After two seasons, Reeves was dissatisfied with his salary and the show's one-dimensional role. His fears were not unfounded, as he had been out of work for two years by the time of his death in 1959. The Great Mystery Of George Reeves' Death On June 16, 1959, the actor died in his own bedroom when he was only 45 years old from a shot to the head. 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. After, they returned home and continued drinking. 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. Reeves blood alcohol content that night was .27 percent. He was inundated with menacing silent phone calls at all hours of the morning and someone even abducted his beloved dog Sam. He served as national chairman for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation in 1955. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. A funeral was held on Wednesday, June 30. Hard drinking and hard partying, she gave as good as she got, and had the dubious distinction of been the first woman to be thrown out of New Yorks famous Stork club for fist fighting. He had a string of B-list movies after that, and was slowly working his way up to leading man status when bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor. 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. The long Broadway run was followed by a national tour and a movie version. What raised eyebrows regarding Reeves' death is that he was found naked in his bedroom by his guests during a small gathering at 1:59 a.m.; his guests waited 45 minutes to call police; detectives found additional bullet holes in the floor of his bedroom; bruises were found on Reeves' body; shell casings were discovered in strange locations; and a I told you, hes shot himself., When the cops arrived on the scene, Lemmon told them she had been only kidding when she made her strange remarks. Reeves would frequently bemoan the role he felt so trapped in, with particular disdain reserved for the crude and repetitive scripts that often required little more of him than to turn up at the end and have the villains bullets bounce off his chest. 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. Multiple gunshot suicides are rare, so if these shots were contemporary to Reeves death, it seems unlikely he was the shooter. Eddie was not happy when his wife wasnt happy. The main reason Reeves was said to have committed suicide was depression over his declining fortunes as an actor. Theyd take one look at me and say it was impossible.. Lois & Clark - The New Adventures of Superman, Superman/Shazam! Another rumor was that a car was heard speeding away from the house as well. 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. When they returned home, they continued to kick back the alcohol until around 12:30 p.m., at which point Reeves retired to his bedroom. George's fiancee Lenore Lemmon claims that in . The house where George lived is fairly modest for the area, but the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. Dubious witness statements and the examination of the crime scene by the Los Angeles Police led to the official inquiry conclusion that the death of Reeves's was suicide. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (1952-1958). He was 45 years old. There were also fresh bruises on the body. [17] His friend Teddi Sherman introduced him to her father, producer Harry Sherman, who asked Reeves to do a screen test with Teddi for the Hopalong Cassidy films. The 2006 film Hollywoodland, starring Ben Affleck as Reeves and Adrien Brody as a fictional investigator loosely based on actual detective Milo Speriglio, dramatizes the investigation of Reeves' death. Whilst highly speculative, some corroboration to this comes from Reeves own Lois Lane, actress Phyllis Coates. George Reeves was born George Keefer Brewer in Iowa in 1914five months into his parents' marriage. SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! Around 1, two friends came by for a visit. >> George Reeves's death, and there are very interesting questions >> supporting the various theories. A gentle man in real life, given to moods, he was despondent because "everyone thought of him as Superman, not as an actor" and now that the show was no longer shooting, he couldn't get a job. The areas which appeared in the commercial include the den; the master bedroom (where the actor died); and the backyard. Mannix, who had ties to the mob, had him whacked due to the affair. Leonore Lemmon was, by all accounts, a bit of a hell-raiser. Talking to friend Millicent Trent, Bliss said Lemmon had actually rushed down the stairs after the gunshot and urged them to Tell them I was down here! The first half of the show was a Superman sketch in which Reeves and Neill performed with LeBell as a villain called "Mr. Kryptonite" who captured Lois Lane. Look! Tall and chisel jawed, Reeves was the perfect choice to play the all American hero in the syndicated television show the Adventures of Superman. 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. Vacio and Neill accompanied him in duets.[30]. Sprawled naked on his bed, Reeves had been shot in the head after a late night party at his house. Reeves and Toni Mannix split in 1958 and Reeves announced his engagement to society playgirl Leonore Lemmon. