Comic books, superheroes, and their story lines are more prominent in the media than ever before, first taking the silver screen by storm and now, TV. With the running successes of Arrow and The Flash, we decided to take a look back at the TV show that started it all, Smallville.
Smallville aired for 10 seasons, having premiered in 2001, and followed Clark Kent's journey into becoming Superman. We wanted to go through the little known facts, the stuff you may not know about this beloved series. Sure, we all know that Tom Welling didn't wear the Superman outfit until the final episode, but did you know that the actress who played Ma Kent in Smallville also played Superman's love interest in Superman III?
Check out these facts that you may have never known about the show, and make sure to vote up the ones you think are the most shocking!
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Terrance Stamp Leaves His Mark on Superman
Terrence Stamp, who voiced Jor-El on Smallville, originally played the evil General Zod in 1978's Superman.
Tess Mercer Amalgamation
The character of Tess Mercer (Lutessa Luthor), played by Cassidy Freeman, was created when Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor left the show.
Her character and her name are a mix of all of the female counterparts to Lex in the Superman universe: Miss Tessmacher from Superman: The Movie, Mercy Graves from Superman: The Animated Series, and Contessa Del Portenza from the comics.
Actors Play More Than One Superman Character
Annette O'Toole, who plays Martha Kent on the show, played Clark Kent's love interest Lana Lang in Superman III way back in 1983.
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Batman?
Originally, Tollin/Robbins Productions were planing to make a show that followed the story of a young Bruce Wayne before he became Batman. Since Warner Bros. Studios had decided to do Batman Begins and didn't want the film to compete with a television show, Tollin/Robbins Productions suggested to Peter Roth, President of Warner Bros Television, that he develop a show about a young Clark Kent, which became Smallville.
So Close!
Jensen Ackles was the second choice to play Clark Kent. If Tom Welling had turned it down, it would have gone to him. He still made an appearance on the show, however, showing up in season 4 of Smallville as a love interest for Lana Lang, and later going on to star in Supernatural.
Passing the Torch
Terry Hatcher, who played Lois Lane in the Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, returned to the Superman universe to play Lois Lane's (Erica Durance) mom on the show.
From Screen to Page
The character Chloe Sullivan, played by Allison Mack, was specifically invented for the show. Her character was so popular, however, that in 2010, they introduced her in Action Comics #893. She's even referenced in the Man of Steel movie.
Longevity of the Characters
Tom Welling (Clark Kent) and Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan) are the only regular cast members to appear in all 10 seasons.
Weird Family Ties
Helen Slater, who played Lara and Clark/Kal-El's mother, played the original Supergirl, Kal-El's cousin.
This Mansion Spans All the Comic Series
Lex Luthor's mansion is the same one for Xavier's school in X2: X-Men United (2003). It's also used for the television show, Arrow (2012).