Jimmy Olsen | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Anonymous cameo: Action Comics #6 (November 1938) As Jimmy Olsen: Radio: The Adventures of Superman radio serial (April 15, 1940) Comics: Superman #13 (November–December 1941) |
Created by | Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster Bob Maxwell |
In-story information | |
Full name | James Bartholomew Olsen |
Team affiliations | Daily Planet |
Partnerships | Superman Lois Lane |
Notable aliases | Mr. Action Elastic Lad Flamebird Accountable |
Altered in-story information for adaptations to other media | |
Partnerships | Kara Danvers |
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Olsen is most often portrayed as a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane and Clark Kent, and has a good working relationship with his boss Perry White. Olsen looks up to his coworkers as role models and parent figures. From 1954 to 1982, Olsen appeared in 222 issues of the comic series Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and Superman Family, in addition to the main Superman titles.
The character has appeared in most other media adaptations of Superman. He was portrayed by Tommy Bond in the two Superman film serials, Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950); Jack Larson in Adventures of Superman; Marc McClure in the Superman films of the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1984 film Supergirl; Michael Landes in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Justin Whalin in the subsequent three seasons; Sam Huntington in the 2006 film Superman Returns; Aaron Ashmore in The CW's Smallville; and Michael Cassidy in the 2016 DC Extended Universe film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In the Arrowverse series Supergirl, he was portrayed by Mehcad Brooks. He will be portrayed by Skyler Gisondo in Superman (2025) while Douglas Smith will portray Jimmy in the final season of Superman & Lois.