Which actor guest-starred as Superman in the episode Lucy and Superman?

George Reeves guest-starred as Superman in the I Love Lucy episode “Lucy and Superman.”

First broadcast on January 14, 1957, the episode is the 13th episode of the sixth season and the 166th episode overall. Reeves appeared in the role that had made him a household name on Adventures of Superman, which aired from 1952 to 1958.

The plot turns on Lucy becoming trapped outside the Ricardos’ apartment during a children’s party. Superman rescues her from the ledge, creating one of the series’ classic celebrity-guest situations. The episode presents Reeves as Superman rather than simply as George Reeves playing an actor.

A common mix-up is confusing George Reeves with Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the 1978 film and its sequels. Adam West was best known as Batman, while Kirk Alyn portrayed Superman in earlier film serials. Reeves’s appearance was also notable because it crossed over directly from a popular contemporary television superhero series.