Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is
the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.
White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards. He is an
archetypal image of the tough, irascible but fairminded boss. White's most well
known catchphrases are "Great Caesar's ghost!" and "Don't call me chief!".
According to post-Crisis comic-book continuity, White was an award-winning
journalist who served a term as Mayor of Metropolis. He worked as an assistant
editor on the Metropolis Daily Star under George Taylor before becoming
editor of the Planet. Fictional character biography
= Radio serial= The character of Perry White was created
for the radio serial, The Adventures of Superman and portrayed by actor Julian
Noa. The character made his initial appearance in the second episode of the
series, which aired February 14, 1940. The character transitioned into the
Superman comic book later that year. = Golden and Silver Age history=
The earliest Superman comics present Clark Kent and Lois Lane as working for
the Daily Star for an editor named George Taylor. However, this was soon
changed, with Perry White first appearing as the editor of a newly
renamed Daily Planet. In the 1960s and 1970s DC Comics, after
the multiverse method of continuity tracking was implemented, the above
inconsistency was explained away by declaring that on Earth-One, Perry White
is Clark and Lois' employer at the Daily Planet, while on Earth-Two, George
Taylor is that world's editor-in-chief of the Daily Star. The Perry White of
Earth-Two is a lead reporter for the Daily Star and, according to a Superman
Family tale, has "filled in" as editor from time to time while Taylor was away.
Prior to the changes detailed in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Perry begins his
career as a freelance reporter for various newspapers, including a Chicago
newspaper and Gotham City's Gotham Gazette. He eventually goes to work at
the Daily Planet as a reporter, and earns his first Pulitzer Prize by being
the first to write about Superboy's extraterrestrial origins, thanks to an
exclusive interview with the Boy of Steel.
Later still, Perry's reporting skills earn more praise after being the first
to discover that Superboy has moved to Metropolis from Smallville.
Finally, during Clark Kent's junior year of college, Perry is promoted to
editor-in-chief of the newspaper, after the retirement of the paper's previous
editor, the Earth-One version of George Taylor.
In the early 1970s, the Daily Planet is bought by Morgan Edge, president of the
media conglomerate Galaxy Communications, with much of Perry's
power in running the paper overtaken by Edge. In the months just prior to the
Crisis "reboot" in 1985, it is implied that Perry White is beginning to succumb
to Alzheimer's disease, manifesting in increased forgetfulness and confusion.
= Modern Age history= With writer John Byrne's post-Crisis on
Infinite Earths revamp of Superman's origin in the Man of Steel miniseries
and his subsequent Superman comics, Perry's history was fleshed out more
fully. Post-Crisis, Perry is born in
Metropolis' Suicide Slum area, growing up with a father missing after heading
off to war overseas. He becomes a copy boy at the Daily Planet, beginning a
lifetime career that will take him up the newspaper's career ladder. Perry
goes to school with Lex Luthor while they are children.
After Luthor becomes a successful businessman, he begins diversifying his
holdings in his newly founded LexCorp company, which includes buying the Daily
Planet. Luthor soon sells it after deciding to pursue technology and
television investments. Turning down an offer from Luthor to become part of
Luthor's new television station WLEX, Perry finds an investor who saves the
Daily Planet on the condition that Perry is promoted from reporter to managing
editor. The entire episode, not the least of which is what Perry felt as
having been forced out of his active writing career, leaves Perry bitter and
angry with Luthor. Perry marries Alice Spencer and has a
son, Jerry White. Much later, after Jerry is fully grown, Perry learns that
Lex Luthor is Jerry's biological father. Luthor briefly seduces Alice while Perry
is overseas reporting on a war and thought to be killed.
