handheld TV screen in the second season episode Whine, Whine, Whine.
2. Frank Gorshin
1960s Batman was joined by 1960s Riddler in the same second season episode. Frank Gorshin playing Sharpie, a lawyer looking to represent Superman.
Here are 25 things you might not know about the 1960s Batman TV series.
3. Bruce Campbell
Appearing in three episodes, across season 2 & 3, Bruce Campbell guest starred as Bill church Jr. You very likely know him in his most famous role, that of Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead franchise.
4. Tony Curtis
Guest starring as Dr. Isaac Mamba in the season 3 episode I Now Pronounce You..., Tony Curtis' career dates back to the 1940s. His most famous roles came in the 1959 comedy Some Like It Hot, alongside Marilyn Monroe, and on TV in The Persuaders with Roger Moore.
5. Denise Crosby
She starred as Lt Tasha Yar in the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, before requesting to be written out, and is famously the granddaughter of Bing Crosby, Denise played Gretchen Kelly in three episodes of the second season of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman.
We rounded up 75 famous people who guest starred on Star Trek here, but Denise Crosby was not the first actor from that franchise to appear on Lois & Clark. That would be...
6. David Warner
David Warner played Superman's biological father Jor-El in the season one episode Foundling. Warner had a variety of roles in the Star Trek franchise, including playing John Talbot in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Chancellor Gorkin in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, as well as guest starring on the Star Trek: TNG episode Chain Of Command as Gul Madred.
There's also something of a Doctor Who connection here, with Warner voicing a character in the Tenth Doctor animated adventure Dreamland, then appearing on the series for real opposite the Eleventh Doctor in Cold War. He's also played an Unbound Doctor in the Big Finish series.
But perhaps the more interesting connection, in terms of random geek-trivia, comes from the fact that in the picture above you can see Warner in character as Jor-El alongside Lara, Jor-El's wife and Superman's mother. Lara is played by Eliza Roberts. Another Roberts, Eric, played the Master in the 1996 Doctor Who TV Movie (stick with me here, it's worth the payoff). His character started off as Bruce the ambulance driver, but after being possessed by the Master, Bruce is seen waking up next to his wife Miranda who he then promptly kills. Miranda was played by Eric Roberts real life wife, who just so happens to be Eliza Roberts. (Told you it was worth the payoff).
We rounded up 65 famous people who guest starred on classic Doctor Who here.
7. Jonathan Frakes
Sticking with the Star Trek:TNG connections, Number 1 himself, Jonathan Frakes guest starred as Tim Lake (alongside his wife Genie Francis, above, who portrayed Tim's wife Amber) in the third season episode Don't Tug on Superman's Cape.
8. Dwight Schultz
And one last Star Trek connection for you. Dwight Schultz, who had played Reginald Barclay in the Star Trek franchise, guest starred on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman as the corporate villain Garret Grady in the fourth season episode AKA Superman.
As well as Star Trek, Schultz is, of course, best known for his role as Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock in The A-Team. We rounded up 20 famous people who guest starred on The A-Team here.
9. Shelley Long
Best known for her roles of Diane Chambers in the sitcom Cheers and its spin off Frasier, Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch film series and Delia "DeDe" Prichett in Modern Family, Shelley Long guest starred as Lucille Newtrich in the third season episode Ultra Woman.
10. Fred Willard
Another Modern Family alum, Fred Willard is perhaps best known for his roles in the Rob Reiner mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap; the Christopher Guest mockumentaries Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Mascots; and the Anchorman films. Willard found time to guest star in three episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman's fourth season, when he played President Garner.
11. Dean Stockwell
It's Al from Quantum Leap! Although that may well be the first role that springs to mind when you see Dean Stockwell, his career has spanned over 70 years! First coming to the public's attention in films such as Anchors Aweigh (1945), The Green Years (1946), Gentleman's Agreement (1947), and Kim (1950), you may well have seen him in Blue Velvet (1986), and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). After playing Rear Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci for four years on Quantum Leap, stockwell dropped by Lois & Clark for a guest role in the seventeenth episode of the first season as Preston Carpenter. Later, of course, you likely saw him as Brother Cavil in the Sci Fi Channel revival of Battlestar Galactica.
Here are 10 things you might not know about Quantum Leap.
12. Penn Jillette
The talkative half of top magic act Penn & Teller, had a not too taxing role as a magician by the name of Darrin Romick, Illusions of Grandeur in the first season episode Illusions Of Grandeur.
13. Morgan Fairchild
Well known for her roles as Jennifer Pace in Search For Tomorrow, Jenna Wade in Dallas and Constance Weldon Carlyle in Flamingo Road, Morgan Fairchild guest starred on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman as the scheming chemist Miranda in the first season episode Pheromone, My Lovely.
14. Howie Mandel
Back when he had hair (so much hair), and long before America's Got Talent or Deal Or No Deal, Howie Mandel guest starred in the fourth season episode 'Twas The Night Before Christmas where he played the comic-book villain Mr. Mxyzptlk.
15. Sonny Bono
One half of Sonny & Cher - hint, he's not Cher - Sonny Bono had just finished a term as Mayor of Palm Springs, California when he guest starred in the season one episode The Man Of Steel Bars as Mayor Berkowitz.
16. Justine Bateman
Michael J. Fox's fictional Family Ties sister and Jason Bateman's real life one, Justine played Sarah, who turned out to be Kryptonian Zara, across a four episode story-arc spanning the last two episodes of the third and the first two episodes of the fourth season.
17. Roger Daltrey
Joining Justine Bateman in the season 3 finale, Big girls Don't Fly, was The Who frontman Roger Daltrey who played alien assassin Tez.
18. Raquel Welch
Best known for her numerous film roles, including as Cora Peterson in her debut feature Fantastic Voyage, and Loana in One Million Years B.C., the actress, model and singer Raquel Welch played Diana Stride in the second season episode Top Copy.
19. Bronson Pinchot
You may well have seen Bronson Pinchot as Balki Batokomous in the sitcom Perfect Strangers and as Serge in Beverly Hills Cop, he also guest starred on two episodes of the second season of Lois & Clark as Kyle Griffin aka The Prankster.
20. James Earl Jones
The voice of Darth Vader is a commanding presence in any guest star role. His turn on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman came in the season one finale The House Of Luthor, where he played Franklin W. Stern, a potential buyer for The Daily Planet.
Did you remember all of these Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman guest stars? And which other famous guest stars have we missed? Let us know in the comments below and we'll keep updating the list...
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