The "Superboy" series was brought to the screen by executive producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind, the producers of the first three "Superman" movies and the 1984 "Supergirl" movie. This series and the release of the 1988 "Superman" animated series on CBS coincided with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Superman character that year. Ironically, the series came about a year after DC Comics had "erased" the character of Superboy from their continuity in the "Man of Steel" reboot by John Byrne. Nevertheless, the show went on in October 1988 with John Haymes Newton playing the lead role of Superboy/Clark Kent, along with Stacy Haiduk as love interest Lana Lang and Jim Calvert as Clark's college roommate T.J. White. In the Philippines, the series premiered on People's Television Network on September 4, 1989.