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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an animated Superman!
November 14, 1996
Web posted at: 7:50 a.m. EST
From Correspondent Dennis Michael
HOLLYWOOD (CNN) -- Terrorists steal a futuristic weapon, crippling an airliner in flight. This looks like a job for Superman!
(1.3M/32 sec. QuickTime movie)
The Man of Steel is returning to television this season in "Superman -- The Animated Series," created by the same production team that made the critically acclaimed "Batman --The Animated Series."
Tim Daly, best known as Joe Hackett on NBC's sitcom "Wings," takes on the title role.
"Initially, I thought, 'Oh, this is a fun little job doing a little cartoon,'" Daly said. "I didn't realize the grave responsibility that was bestowed upon me."
Daly and his co-stars, including Dana Delany as Lois Lane, get their part of the show done faster than a speeding bullet in a recording studio under the eyes and ears of animation director Andrea Romano.
"I've found that the majority of my work is just a series of grunting, groaning and straining noises," Daly said. "Because, you know, Superman is forever getting clobbered with force fields, nuclear weapons, trains -- whatever large, blunt, heavy objects are at hand to clobber him. I have to dig deep for those special noises."
Although not a reader of Superman comics as a kid, Daly now realizes he's playing something bigger than a superhero. He's playing THE superhero.
"When Superman comes along with his red cape and his blue outfit, it works on such a primary level. Here's this guy who wears no mask. He's very positive. He tries to help everybody as much as he can," Daly said. "I think readers and especially children gravitate to that. They know they can trust this guy.
Daly says there are a couple of big advantages to playing Superman as an animated character. Rehearsals are short. And there's no makeup.
"I look great as Superman," Daly said with a chuckle. "I am so buff."
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