Superman (1978 film) father on Earth. "Superman" was originally scheduled to be released in June 1978, the 40th anniversary of "Action Comics 1", which first introduced Superman, but the problems during filming pushed the film back by six months. Editor Stuart Baird reflected, "Filming was finished in October 1978 and it is a miracle we had the film released two months later. Big-budgeted films today tend to take six to eight months." Donner, for his part, wished that he had "had another six months; I would have perfected a lot of things. But at some point, you've gotta turn the picture over." Warner
Christopher Reeve Robert Allan Ackerman. Later in the year, Reeve played a disabled Vietnam veteran in the Broadway play "Fifth of July". In his research for the role, he was coached by an amputee on how to walk on artificial legs. After "Fifth of July", Reeve stretched his acting range further and played a homicidal novice playwright trying to kill his lover and mentor Michael Caine in Sidney Lumet's dark comedy film "Deathtrap" based on the play by Ira Levin. The film was well received. After "Superman II", Reeve portrayed partially corrupt Catholic priest John Flaherty in "Monsignor". Reeve felt this gave