Superman was once president of AFRA? Yes, in the form of Bud Collyer, the first radio voice of Superman/Clark Kent, starting in 1940, the year he was elected to the AFRA National Board. His mother named him Clayton, but AFTRAns knew him as “Bud,” a charter member of the union who was a founding trustee of the AFTRA Pension and Welfare Funds and a charter member and president of the George Heller Memorial Foundation. Collyer served on the New York Local Board from 1945 — 1957, including one year as New York Local president from 1946 — 1947.
He hosted Beat the Clock, a long-running television show that aired in the 1950s. At the 1959 AFTRA National Convention in St. Louis, as his presidency concluded, Collyer was awarded George Heller Memorial Gold Card No. 3 in recognition of his dedication to the organization of AFRA and continuing service to AFTRA’s members. After his AFTRA presidency ended, he authored two books: Thou Shalt Not Fear and With the Whole Heart. When he died in 1969, he was president of AFTRA’s George Heller Memorial Foundation, which created a scholarship in Collyer’s honor after his passing.
His Hollywood Walk of Fame star, in the category of Radio, is at 6150 Hollywood Blvd.