Perry White's two greatest moves as editor are hiring Lois Lane and Clark
Kent. When she was 15, Lois had impressed Perry with her persistence in
trying to get employment at the newspaper. After Jerry White dies from a
gunshot, Perry and Alice grieve for some time, resulting in Perry taking a leave
of absence from the Daily Planet. Later, Perry and Alice adopt an orphaned
African-American boy named Keith Robert Parks, who soon has his name changed to
Keith Robert White. At about this time, Perry takes another leave of absence for
lung cancer treatment, putting Clark Kent in charge as the Planet's temporary
editor. After many grueling months of chemotherapy, the cancer goes into
remission. One of Perry's proudest moments is
attending the wedding of Lois and Clark. He sits in the front row beside Lois'
parents. As the paper continues to struggle, the
Planet's owner Franklin Stern sells the paper to Lex Luthor. Luthor, acting out
of pure malice, dismantles the paper. He fires everyone except Lois Lane, Jimmy
Olsen, and two others who are relocated to Lexcom, Lex' new Internet-based news
company. Fortunately, shortly thereafter, Lex sells the Planet to
Bruce Wayne for $1. White is hired back as editor-in-chief, and the entire
former staff are hired back as well. Though Perry's knowledge of Clark's
alter ego is uncertain, it is known that he has found a dusty suit of his star
reporter's clothes in a supply closet, including his passport. For this reason,
Perry may well suspect that Clark and Superman are the same person, but due to
his personal admiration for both Clark and Superman, he has never confided this
suspicion or knowledge to anybody. Bruce Wayne believes that because of White's
superior skill as a reporter, he knows that Clark is Superman.
Perry's editorship keeps the Daily Planet as one of the few newspapers that
dare to heavily criticize Luthor. Because of the changes in Superman's
history in recent years, including 2003-2004's miniseries Birthright, much
is not certain about Perry's history. In Final Crisis #2, Lois and Perry are
caught in an apparently fatal explosion triggered by Clayface at the Daily
Planet. As of Final Crisis #3, it was revealed that Perry is alive, but on
life support. Perry has since then recovered however, and is now back to
running the paper. When the world begins to grow
increasingly more paranoid towards the new population of Kryptonians, Lois
begins to investigate the conspiracies executed by the US Government, and her
father General Lane in particular. However the government becomes aware of
Lois' actions, and attempt to shut her down. As a result, Perry is unable to
print any of Lois' stories because of General Lane's power. Unwilling to let
this slide, Perry suggests that Lois 'quit' the paper so as to continue her
investigation. Other Versions
= DC Universe Online: Legends= In the limited comic series, DC Universe
Online: Legends, Perry White was captured, alongside Lois Lane and Jimmy
Olsen, in the Daily Planet by Brainiac, but was saved by Superman, with Lex
Luthor in possession of the canister containing them. Later, Perry became one
of the people who have gained metahuman abilities from Braniac's Exobytes,
transforming his body into a being of Ice and granting him Ice powers, which
has surprised him. Later he adopted the code name Frost.
In other media = Television=
Animation The Superman Fleischer cartoons from the
1940s featured a Daily Planet editor without name, because at the time Perry
White was used in the radio serial and George Taylor was featured in the
comics. The 1966 series The New Adventures of
Superman featured the talented Jackson Beck providing the voice of the
character. Perry also appears in Super Friends, in
the episode "Superfriends, Rest In Peace" of Challenge Of The Superfriends,
when Superman tries to rescue him and Lois Lane from Luthor and Solomon
Grundy. The Superman 1988 TV series showed a
Perry White modeled after his comic book counterpart but with a tough attitude,
similar to the movie series, and was voiced by Stanley Ralph Ross.
DC animated universe The 1990s Superman: The Animated Series
featured Perry White played by voice-actor George Dzundza, that only
interacted with the characters in the Daily Planet. This version of the
character had cameos in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited
animated series. Dzundza reprised his role as Perry White in the video game
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips and in the 2006 direct-to-video animated film
Superman: Brainiac Attacks. Superman: Doomsday
In Superman: Doomsday, Perry White is played by voice-actor Ray Wise. Here, he
is bald, but shares the same characteristics as the
comics-counterpart. All-Star Superman
Perry White appeared in All-Star Superman, voiced by Edward Asner.
Batman the Brave and the Bold Perry White appears in the episode
"Battle of the Superheroes" saying his lines "Great Caesar's ghost" and "Don't
call me Chief" voiced by Richard McGonagle.
Superman: Unbound Perry appears in Superman: Unbound voice
by Wade Williams. = Live action=
Kirk Alyn serials and The Adventures of Superman
Pierre Watkin was the first actor to play Perry White, in the two Superman
serials starring Kirk Alyn from 1948 and 1950. In the 1950s television and radio
series, as played by John Hamilton, Perry typically barked "Great Caesar's
ghost!" when angry, exasperated or surprised. His other trademark line was
"Don't call me 'chief'!" Both of these lines eventually became staples in the
comics. In at least one episode, it is revealed that Perry has served a term as
mayor of Metropolis before becoming editor-in-chief on the Planet.
