Paul Avery, ‘All My Children’ and ‘Superman’ actor, dies in New Jersey house fire

Paul Avery, an actor who appeared in the soap opera “All My Children” and the 1978 film version of “Superman,” was killed this week alongside his wife in an early morning fire in their New Jersey home. Their Blairstown house was fully engulfed in flames when troopers arrived shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, New Jersey State Police said in a statement to NBC News. The couple was found unresponsive and later succumbed to their injuries. The fire remains under investigation, the statement said. “I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning,” the couple’s daughter, Kyle Avery, said in a statement posted to social media. “We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so.” In addition to his role as bartender Hughie in “All My Children,” Avery’s career included roles in Christopher Reeve’s fist “Superman” film, and television appearances on “Three’s Company” and “Tales From the Darkside.” At home, he was heavily involved in the local community. He served as a Blairstown committeeman, long-time member of the local Rotary Club and newspaper editor, according to Ridge View Echo, a local news outlet founded by Avery. A Vietnam veteran, Avery was a helicopter pilot and spent Sunday mornings flying gliders from the Blairstown Airport, the newspaper reported. His wife was known locally as an accomplished artist. She suffered a stroke in 2018 and required full-time caregiving, a role Avery willingly took on, according to Ridge View Echo.