Religion: religious 
Name: unnamed governor
Classification:
supporting character
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: Action Comics (vol. 1) #24 (May 1940): "Carnahan's Heir"
Creators: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Paul Cassidy
Number of Appearances: 1
Occupation: governor
Gender: male
Clark Kent consulted with an unnamed state governor, earnestly explaining that Peter Carnahan was innocent of the murder he had been conviced of committing. This scene takes place in panel 9 of page 10 of the Superman story in Action Comics #24. The narrative text reads, "In the office of the Governor . . ."
The governor, a trim man with a full head of hair, tells Clark Kent, "Sorry, Mr. Kent. Whether or not you have a hunch that Carnahan is innocent, I cannot pardon him unless I have proof of his innocence!"
Clark Kent replies, "Then Peter dies tonight in the electric chair!" He then thinks to himself, "But not if Superman has anything to say about it!"
As Superman, Clark Kent does indeed manage to do something about. He finds additional evidence at the crime scene which leads him to the real killer: Benny Farrel.
Superman stops the execution of Peter Carnahan just in time and then brings Benny Farrel to the governor's office. In two panels on page 13, Superman presents the governor with the real killer, who is so frightened of the Man of Steel that he is eager to confess. The governor himself holds Benny Farrel at gunpoint while calling authorities and issuing a pardon to Carnahan.
Based on the story, this governor is definitely the governor of the state that Metropolis is in. Based on his appearance, it is clear that this story's unnamed governor is NOT the same man as Governor Bixby from Action Comics #10. From the context of that story, it seems fairly certain that Governor Bixby was the governor of a different state. Furthermore, It is clear that the unnamed governor in Action Comics #24 is not the same person as the much older unnamed governor from Action Comics #1. Perhaps that man was the governor of another state. Or perhaps the governor in Action Comics #24 is the successor to the governor in Action Comics #1.
Action Comics (vol. 1) #24 (May 1940): "Carnahan's Heir" (2-panel cameo)
Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
- https://www.comics.org/issue/769/
- http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=60137