In the home of actor George Reeves, people frantically handed somebody else their martini glass and then tried to wake the naked couple in bed, though the police wouldn't be called for nearly an hour.Earlier that evening, Reeves and his fiance had gotten into an argument at a restaurant or two and, despite planning to wed in only four days' time, Reeves reportedly wanted . The coroner had ruled the forty-five year old actor's death a suicide, brought about by despondency over a failing career and too much alcohol. Is her confession credible? 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. 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. On June 15, George and Leonore had gone out to a rather boozy dinner, to celebrate the upcoming marriage. There were also bruises on Reeves head and body. His fears were not unfounded, as he had been out of work for two years by the time of his death in 1959. Ruled as a. Giesler called for a second autopsy. Show more. Many photos shown in various magazines in the past indicated that George's bedroom windows could be seen from the street. 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. 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. While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles. But even more importantly, The Adventures of Superman was marketed mostly towards a younger audience. [18] He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. 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. And did that scandal involve one of the most powerful men in the movie business, Toni Maddoxs husband Eddie? As Reeves returned to his room, Lemmon bizarrely began providing some morbid commentary. It was an open secret in the business that Reeves had been conducting a long term affair with Toni Mannix, the wife of notorious Hollywood fixer and MGM vice president Eddie Mannix. Fellow actors Gig Young and Alan Ladd publicly doubted that Reeves took his own life. Tall and chisel jawed, Reeves was the perfect choice to play the all American hero in the syndicated television show the Adventures of Superman. The Mannixs relationship was unusual even by the standards of Hollywood. (1942), a war drama for Paramount Pictures. Finally, theres the fiancee. In a wild turn of events, the alleged problem with this situation was not the affair itselfjilted husband Eddie had his own liaisons outside of the marriage and allegedly had no problem with his wifes relationship with Reeves. This includes accusations of murder directed at his fiance and ex-girlfriend. It was to be his final feature film appearance. The world was shocked to learn that famed Superman actor, George Reeves, had been found dead in his home of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Faster than a speeding bullet! He was lucky to escape with head injuries that required him to take powerful painkillers right up until the night he died. It was then that Lemmons actions became truly strange. The police also appeared to be behaving in a careless manner. Leonore Lemmons behaviour after Reeves death did little to allay suspicions she may have had more involvement than she was letting on. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. However, Reeves mother, Helen Bessolo, was convinced that her son had been murdered. According to biographer Jim Beaver, Reeves did not know for several years that Bessolo was still alive. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. Its Superman! The iconic intro blazed into American households on Sept. 19, 1952. During the dinner, they had argued. Did the 45-year-old actor commit suicide (as was the official finding), was his death accidental, or was he murdered by his vengeful ex-lover or her jealous husband? Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. 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. Shortly after, she began her affair with Reeves, who at 10 years her junior, she referred to as the boy. Copyright (c) 2023 Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "According to Lemmon, the only people in the house that night, in addition to George and herself, were Carol Von Ronkle, William Bliss, and writer Robert Condon. Climbing Back Up Almost immediately after the case was closed, questions about the truth began to arise. After Gone with the Wind was filmed, Reeves returned to the Pasadena Playhouse and was given the lead role in the play Pancho. Clearly she had the motive, and through her ruthless and well connected husband she certainly had the means. And how had the fatal bullet ended up in the ceiling whilst the shell rested underneath his body? Superman had been cancelled and Reeves had struggled to find the serious work he craved. They divorced 10 years later and had no children. '"[29], Reeves, Noel Neill, Natividad Vaco, Gene LeBell, and a trio of musicians toured with a public-appearance show from 1957 onward. By midnight on the night of June 16, 1959, only Lenore and writer Robert Condon were still at his house with him. Why had Lemmon waited for so long - 45 minutes or so, to call the police? Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results George Azer Reeves (1914 - 1945) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Everyone involved decided that it had been a suicide. The stairs turn and continue upward to the bedroom where George slept. No photos of the body were taken and the crime scene was not properly searched or dusted for prints. He won critical acclaim for the role and garnered considerable publicity. 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. In 1960, Reeves was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the TV industry. She and Eddie had used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed. 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. . [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. Father George Thomas Reeves. Two additional bullets were discovered embedded in the bedroom floor. Mannix was devastated by the rejection, made all the more humiliating for the fact Reeves had moved Lemmon into a house in Los Angeles she owned. The coroner ruled it suicide. