ACTOR
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human, espionage agent
Occupation: Industrial spy and saboteur
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Former partner of the Red Barbarian; agent of Communist Government of USSR
Enemies: Iron Man (Tony Stark)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Nikita Khruschev," "Red Barbarian," "Sir Reginald," a US senator, "Tony Stark" (and numerous others whom he has impersonated)
Base of Operations: the USSR
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#42 (June, 1963)
Powers: None. The Actor is a master of impersonation. He could adjust his own facial structure so that with a little make-up and perhaps a wig, he could appear virtually identical to almost anyone. He could perform rapid changes, duplicating the appearance of others within a few minutes of seeing only a photograph.
The Actor was also skilled in espionage, and had some degree of training in armed and unarmed combat. He sometimes works with other communist spies or soldiers.
History: (Tales of Suspense I#42) - Next to nothing is known of the past of the man known only as the Actor. He was first seen when he appeared before the communist general known as the Red Barbarian. The Barbarian had been unsuccessful in obtaining the plans for a disintegrator weapon under construction at Stark Industries. The Actor appeared, posing as Nikita Khruschev, throwing the Barbarian off guard, but then revealed himself and offered his aid. The Actor further demonstrated his skill in disguise and impersonation, and the Barbarian sent him to replace Tony Stark himself, to gain the plans.
The Actor traveled to the USA and, disguised as Stark, easily entered Stark Industries. There he succeeded in not only obtaining the plans, but in discovering the fact that Stark himself was Iron Man. The Actor decided to keep the identity a secret in case he ever needed an ace in the hole to redeem some blunder. The Actor then returned to the USSR and left his agents to terminate the real Tony Stark, who had been sent away on a false meeting. Stark, as Iron Man, overcame the Actor's agents, and forced them to reveal their actions and plans.
Iron Man caught up with the Actor by using a rocket to arrive in the USSR minutes before him. Iron Man ambushed his car, and retook the plans for the disintegrator. Iron Man then traveled to the Red Barbarian's base, posing as the actor, and told the Barbarian that the briefcase was booby-trapped and couldn't be opened for another four hours. Iron Man then left, returning to the USA. The real Actor returned to the Red Barbarian, hoping his news of Iron Man's real identity would allow him to be forgiven for failing to gain the plans to the weapon. However, the Red Barbarian saw that the Actor didn't have the plans, and when the Actor said nothing about the time locked brief case, the Red Barbarian refused to believe the Actor and had him shot as a traitor.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, and Don Heck.
I don't currently own ToS#42; all I have to work with is the Essential Iron Man. If and when I get it (or the Marvel Masterworks), I'll replace the images with better color ones. If you've got them and want to send them to me, that would be great.
The Actor in Russian is Aktor.
--Gammatotem
Thanks to Dennis Giansante for providing the color scan.
images: (without ads)
Tales of Suspense I#42, p7, pan7 (body shot)
Appearances:
Tales of Suspense I#42 (June, 1963) - Stan Lee (plot/editor), Robert Bernstein (writer), Don Heck (artist)
Last updated: 08/02/02
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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