1. Christopher Reeve - Clark Kent/Superman (Superman: The Movie)
From one superman to another, as we finish our countdown with the definitive depiction of Krypton's favourite son. Many would take being famous for playing Superman and not worry about having a career outside of it - especially when your portrayal becomes as widely-loved as Reeve's was. But curiously enough, Reeve consciously distanced himself from several roles that would have bolstered his career. After training at Juilliard alongside Robin Williams, Reeve began his career on the soap Love of Life. After fainting on stage during his Broadway debut (alongside Katherine Hepburn in A Matter of Gravity), he made his film debut in Gray Lady Down. Reeve was given a screen test for Superman through the persistence of casting director Lynn Stalmaster, and was given the part on the condition that he bulked up. He began an intense two-month programme with David Prowse of Darth Vader fame, and the rest is history. Reeve was clearly a talented actor, and remains the definitive Superman for a great many people. He brought Mario Puzo's script to life, playing the character with a straight face and handling the mythology with respect while still finding room for both humour and heroism. After becoming famous he turned down the leads in Lethal Weapon, Pretty Woman, Fatal Attraction and Mutiny on the Bounty, fearing that many of these would typecast him either as an action star or a fresh-faced romantic lead. It's tragic that his life was cut short so soon, but one feels he made a few bad career moves before his accident.
What He Did Next: Reeve reprised his role in Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Between his superhero commitments he appeared in Somewhere in Time and Deathtrap. As the 1980s wore on he diversified into politics, before a fall from a horse in 1995 rendered him quadriplegic. He died of a heart attack in 2004.
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