Career: Landed a role in soap Love of Life to help pay his college fees, and appeared on stage with Katharine Hepburn. He became so busy he was forced to quit Julliard in his final year. Made his big-screen debut with a small role in 1976 movie Gray Lady Down, then landed the part which would make him famous - Superman. He played the comic-book hero four times, but because of its enormous popularity, he found it difficult to escape its shadow and his career suffered. In 1995, he was paralysed in a horse riding accident. Subsequently, he worked tirelessly, lobbying for better treatment for disabled people and improved research. Reeve continued to act, appearing in TV movie Rear Window and TV series Smallville, based on the Superman mythology, before his death in 2004.

Career: After making the decision to get into acting in 1956, Hackman joined the Pasadena Playhouse in California (where incidentally, he struck up a friendship with Dustin Hoffman). After performances in several off-Broadway plays, Hackman's first movie was Lilith alongside Warren Beatty, who then cast him in his breakthrough film, Bonnie and Clyde. Hackman was soon in demand, showcasing his talents in everything from comedy (in Young Frankenstein) to villainy (as Lex Luthor in Superman). He's also won two Oscars - Best Actor for The French Connection, and Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven. He retired from acting in 2004 to concentrate on writing novels.

Career: Cryer's first TV role came in 1984's No Small Affair. Only two years later he became something of a cult icon thanks to Pretty in Pink, in which he played Phil 'Duckie' Dale, before landing smaller parts in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, The Outer Limits, Becker and Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, among others. He began work on Two and a Half Men in 2003, playing single parent Alan Harper, who moves in with his brother, portrayed by his Hot Shots! co-star Charlie Sheen.