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. If Mannix was trying to extinguish the Man of Steel, its unlikely she pulled the trigger that night at 1579 Benedict Canyon. Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! - PressReader It is located in a fairly modest area, even though the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. Was his role to distract the house guests and facilitate the entry of a hitman to do away with 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? Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. 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. to put his budding acting career on hold and enlist in the U.S. Reeves' will, dated 1956, bequeathed his entire estate to Toni Mannix, much to Lemmon's surprise and devastation. . Superman had been cancelled and Reeves had struggled to find the serious work he craved. But unable to find work, perhaps George felt he had little choice but to return to a part that clearly caused him much anguish. But even more importantly, The Adventures of Superman was marketed mostly towards a younger audience. According to biographer Jim Beaver, Reeves did not know for several years that Bessolo was still alive. If this was the case, then clearly he had not fired the gun himself, and another party was involved. Mobster Mickey Cohen once described Toni Mannix as the only person in Hollywood who had any balls. Theyd take one look at me and say it was impossible.. In 1927, Frank Bessolo adopted George at aged 13, as his own son, and the boy took on his stepfather's last name, becoming George Bessolo. He was 45 years old. The gun fell to his feet and the shell was found underneath him. On June 16, 1959, Reeves was found dead in his bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head. Between the start of production on Gone With the Wind and its release 12months later, several films on his Warner contract were made and released, making Gone With the Wind his first film role, but his fifth film release. In reality, George Reeves life was a far cry from that of his heroic television counterpart. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves: Who Killed Superman? - Anomalien.com Many, though, believed the investigation had been rushed and this may have been a case of homicide. According to Kashner and Schoenberger (A Talent for Genius), however, unanswered details about Reeves's demise shroud what in truth was foul play. Death 06/10/1945 - Rebaul N.G. Reeves and Sherman impressed the casting director by performing seven pages of script in a single take without pause. Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. . Info Share. [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. [19][20][21], Discharged at the war's end, Reeves returned to Hollywood. 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. The Death of George Reeves - the Original Superman - Reel Reviews Sandrich felt that Reeves had the potential to become a major star, but unfortunately died while Reeves was still in uniform. Clearly she had the motive, and through her ruthless and well connected husband she certainly had the means. In 1952, the struggling ABC Network purchased the show for national broadcast, which gave him greater visibility. Character actor Ben Welden had acted with Reeves in the Warner Bros. days and frequently guest-starred on Superman. After hearing a gunshot, they waited 45 minutes before calling the police. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. All was not well behind the scenes in Metropolis. This prevented long-term work on major films with long schedules, stage plays that might lead to a lengthy run, or any other series work.[24]. George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to his head in the upstairs bedroom at his home in Benedict Canyon. Had she even pulled the trigger herself? 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. 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. He served as national chairman for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation in 1955. Was Superman star George Reeves a suicide or murder victim? 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. His relatives believed he was murdered, and disputed the official ruling of suicide. The police ruled his death a suicide, but rumors quickly surfaced that Reeves was. There were also fresh bruises on the body. Jack Larson and Noel Neill both remembered Reeves as a noble Southern gentleman (even though he was from Iowa) with a sign on his dressing room door that said "Honest George, the people's friend". The 2006 movie, Hollywoodland starring Ben Affleckas Reeves, explores his life and relationships in greater detail. November 5, 2022. in Arts, Culture, News. In actual fact The Adventures of Superman was due to return in 1960, with a higher pay packet for Reeves and the promise that he would be able to direct more of the episodes, something he had enjoyed doing on the last three shows of the previous season. Finally, a single shot rang out. George Reeves hit the television jackpot when he landed the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman in the television series The Adventures of Superman. Mannixs wife Toni Lanier, whom the actor had broken up with shorty before his death. Many photos shown in various magazines in the past indicated that George's bedroom windows could be seen from the street. Was Lemmon with Reeves when he shot himself? The areas which appeared in the commercial include the den; the master bedroom (where the actor died); and the backyard. And was Eddie, a man suspected of killing his first wife Bernice Fitzmaurice, behind the bullet to the head that ended the actors life? George lived at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive, in the Beverly Hills area. Around 1, two friends came by for a visit. Perhaps he came a little too close to the truth. His dad left the family shortly after and his mother moved with her infant son to California. He left the bulk of his estate to Toni Mannix. She and Eddie had used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed. When Officers Johnson and Korby entered the . When his mother moved to California to be with her sister, it was said Reeves never saw his father again. After, they returned home and continued drinking. