8. Joan Alexander
Appeared in: The Adventures of Superman (radio serial), Fleischer Superman short films
Joan Alexander holds the honor of being the first ever actress to portray Lois Lane. She also holds the honor of having spent the longest period of time consistently playing the character in a main capacity. Now that’s something to be proud of!
Without a doubt the voice of Lois Lane for a whole generation, Alexander voiced the intrepid reporter in the long-running radio serial The Adventures of Superman from 1940 to 1951. She reprised the role for the equally legendary Fleischer animated shorts in the early ’40s, making her the first actress to voice Lois in an animated project, too.
That legacy speaks for itself, but Alexander’s performance also went a long way in forming the original version of the character. She approached the role with that firm, direct nature that the early Lois was subsequently known for, stopping at nothing to get a story. She was also incredibly polite and well-spoken in her delivery (as most actors were in those days), making her the perfect choice to capture the Lois Lane character for radio audiences.
While some of the Superman stories never made full use of Lois, Alexander’s performance shined through nonetheless. Just as Dana Delany was for the ’90s kids who grew up watching Superman cartoons, Alexander was the definitive voice of Lois Lane for a whole generation – and we’re thankful that we can look back and enjoy her iconic performance.