Tac -- George Reeves' Home Reeves was then transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. 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. 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. Show more. Mobster Mickey Cohen once described Toni Mannix as the only person in Hollywood who had any balls. George Reeves Death, Hollywoodland Movie - Pics of Toni Mannix, Eddie Was the star of 50s TV show The Adventures of Superman murdered? 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 Return of Black Adam. In typical fashion, Reeves and Lemmon went out for a boozy night on the town. Reeves was 38 when he first cloaked his rugged all-American looks that were more Clark Kent than strange visitor from another planet in a caped costume. Reeves mother refused to believe her son had killed himself and hired famous Hollywood lawyer Jerry Giesler to investigate further. 11 Homes That Are Haunted By Dead Celebrities - Business Insider Reeves and Sherman impressed the casting director by performing seven pages of script in a single take without pause. While he returned unscathed, he struggled from that point forward to get his career back on track. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. The Dark Side Of George Reeves' Superman - Grunge.com No photos of the body were taken and the crime scene was not properly searched or dusted for prints. The windows above the living room are the windows to George's bedroom. However, it was obvious that many parts of the investigation were not performed as they should have been. The Mysterious Circumstances Surrounding George Reeves' Death By No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. A shot was heard. Not the comic book character, of course, but the man who personified the "real" Superman for an entire generation of television fans. 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. 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. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. "Actress to Wed." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1940. Reeves then apologized, and the group sat around talking. Next, read about the gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. George Reeves: The Strange, Lonely Death of TV's Superman The death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. Its a bird! To the left in the photo is a den. Reeves reportedly never saw his father again. Advertisement. He was found dead in his bedroom at 1:59 a.m. on June 16, 1959 in his modest home in Los Angeles' Benedict Canyon. If anyone could put the heat on Superman it was Eddie. Why Anton Drexler Was More Responsible For The Nazi Party Than Adolf Hitler, The Gruesome Murders Of Andrei Chikatilo Russia's "Red Ripper", What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images, Reeves played opposite Vivien Leigh as one of the Tarleton twins in. 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. Cancel OK Your account Reeves was drafted into the U.S. Army in early 1943. Quick Description: The actor George Reeves house where TV's "Superman," was found dead of a head gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. Leonore Lemmon was, by all accounts, a bit of a hell-raiser. That position was taken over by Frank . As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. Reeves was apparently scheduled to marry Lemmon on June 19 and then spend their honeymoon in Tijuana. 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. 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. Leonore Lemmon became an alcoholic, got fat, suffered from Dementia and died in 1990. 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. 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. Finally, a single shot rang out. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records 19381946, dated March24, 1943, Speeding Bullet, 2nd Ed, by Jan Alan Henderson, p. 151. While it's true that Reeves depressed at the time of his death, there were some inconsistencies at the crime scene that raised some red flags not only back then but still to this day. After two seasons, Reeves was dissatisfied with his salary and the show's one-dimensional role. 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. Getting tapped to play a famous superhero may be considered the pinnacle of an acting career today, but Reeves agreed to the role out of desperation. Its Superman! The iconic intro blazed into American households on Sept. 19, 1952. This theory centres around the mysterious WIlliam Bliss, a stranger to both Reeves and Leonore Lemmon, whose presence in the house that night has never been adequately explained. 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. The coroner ruled it suicide. Shortly after, she began her affair with Reeves, who at 10 years her junior, she referred to as the boy. 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 George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 - June 16, 1959) was an American actor. 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. George Reeves hit the television jackpot when he landed the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman in the television series The Adventures of Superman. [17] Warner changed his professional name to George Reeves. The long Broadway run was followed by a national tour and a movie version. Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, she allegedly said. (1942), a war drama for Paramount Pictures, which signed Reeves up for two films a year. The Mysterious Death of Superman George Reeves - Clever Journeys To unravel the murky fate of TVs first superhero we must return to the early hours of June 16, 1959. Inside the Mysterious Death of George Reeves, the Original Superman 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. The 2006 film Hollywoodland, starring Ben Affleck as Reeves and Adrien Brody as a fictional investigator loosely based on actual detective Milo Speriglio, dramatizes the investigation of Reeves' death. More sinister still, did Eddie Mannix, a man whose job it was to make Hollywood scandals go away, pull some of his underworld strings and hire a hitman to erase the man who had so grievously upset his wife? Michael Hayde firmly believes that George Reeves was murdered. On the night of June 15th, 1959, Reeves and Lemmon went out to dinner and the two reportedly drank a great deal. Over six years and 104 episodes, the actor smiled broadly in pictures, fists planted on hips in the famous Superman power pose, and made appearances to promote the hit television show, including a guest spot in costume on I Love Lucy. Director Allen Coulter Writer Paul Bernbaum Stars Adrien Brody Ben Affleck Diane Lane See production, box office & company info Watch on STARZ with Prime Video Channels More watch options Add to Watchlist Added by 25.7K users 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. Giesler had been paid a hefty sum, so why did he suddenly drop the case? '"[29], Reeves, Noel Neill, Natividad Vaco, Gene LeBell, and a trio of musicians toured with a public-appearance show from 1957 onward. