Jack Larson died at the age of 87 on Sunday at his home in Brentwood, The New York Times reported.
Larson's death was confirmed by his long-time friend, Alan Howard. The actor, who was born in Los Angeles, had no immediate family, but Howard said he had a peaceful death, with his dog at his side, CNN learned.
"[Larson] was an important friend in my life," Howard said. Both reportedly have known each other for 48 years.
Larson was a playwright, librettist and known as the man who portrayed the reporter Jimmy Olsen in the 1950's "Adventures of Superman.
The role of Olsen, who was an eager The Daily Planet reporter idolizing his more experienced colleague, Clark Kent, was offered to Larson in 1951. He was then 23 and was an aspiring Broadway actor.
He reportedly hesitated to take the role with the fear of being typecasted. After a conversation with his agent, he eventually agreed to film 26 episodes.
The show started in 1952 and ended in 1958. The plans of bringing the series back were cancelled because the actor who played Superman, George Reeves, died in 1959, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Within a month (of 'Superman' going on air), I realized that from being a young actor who was doing live television and reading things, I had become what People magazine called a 'TV teen idol' — I'd become Jimmy Olsen," Larson reportedly told the Archive of American Television.
His life was turned upside down and he reportedly suffered from anxiety, so after six seasons of the series, he turned to writing. His works included "The Candid House" in 1966 and "The Astronauts Tale" in 1998.
Larson also became a producer of films, a few of which were directed by James Bridges. Those movies were "The Baby Maker" in 1970, "Mike's Murder" in 1984, "Perfect" in 1985 and "Bright Lights, Big City" in 1988.
Bridges, who died in 1993 at the age of 57 because of cancer, was Larson's long-time partner.
