The Mysterious Death of Superman | What Lies Beyond [33] Reeves had been made a "Kentucky Colonel" during a publicity trip in the South, and the sign on his dressing room door was replaced with a new one that read "Honest George, also known as Col. Reeves", created by the show's prop department. Three shots were fired in the room: two on the floor and one in Reeves' head. [17] Warner changed his professional name to George Reeves. Authorities ruled it a suicide, but was it? [13] His Gone with the Wind screen credit reflects the change. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. Was Lemmon with Reeves when he shot himself? On the night of his death the pair had gone for dinner with writer Richard Condon, who was staying with the couple whilst he worked on a biography of Archie Moore, the prizefighter Reeves had been due to fight in a celebrity boxing match later that year. Reeves wrote the pilot script himself. 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? Reeves was drafted into the U.S. Army in early 1943. Its too late for this nonsense. Leonore asked, Is this a joke or a shoot? meaning was he kidding around, or what? On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. They decided that he had not committed suicide. [36] According to Crane (who was not present), Bill Bliss had told Millicent Trent after the shot rang out, while Bliss was having a drink, that Leonore Lemmon came downstairs and said, Tell them I was down here, tell them I was down here![37], A number of questionable physical findings were reported by investigators and others: No fingerprints were recovered from the gun. 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? [31] However, Reeves and his partner failed to find financing, and the film was never made. Those guests were neighbour Carol Van Ronkel, her lover Robert Condon, and another neighbour, William Bliss. First, Reeves was found naked. George Reeves may not be the first actor that springs to mind when you think of Superman, but the star's untimely death put him at the centre of a conspiracy theory malestrom.. Reeves was actually . In their book Hollywood Kryptonite, Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger make a case for the involvement of MGM vice president and fixer Eddie Mannix. Larson also thought the prospective return of the Adventures of Superman had filled the actor with dread, Anyone who thinks another season of Superman wouldn't depress George didn't know George, he said. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. The official verdict was that Reeves had committed suicide, the weight of his troubles having become too much for him to bear. Had the actor been placed on the bed some time after he was shot? You can watch George Reeves Kelloggs Corn Flakes commercial by clicking above. The film suggests three possible scenarios: accidental shooting by Lemmon, murder by an unnamed hitman under orders from Eddie Mannix, and suicide. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. [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. Some after his death said it was a profound depression and frustration with his career that led to the night in question. . Lemmon had called them after she and her party guests had found Reeves dead in his bedroom. Released from his Warners contract, he signed a contract at Twentieth Century-Fox but was released after only a handful of films. According to the Argus observer, "George Reeves, 45, was found dead in his upstairs bedroom of this house . A detective examines the mysterious death of George Reeves, the star of the television series Adventures of Superman (1952). There was a real man behind the superhero, whose tragic early death will likely forever be a mystery. A noise echoed: See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Then a shot: I told you, hes shot himself.. [39] Despite the unanswered questions, Reeves' death was officially ruled a suicide, based on witness statements, physical evidence at the scene, and the autopsy report. He was contracted to Warner Brothers at the time, and the actor's professional name became "George Reeves" and his GWTW screen credit reflects the change. Was Superman murdered? The mysterious death of George Reeves Around one in the morning they were joined by two of the neighbors, at which point Reeves, who had already been in bed, stomped downstairs to yell at his guests. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 - June 16, 1959) was an American actor. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves Trace Evidence George Reeves' Mysterious Passing at 45 Has People Doubting - AmoMama George Reeves' Ghost. George Reeves Home - Beverly Hills, CA - Superman Super Site Later, Reeves's mother,[12] who was of German descent, moved to California to stay with her sister. They found George Reeves upstairs on his bed, with a Luger between his feet and a bullet hole in his head. 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. Another Superman stage show was scheduled for July[32] with a planned stage tour of Australia. The people in the house were quite intoxicated and weren't much help to the investigation even waiting over 30 minutes before calling the police. [42] In 1985, he was posthumously named one of the honorees by DC Comics in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great. The death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. After, they returned home and continued drinking. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. But there were a few details that didnt quite make sense. Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty ImagesPhyllis Coates and George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman. And they call me Superman!). [14], While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles, granddaughter of circus magnate John Robinson. Reeves was born five months into their marriage[9] and the couple separated soon after Reeves's birth. [17] Reeves appeared in five Hopalong Cassidy westerns before being cast as Lieutenant John Summers opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail! 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. Later that year, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. Following the path so many women have taken throughout Hollywood history, Reeves turned to directing, producing, and writing when he couldnt get the roles he wanted. In June 1951, Reeves was offered the role of Superman in a new television series[23] titled Adventures of Superman. Who killed Superman? The sinister true story behind the death of George The official ruling was suicide. She and Eddie had used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed. 