Not the comic book character, of course, but the man who personified the "real" Superman for an entire generation of television fans. Whatever the case may be, no charges were ever filed and Reeves death remains one of the most talked about Hollywood scandals to this day. One variation on this theory is that Reeves accidentally shot himself playing a game of Russian Roulette. They married on September 22, 1940 in San Marino, California, at the Church of Our Savior. At 45 and craving more serious work, the prospect of yet again trudging around the country in tights and cape, as children threw stones at him and teenagers challenged him to fights, may have become too much bare. Advertisement. George Reeves (born George Keefer . First, Reeves was found naked. Army. Wikimedia CommonsReeves played opposite Vivien Leigh as one of the Tarleton twins in Gone With the Wind. George Reeves' Former Home Another location that has long been woven into the fabric of Hollywood lore is George Reeves' former Benedict Canyon bungalow, where in the early morning hours of June 16th, 1958 the Adventures of Superman star was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. They had even planned to marry if Eddie were to die. The official ruling was suicide. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. Those guests were neighbour Carol Van Ronkel, her lover Robert Condon, and another neighbour, William Bliss. The police ruled his death a suicide, but rumors quickly surfaced that Reeves was. Mother Victoria Alice Mason. He Grew Up Thinking He Was Italian. The house where actor George Reeves, TV's "Superman," was found dead of a gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. If it was Reeves that pulled the trigger then in all likelihood it was because he had had enough of his life, for whatever reason. There was a real man behind the superhero, whose tragic early death will likely forever be a mystery. Authorities ruled it a suicide, but was it? All of the conspiracy theories surrounding Reevess death would eventually be played out on the big screen in 2006s Hollywoodland, but they boil down to three scenarios. Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. Many felt that Reeves was tired of being known as Superman, and that he killed himself out of anguish. Eddies exploits in covering up the sleazy underbelly of Hollywood were legendary. Reeves new girlfriend, who had since moved in, was a New York socialite named Leonore Lemmon, with whom he was rumored to be engaged. (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) It may have seemed like an open and shut case: Man found upstairs, gun on the floor, a single bullet wound in his head. Is her confession credible? Reeves worried he would be typecast as a childrens actor. Three bullet holes were found in the bedroom, all caused by the Luger that was found resting between the victim's legs. Loved the commercial..how cool! On June 16, 1959, Reeves died from a single gunshot wound in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. Reeves himself was also severely under the influence, with a blood alcohol level of .27 and, because the actor had long enjoyed playing with unloaded weapons, it was thought possible he accidentally shot himself while doing so. The year before Reeves death he abruptly ended his relationship with Mannix, leaving her for the younger New York socialite Leonore Lemmon. Jack Larson, who died at 87 on Sunday, was a gifted writer and gay man whose talents and personal struggles were overshadowed by his role as . Years later, William Bliss, one of the party guests who had originally told police Leonore Lemmon was downstairs with them when the shot was heard, changed his story. Reeves's film career began in 1939 when he was cast as Stuart Tarleton (albeit incorrectly listed in the film's credits as Brent Tarleton), one of Vivien Leigh's suitors in Gone with the Wind. From 1952 to 1958 he starred in 104 episodes, but by the late 50s it had declined in popularity and it was put into hiatus after its sixth season. In typical fashion, Reeves and Lemmon went out for a boozy night on the town. Reeves began acting and singing in high school and continued performing on stage as a student at Pasadena Junior College. The long Broadway run was followed by a national tour and a movie version. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 June 16, 1959) was an American actor. Immediately after completing it, Reeves and the crew began production of the first season's episodes, all shot over 13 weeks in the summer of 1951. In 1960, Reeves was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the TV industry. When he returned, his mother told him his stepfather had committed suicide. Location: California, United States Date Posted: 1/12/2010 6:55:33 PM He was 45 years old. And that was the scene that was set on June 15, 1959. Reeves was 38 when he first cloaked his rugged all-American looks that were more Clark Kent than strange visitor from another planet in a caped costume. Like an optical illusion, from one angle the details clearly show a man who, in a moment of distress, made a tragic decision. While he and Lemmon were supposed to get married only a few days after his