Context

This line was spoken during the introduction of Adventures of Superman (1952-1958).

Before he an angsty teenager on the CW's Smallville, snapping necks in 2013's Man of Steel, or even soaring through the sky as John Williams' theme played in the background, George Reeves brought Superman to life in Adventures of Superman. Unfortunately, the show didn't have the budget to have the Big Blue Boy Scout face off against his supervillains like Toyman, the reality warping imp Mister Mxyzpltk (can anyone pronounce that?), or even Lex Luthor. But it did have a really memorable intro.

The intro to Adventures of Superman basically has everything you need to know about the character, from his alien origin to his godlike abilities, and his day job as the "mild mannered reporter" Clark Kent. But, sadly, the show was canceled after George Reeves died from an accidental gunshot wound, but not before inspiring an entire generation with his dedication to "truth and justice and the American way."

Where you've heard it

You've probably heard part of this intro every time there's a new Superman movie, cartoon, or video game. It's a real earworm.

Additional Notable References:

• Superman was so popular in the '50s and '60s that he got his own Broadway musical aptly called "It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman."
• It's A Bird is the title of a 2004 graphic novel by Steven Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen that doesn't feature Superman, but examines the effect he has had on the world as the main character struggles to write something new about him.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Superman is one of the rare characters that has withstood the test of time, so feel free to quote this classic line, even if it is a little corny.