Kirk Alyn brought the superhero to life for the first time on the big screen in 1948's "Superman."

George Reeves (center, circa 1951) took on the role for "The Adventures of Superman," which ran for six seasons.

In 1978, Christopher Reeve put on the red cape for "Superman," and reprised the role for "Superman II," "Superman III," and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace."

For four seasons, Dean Cain (here, in 1993) starred alongside Teri Hatcher in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman."

Tom Welling played Clark Kent, the civilian who morphed into Superman, for ten seasons on the TV series "Smallville."

Brandon Routh has said that he owes his entire career to his turn as the Man of Steel in the 2006 film, "Superman Returns": "It has put me where I am today."

This summer, Henry Cavill will tackle the part of Superman in the blockbuster, "Man of Steel."