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. September6, 1892 was the daughter of George Christian Lescher and Eliza Jane McKenzie, she died in a Pasadena hospital on June 18, 1964. Like an optical illusion, from one angle the details clearly show a man who, in a moment of distress, made a tragic decision. Your definitive source to filming locations and all things Hollywood! Superman had been cancelled and Reeves had struggled to find the serious work he craved. '"'[35], The official story given by Lemmon to the police placed her in the living room with party guests at the time of the shooting, but hearsay statements from Fred Crane, Reeves' friend and colleague from Gone With The Wind, put Lemmon either inside or in direct proximity to Reeves' bedroom. Amazingly, George Reeves shot part of a Kelloggs Corn Flakes commercial (the cereal company was the sponsor of Adventures of Superman) inside of his actual Benedict Canyon home. He appeared in a pair of outdoor thrillers with Ralph Byrd and in a Sam Katzman-produced serial, The Adventures of Sir Galahad. However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. After his death, it was revealed that he left everything to Toni, which could have been an oversight given he and Lemmon had only been together six months, or it could have been a big middle finger. 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? At the beginning of his life, George Reeves was a Midwesterner by birth but, as he grew older, he made his way out to California with his mother. Everyone involved is now dead, and little or no evidence from the crime scene remains. The Afterlife of George Reeves Actor George Reeves died at 1:59 am on June 16, 1959. Reeves would later recall the impact Sandrich's death had on his career. Is her confession credible? So I figured this was the perfect time to do so and dragged the Grim Cheaper right on out there last weekend. Show more. wow..thats a great articleby the way, Ive read those article in other site about his deathit is written that a ghostly phenomena has been reported at the former Reeves house ever since his death? That position was taken over by Frank . Reeves is interred at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena, California. Its Superman! The iconic intro blazed into American households on Sept. 19, 1952. [17], Released from his Warner contract, he signed a contract at Twentieth Century-Fox but was released after only a handful of films, one of which was the Charlie Chan movie Dead Men Tell. The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. A noise echoed: See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Then a shot: I told you, hes shot himself.. 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. As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (19521958). Reeves mother hired a high-powered lawyer to get the case reopened, but he quickly dropped his new client for reasons unknown. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! The gun fell to his feet and the shell was found underneath him. According to partygoers, one of the guests raced upstairs to find Reeves lying across his bed, the life snuffed out of him by a bullet in the head. Lemmon says George Reeves committed suicide. The recent feature film, "Hollywoodland" is about this questionable death of a popular celebrity. George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . Its a plane! "Actress to Wed." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1940. (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) Toni, a former showgirl and starlet in the early talkies, married MGM studios enforcer Eddie Mannix in 1951. Loved the commercial..how cool! After hearing a gunshot, they waited 45 minutes before calling the police. It was during this fallow period that he was approached about playing the role that would come to define his life. The Mannixs relationship was unusual even by the standards of Hollywood. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. The actor had no burn marks on his hands or face - how had he shot himself in the head with a pistol without leaving powder burns? Born George Keefer Brewer in 1914 in Woolstock, Iowa to Helen Lescher and Don C. Brewer, young George would grow up in Ashland, Kentucky and later in Pasadena California where his sister also lived. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 June 16, 1959) was an American actor. This is however not the case as it it the guest bedroom that faces the street. 'See thereI told you so! A classically trained actor who already had some impressive credits to his name, including the 1939 classic Gone With the Wind, Reeves was reluctant to take on the role because in televisions early days, it was considered to be a rather undignified medium that was far inferior to film. Other evidence that casts doubt on this scenario is the lack of burn marks on Reeves back. Witnesses in the house who behaved a little oddly but heard the whole thing. Was the star of 50s TV show The Adventures of Superman murdered? Reeves death was quickly ruled a suicide, but some facts of the case appear to be murky at best. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves. The police did not treat the house as a crime scene, and Lemmon was able to return shortly after they had left, have the bloody sheets washed, retrieve $4000 in travellers cheques and leave Los Angeles for New York, never to return again, not even for Reeves funeral. According to the statements given to the police (statements that were no doubt slurred), Reeves came down to ask them to be quiet, they convinced him to stay for a drink, and then he stomped his way back upstairs. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. There was no doubt that he had enjoyed a few libations that evening, but even drunk it stretches the imagination that someone would strip before committing suicide. Faster than a speeding bullet! Was it true she was heard to say He is going to shoot himself, after Reeves had left the party to go back to bed? He left the bulk of his estate to Toni Mannix. Reeves's father married Helen Schultz in 1925. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. [28] He appeared as Superman on I Love Lucy (Episode #165, "Lucy and Superman") in 1957. Reeves died at the age of 45, from a gunshot wound to the head. 