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their gravesIn . Hollywood comic, Lou Lubin, is on right. Sandrich felt that Reeves had the potential to become a major star, but unfortunately died while Reeves was still in uniform. The issues wasnt just career frustration. He directed the final 13 episodes of the series, and told the Evening Star that he was enthused about doing more.. While Reeves was depressed at the time of his death, there were oddities at the crime scene. Army. To the left in the photo is a den. Some even say George Reeves appears at the foot of the bed every now and then, dressed as Superman. 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. Was he responsible, on behalf of his wronged wife, for the misfortunes that had befallen Reeves in the run up to his death? 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. The series went on the air the following year, and Reeves was amazed at becoming a national celebrity. The first photo above looks into the living room from the backyard. But not even Lane could have imagined that the dead boy was none other than Superman George Reeves himself. [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. According to the Argus observer, "George Reeves, 45, was found dead in his upstairs bedroom of this house . But there were a few details that didnt quite make sense. and im so curious to know,is it true or not?cause if it is true..wow it is the scariest thing ive ever heard. Toni, a former showgirl and starlet in the early talkies, married MGM studios enforcer Eddie Mannix in 1951. [14], While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles, granddaughter of circus magnate John Robinson. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. He Grew Up Thinking He Was Italian. In June 1951, Reeves was offered the role of Superman in a new television series[23] titled Adventures of Superman. He complained to friends, columnists, and his mother of his financial problems. Was Lemmon with Reeves when he shot himself? Learn about George Reeves death and the true story behind the Hollywoodland movie starring Ben Affleck as TV's Superman. They decided that he was fooling around, not realizing the gun was loaded. Jim Beaver is just as convinced that George's death was a suicide, as was reported in the newspapers of the day. Alcohol, narcotics and depression are a red light warning sign for suicide, and with little other evidence available to them to suggest otherwise, its not hard to see why the Police came to this conclusion. 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? And they call me Superman!). 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. 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. Contraversy continues. George Reeves was born George Keefer Brewer in Iowa in 1914five months into his parents' marriage. It was during this fallow period that he was approached about playing the role that would come to define his life. But from another, the death of George Reeves looks a lot like murder. However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. Further to this, a later search of the bedroom found two extra bullet holes. See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Lemmon claimed. 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. Another Superman stage show was scheduled for July[32] with a planned stage tour of Australia. No scandals were too big to be neutralised by Eddie, from covering-up Clark Gable accidently killing actress Tosca Roulien, to tracking down and buying up every copy of a porn film starring Joan Crawford. Character: . Kent then rushed offstage to return as Superman, who came to the rescue and fought with the bad guy. Reeves himself was convinced it was Mannix behind a string of strange incidents that had befallen him in the aftermath of their breakup. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. Theyd take one look at me and say it was impossible.. But it wasnt just Reeves career that was going through a dramatic turn. The house where actor George Reeves, TV's "Superman," was found dead of a gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. Others suggested that Eddie Mannix, rumored to have Mafia ties, ordered Reeves killed.[43]. The Mysterious Death of Superman George Reeves It wasn't Kryptonite that killed Superman. Even after almost a half-century, the mystery surrounding the untimely death of actor George Reeves remained such a potent and fascinating piece of Hollywood legend - it had been the subject of countless articles, books, and one film, the neo-noir "Hollywoodland" (2006) - that one could easily forget that the man himself as well as his long time acting career prior to his demise. Death Of George Reeves Source: Biography. 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. Reeves reportedly never saw his father again. Those guests were neighbour Carol Van Ronkel, her lover Robert Condon, and another neighbour, William Bliss. [28] He appeared as Superman on I Love Lucy (Episode #165, "Lucy and Superman") in 1957. He was 40 years old and wanted to quit and move on with his career. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. But it was Reeves who brought the flying Man of Steel to widespread popularity, at least on the screen. Reeves's film career began in 1939 when he was cast as Stuart Tarleton (incorrectly listed in the film's credits as Brent Tarleton), one of Scarlett O'Hara's suitors in Gone with the Wind. 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. He had affection for his young fans, and took his role-model status seriously. In 1959, however, negotiations began for a renewal of the series, with 26episodes scheduled to go into production. He was inundated with menacing silent phone calls at all hours of the morning and someone even abducted his beloved dog Sam. His personal life was not all red carpets and champagne. They decided that he had not committed suicide. Reeves initially had no autopsy and his body was swifted embalmed. [19][20][21], Discharged at the war's end, Reeves returned to Hollywood. