I'm mentioning this because I doubt a lot of the press will give it the attention it deserves. Bob Holiday, who had the title role in the 1966 Broadway show It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's Superman died this morning at his home in Hawley, PA. He was 84.
The show opened March 29, 1966 at the Alvin Theater in New York. It received what they call "mixed notices" and it closed there July 17, losing its entire capitalization. Usually, shows that have that short a run and are not by Sondheim are never seen again but productions of Superman are still done all the time. I attribute the many revivals to how much fun it sounds like it would be to do a musical about the character, not to the merits of this particular musical about Superman. In any case, Mr. Holiday was expertly cast. He had made a rep for himself in the musical Fiorello! and as anyone who has heard the cast album can attest, had a fine singing voice.
He subsequently played the Man of Steel in several touring companies and revivals but for the most part, transitioned out of show business and into building homes. Still, he remembered the show as a great time in his life and was always available for ceremonial appearances and interviews. His performance does not seem to exist on video anywhere but it will live on thanks to that cast album. And he will always be the first singing Superman.