death, Lemmon allegedly had soured on him after she realized the older Superman wasnt quite the loaded Hollywood player she thought he was. Worst of all occurred on April 8th, when Reeves lost control of his Jaguar and careered into a cement pillar near his home in Benedict Canyon. They found George Reeves upstairs on his bed, with a Luger between his feet and a bullet hole in his head. He was inundated with menacing silent phone calls at all hours of the morning and someone even abducted his beloved dog Sam. But the scandalous and suspicious way he met his death in 1959 could not have been further removed from his role as the Man of Steel. Reeves was born five months into their marriage[9] and the couple separated soon after Reeves's birth. According to Jim Nolts fabulous Superman-themed The Adventures Continue website, the house has remained largely unchanged since the time Reeves lived there over fifty years ago. Quick Description: The actor George Reeves house where TV's "Superman," was found dead of a head gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. She continued, 'He's opening a drawer to get the gun.' Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. The costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. Lemmon stayed awake and about thirty minutes later three friends dropped by for a visit. He looked forward to working with So Proudly We Hail! To the right is the den and through the living room to the left you find the stairs leading to the guest room and adjoining bathroom which overlook the street. The actors were poorly paid, and even after Reeves received a raise after trying and failing to leave the show after three seasons, he found himself struggling for money, unable to get the roles he really wanted, and taxed for time given the all-consuming nature of his Superman commitments. After Gone with the Wind was filmed, Reeves returned to the Pasadena Playhouse and was given the lead role in the play Pancho. Advertisement. Climbing Back Up Almost immediately after the case was closed, questions about the truth began to arise. Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, she explained to the other guests, who then heard a sound from upstairs. . When the police did arrive, they found no sign . He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (1952-1958). Perhaps the toxic mixture of alcohol and painkillers had led to a fatal misjudgment? His passing even became the subject of the 2006 biographical docudrama Hollywoodland, in which Ben Affleck plays the Pasadena-bred television star. September6, 1892 was the daughter of George Christian Lescher and Eliza Jane McKenzie, she died in a Pasadena hospital on June 18, 1964. The windows above the living room are the windows to George's bedroom. He had recently been involved in a serious affair with a married woman, Toni Mannix, before dumping her for his high-society fiancee, leaving Mannix devastated. He was cremated in Ohio, and ashes given to his mother, who then died in 1964. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. For some reason Reeves had contorted his head so it was tilted upwards at the point of firing, as the bullet was found embedded in the ceiling. One, Reeves committed suicide. The issue was that Reeves eventually broke Tonis heart when he called it off to begin a relationship with the woman who would become his fiancee, Lenore Lemmon. If his death was suicide Reeves must have held the gun with his right hand, although this in itself is suspicious as the actor had injured his right hand in an automobile accident a few weeks prior to his death. Then check out 48 photos that capture vintage Hollywood. The stairs turn and continue upward to the bedroom where George slept. Considering her temperament, it does not seem out of the question she may have started waving Reeves pistol about whilst having a drunken argument with her prospective husband. After all, it was she who had made the early morning phone call to Coates, before anyone outside of Reeves home could have known about his death. Rather than being seen as the hunky superhero who had proven himself as a leading man, Reeves was worried that the role would forever make him the kids beloved Superman in the eyes of the world and of casting directors. At around1 am, William Bliss and Carol Van Ronkel came by for an impromptu meeting. Michael Hayde firmly believes that George Reeves was murdered. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 - June 16, 1959) was an American actor. But in a franchise that's seen its share of tragedy George Reeves's reported suicide, Christopher Reeve's spinal injury the woes of the actor who played Jimmy in the 1950s went underreported. Forty-five minutes later, the police were called. ", Death of Superman may not have been a suicide, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Reeves&oldid=1139854102, Credited erroneously onscreen as playing Brent Tarleton (see above), This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 06:25. Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 06:25, Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Death of George Reeves The Original Superman", "The Life and Tragic Death of 'Superman' Star George Reeves Plus the Actor in his Own Words", "7 super things you might not know about George Reeves", "11 Homes That Are Haunted by Dead Celebrities", "Was Superman star George Reeves a suicide or murder victim? Besides, she was married to the most dangerous man in Hollywood, who had a formidable reputation for been able to make problems disappear. Reeves's father married Helen Schultz in 1925. Reeves' will, dated 1956, bequeathed his entire estate to Toni Mannix, much to Lemmon's surprise and devastation. George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . If this was the case, then clearly he had not fired the gun himself, and another party was involved. During the second season, Reeves appeared in a short film for the Treasury Department entitled Stamp Day for Superman, in which he caught the villains and told children why they should invest in government savings stamps. A SHOT rang out. : The Return of Black Adam. The 2006 movie, Hollywoodland starring Ben Affleckas Reeves, explores his life and relationships in greater detail. His fears were not unfounded, as he had been out of work for two years by the time of his death in 1959. The Mysterious Death of Superman George Reeves It wasn't Kryptonite that killed Superman. Mannix, who had ties to the mob, had him whacked due to the affair. Lemmon and writer Robert Condon, who was staying at the house, were more than happy to entertain the group, but Reeves was already in bed and was not pleased by the ruckus downstairs. She was absolutely terrified of going to hell", Lozzi told the LA Times. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. Next, read about the gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. Two additional bullets were discovered embedded in the bedroom floor. Later in life, she become a somewhat tragic figure, bloated and consumed by alcoholism, Leonore would give many different accounts of the events of that night, often contradicting herself and denying things she was commonly reported to have said and done. The police ruled the death a suicide, but by the time Reevesobituary was published in the Los Angeles Times, the newspaper already noted there was an element of mystery.. A funeral was held on Wednesday, June 30. No charges were ever brought against anyone in connection to the case. All three bullets had been fired from the weapon found at Reeves' feet, though all witnesses agreed they heard only one gunshot, and there was no sign of forced entry or other physical evidence that a second person was in the room. Robert Condon, a writer interested in writing a biography on George, stayed in the house. According to commentaries on the Adventures of Superman DVD sets, multiple scripts were filmed simultaneously to take advantage of the standing sets; for example, all the "Perry White's office" scenes for three or four episodes would be shot the same day and the various "apartment" scenes would be done consecutively. After breaking up with his wife, Reeves had engaged in a three-year affair with actress Toni Mannix, who was married to a notorious fixer for MGM Studios. According to the Argus observer, "George Reeves, 45, was found dead in his upstairs bedroom of this house . But not even Lane could have imagined that the dead boy was none other than Superman George Reeves himself. If anything, it seemed like Reeves career was on the up. Reportedly, the police had not been called until at least a half an hour after his death. The series went on the air the following year, and Reeves was amazed at becoming a national celebrity. In 1953, Reeves played a minor character, Sergeant Maylon Stark, in From Here to Eternity. Stalk It: George Reeves former home is located at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. The coroner ruled it suicide. In actual fact The Adventures of Superman was due to return in 1960, with a higher pay packet for Reeves and the promise that he would be able to direct more of the episodes, something he had enjoyed doing on the last three shows of the previous season. Reeves established his own production company and conceived a TV adventure series called Port of Entry, which would be shot on location in Hawaii and Mexico. The findings of a second autopsy, conducted at Giesler's request, were the same as the first, except for a series of bruises of unknown origin about the head and body. Released from his Warners contract, he signed a contract at Twentieth Century-Fox but was released after only a handful of films. Jack Larson and Noel Neill both remembered Reeves as a noble Southern gentleman (even though he was from Iowa) with a sign on his dressing room door that said "Honest George, the people's friend". The argument had carried over back to the house, Lemmon apparently upset by the suspicion that Reeves had been talking to previous girlfriend Toni Mannix. Lemmon says George Reeves committed suicide. It was a bullet to the head. George Reeves as Superman CASE DETAILS The gun had no fingerprints on it Early one morning in June of 1959, Los Angeles police raced to a high priced Hollywood Hills home. Later, Reeves's mother,[12] who was of German descent, moved to California to stay with her sister. The official finding was