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. More powerful than a locomotive! See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Lemmon claimed. These roles did little to advance Reeves's career, and his contract with Warners was dissolved by mutual consent. Up in the sky! He directed the final 13 episodes of the series, and told the Evening Star that he was enthused about doing more.. 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 . [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. 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. 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. 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. At around1 am, William Bliss and Carol Van Ronkel came by for an impromptu meeting. His work on the show would earn him fame as the Original Superman, even though that wasnt technically true. But this had no official status and could not overrule the coroner's verdict of suicide. Considering her temperament, it does not seem out of the question she may have started waving Reeves pistol about whilst having a drunken argument with her prospective husband. 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. 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. Had Reeves gotten cold feet about their supposed wedding, or been caught on the phone to Toni Mannix? Had Reeves really shot himself three times? Forty-five minutes later, the police were called. Honorary pallbearers included Alan Ladd and Gig Young. His fears were not unfounded, as he had been out of work for two years by the time of his death in 1959. Reeves and Leonore Lemmon. 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. As Reeves returned to his room, Lemmon bizarrely began providing some morbid commentary. The roles just werent coming his way. George went to bed at 12:30 AM. Mysterious death of Superman star George Reeves and long - mirror Reeves had also hoped to direct a low-budget science-fiction film written by a friend from his Pasadena Playhouse days, and he had discussed the project with his first Lois Lane, Phyllis Coates, the previous year. Includes the ability to log visits, view logs, save and filter offline Waymarks and use beautiful offline maps! The police arrived within the hour. The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. 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. Reeves was drafted into the U.S. Army in early 1943. "An element of mystery" Reeves' death may have been ruled a suicide, but not everyone believed it. 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. 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 . Death Of George Reeves Source: Biography. Robert Condon, a writer interested in writing a biography on George, stayed in the house. On June 16, 1959, Reeves died from a single gunshot wound in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. 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! The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. 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. Others suggested that Eddie Mannix, rumored to have Mafia ties, ordered Reeves killed.[43]. In June of 1959, things started to look up for George. Tall and chisel jawed, Reeves was the perfect choice to play the all American hero in the syndicated television show the Adventures of Superman. He was cremated in Ohio, and ashes given to his mother, who then died in 1964. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. Reeves, however, earned additional income from personal appearances. According to Condon, Lemmon was in an combative mood that night, and had made somewhat of a scene in the restaurant. In June 2021, an episode of the internet series BuzzFeed Unsolved discussed the death of Reeves and possible theories. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. Reeves and Toni Mannix split in 1958 and Reeves announced his engagement to society playgirl Leonore Lemmon. In 1959, however, negotiations began for a renewal of the series, with 26episodes scheduled to go into production. Giesler called for a second autopsy. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 - June 16, 1959) was an American actor. 'Superman' Actor George Reeves' Angry Ex Tormented Him and His The Dark Side Of George Reeves' Superman - Grunge.com (1942), a war drama for Paramount Pictures, which signed Reeves up for two films a year. However, it was obvious that many parts of the investigation were not performed as they should have been. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records 19381946, dated March24, 1943, Speeding Bullet, 2nd Ed, by Jan Alan Henderson, p. 151. Learn about George Reeves death and the true story behind the Hollywoodland movie starring Ben Affleck as TV's Superman. Had Reeves, drunk, unhappy and smarting at another argument with his new girlfriend Leonore Lemmon, pulled the trigger on his Luger whilst plumbing some dark trough of self pity? If they were fired earlier, then at the very least its evidence somebody in the house had a somewhat cavalier attitude to firearms. It was during this fallow period that he was approached about playing the role that would come to define his life. The long Broadway run was followed by a national tour and a movie version. They got home around 11 p.m. A couple hours later, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss stopped by for a drink. 