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. Piecing Together The Circumstances Of George Reeves - TheFashionBall Further to this, a later search of the bedroom found two extra bullet holes. 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. He looked forward to working with So Proudly We Hail! [13] The Bessolo marriage lasted 15 years, ending in divorce, with the couple separating while Reeves was away visiting relatives. 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. 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. Eddies exploits in covering up the sleazy underbelly of Hollywood were legendary. Although the power of the studios was waning by the 1950s, its possible Eddie Mannix still wielded enough influence to fix George Reeves at his wifes behest. Its impossible to ever know whats truly going on in someones head, especially on a night of heavy drinking, but it did seem that Reeves was taking steps to fix his situation. But his business manager and mother, among others, said that while it was true he was disappointed in the way things were going, his feelings werent strong enough to explain a suicide. 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. Reeves himself was convinced it was Mannix behind a string of strange incidents that had befallen him in the aftermath of their breakup. 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. However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles. His fears were not unfounded, as he had been out of work for two years by the time of his death in 1959. But even more importantly, The Adventures of Superman was marketed mostly towards a younger audience. These roles did little to advance Reeves's career, and his contract with Warners was dissolved by mutual consent. See real George Reeves photos, and pics of the real Eddie Mannix, Toni Mannix, Leonore Lemmon and others. Her devastation at been rejected by her boy had pushed her to the ultimate reprisal. This is however not the case as it it the guest bedroom that faces the street. Fellow actors Gig Young and Alan Ladd publicly doubted that Reeves took his own life. Inexplicably, the shell casing was found underneath Reeves body. The year before Reeves death he abruptly ended his relationship with Mannix, leaving her for the younger New York socialite Leonore Lemmon. His personal life took a turn for the worse a long-term affair with another man's common-law wife ended badly; he finally filed a restraining order against her. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. TV 'Superman' George Reeves Still Haunts Home Where He Died Many believe that the ghostly appearances by the actor lend credence to the idea that he was murdered. Reeves usually had an open door policy, but not after midnight. His passing even became the subject of the 2006 biographical docudrama Hollywoodland, in which Ben Affleck plays the Pasadena-bred television star. George Reeves3 Theories About The Death of Superman. Three bullet holes were found in the bedroom, all caused by the Luger that was found resting between the victim's legs. Coates was amongst many of Reeves friends and co-stars who did not believe he would have killed himself. A script was commissioned from David Chantler, who had written many of the TV scripts. All too often it is those closest to someone who takes their own life who can least understand it. Lemmon moved into his house, and they were to be married on June 18. George Reeves Superman Death | Snopes.com (1956), in which Reeves wore a beard and mustache. Mannix, who had ties to the mob, had him whacked due to the affair. Like an optical illusion, from one angle the details clearly show a man who, in a moment of distress, made a tragic decision. Reportedly, the police had not been called until at least a half an hour after his death. Two, Eddie Mannix killed the actor in revenge for upsetting his wife. The subsequent police report seem to accept the whole story at face value. Finally, a single shot rang out. Regardless of the plausibility of these theories, its likely that the identity of whoever fired the bullet that killed the Man of Steel will remain a mystery. And then there were the bruising and other marks on Reevess body. Since a 9mm Luger generally ejects its shells to the right, it's hard to conceive what position the actor must have been in when he fired for it to have ended up underneath him. George Reeves mother Helen Bessolo never accepted the official verdict and hired private investigators to to reopen the investigation into his death. 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! He was born in Woolstock, Iowa but eventually moved to Galesburg, Illinois after his parents separated. 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? George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . 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. Tell them I was down here!. The 2006 movie, Hollywoodland starring Ben Affleckas Reeves, explores his life and relationships in greater detail. Army. And so, almost forty years later, we are left wondering. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results George Azer Reeves (1914 - 1945) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Superman was dead, and there were no heroes coming in to save the day. Great article tho. George Reeves Facts. Upon hearing of George's demise, he went to the house and the . A long Broadway run followed, before a national tour and a movie version. George Reeves -- Unsolved Mysyeries The police also appeared to be behaving in a careless manner. Their suspicions werent entirely fueled by grief and denialthe evidence was puzzling. 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. Reeves' friend Rory Calhoun told a reporter "No one in Hollywood believed the suicide story." He was inundated with menacing silent phone calls at all hours of the morning and someone even abducted his beloved dog Sam. However, Superman producers offered him a salary increase, and he returned to the series. Reeves was then transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. George Reeves: The Death of Superman | The Unredacted Clearly she had the motive, and through her ruthless and well connected husband she certainly had the means. Following an investigation, officers of the Los Angeles Police Department ruled the death a suicide, likely prompted by Reeves' alleged depression over the fact that he was experiencing financial . (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) 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.

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