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? But all was not well behind the scenes in Metropolis. At around 2am that morning, two police officers arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, the house Reeves had been living at with his new fiance Leonore Lemmon during the previous few months. But not even Lane could have imagined that the dead boy was none other than Superman George Reeves himself. The husband of Reeves jilted lover was the infamous Eddie Mannix, a fixer at MGM during the golden age of studios, when his job was to make stars problems vanish. And that was the scene that was set on June 15, 1959. Next, read about the gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. The sinister true story behind the death of George Reeves By Gaby Wood 13 March 2016 12:18pm Reeves, star of the Fifties TV show The Adventures of Superman, was shot in 1959. Lemmon moved into his house, and they were to be married on June 18. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. He starred in a number of two-reel short subjects and appeared in several B-pictures, including two with future president of the United States Ronald Reagan and three with James Cagney (Torrid Zone, The Fighting 69th, and The Strawberry Blonde). Climbing Back Up Almost immediately after the case was closed, questions about the truth began to arise. Inexplicably, the shell casing was found underneath Reeves body. In the early hours of June 16, Mannix called Coates; she was hysterical and told her friend that Reeves had been murdered. I know he enjoyed the role, but he used to say, 'Here I am, wasting my life. 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. Nobody wanted me to work at all. [19][20][21], Discharged at the war's end, Reeves returned to Hollywood. The official finding was suicide, but some believe that he was murdered or the victim of an accidental shooting. Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. [24] As for Port of Entry, Reeves was never able to gain financing for the project, and the show was never made. Except for the second season, the Superman schedule was brief (13 shows shot two per week, a total of seven weeks out of a year), but all had a "30-day clause", which meant that the producers could demand their exclusive services for a new season on four weeks' notice. 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. 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. They divorced 10 years later and had no children. Besides, the gun was not a revolver and it was quite evident whether it was chambered or not. But this had no official status and could not overrule the coroner's verdict of suicide. He directed the final 13 episodes of the series, and told the Evening Star that he was enthused about doing more.. In 1953, Reeves played a minor character, Sergeant Maylon Stark, in From Here to Eternity. Had the jilted older woman taken things one step too far and shot Reeves in a jealous rage? It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. How do we create a person's profile? George Reeves was born George Keefer Brewer in Woolstock, Iowa, the son of Don Brewer and Helen Lescher (his death certificate erroneously lists his birthplace as Kentucky). Waymarkly is the premiere Waymarking app for iOS. While the tragedy was unfolding, his fiance and three guests were carousing downstairs, his soon-to-be wife allegedly narrating the action going on above. 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. As TVs original Superman, George Reeves was the ultimate hero to millions of children. It was also widely believed that Toni, to whom Reeves bequeathed his entire estate, may have shot him in a jealous rage after hearing news of his engagement, or that her husband, E.J. While he returned unscathed, he struggled from that point forward to get his career back on track. 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. The show was a smashing success, drawing huge audiences each episode. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. 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. 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. He died in June of 1959, not 1958. Further to this, a later search of the bedroom found two extra bullet holes. More powerful than a locomotive! Some after his death said it was a profound depression and frustration with his career that led to the night in question. Many photos shown in various magazines in the past indicated that George's bedroom windows could be seen from the street. Reeves spoke out about these difficulties in a 1958 Evening Star article frankly titled No Work for Superman. When asked why he took the role, he said simply, I was hungry. But after six years, he was having a hard time pushing his career forward. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. The police also found two gunshot holes in the carpet as well as the one in the ceiling that they traced to the wound in Reevess head, yet the witnesses claimed to have only heard one shot that night. Up in the sky! . The 2006 movie, Hollywoodland starring Ben Affleckas Reeves, explores his life and relationships in greater detail. He had affection for his young fans, and took his role-model status seriously. Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, began her callous recital after Reeves left the room. But the strange death of Superman is not a parlour game. Tell them I was down here!. George Reeves mother Helen Bessolo never accepted the official verdict and hired private investigators to to reopen the investigation into his death. Actors Alan Ladd and Gig Young were reportedly skeptical of the official determination. Reeves and Leonore Lemmon. Reeves, however, earned additional income from personal appearances. Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. Both would later commit suicide . 