While Reeves was depressed at the time of his death, there were oddities at the crime scene. As more and more time passed between acting jobs paying less and less, Reeves was reduced to appearing in a low-budget serial produced by Sam Katzman, The Adventures of Sir Galahad, and taking a second job digging cesspools. The woman on the other end of the line was a woman named Toni Mannix. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. Learn about George Reeves death and the true story behind the Hollywoodland movie starring Ben Affleck as TV's Superman. Some after his death said it was a profound depression and frustration with his career that led to the night in question. Cancel OK Your account At his funeral, he was laid to rest in the same suit that he wore on the TV show as "Clark Kent." Forty-five minutes later, the police were called. The ballistics looked all wrong too. One, Reeves committed suicide. Robert (Bobby) was writing a book about boxer Archie Moore. Lois & Clark - The New Adventures of Superman, Superman/Shazam! And so, almost forty years later, we are left wondering. According to Condon, Lemmon was in an combative mood that night, and had made somewhat of a scene in the restaurant. Its too late for this nonsense. Leonore asked, Is this a joke or a shoot? meaning was he kidding around, or what? There were 104 episodes of The Adventures of Superman before the cancellation ax fell in 1958. He was inundated with menacing silent phone calls at all hours of the morning and someone even abducted his beloved dog Sam. Next, read about the gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. During the dinner, they had argued. . In contemporary news articles, Lemmon attributed Reeves' alleged suicide to depression caused by his "failed career" and inability to find more work. The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. All too often it is those closest to someone who takes their own life who can least understand it. 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. While the authorities officially declared Reeves' death to be a suicide, not everyone was willing to accept that conclusion. He died instantly and fell backwards, his feet still hungover the bed and his back on the mattress. In 1957, the producers considered a theatrical film Superman and the Secret Planet. I remember watching Superman on tv, George Reeves Kelloggs Corn Flakes CommercialFilmed in his Home, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), I blogged about during my Haunted Hollywood theme last year, 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. Was the coroner's verdict right after all? (1956), in which Reeves wore a beard and mustache. As Reeves returned to his room, Lemmon bizarrely began providing some morbid commentary. Twentieth Century-Fox loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia,[17] a box-office failure, after which he freelanced, looking to find work in westerns. Present in the house at the time of the incident were Leonore Lemmon (who had been Reeves's fiancee at the time), William Bliss, writer Richard Condon, and Carol . When George Reeves died in 1959, the death was quickly considered to be one that was self-inflicted. Many felt that Reeves was tired of being known as Superman, and that he killed himself out of anguish. Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. 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. But the strange death of Superman is not a parlour game. Two additional bullets were discovered embedded in the bedroom floor. 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. Why had Lemmon waited for so long - 45 minutes or so, to call the police? It may have seemed like an open and shut case: Man found upstairs, gun on the floor, a single bullet wound in his head. [38] The bullet that killed Reeves was recovered from the bedroom ceiling, and the spent shell casing was found under his body. 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! 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 was dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. '"'[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. In the 1950s the actor, George Reeves was best known for his portrayal of Superman in the television series, Adventures of Superman. Reeves, however, earned additional income from personal appearances. mostrar anuncios y contenido personalizados basados en perfiles de inters; medir la efectividad de los anuncios y el contenido personalizados, y. desarrollar y mejorar nuestros productos y servicios. Not the comic book character, of course, but the man who personified the "real" Superman for an entire generation of television fans. Reeves had options for making a living, but those options apparently all involved playing Superman againa role that he was not eager to reprise at age 45. Kent then rushed offstage to return as Superman, who came to the rescue and fought with the bad guy. No one is entirely certain who was even at the house that night. Faster than a speeding bullet! Both would later commit suicide . gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. The official verdict was that Reeves had committed suicide, the weight of his troubles having become too much for him to bear. The accident was rendered in a more sinister light when Reeves mechanic discovered the brake fluid in the car had been drained. But from another, the death of George Reeves looks a lot like murder. September6, 1892 was the daughter of George Christian Lescher and Eliza Jane McKenzie, she died in a Pasadena hospital on June 18, 1964. The suicidal can become very adept at hiding their inner turmoil from their loved ones. [17] Warner changed his professional name to George Reeves. There's a general belief that Toni Mannix bought the house, but his name The Suspicious Death of George Reeves. Reeves mother refused to believe her son had killed himself and hired famous Hollywood lawyer Jerry Giesler to investigate further. 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. 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. Lemmon says George Reeves committed suicide. [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. Shortly after, she began her affair with Reeves, who at 10 years her junior, she referred to as the boy. 