It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman
In February 1975, ABC aired a TV movie based on the failed 1966 Broadway
musical It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman starring
then-Password host Allen Ludden in the role of Perry White. The movie was
narrated by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In announcer Gary Owens and Ludden's
castmates included Lesley Ann Warren, Al Molinaro(aka Al Delvecchio on Happy
Days) and Loretta Swit. The movie is viewable on YouTube.
Superboy Perry White's son, T. J. White, was a
supporting character in the Superboy television series. Perry White himself
never appeared in the show; however, he did appear in the second issue of the
tie-in comic book series, in which T.J. was kidnapped by an organized crime
family on which Perry did an exposé. Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of
Superman In the 1990s television series Lois and
Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as played by Lane Smith, Perry was a
Baby Boomer with an abiding fondness for rock and roll, particularly Elvis
Presley. Instead of "Great Caesar's ghost," he sometimes said "Great shades
of Elvis!" and the comics briefly followed suit. In a subplot that carried
over many episodes, Perry is portrayed as having marital difficulties with his
wife Alice due to his dedication to the paper. The couple later reunite just
before the series finale. Smallville
Smallville, the successful TV series about the life of a younger Clark Kent
before being Superman, featured their version of the character. In the
season-three episode "Perry", Perry is portrayed by Michael McKean. In this, he
is a former Daily Planet reporter who gets reduced to tabloid television after
attempting to expose Lionel Luthor's corrupt dealings. He attempts to regain
some of his old reputation by exposing Clark's powers, but his plan backfires
when sunspot activity temporarily nullifies Clark's abilities, although
Clark's subsequent heroism despite his currently-powerless status prompts Perry
to both abandon the idea that Clark has powers and cause him to consider turning
over a new leaf, even offering to give Clark a recommendation if he looks into
journalism as a career in future. The phrase "don't call me Chief" was worked
into this episode, when White calls Sheriff Nancy Adams "Chief". It's later
implied in the season 4 episode "Gone" that Perry is working his way back up
with an article on Lionel's conviction. He reprised his role in the season 9
episode "Hostage" as the new boyfriend of the returning Martha Kent, who had
moved to the Senate in Washington. In the series finale, it is shown that
Perry White became the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. Michael McKean
provided the voice of Perry White in the very last scene of the final episode but
the actor himself was not seen on screen, although "Great Caesar's Ghost"
was famously heard. Saturday Night Live
Phil Hartman also played Perry White in a Superman spoof on Saturday Night Live
in 1992. The sketch took place at Superman's funeral folllowing the events
of The Death of Superman. Supergirl
In Supergirl episode "Sronger Together",Cat Grant mentioned to Kara
Danvers that she started out as Perry White's assistant.
= Film= Christopher Reeve films
In the 1978 film Superman: The Movie, Jackie Cooper played Perry as a tough
character, who never let his reporters forget he had worked for the Planet
nearly all his life. The "don't call me 'chief'" line was worked into a gag
about ordering coffee, and became "don't call me 'sugar'!". Cooper's Perry was
also fond of aphorisms such as "A good reporter doesn't get great stories — a
good reporter makes them great." In the commentary track for Superman, director
Richard Donner reveals that Cooper got the role because he had a passport, and
thus was able to be on set in a few hours, after Keenan Wynn, who was
originally cast, suffered a heart attack.
Superman Returns In Bryan Singer's Superman Returns,
Perry White was originally going to be portrayed by Hugh Laurie. But when it
was determined that there would be a schedule conflict involving Laurie's TV
series House, Laurie was forced to drop out and Frank Langella stepped in to
play Perry White. In this movie, Perry has a nephew, Richard White, who is
engaged to Lois and serves as a father figure to her son Jason, although it is
implied over the course of the film that Jason's biological father is Superman
himself. Man of Steel
Laurence Fishburne portrays Perry White in Man of Steel, making him the first
African American to play Perry White in a live action film. While his position
and personality does not deviate from the comics, his view of Superman is
somewhat different. Rather than seeing the existence of a powerful alien as a
major scoop, he believes such a discovery will warrant a negative
reaction from the people of Earth. At the film's climax, he and Steve Lombard
aid a reporter named Jenny Jarwich when she is trapped under debris. At the end
of the film, White introduces Lois and Lombard to Clark.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Fishburne will reprise his role in the
sequel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
= Video games= Perry White's only video game
appearances are Superman for the NES and Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for the
GameCube and PlayStation 2, voiced again by George Dzundza.
References External links
Supermanica: Perry White Perry White on DC Database, an external
wiki, a DC Comics wiki