Superman Actress Margot Kidder Dies Aged 69
The original big screen Lois Lane has sadly passed away.
Sad news for lovers of superhero cinema, as it has been announced that Margot Kidder, star of the original Superman, has died.
Variety report that the 69-year old actress, born in the Northwest Territories of Canada on 17 October 1948, passed away at home on Sunday 13th May. The cause of death is not yet known.
Kidder was cast alongside Christopher Reeve in Richard Donner's 1978 film Superman, and would go in to appear again in 1980's Superman II, 1983's Superman III and finally 1987's Superman IV: The Quest For Peace.
While the role of the Daily Planet's roving reporter beloved of Superman is of course the part Kidder has always been best remembered for, she also had key roles in a number of acclaimed and influential horror movies: Brian De Palma's 1973 film Sisters, 1974 slasher Black Christmas, and 1979 haunted house movie The Amityville Horror.
Sadly, Kidder's post-Superman story wasn't always a happy one. Her career struggled after the Superman movies ended, and in the late 1990s she had a nervous breakdown and was homeless for a time.
Since recovering, Kidder worked steadily in lower-profile roles, notably making cameo appearances on TV's Smallville. She was also an outspoken activist on political, environmental, anti-war and mental health issues.
Superman was the original blockbuster series, and for generations of viewers Kidder's brash, gutsy attitude really defined the character of Lois Lane; and not unlike Reeves' Superman, Kidder's Lois Lane is the yardstick by which all subsequent takes on the role are measured. She will be sadly missed.