With a total of 50 different Superman items featured in Hake’s current auction, there’s plenty for old school fans of the Man of Steel to choose from. Among these are some autographed items from the 1950s television series, Adventures of Superman.

The Adventures of Superman show ran for 104 episodes between 1952 and 1958, starring George Reeves as Superman. One of the lots in Hake’s auction is a pair of behind-the-scenes photos of Reeves in his Superman suit, autographed by Noel Neill, who appears in the photos as Lois Lane.

Neill was actually the second woman to play Superman’s girlfriend; the first was Phyllis Coates, who received equal star billing with Reeves after he argued she should receive the same treatment he did. However, Coates only played Lois Lane for the first season. By the time the second season started production, she had committed to another project and thus Neill was hired. Neill, who had previously appeared in the Superman film serials, would retain the role through the show’s end. She has since cameoed in other Superman-related media.

The other Adventures of Superman lot at Hake’s is a set of autographs from the show’s stars: both Coates and Neill, Reeves, and Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olsen. We’ve previously mentioned in Scoop how Larson’s portrayal of Superman’s pal impacted the Superman-related comic book at the time, but it was his appearance on Adventures of Superman that made Larson popular.

Though he had previously appeared in various films before being cast as Jimmy Olsen, he’s really only remembered for his role in the show. He has since appeared in other Superman media: as an older Jimmy Olsen on the Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman show, and as a bartender in the 2006 Superman Returns film. In the latter, he’s seen wearing clothing similar to what he wore on the 1950s television show, and also seen hugging the film’s Jimmy Olsen, Sam Huntington.

Most of the main cast of Adventures of Superman suffered from being typecast following their appearances on the show, and even George Reeves wasn’t exempt from that. Despite having an extensive film background before his transformation into the Kryptonian hero, Reeves found it difficult to break away from the role. We will unfortunately never know what else his acting skills had to offer due to his death in 1959 – the circumstances of which still remain a controversy today.

Also included in Hake’s current auction are a number of rare cards that were included in packs of Superman Gum in 1940 – one set of 24, and one set of 48 are included in the auction. These cards depicted Superman in action long before the television series started and are highly sought after today. Interested parties should bid soon, as the aucion ends on November 13.