Jonathan Kent

Jonathan Kent, married to Martha Kent, is the adoptive father of Clark Kent, who is better known as Superman. Before his recent death, he was a rural farmer in Kansas. He is frequently referred to as Pa Kent within the comics. Jonathan Kent and his wife Martha found Kal-El's rocket after it crashed on earth and took him in as their own son. They raised their son to have strong moral values and to hide his abilities from the world for fear that he would be taken away and experimented on like a lab rat. The first time Jonathan Kent died when Superman/Clark died after his battle with Doomsday, Jonathan also died in the Brainiac story arc and helped to guide his son back to the world of the living.

Jonathan Kent in other media

Jonathan Kent has had a long and varied history in other media- in fact, his history is almost as extensive as the Man of Steel himself. Apart from some minor one-season absences in short lived series, Jonathan has been in the majority of Superman's major film and television endeavors with the exception of his first- the Fleischer brothers 1941 animated Superman serials.

The Adventures of Superman (Novel): 1942
Pa Kent is referred to as Eben Kent in the first novel length Superman story to see print. He is a hardworking farmer who is down on his luck, and enters an anvil lifting contest at the county fair to win the desperately needed prize money to save his farm. Unfortunately, the exertion proves too much for him, and he dies soon afterward. On his death bed, he instructs Clark to use his powers for the good of mankind.

Superman: 1948

It is in the Kirk Alyn Columbia serials where Jonathan Kent makes his first appearance, played by Ed Cassidy. Interestingly enough, he is not called Jonathan Kent in this series, but rather Eben Kent. He would continue being called Eben throughout the 1952 George Reeves television series.
On another note- while characters like Lois, Jimmy, Perry and others have undergone drastic changes throughout various film and television incarnations, (apart from his name) the core of Jonathan's character has remained fairly stable- he almost always appears as the the honest, midwestern-value oriented farmer that instills in Clark a sense of duty, honesty, responsibility that forms the foundation of his superhero credo.

The Adventures of Superman (TV series): 1952

Tom Fadden plays Eben Kent in this series.

Superman (TV series) 1975:

George Chandler plays Jonathan Kent in this short-lived TV series.

Superman: 1978
In the most well-known of Superman's cinematic endeavors Glenn Ford plays Jonathan Kent. While his role in this film (and relatively non-existent role in the subsequent films, outside of flashbacks) might

Glenn Ford as Jonathan Kent

have been minimal, his impact on character and development is substantial. Case in point? "Son, you are here for a reason... and it is not to score touchdowns..." In fact, towards the end of this film where Clark must listen to either Jonathan or Jor-El, he remembers Jonathan's words instead.

Superman (TV series): 1988

In another short-lived series Alan Oppenheimer plays Clark's earth-bound father.

Superboy (TV series): 1990-1992

In this lesser-known proto-Smallville Superman title Stuart Whitman plays Jonathan Kent and, due to the nature of the show (focusing on Clark as a young 'un) Jonathan has a more active role than in many previous films and TV series.

Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TV series): 1993-1997

In perhaps the best-known 90s Superman series Eddie Jones plays

Eddie Jones, playing an older Jonathan Kent

Jonathan Kent. Eddie's Jonathan is the most enduring and likable Jonathan since Glenn Ford many years earlier. Though older, heavier and retired, Jones manages to keep the charm of Jonathan's home-spun rhetoric alive.

Superman (animated TV series): 1996-2000

In the ultimate animated Superman offering of the 90s Mike Farrell plays Jonathan Kent. In this animated series we see Jonathan in the Eddie Jones style- older, retired, but still Jonathan. Mike Farrell would continue to play Jonathan in the Justice League (2004) and Superman: Brainiac Attacks (2006) animated offerings.

Smallville (TV series): 2001-present

In the most recent and long-running Superman franchise we find a Jonathan that we have not seen in many years. John Schneider plays a younger, more involved Jonathan than his recent incarnations (which were the older, retired versions). In Smallville, Jonathan is more than a side note offering a helpful one-liner. He is an active part of the adventure, often being effected by Clark's mishaps.

John Schneider, the current Jonathan Kent

It should also be noted that this is an updated Jonathan Kent, one who struggles to live in a modern world. However, he does so with the same grit, determination and unshakable moral strength that he has exhibited for decades. Watching Schneider in this series it becomes easier to see why Jonathan Kent is such an interesting and important character- he helps form the basis of Clark's moral fiber- which is one of the most impressive things about the Superman mythos as a whole.

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Super Name:	Jonathan Kent
Real Name:	Jonathan Joseph Kent
Aliases:	Dad Eben Kent Jonathan Jon Mr. Kent Pa Pa Kent Jonny
Publisher:	DC Comics
Gender:	Male
Character Type:	Human
1st Appearance:	Superman #1
Appears in:	930 issues
Birthday:
Died:	Click to search... All Star Superman #6 Action Comics #870

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	Superman (1948) 'Superman', a Columbia Pictures movie serial, was the first live action film appearance of Superman.