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? The police arrived within the hour. Reeves worked tirelessly with Toni Mannix to raise money to fight myasthenia gravis. If they were fired earlier, then at the very least its evidence somebody in the house had a somewhat cavalier attitude to firearms. Reeves knew the show could potentially be popular, but it was almost because of that that he was reticent to take it on. Mannixs wife Toni Lanier, whom the actor had broken up with shorty before his death. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. Reeves himself was convinced it was Mannix behind a string of strange incidents that had befallen him in the aftermath of their breakup. And they call me Superman!). But even more importantly, The Adventures of Superman was marketed mostly towards a younger audience. The following is taken from the official autopsy report: Exactly what happened that night was never fully resolved, due to varying drunken accounts. Everyone involved is now dead, and little or no evidence from the crime scene remains. It was to be his final feature film appearance. Reeves wrote the pilot script himself. Clearly she had the motive, and through her ruthless and well connected husband she certainly had the means. In typical fashion, Reeves and Lemmon went out for a boozy night on the town. Superman was dead, and there were no heroes coming in to save the day. 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. On 16 June 1959, George Reeves retired to his bed at 12, after going out for dinner with his fianc, Leonore. Advertisement. [28] He appeared as Superman on I Love Lucy (Episode #165, "Lucy and Superman") in 1957. Hollywood was recovering from the war, but slowly, and Reeves wasnt the only actor trying to make up for lost time with renewed dedication to dreams that were still very much alive but suddenly even further out of reach. But it was Reeves who brought the flying Man of Steel to widespread popularity, at least on the screen. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. Televisions beloved Superman was dead at the tender age of 45. He had affection for his young fans, and took his role-model status seriously. Her devastation at been rejected by her boy had pushed her to the ultimate reprisal. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. 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? 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? The Mysterious Death of Superman. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. There were also bruises on Reeves head and body. Upon hearing of George's demise, he went to the house and the . On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. And George Reeves was not unable to find work, he was not broke, he was not a suicidal depressed person. Then check out 48 photos that capture vintage Hollywood. She and Eddie had used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed. The official finding was suicide, but some believe that he was murdered or the victim of an accidental shooting. Conspiracy theories abound and Reeves death has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend for over five decades since. After hearing a gunshot, they waited 45 minutes before calling the police. The film suggests three possible scenarios: accidental shooting by Lemmon, murder by an unnamed hitman under orders from Eddie Mannix, and suicide. George Reeves was depressed and whilst entertaining guests at his home he he inexplicably left the room, placed a pistol to his right temple and pulled the trigger. 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. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. George was dressed in a gray Clark Kent Suit from the tv show and his body was taken to Gates/Kingsley/Gates on Sepulveda. 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. Reeves died at the age of 45, from a gunshot wound to the head. Finally, a single shot rang out. Multiple gunshot suicides are rare, so if these shots were contemporary to Reeves death, it seems unlikely he was the shooter. 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. The house where actor George Reeves, TV's "Superman," was found dead of a gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. They decided that he was fooling around, not realizing the gun was loaded. Tall and chisel jawed, Reeves was the perfect choice to play the all American hero in the syndicated television show the Adventures of Superman. 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! 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. However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. Eddie was not happy when his wife wasnt happy. Another Superman stage show was scheduled for July[32] with a planned stage tour of Australia. 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. Was he responsible, on behalf of his wronged wife, for the misfortunes that had befallen Reeves in the run up to his death? 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. While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles. They divorced 10 years later and had no children. Two, Eddie Mannix killed the actor in revenge for upsetting his wife. 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. 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. Flickr CommonsThe costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. 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. Reeves was transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. Those guests were neighbour Carol Van Ronkel, her lover Robert Condon, and another neighbour, William Bliss. In 1983, the publicist sat by her bedside during her last hours, and knowing she was the last person on earth to know the truth, confessed all to her priest. [13] The Bessolo marriage lasted 15 years, ending in divorce, with the couple separating while Reeves was away visiting relatives. [19][20][21], Discharged at the war's end, Reeves returned to Hollywood. The Day Superman Died, George Reeves Death House 6,369 views Feb 16, 2019 159 Dislike Share Save Michael Thompson's Hidden In Plain Sight 688 subscribers In this video I visit the house where. The costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. Was the star of 50s TV show The Adventures of Superman murdered? Its not like my George to do a thing like that, his mother told the press. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived and died in. Carol lived in the neighborhood. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and gave Reeves the distinction of appearing in two "Best Picture" films. Later, Reeves's mother,[12] who was of German descent, moved to California to stay with her sister. