Jack Larson, who played the photojournalist Jimmy Olsen in the first Superman TV show, has passed away.
Larson's longtime friend Alan Howard has confirmed that he died in his home in Brentwood, California on Sunday, according to The New York Times. He was 87 years old.
While Larson was best known for his role in the 1950s series "Adventures of Superman," he wasn't just a television actor, according to Deadline. A few years before the comic book series, he made his film debut in "Fighter Squadron."
He originally wanted to become a Broadway actor and as someone who was afraid of being a typecast, he only agreed to do "Superman" because he was told it most likely would not be aired. Instead, it stayed on the air for six years. Unfortunately, his fear came true, and he found it was hard for him to get the type of roles he wanted because of his association to the show.
Instead, Larson remained in the business by becoming a producer and playwright. He was responsible for many popular plays like "The Candied House," "The Astronaut's Tale," and "Chuck." He then went on to produce several films that were written or directed by his longtime partner, James Bridges, according to Variety.
The two met back in 1957 on the set of Ethel Barrymore's final film "Johnny Trouble."
The eventually formed a production company together, which produced many hit 80s films like "The Baby Maker," "Bright Lights, Big City," and "Mike's Murder," according to The Hollywood Reporter. They were together until Bridges passed away in 1993 from cancer at just 57 years old.
"It was obvious to anyone that since we lived together we were partners," Larson told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. "We always went place together. We never pretended. I always did what I felt like doing. I never did publicity when I was very popular as Jimmy. The question [about being gay] never came up."
Further details on his death were not immediately available.
