George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to his head in the upstairs bedroom at his home in Benedict Canyon. They had even planned to marry if Eddie were to die. According to Jim Nolts fabulous Superman-themed The Adventures Continue website, the house has remained largely unchanged since the time Reeves lived there over fifty years ago. The Mysterious Death of Superman. Despite these suspicions, the Los Angeles Police Department officially ruled the death a suicide, on little more than a cursory investigation. He was cremated in Ohio, and ashes given to his mother, who then died in 1964. 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. After all, it was she who had made the early morning phone call to Coates, before anyone outside of Reeves home could have known about his death. 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 they returned home, they continued to kick back the alcohol until around 12:30 p.m., at which point Reeves retired to his bedroom. He was 40 years old and wanted to quit and move on with his career. Theyd take one look at me and say it was impossible.. It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. Death Of George Reeves Source: Biography. Its Superman! The iconic intro blazed into American households on Sept. 19, 1952. Both would later commit suicide . The series went on the air the following year, and Reeves was amazed at becoming a national celebrity. [38] The bullet that killed Reeves was recovered from the bedroom ceiling, and the spent shell casing was found under his body. The events surrounding his death have been the subject of much conjecture ever since. The argument had carried over back to the house, Lemmon apparently upset by the suspicion that Reeves had been talking to previous girlfriend Toni Mannix. The death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty ImagesPhyllis Coates and George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. 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. His relatives believed he was murdered, and disputed the official ruling of suicide. Reeves, who took his acting career seriously and had parts in Gone with the Wind and From here to Eternity, always had mixed feelings about his fame as Superman. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets . His personal life was not all red carpets and champagne. The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. The official finding was suicide, but some believe that he was murdered or the victim of an accidental shooting. Advertisement. This is however not the case as it it the guest bedroom that faces the street. If it was Reeves that pulled the trigger then in all likelihood it was because he had had enough of his life, for whatever reason. Those guests were neighbour Carol Van Ronkel, her lover Robert Condon, and another neighbour, William Bliss. Entering the house from the street side, you walk into the living room. It was then that Lemmons actions became truly strange. She died alone in her apartment over New Year 1989, her body not found for four days. : The Return of Black Adam. Reeves was born five months into their marriage[9] and the couple separated soon after Reeves's birth. He was initially reluctant to take the role because, like many actors of his time, he considered television unimportant and believed few would see his work. During the dinner, they had argued. 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. Was he responsible, on behalf of his wronged wife, for the misfortunes that had befallen Reeves in the run up to his death? Fellow actors Gig Young and Alan Ladd publicly doubted that Reeves took his own life. The ex-girlfriend who couldn't let go Beginning in 1948, Reeves had a 10-year. [18] He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. Flickr CommonsThe costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. 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. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. ", 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 first photo above looks into the living room from the backyard. Info Share. In their book Hollywood Kryptonite, Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger make a case for the involvement of MGM vice president and fixer Eddie Mannix. Reeves was transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. 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. George Reeves Facts. Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. According to Larson, Reeves also said he would feel better about the role if he knew he had any adult fans but never learned that Adventures of Superman had adult fans even during its original broadcast run.[17]. However, these were never investigated and Giesler strangely refused to work on the case any longer. No photos of the body were taken and the crime scene was not properly searched or dusted for prints. Reeves head and hands showed no signs of gunshot residue or powder burns. It is sometimes easy to get caught up in the mystery of George Reeves demise, the different theories and suspects. 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? [17] Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles, and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. Leonore Lemmon fled to New York right after Reeves died--but first emptied his house of liquor bottles and $4,000 in traveler's checks. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. 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. 1. 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. Upstairs, they found the homeowner naked and sprawled across his bed. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. Later in life, she become a somewhat tragic figure, bloated and consumed by alcoholism, Leonore would give many different accounts of the events of that night, often contradicting herself and denying things she was commonly reported to have said and done. When Officers Johnson and Korby entered the . Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results George Azer Reeves (1914 - 1945) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Meanwhile, DC Comics was planning a television adaptation of its most famous character. Not the comic book character, of course, but the man who personified the "real" Superman for an entire generation of television fans. Your definitive source to filming locations and all things Hollywood! How do we create a person's profile? George Reeves had a reasonably successful film career (including a small part in Gone with the Wind) when he took the role of Superman in Superman and the Mole Men, a feature film. But the strange death of Superman is not a parlour game. Reportedly, the police had not been called until at least a half an hour after his death. Coates had become a mutual friend of both her Superman co-star and Tony Mannix. 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. Tell them I was down here!. Its too late for this nonsense. Leonore asked, Is this a joke or a shoot? meaning was he kidding around, or what? He died instantly and fell backwards, his feet still hungover the bed and his back on the mattress. A script was commissioned from David Chantler, who had written many of the TV scripts. Army. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. Another rumor was that a car was heard speeding away from the house as well. 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. She was absolutely terrified of going to hell", Lozzi told the LA Times. Lemmon moved into his house, and they were to be married on June 18. The windows above the living room are the windows to George's bedroom. But in a franchise that's seen its share of tragedy George Reeves's reported suicide, Christopher Reeve's spinal injury the woes of the actor who played Jimmy in the 1950s went underreported. Reeves' will, dated 1956, bequeathed his entire estate to Toni Mannix, much to Lemmon's surprise and devastation. Actors Alan Ladd and Gig Young were reportedly skeptical of the official determination. As portrayed in films such as Hollywoodland and Hail Ceasar, Eddie had an array of thugs, bent cops, private eyes and mobsters on the payroll. While Reeves was depressed at the time of his death, there were oddities at the crime scene. Was Lemmon with Reeves when he shot himself? First, Reeves was found naked. Reeves himself believed Mannix was behind the succession of sinister events that dogged Reeves in the run up to his death, including silent midnight phonecalls and the kidnapping of his beloved Schnauzer Sam. He got angry at them for being very loud. 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. As TVs original Superman, George Reeves was the ultimate hero to millions of children. He was getting work as a director, and he had agreed to do another season of Superman, in which he would also direct quite a few episodes of. The suicidal can become very adept at hiding their inner turmoil from their loved ones. Reeves began acting and singing in high school and continued performing on stage as a student at Pasadena Junior College. 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. Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. . The costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. Reeves is interred at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena, California. He complained to friends, columnists, and his mother of his financial problems. Reeves had been having an affair with his wife Toni Mannix. He was 45 years old. Reeves's father married Helen Schultz in 1925. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and gave Reeves the distinction of appearing in two "Best Picture" films. On the night of June 15th, 1959, Reeves and Lemmon went out to dinner and the two reportedly drank a great deal. The report made by the Los Angeles Police states, "[Reeves was] depressed because he couldn't get the sort of parts he wanted." He was able to play against type and starred as a villainous gold hunter in a Johnny Weismuller Jungle Jim film. Later, Reeves's mother,[12] who was of German descent, moved to California to stay with her sister. While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles. Released from his Warners contract, he signed a contract at Twentieth Century-Fox but was released after only a handful of films. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. But it was Reeves who brought the flying Man of Steel to widespread popularity, at least on the screen. Kent then rushed offstage to return as Superman, who came to the rescue and fought with the bad guy. We have always known that house guest Robert Condon, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss were there. Shortly after their arrival, Reeves came downstairs to hang out with the group and then once again retired to his room at around 1:20. [17] He avoided smoking cigarettes where children could see him and eventually quit smoking. 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 . The roles just werent coming his way. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. George Reeves from "Superman" had a mysterious death that saw him die from a single gunshot wound to the head. The police had never checked Reeves fingers for residue to see if he pulled the trigger nor did they count the number of bullets remaining in the gun. There were also bruises on Reeves head and body. In the early morning hours of June 16, 1959, George Reeves, who was the first to make the superhero an icon when he played the titular role in the inaugural TV series, was found dead in his bedroom, naked with a bullet through his head. 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. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 June 16, 1959) was an American actor. 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. According to Kashner and Schoenberger (A Talent for Genius), however, unanswered details about Reeves's demise shroud what in truth was foul play. Reeves himself was convinced it was Mannix behind a string of strange incidents that had befallen him in the aftermath of their breakup. '"'[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. 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. 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. 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. 