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 reportedly never saw his father again. 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. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and gave Reeves the distinction of appearing in two "Best Picture" films. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. The issues wasnt just career frustration. On June 15, George and Leonore had gone out to a rather boozy dinner, to celebrate the upcoming marriage. Hollywood Kryptonite: The Bulldog, the Lady, and the Death of Superman Inexplicably, the shell casing was found underneath Reeves body. 11 Homes That Are Haunted By Dead Celebrities - Business Insider Reeves death was the first in what would come to be a string of tragedies surrounding the role, in what would come to be known as the Superman curse. 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 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. 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. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Reeves also enjoyed playing with an unloaded gun. Reeves usually had an open door policy, but not after midnight. She also had a reputation as a gold digger, having married twice before for money. However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. [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. If the Hollywood stories are to be believed, any death involving a girl and a gun is suspicious. The official verdict was that Reeves had committed suicide, the weight of his troubles having become too much for him to bear. He was inundated with menacing silent phone calls at all hours of the morning and someone even abducted his beloved dog Sam. Reeves returned to Hollywood in 1951 for a role in a Fritz Lang film, Rancho Notorious. The night of Reevess death, the actor was at home with his fiance Lenore Lemmon, along with the writer Robert Condon, who had been staying with them. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Inside the Mysterious Death of George Reeves, the Original Superman GREAT AMERICAN SCANDALS On June 16, 1959, George Reeves, who was the first to make the superhero an icon when he played. Upon hearing of George's demise, he went to the house and the . 1. Entering the house from the street side, you walk into the living room. After two seasons, Reeves was dissatisfied with his salary and the show's one-dimensional role. 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. Reeves' friend Rory Calhoun told a reporter "No one in Hollywood believed the suicide story." Gay History: Jack Larson, Gay Actor Tormented by Jimmy - timalderman [13] The Bessolo marriage lasted 15 years, ending in divorce, with the couple separating while Reeves was away visiting relatives. You can watch George Reeves Kelloggs Corn Flakes commercial by clicking above. George Reeves' Death Remains Shrouded In Mystery To This Day Reeves had been having an affair with his wife Toni Mannix. The coroner ruled it suicide. But there were a few details that didnt quite make sense. She sounded very disturbed and was hyperventilating as she rasped, The boy is dead. The woman on the other end of the line was a woman named Toni Mannix. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results George Azer Reeves (1914 - 1945) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Superman birth place and death house (George Reeves) 50,169 views Dec 23, 2016 Like Dislike Share Save LandumC goes there 147K subscribers George Reeves (Superman) birth location and the. 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? More adept with withering, foul mouthed put downs, violence was not really her style. He had affection for his young fans, and took his role-model status seriously. In contemporary news articles, Lemmon attributed Reeves' alleged suicide to depression caused by his "failed career" and inability to find more work. Died in House - George Reeves, TV's "Superman" Suicide or | Facebook 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. [1][2], His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves Trace Evidence Warners loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia, a box-office failure. George Reeves was born George Keefer Brewer in Iowa in 1914five months into his parents' marriage. Some after his death said it was a profound depression and frustration with his career that led to the night in question. Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. He was able to play against type and starred as a villainous gold hunter in a Johnny Weismuller Jungle Jim film. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. A shot was heard. 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. Was he responsible, on behalf of his wronged wife, for the misfortunes that had befallen Reeves in the run up to his death? 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. A detective examines the mysterious death of George Reeves, the star of the television series Adventures of Superman (1952). The official verdict was that Reeves had committed suicide, the weight of his troubles having become too much for him to bear. Copyright (c) 2023 Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Coates was amongst many of Reeves friends and co-stars who did not believe he would have killed himself. "Actress to Wed." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1940. [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). They decided that he had not committed suicide. Is her confession credible? 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. Suicide or murder? Reeves a Hollywood victim - TODAY.com They married on September 22, 1940 in San Marino, California, at the Church of Our Savior. [1] [2] His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains controversial. The producers looked elsewhere for a new star.[25]. 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.