suicide, but some believe that he was murdered or the victim of an accidental shooting. Reeves had been having an affair with his wife Toni Mannix. Shortly after they arrived, Reeves came downstairs to find out what the commotion was. >> George Reeves's death, and there are very interesting questions >> supporting the various theories. A detective examines the mysterious death of George Reeves, the star of the television series Adventures of Superman (1952). However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. Reeves and Sherman impressed the casting director by performing seven pages of script in a single take without pause. This theory goes that Lemmon was drunk and unhappy that night and shot her soon-to-be-husband. A month later, having uncovered no evidence contradicting the official finding, Giesler announced that he was satisfied that the gunshot wound had been self-inflicted and withdrew.[41][39]. It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. 2 min read. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves. George Reeves' Ghost. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. She died in 1989. But this wasn't the conclusion of the police officers who arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, in the early hours of June 16, 1959. Even if the actor had not placed the gun to his head at point blank range, as is usual in suicides, it should have left some obvious marks on his forehead. Those windows overlook the backyard and there is a garage under the guest bedroom. Another location that has long been woven into the fabric of Hollywood lore is George Reeves former Benedict Canyon bungalow, where in the early morning hours of June 16th, 1958 the Adventures of Superman star was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. "An element of mystery" Reeves' death may have been ruled a suicide, but not everyone believed it. George Reeves from "Superman" had a mysterious death that saw him die from a single gunshot wound to the head. [27], His good friend Bill Walsh, a producer at Disney Studios, gave Reeves a prominent role in Westward Ho the Wagons! Reeves's career as Superman had begun with Superman and the Mole Men, a film intended both as a B-picture and as the pilot for the TV series. (The punchline: Ricardo, do you mean to say that youve been married to her for 15 years? Finally, theres the fiancee. However, friends and relatives think Reeves career troubles were exaggerated. Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Lemmon claimed. The home is currently a private residence but photos can be easily taken from the street. The woman on the other end of the line was a woman named Toni Mannix. In the documentary Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, Jack Larson said that when he first met Reeves, he told him that he enjoyed his performance in So Proudly We Hail! While the authorities officially declared Reeves' death to be a suicide, not everyone was willing to accept that conclusion. Both would later commit suicide . How he came to meet this grisly end is a story as disputed and controversial today as it was when the scandal rocked Hollywood at the height of the actor's fame. The main reason Reeves was said to have committed suicide was depression over his declining fortunes as an actor. Miss Lemmon then made the statement, He is going to shoot himself. Shortly, they heard a dresser drawer being opened upstairs, and Miss Lemmon commented, He is getting the gun out now, and he is going to shoot himself. Moments later, a shot was heard, and they ran upstairs to see what happened. Was the coroner's verdict right after all? Even outside of the world of comic books, bullets sometimes do funny things, and that was certainly the case in the death of George Reeves. In their book Hollywood Kryptonite, Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger make a case for the involvement of MGM vice president and fixer Eddie Mannix. Superman actor George Reeves is beloved for his portrayal of the character, and this is an in-depth look back at his life and tragic death. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. She died alone in her apartment over New Year 1989, her body not found for four days. Reeves then apologized, and the group sat around talking. They divorced 10 years later and had no children. The subsequent police report seem to accept the whole story at face value. This was before news of Reeves death had gotten out, and it always remained a mystery to Coates how Mannix could have known Reeves was murdered unless she was party to it. Reeves worked tirelessly with Toni Mannix to raise money to fight myasthenia gravis. But there were a few details that didnt quite make sense. Firstly, TV had just become ubiquitous in households across the country, but television as a medium was still seen as the lowbrow younger sibling to films high art. The Mannixs relationship was unusual even by the standards of Hollywood. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. Everyone involved is now dead, and little or no evidence from the crime scene remains. On June 16, 1959, Reeves was found dead in his bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head. If anyone could put the heat on Superman it was Eddie. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. 1959: Los Angeles police arrive at the home of 45-year-old actor George Reeves, famous for his role as TV's Superman, and find him naked and dead of a gunshot wound to the head. Superman birth place and death house (George Reeves) 50,169 views Dec 23, 2016 Like Dislike Share Save LandumC goes there 147K subscribers George Reeves (Superman) birth location and the. According to Larson, Reeves said that if Mark Sandrich had not died, he would not be there in "this monkey suit". Witnesses in the house who behaved a little oddly but heard the whole thing. Larson had suffered a similar career downturn to Reeves after series was cancelled, and like his Superman co-star had struggled to break free of the typecasting associated with such an iconic role. The death was quickly ruled a suicide, but several of those near and dear to the actor believed there was no way he would have killed himself. I don't know what happened to George. June 16, 1959. Who all was in the house that night? Director Allen Coulter Writer Paul Bernbaum Stars Adrien Brody Ben Affleck Diane Lane See production, box office & company info Watch on STARZ with Prime Video Channels More watch options Add to Watchlist Added by 25.7K users But from another, the death of George Reeves looks a lot like murder. [1][2], His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. On June 15, George and Leonore had gone out to a rather boozy dinner, to celebrate the upcoming marriage. Everyone involved decided that it had been a suicide. However, Reeves mother, Helen Bessolo, was convinced that her son had been murdered. Vacio and Neill accompanied him in duets.[30]. After all these years, what happened that night at 1579 Benedict Canyon remains obscure and controversial. They had no children and divorced 10 years later.[16]. The Iowa-born actor got his big break when he was hired to play one of Scarlett OHaras suitors in 1939s Gone with the Wind. George Bessolo Reeves lived in a modest house in Benedict Canyon in Los Angeles, California up until the time of his death on June 15, 1959. Two, Eddie Mannix killed the actor in revenge for upsetting his wife. To unravel the murky fate of TVs first superhero we must return to the early hours of June 16, 1959. SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images Phyllis Coates and George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman. Had Reeves, drunk, unhappy and smarting at another argument with his new girlfriend Leonore Lemmon, pulled the trigger on his Luger whilst plumbing some dark trough of self pity? According to the autopsy report, Reeves had taken his .30 caliber German Luger pistol, placed it near his right temple and pulled the trigger. More sinister still, did Eddie Mannix, a man whose job it was to make Hollywood scandals go away, pull some of his underworld strings and hire a hitman to erase the man who had so grievously upset his wife? . By midnight on the night of June 16, 1959, only Lenore and writer Robert Condon were still at his house with him. But this had no official status and could not overrule the coroner's verdict of suicide. While it's true that Reeves depressed at the time of his death, there were some inconsistencies at the crime scene that raised some red flags not only back then but still to this day. He freelanced, appearing in five Hopalong Cassidy westerns before director Mark Sandrich cast Reeves as Lieutenant John Summers opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail! When George Reeves, who had achieved international fame by playing Superman for five years on TV, was found dead by gunshot in 1959, the death was officially recorded as a suicide. [40], Reeves' mother thought the ruling premature and peremptory, and retained attorney Jerry Giesler to petition for a reinvestigation of the case as a possible homicide. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/GettyThe death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. He had also lined up a science fiction script called Return to Earth, by screenwriter Sidney Fields that he had hoped to direct, possibly with his Superman co-star Phyllis Coates in one of the lead roles. Was he responsible, on behalf of his wronged wife, for the misfortunes that had befallen Reeves in the run up to his death? Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. Copyright (c) 2023 Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reeves knew the show could potentially be popular, but it was almost because of that that he was reticent to take it on. If you are lucky enough, the homeowners may allow you to tour the home's grounds and possibly the interior as well. Listen to 022 - The Suspicious Death of George Reeves . He performed on live television anthology programs, as well as on radio, and then returned to Hollywood in 1951 for a role in a Fritz Lang film, Rancho Notorious.[22]. She sounded very disturbed and was hyperventilating as she rasped, The boy is dead. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. Is there any truth in the persistent rumours that Reeves was murdered?

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