1. The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. In 1957, the producers considered a theatrical film Superman and the Secret Planet. According to legend, the house at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive in Los Angeles where actor George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head early in the morning of June 16, 1959 is haunted. THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1951-1957) - unknown actor (left) with George Reeves as "Superman." She sounded very disturbed and was hyperventilating as she rasped, The boy is dead. While the authorities officially declared Reeves' death to be a suicide, not everyone was willing to accept that conclusion. It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane, both in brightly dyed red hair as "the Tarleton Twins," were in the film's opening scenes. proporcionarte nuestros sitios y aplicaciones; autenticar usuarios, aplicar medidas de seguridad y evitar el spam y los abusos, y. medir el uso que haces de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. Reeves was born five months into their marriage (the reason Reeves's mother subsequently claimed a false April birth date for her son, something he was unaware of until . Its a bird! Lemmon stayed awake and about thirty minutes later three friends dropped by for a visit. The year before Reeves death he abruptly ended his relationship with Mannix, leaving her for the younger New York socialite Leonore Lemmon. In 1959, however, negotiations began for a renewal of the series, with 26episodes scheduled to go into production. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. George Reeves from "Superman" had a mysterious death that saw him die from a single gunshot wound to the head. 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. Seeing the neighbors, he told them, Get out. On June 15, George and Leonore had gone out to a rather boozy dinner, to celebrate the upcoming marriage. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets . No one is entirely certain who was even at the house that night. One, Reeves committed suicide. Many felt that Reeves was tired of being known as Superman, and that he killed himself out of anguish. Whilst its true the actor had a habit of playing dangerous games with his gun, naked in bed at 1am does not seem a very likely time for macabre party tricks. Two people who might have had strong motives were Toni and Eddie Mannix. 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. Robert (Bobby) was writing a book about boxer Archie Moore. For decades friends, family and strangers alike have speculated on his mental state and whether he was the type of person to commit suicide or not, but the truth is only George Reeves himself knew what was truly going on in his mind. The same cast was very quickly taken on for a television series, The Adventures of Superman, sponsored by Kellogg's cereal, which began airing late in 1952. The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. She was absolutely terrified of going to hell", Lozzi told the LA Times. [17] Warner changed his professional name to George Reeves. Had the usually diligent actor neglected to maintain his prized Jaguar properly or was this, as some have suspected, a murder attempt by Toni Mannix? However, these were never investigated and Giesler strangely refused to work on the case any longer. gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. Warners loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia, a box-office failure. 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. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their gravesIn . It is located in a fairly modest area, even though the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. In the early morning of June 16, 1959, George was found dead . He looked forward to working with So Proudly We Hail! Finally, theres the fiancee. This includes accusations of murder directed at his fiance and ex-girlfriend. And was Eddie, a man suspected of killing his first wife Bernice Fitzmaurice, behind the bullet to the head that ended the actors life? But unable to find work, perhaps George felt he had little choice but to return to a part that clearly caused him much anguish. George Reeves, 45, TV's indestructible "Man of Steel," Superman, was dead by his own hand and the flowing cloak would flow no more. It was to be his final feature film appearance. Walker's property became known as "Houdini's House." Shortly after Houdini died on Halloween . [1][2][3][4][5][6], Reeves was born January 5, 1914,[7][8] as George Keefer Brewer in Woolstock, Iowa, the son of Donald Carl Brewer and Helen Lescher. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. I have been researching a full-scale She also had a reputation as a gold digger, having married twice before for money. Was the coroner's verdict right after all? [1][2], His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. Toni Lanier Mannix (born Camille Bernice Froomess; February 19, 1906 - September 2, 1983) was an American actress and dancer in early motion pictures filmed with soundtracks, known as "talkies".Going by the name Toni Lanier, she became known in Hollywood circles for her extramarital relationship with future husband MGM studio head Eddie Mannix, who was married at the time to Bernice Fitzmaurice. His body was later cremated and interred at the Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, which I blogged about during my Haunted Hollywood theme last year. If the Hollywood stories are to be believed, any death involving a girl and a gun is suspicious. ", 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. 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. He was able to play against type and starred as a villainous gold hunter in a Johnny Weismuller Jungle Jim film. While this may have been the final act for George Reeves Superman, it was the first act in what would become one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the role. Michael Hayde firmly believes that George Reeves was murdered.

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