While the popular Superman comics had been adapted as early as the 1940s in serials, it was George Reeves' portrayal in "Adventures of Superman" that was the first to play on television — airing from 1952 to 1958. Reeves previously played the character in the B-movie "Superman and the Mole Men" in 1951, which ended up serving as a backdoor pilot for the series. Reeves himself epitomized that era's version of "truth, justice, and the American way," and plots included Superman fighting mobsters and crooks — which was easier on the shoestring budget than monsters from other worlds.
Through a mixture of archival footage and visual effects trickery, Reeves shows up again briefly in "The Flash," in a scene where Barry Allen and his younger self go back and forth through time to save the alternate world from being destroyed by Zod. As they continue to go back in time, though, the fabric of reality breaks, and we start seeing different versions of DC characters throughout the years — including George Reeves.
This was not just a great, clever cameo, but it helped sell just how vast the DC universe really is and that it has been a cultural force in America and around the world for decades. Younger generations discovering the characters through modern blockbusters also get a window into the past, and the two things tie together surprisingly well.