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 - June 16, 1959) was an American actor. Many believe that the ghostly appearances by the actor lend credence to the idea that he was murdered. That night she received a disturbing phone call. Three shots were fired in the room: two on the floor and one in Reeves' head. 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! Carol lived in the neighborhood. He was dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. Shortly after they arrived, Reeves came downstairs to find out what the commotion was. We have always known that house guest Robert Condon, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss were there. 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. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. A photo of a smiling Reeves and the sign appears in Gary Grossman's book about the show. What happened next is mired in controversy, but according to the police interviews with the witnesses, a short moment later a shot was heard and the man who had become famous for been impervious to gunfire had, ironically, ended his life with a bullet to the head. 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 dad left the family shortly after and his mother moved with her infant son to California. The areas which appeared in the commercial include the den; the master bedroom (where the actor died); and the backyard. After hearing a gunshot, they waited 45 minutes before calling the police. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived and died in. They had even planned to marry if Eddie were to die. Had the jilted older woman taken things one step too far and shot Reeves in a jealous rage? Many studios were slowing down their production schedules, however, and some production units had shut down completely. 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. And then there were the bruising and other marks on Reevess body. It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. It seems the dark secret haunted her for the rest of her life. However, it was obvious that many parts of the investigation were not performed as they should have been. If anything, it seemed like Reeves career was on the up. Lemmon and Reeves had a stormy relationship but, at least according to her, were engaged to be married. [17] Reeves appeared in five Hopalong Cassidy westerns before being cast as Lieutenant John Summers opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail! . Or was the culprit his new girlfriend, the volatile and temperamental Lemmon, who had argued with Reeves the night of his death about the late night party she was having whilst he tried to sleep off his own night of heavy drinking? Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets . 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. The police ruled his death a suicide, but rumors quickly surfaced that Reeves was. It was purchased for the actor at a cost of $12,000 by his longtime lover, MGM Vice-President E.J. How do we create a person's profile? [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. The . 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. Tell them I was down here!. George Reeves, whose work as TV's Man of Steel would set the Superman screen standard for decades, died in his Benedict Canyon home from a gunshot to the head. 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. Los Angeles Police Department Death Report, June 26, 1959. He was born in Woolstock, Iowa but eventually moved to Galesburg, Illinois after his parents separated. That position was taken over by Frank . He was working on creating a fulfilling career for himself. Reeves and Toni Mannix split in 1958 and Reeves announced his engagement to society playgirl Leonore Lemmon. [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. George Reeves' Home. 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 . (1956), in which Reeves wore a beard and mustache. Reeves found himself unemployable. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. She continued, 'He's opening a drawer to get the gun.' His work on the show would earn him fame as the Original Superman, even though that wasnt technically true. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. Were Hollywood's police force keeping a lid on the truth to protect Tinseltown from another scandal? Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images Phyllis Coates and George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman. 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. While Reeves may have been famous for being Superman, the role wasnt making him a whole lot of money. 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. The house where George lived is fairly modest for the area, but the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. Televisions beloved Superman was dead at the tender age of 45. The ex-girlfriend who couldn't let go Beginning in 1948, Reeves had a 10-year. Warners loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia, a box-office failure. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (1952-1958). 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. A long Broadway run followed, before a national tour and a movie version. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. Mannix, who had ties to the mob, had him whacked due to the affair. While he returned unscathed, he struggled from that point forward to get his career back on track. He kept his private life discreet, including a romantic relationship with Toni Mannix, wife of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer general manager Eddie Mannix. His death was officially classified as. Would the actor, generally described as an ordinary, straightforward kind of guy, really have killed himself in a house full of guests, especially choosing to do so naked - highly unusual in suicides?
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