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived and died in. After hearing a gunshot, they waited 45 minutes before calling the police. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. Inside the Mysterious Death of George Reeves, the Original - yahoo.com Reeves knew the show could potentially be popular, but it was almost because of that that he was reticent to take it on. [24] As for Port of Entry, Reeves was never able to gain financing for the project, and the show was never made. 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! George's fiancee Lenore Lemmon claims that in . Others suggested that Eddie Mannix, rumored to have Mafia ties, ordered Reeves killed.[43]. ", 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. Finally, theres the fiancee. 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. Were Hollywood's police force keeping a lid on the truth to protect Tinseltown from another scandal? 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. Embattled New York Rep. George Santos said Thursday that he is "fully cooperating" with the House Ethics Committee, which is . Reeves had been having an affair with his wife Toni Mannix. Amazingly, George Reeves shot part of a Kelloggs Corn Flakes commercial (the cereal company was the sponsor of Adventures of Superman) inside of his actual Benedict Canyon home. During the second season, Reeves appeared in a short film for the Treasury Department entitled Stamp Day for Superman, in which he caught the villains and told children why they should invest in government savings stamps. [17] Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles, and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. Coates was amongst many of Reeves friends and co-stars who did not believe he would have killed himself. Includes the ability to log visits, view logs, save and filter offline Waymarks and use beautiful offline maps! Flickr CommonsThe costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. Mannix, who had ties to the mob, had him whacked due to the affair. The half-hour films were shot on tight schedules; at least two shows were made every six days. And how had the fatal bullet ended up in the ceiling whilst the shell rested underneath his body? The producers wouldnt give me a job. Two people who might have had strong motives were Toni and Eddie Mannix. 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. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (1952-1958). The producers looked elsewhere for a new star.[25]. to put his budding acting career on hold and enlist in the U.S. George Reeves - Unsolved Mysteries After, they returned home and continued drinking. Climbing Back Up Almost immediately after the case was closed, questions about the truth began to arise. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived Other evidence that casts doubt on this scenario is the lack of burn marks on Reeves back. Faster than a speeding bullet! [15] They married on September 22, 1940, in San Gabriel, California, at the Church of Our Savior. The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. 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]. 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. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. [17] Reeves appeared in five Hopalong Cassidy westerns before being cast as Lieutenant John Summers opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail! Carol lived in the neighborhood. Was Lemmon with Reeves when he shot himself? Stalk It: George Reeves former home is located at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. Conspiracy theories abound and Reeves death has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend for over five decades since. 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. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves. 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. George Reeves Facts. For whatever reason, though, in my ten-plus years of living in Los Angeles, I had yet to stalk the former Supermans home. Witnesses in the house who behaved a little oddly but heard the whole thing. Its a plane! 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. [18] He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. He got angry at them for being very loud. Newspapers and wire-service reports quoted LAPD Sergeant V.A. '"'[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. He was 40 years old and wanted to quit and move on with his career. But even more importantly, The Adventures of Superman was marketed mostly towards a younger audience. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, began her callous recital after Reeves left the room. How Did George Reeves Die? - Historic True Crime Its not like my George to do a thing like that, his mother told the press. The 45-minute delay in getting help, in this scenario, was the time it took for her and her house guests to cover up the murder. The subsequent police report seem to accept the whole story at face value. Mysterious death of Superman star George Reeves and long - mirror 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. Meanwhile, DC Comics was planning a television adaptation of its most famous character. George Reeves3 Theories About The Death of Superman. A long Broadway run followed, before a national tour and a movie version. The first half of the show was a Superman sketch in which Reeves and Neill performed with LeBell as a villain called "Mr. Kryptonite" who captured Lois Lane. In 1953, Reeves played a minor character, Sergeant Maylon Stark, in From Here to Eternity. Reeves also enjoyed playing with an unloaded gun. On the night of his death, George had several friends over. [17] He avoided smoking cigarettes where children could see him and eventually quit smoking. It seems the dark secret haunted her for the rest of her life. Bessolo actually died March 4, 1944, at age 51, when his adopted son was well into his movie career. The Suspicious Death of George Reeves Trace Evidence Had Reeves gotten cold feet about their supposed wedding, or been caught on the phone to Toni Mannix? Regardless of the plausibility of these theories, its likely that the identity of whoever fired the bullet that killed the Man of Steel will remain a mystery. And George Reeves was not unable to find work, he was not broke, he was not a suicidal depressed person. At approximately 1:20 AM, Reeves excused himself, and went upstairs to bed. Superman had been cancelled and Reeves had struggled to find the serious work he craved. 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.
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