Who was the best Luthor?

[thunderbolt]

There have been quite a few. Lyle Talbot in the Atom Man vs. Superman serial, Gene Hackman, The Lois and Clark one, the Smallville one and Kevin Spacey. I probably forgot one or two. I'm watching the serial right now and really liking Talbot. Kevin Spacey was fun in the last movie, I like a slightly demented Lex.

[Hulk]

I really liked Talbot as well, he might have been the best thing about that series.

Rosenbaum had had plenty of time to develop and explore the character, and he's put his own mark on him for sure.

Hackman played the character well given the material, and made what could have been a really weak aspect of the movies into something special, and Spacey did an admirable job of maintaining that history while darkening it up.

I'll keep them in that order for now.

I have to say that I never really bought into the Superfriends era Luthor (voiced by Stan Jones), so Clancy Brown wins the animated contest by a long shot. Who can't love the Kurgan and Sasquatch as Lex?

John Shea (Lois and Clark) may win the award in my book for worst portrayal of Lex ever, except I can't remember the Superboy TV show well enough to comment on that version.

[brineb]

Lyle Talbot felt more like the Lex from the comics to me, at least the Golden Age version of Lex. I enjoyed Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey, all the others just don't hold up.

[The Toyroom]

I haven't seen Talbot performance yet but he certainly looks the part with that scowling menacing look....

For me it's Hackman...comedic aspects aside...I think he did a great job with the material he was given. Love when he whips of the wig at the end of "...the Movie" and reveals his bald head underneath. Plus...he had bumbling Otis (smarter than he acts?) and Miss TESCHMACHER!

[Mikey]

For me it's Lex Lugar when he was in his "narcissist" era

[toys2cool]

I like the Lex from Smallville the best

[Earth 2 Chris]

Rosenbaum's Lex saves even the worst episodes of Smallville. I love the series overall, but sometimes the episodes fail, but Rosenbaum's Lex is always a treat.

Sherman Howard who played him from season two onward on Superboy was the best purely EVIL, demented Lex. Great performance. Too bad we'll probably never see Superboy season 2 on DVD due to low sales of season 1 and all the Superboy legal issues.

I like Hackman's somewhat campy Lex. I never got the impression he was any less dangerous just because he was flamboyant. A better way to go than "I hate you, you made me bald". That just doesn't really resonate, nowadays (or ever, really). Spacey's reinterpretation of that was fine.

But Clancy Brown's animated Lex may be the best. And oddly enough, the best developed. From tycoon, to mad scientist, to would-be-god, the animated Lex was better fleshed out than any version before.

The only really bad Lex was the guy from Superboy season 1. Pew.

Chris

[palitoy]

Sherman Howard who played him from season two onward on Superboy was the best purely EVIL, demented Lex. Great performance. Too bad we'll probably never see Superboy season 2 on DVD due to low sales of season 1 and all the Superboy legal issues.

Oh man you just depressed the living hell out of me Chris. I bought season one for nothing now.

Howard was so good that they almost gave him the role of Lex in the animated series, he had to settle for the main villain in Batman Beyond.

I love Clancy Brown's Luthor for animated and most likely Howard for live action. He's the only modern version of Lex that's close to the comics in terms of his character.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Sorry Brian. I think I read in that recent Warner home video report that Superboy season 1 sales weren't up to snuff. Couple that with the legal nightmare the name is mired in, and I doubt we'll see them

You think you're depressed? What about Gerard Christopher? :-)

I had forgotten that about Howard! I think that's on the commentary track on either Superman or Batman Beyond. He made a great villain (Blight) on BB too, though.

Chris

[jwyblejr]

I do like Michael Rosenbaum's take. With his Lex,you don't know if he's good or evil. There are times when he seems like a saint,then there are times when "future" Lex just oozes through. I mean we know what haapens to him in the end but getting there with him is starting to get fun.