Today is #NationalSuperheroDay and I couldn’t let the occasion pass without a salute to one of my favorite actors, Dean Cain.

Dean Cain played Clark Kent/Superman in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The show aired on ABC from 1993 through 1997.

I have to begin by saying that I’m not someone who usually gravitates towards the superhero film or television genre. But a friend of mine attended Princeton in the 1980s with Dean Cain and he suggested that I check out the show. I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t long before I was hooked on the show due largely to Dean Cain’s portrayal. Sure the series boasted its share of special effects. But what appealed to me was that Cain wasn’t afraid to tap into the emotions of the character. Under his talent, Clark Kent’s alter ego Superman was more than the larger the life native son of Krypton. Superman wasn’t a cardboard hero, but an individual who revealed his feelings on more than one occasion.

Cain also allowed viewers to enjoy his writing talent. He penned two episodes for the show “Season’s Greedings” and “Virtually Destroyed.”

After the series ended, Cain continued to grace screens with both film and television roles. He has a recurring as Jeremiah Danvers in CBS’ Supergirl.

Lois and Clark has been off the air for nineteen years. But Dean Cain remains gracious and appreciative of fan support. He is indeed a super man.