'See thereI told you so! The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. Character actor Ben Welden had acted with Reeves in the Warner Bros. days and frequently guest-starred on Superman. George Reeves was dead. Was his role to distract the house guests and facilitate the entry of a hitman to do away with Reeves? Worst of all occurred on April 8th, when Reeves lost control of his Jaguar and careered into a cement pillar near his home in Benedict Canyon. According to publicist Edward Lozzi, who had befriended Toni during her last years as a widow in Beverly Hills, what she had done weighed heavily on the now elderly Mannix. In 1957, the producers considered a theatrical film Superman and the Secret Planet. In June 2021, an episode of the internet series BuzzFeed Unsolved discussed the death of Reeves and possible theories. [1] [2] His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. By midnight on the night of June 16, 1959, only Lenore and writer Robert Condon were still at his house with him. 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. And that was the scene that was set on June 15, 1959. [26] He was reportedly making $5,000 (about $50,000 in today's dollars) per week, but only while the show was in production (about eight weeks each year). Faster than a speeding bullet! Over the years, occupants of the house have been plagued by not only the sound of a single gunshot that echoes in the darkness, but strange lights, and even the apparition of George Reeves Lemmon and Reeves had a stormy relationship but, at least according to her, were engaged to be married. At around1 am, William Bliss and Carol Van Ronkel came by for an impromptu meeting. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. . 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. Many believe that the ghostly appearances by the actor lend credence to the idea that he was murdered. The woman on the other end of the line was a woman named Toni Mannix. (1956), in which Reeves wore a beard and mustache. On the night of June 16, 1959, George Reeves was found dead in his bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head in his Benedict Canyon home, while his fiance Lemmon was downstairs hosting a party. 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? [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. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer in 1914) began his Hollywood career in a variety of bit parts in the late 1930s, including a small role in the epic film Gone with the Wind, and worked . Tall and chisel jawed, Reeves was the perfect choice to play the all American hero in the syndicated television show the Adventures of Superman. By mid 1959, contracts were signed, costumes refitted, and new teleplay writers assigned. A SHOT rang out. George Reeves (born George Keefer . SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! Lois & Clark - The New Adventures of Superman, Superman/Shazam! Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. Some even say George Reeves appears at the foot of the bed every now and then, dressed as Superman. He was dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. Later that year, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. [13] His Gone with the Wind screen credit reflects the change. Mobster Mickey Cohen once described Toni Mannix as the only person in Hollywood who had any balls. He was lucky to escape with head injuries that required him to take powerful painkillers right up until the night he died. Three shots were fired in the room: two on the floor and one in Reeves' head. Besides, the gun was not a revolver and it was quite evident whether it was chambered or not. There were also fresh bruises on the body. Los Angeles Police Department Death Report, June 26, 1959. 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. She sounded very disturbed and was hyperventilating as she rasped, The boy is dead. She continued, 'He's opening a drawer to get the gun.' Toni, a former showgirl and starlet in the early talkies, married MGM studios enforcer Eddie Mannix in 1951. George Reeves death home- Beverly Hills, CA - Infamous Crime Scenes on Waymarking.com. No charges were ever brought against anyone in connection to the case. Were Hollywood's police force keeping a lid on the truth to protect Tinseltown from another scandal? The official ruling was suicide. The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. 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. 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. The show was a smashing success, drawing huge audiences each episode. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. (Some sources contend that it may not have been looked for, as gunshot residue testing was not routinely performed in 1959). He left the bulk of his estate to Toni Mannix. 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. While Reeves may have been famous for being Superman, the role wasnt making him a whole lot of money. In June 1951, Reeves was offered the role of Superman in a new television series[23] titled Adventures of Superman. Listen to 022 - The Suspicious Death of George Reeves . 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. 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. Its not like my George to do a thing like that, his mother told the press. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. [17] Reeves appeared in five Hopalong Cassidy westerns before being cast as Lieutenant John Summers opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail! See real George Reeves photos, and pics of the real Eddie Mannix, Toni Mannix, Leonore Lemmon and others. Two, Eddie Mannix killed the actor in revenge for upsetting his wife. In the early morning of June 16, 1959, George was found dead . CleverJourneys: American Crime Chronicles Two Los Angeles police officers arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon at almost 3 a.m., June 16, 1959. 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. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. EXPLOSIVE new forensic evidence reveals Superman actor George Reeves didn't commit suicide he was murdered and a GLOBE investigation has uncovered the sordid truth behind the "perfect crime" and sinister cover-up of nearly 60 years! Sprawled naked on his bed, Reeves had been shot in the head after a late night party at his house. His work on the show would earn him fame as the Original Superman, even though that wasnt technically true.

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