I felt I should write something at greater length about Joanne Siegel (widow of Jerry) who left us the other day…but I may have said most of it when I said she had courage and strength as well as beauty and charm. She was fiercely protective of Jerry and of their daughter Laura. She was also grateful to those who loved Jerry and Joe and were supportive of them.
There was a period about a decade ago when every week or so, I'd get a call or e-mail from someone who was working on a documentary on the history of Superman. They had been unsuccessful in contacting the Siegels and they wanted me to act as intermediary and arrange an interview. There was one guy in particular who ordered me around like I was his secretary. I don't think he ever actually made the film he claimed to be making and if he talked to others as he talked to me, I can imagine why. Anyway, because of ongoing legal stuff (Joanne lived much of her life with ongoing legal stuff), she was not giving interviews and I don't think I even had her current phone number so I told everyone who called to contact her lawyer — whoever it was at the time — and suggested a paper-type letter instead of a phone call. The demanding guy actually said to me, "I don't do paper mail."
Anyway, Joanne called one day — and this may be the last time we spoke — to apologize to me that I was getting these calls and e-mails. She felt bad about it…and bad that she wasn't able to give all those folks the interviews they wanted. The only one she didn't feel bad about turning down was the annoying guy I told you about. He'd somehow found her number, called and told her when he was coming by with his cameras so she'd better be ready. She told me she'd informed him what he could do with his cameras…and I can believe it. The man's probably still quaking.
She was very proud of the role she'd played in the history of one of the world's great iconic characters and felt a great responsibility to history and also to the memory of her departed hubby. Jerry was always willing to talk, not just about his own work but about the industry he helped establish, the many people he worked with, etc. One time, he was on the phone with someone who wanted to know which comic contained the first appearance of Mr. Mxyzptlk and Jerry didn't know offhand…so while he talked to the caller about other things, he had Joanne call me on the other line and get the information. (As many of you could have told him, it was Superman #30 and the character then called himself Mr. Mxyztplk. I believe he changed it because it sounded too Jewish.)
Answering the question was no big deal. It took thirty seconds and I was pleased to do it for them. To my surprise, a few days later I received an envelope with a Superman poster signed to me by Jerry and a handwritten "thank you" note from Joanne. That was how nice they both were…and how important it was to them to do right by their fans. (I don't mean me. I mean whoever it was who asked Jerry that question.)
I didn't know them as well as I would have liked. Apart from calls to ask research-type questions, I think I only spoke to or saw them (or after Jerry passed, just Joanne) about once every decade. The last time was about two or three weeks before we lost him. You would have loved what good care they took of each other.
Jerry was excited because in a few months, the two of them were being flown to London so he could sign some new Superman litho cel at a Warner Store over there. They'd be going First Class and there was a per diem and an appearance fee…and when Joanne was out of the room making coffee for Jerry, he leaned over and told me why he was so happy about the trip. It was because Joanne deserved a vacation. He was looking forward to it for himself but what he was really looking forward to was how happy it would make Joanne. There were so many years there where he couldn't provide all (or hardly any) of the things he thought she deserved…and now there was this trip which, sadly, they never got to take. But the point was that he was happy about it because she was happy about it. And she felt the same way about him.
And while I'm not a big believer in any afterlife, it sure is nice to think that if we had to lose her, at least they're together again.