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. But there were a few details that didnt quite make sense. She also kept his shaving utensils and lotions, and even built an altar in the house with a crucifix, candles and an 11-by-14 photograph of Reeves. But all was not well behind the scenes in Metropolis. In June 2021, an episode of the internet series BuzzFeed Unsolved discussed the death of Reeves and possible theories. Superman had been cancelled and Reeves had struggled to find the serious work he craved. Reeves would later recall the impact Sandrich's death had on his career. He won critical acclaim for the role and garnered considerable publicity. George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . . Later that year, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. 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. 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. Actors Alan Ladd and Gig Young were reportedly skeptical of the official determination. Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, she explained to the other guests, who then heard a sound from upstairs. 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 is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (19521958). He left the bulk of his estate to Toni Mannix. Stalk It: George Reeves former home is located at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. Inexplicably, the shell casing was found underneath Reeves body. Hollywood comic, Lou Lubin, is on right. George Reeves Real name: George Keefer Brewer, George Bessolo. 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. Was Lemmon with Reeves when he shot himself? However, Reeves mother, Helen Bessolo, was convinced that her son had been murdered. The 2006 movie, Hollywoodland starring Ben Affleckas Reeves, explores his life and relationships in greater detail. George Reeves' home in Benedict Canyon On June 16, 1959, Lenore Lemmon served dinner at around 6:30 p.m. at Reeves' Benedict Canyon home. Contraversy continues. Listen to 022 - The Suspicious Death of George Reeves . Were Hollywood's police force keeping a lid on the truth to protect Tinseltown from another scandal? George lived at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive, in the Beverly Hills area. George Reeves, 45, TV's indestructible "Man of Steel," Superman, was dead by his own hand and the flowing cloak would flow no more. His relatives believed he was murdered, and disputed the official ruling of suicide. His dad left the family shortly after and his mother moved with her infant son to California. Hes been murdered. This kind of phone call would not have been out of the ordinary for Lois Lane, the character Coates famously played on TV. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. Reeves was then transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. "An element of mystery" Reeves' death may have been ruled a suicide, but not everyone believed it. She had talked to him days before, and, according to her, he was in a splendid state of mind. She had the body exhumed, and a second autopsy was performed. George's fiancee Lenore Lemmon claims that in . Warners loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia, a box-office failure. This part directly led to his being contracted to Warner Brothers. 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. Info Share. 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. While many of Reeves friends doubted the suicide verdict, Jack Larson, who played cub reporter Jimmy Olsen in the show, always accepted that his friend took his own life. Their suspicions werent entirely fueled by grief and denialthe evidence was puzzling. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. Reeves also enjoyed playing with an unloaded gun. Up in the sky! The official ruling was suicide. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. Everyone involved decided that it had been a suicide. On June 16, 1959, Reeves died from a single gunshot wound in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. 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. Tell them I was down here!. While Reeves may have been famous for being Superman, the role wasnt making him a whole lot of money. If anything, it seemed like Reeves career was on the up. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. It was during this fallow period that he was approached about playing the role that would come to define his life. He performed on live television anthology programs, as well as on radio. Jim Beaver is just as convinced that George's death was a suicide, as was reported in the newspapers of the day. Authorities ruled it a suicide, but was it? She even commissioned a second autopsy, which concluded that Reeves was possibly murdered. By mid 1959, contracts were signed, costumes refitted, and new teleplay writers assigned. 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 producers looked elsewhere for a new star.[25]. 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. [18] He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) 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. 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. Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. 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. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! 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. Reeves' friend Rory Calhoun told a reporter "No one in Hollywood believed the suicide story." When he returned, his mother told him his stepfather had committed suicide. He was working on creating a fulfilling career for himself. [1] [2] His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. 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? Reeves is interred at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena, California. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets . It was purchased for the actor at a cost of $12,000 by his longtime lover, MGM Vice-President E.J. In the early hours of June 16, Mannix called Coates; she was hysterical and told her friend that Reeves had been murdered. No charges were ever brought against anyone in connection to the case. Reeves then apologized, and the group sat around talking. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. . 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.