The
Playbill!

Read what 1966 audiences read about
the real stars of the show,
Bob Holiday and Patricia Marand.

Jack Cassidy was billed as the star of "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©", and he was certainly the best known name in the cast.

However, everyone who saw the show came away knowing that the REAL stars were Superman (played by Bob Holiday) and Lois Lane (played by Patricia Marand).

In the "Who's Who" section of the Playbill, Jack Cassidy's bio appeared first, followed by Michael O'Sullivan's. Finally, in third and fourth place, appear Bob Holiday's and Patricia Marand's.

The first-ever post on this website presented the Bob Holiday and Patricia Marand bios as presented in the Souvenir Program. We've just discovered that the Playbill bios are a bit more in-depth. Enjoy!

BOB HOLIDAY, Clark Kent, when he won this role, was called upon to fill the boots of one of the most beloved heroes in America. A nation-wide search was launched for an actor of the right dimensions who could also sing, dance, act and learn to fly. His competition ranged from [an] Olympic Champion from Philadelphia to a construction engineer from Detroit and over fifty other eager finalists. The 6'4", 200 lb. actor was born in Brooklyn (while Superman was born on the planet Krypton, Mr. Holiday was born in what some consider a planet of its own too), and made his Broadway début in the Pulitzer Prize musical, Fiorello!, in which he appeared for two years as Neil, Mayor LaGuardia's young office assistant. He first appeared on stage in an amateur contest at the age of seven, began his professional career in night clubs and has performed in some of the leading supper clubs throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. In summer stock, Mr. Holiday has played Joe Dynamite in Wildcat, Bo Decker in Bus Stop, Johnny Pope in A Hatful of Rain, and Randy Curtis in Lady In The Dark. He also starred as Sir Lancelot on a national tour of Camelot. His career was interrupted in 1953 for a tour of duty overseas with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

PATRICIA MARAND, Lois Lane, made her Broadway début in South Pacific as Lt. Marshall, and so impressed Rodgers and Hammerstein that they recommended her to director Joshua Logan for the leading role of Teddy Stern in Wish You Were Here, a role she won and played opposite Jack Cassidy. This is also a reunion for Miss Marand and [producer and director] Mr. Prince since she appeared in Pajama Game which he co-produced. On tour and in summer stock Miss Marand has played in Kismet, Plain and Fancy, Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma!, and this past summer co-starred with Dick Shawn in Anything Goes and High Button Shoes at the Thunderbird in Las Vegas. She has visited all the major hotels in her own night club act, and recently starred in a coast-to-coast concert tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein music. Television viewers have seen her on Ed Sullivan, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson. Born in Rye, New York and trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Miss Marand is married to Frank Farrell, the syndicated newspaper columnist.