He had affection for his young fans, and took his role-model status seriously. See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Lemmon claimed. Two people who might have had strong motives were Toni and Eddie Mannix. 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. Reeves established his own production company and conceived a TV adventure series called Port of Entry, which would be shot on location in Hawaii and Mexico. Coates was amongst many of Reeves friends and co-stars who did not believe he would have killed himself. The film suggests three possible scenarios: accidental shooting by Lemmon, murder by an unnamed hitman under orders from Eddie Mannix, and suicide. Warners loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia, a box-office failure. Reeves is interred at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena, California. George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . 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. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. It was to be his final feature film appearance. 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 Eddies exploits in covering up the sleazy underbelly of Hollywood were legendary. Advertisement. 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. And so, almost forty years later, we are left wondering. [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. 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. 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? The first photo above looks into the living room from the backyard. Not the comic book character, of course, but the man who personified the "real" Superman for an entire generation of television fans. George's fiancee Lenore Lemmon claims that in . Conspiracy theories abound and Reeves death has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend for over five decades since. 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. 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. Had Reeves gotten cold feet about their supposed wedding, or been caught on the phone to Toni Mannix? however to this day there is an air of mystery surrounding Reeves' death. For instance, Lemmon and her friends pulled a Conrad Murray by failing to call the police until about thirty minutes after discovering the body, and each seemed to have a differing account of the evening due to their inebriated states. There she had met and married Frank Joseph Bessolo by 1927, according to that year's federal census. A script was commissioned from David Chantler, who had written many of the TV scripts. 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. Reeves death was quickly ruled a suicide, but some facts of the case appear to be murky at best. 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. He left the bulk of his estate to Toni Mannix. Reeves blood alcohol content that night was .27 percent. proporcionarte nuestros sitios y aplicaciones; autenticar usuarios, aplicar medidas de seguridad y evitar el spam y los abusos, y. medir el uso que haces de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. The official ruling was suicide. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. 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? And that was the scene that was set on June 15, 1959. 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 Gone with the Wind was filmed, Reeves returned to the Pasadena Playhouse and was given the lead role in the play Pancho. Lemmon had called them after she and her party guests had found Reeves dead in his bedroom. 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. His passing even became the subject of the 2006 biographical docudrama Hollywoodland, in which Ben Affleck plays the Pasadena-bred television star. Coates had become a mutual friend of both her Superman co-star and Tony Mannix. The Mysterious Death of Superman George Reeves It wasn't Kryptonite that killed Superman. '"'[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. If Mannix was trying to extinguish the Man of Steel, its unlikely she pulled the trigger that night at 1579 Benedict Canyon. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. The police also appeared to be behaving in a careless manner. They decided that he had not committed suicide. After all these years, what happened that night at 1579 Benedict Canyon remains obscure and controversial. It was then that Lemmons actions became truly strange. Reeves initially had no autopsy and his body was swifted embalmed. Upstairs, they found the homeowner naked and sprawled across his bed. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived and died in. [15] They married on September 22, 1940, in San Gabriel, California, at the Church of Our Savior. Eddie Mannix wasnt just a heavy in Hollywood, he was also rumored to have mob connections. Wikimedia CommonsReeves played opposite Vivien Leigh as one of the Tarleton twins in Gone With the Wind. 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. Those windows overlook the backyard and there is a garage under the guest bedroom. He performed on live television anthology programs, as well as on radio, and then returned to Hollywood in 1951 for a role in a Fritz Lang film, Rancho Notorious.[22]. There was a real man behind the superhero, whose tragic early death will likely forever be a mystery. 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. The costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. Whilst highly speculative, some corroboration to this comes from Reeves own Lois Lane, actress Phyllis Coates. If his death was suicide Reeves must have held the gun with his right hand, although this in itself is suspicious as the actor had injured his right hand in an automobile accident a few weeks prior to his death. 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. He had a string of B-list movies after that, and was slowly working his way up to leading man status when bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor. By mid 1959, contracts were signed, costumes refitted, and new teleplay writers assigned. Contraversy continues. Tell them I was down here!. On June 16, 1959, Reeves was found dead in his bedroom from a gunshot wound to the head. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. 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. Death 06/10/1945 - Rebaul N.G. "An element of mystery" Reeves' death may have been ruled a suicide, but not everyone believed it. She and Eddie had used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed. When George Reeves died in 1959, the death was quickly considered to be one that was self-inflicted. They decided that he was fooling around, not realizing the gun was loaded. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. 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? Around 1, two friends came by for a visit. 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. There were also bruises on Reeves head and body. Despite these suspicions, the Los Angeles Police Department officially ruled the death a suicide, on little more than a cursory investigation. Reeves was born five months into their marriage[9] and the couple separated soon after Reeves's birth. George Reeves' Ghost. 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. He died in June of 1959, not 1958. But unable to find work, perhaps George felt he had little choice but to return to a part that clearly caused him much anguish. June 16, 1959. Who all was in the house that night? Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. Was his role to distract the house guests and facilitate the entry of a hitman to do away with Reeves? 1. He was cremated in Ohio, and ashes given to his mother, who then died in 1964. Great article tho. He appeared in a pair of outdoor thrillers with Ralph Byrd and in a Sam Katzman-produced serial, The Adventures of Sir Galahad. Authorities ruled it a suicide, but was it? Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. Talking to friend Millicent Trent, Bliss said Lemmon had actually rushed down the stairs after the gunshot and urged them to Tell them I was down here! A classically trained actor who already had some impressive credits to his name, including the 1939 classic Gone With the Wind, Reeves was reluctant to take on the role because in televisions early days, it was considered to be a rather undignified medium that was far inferior to film. 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. 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. When he returned, his mother told him his stepfather had committed suicide. 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! When Officers Johnson and Korby entered the . 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 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. The mystery surrounding the death of George Reeves, the original Man of Steel. 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. There's a general belief that Toni Mannix bought the house, but his name 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. Seeing the neighbors, he told them, Get out. All was not well behind the scenes in Metropolis. The areas which appeared in the commercial include the den; the master bedroom (where the actor died); and the backyard. The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. 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. For whatever reason, though, in my ten-plus years of living in Los Angeles, I had yet to stalk the former Supermans home. It is sometimes easy to get caught up in the mystery of George Reeves demise, the different theories and suspects. 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. However, it was obvious that many parts of the investigation were not performed as they should have been. He was dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. 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. Lemmon stayed awake and about thirty minutes later three friends dropped by for a visit. Reeves was apparently scheduled to marry Lemmon on June 19 and then spend their honeymoon in Tijuana. 1579 Benedict Canyon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. George Reeves was born George Keefer Brewer in Iowa in 1914five months into his parents' marriage. The show was a smashing success, drawing huge audiences each episode. 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 . Reeves was transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. Lemmon moved into his house, and they were to be married on June 18. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. 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. The planned revival of Superman was apparently a small lifeline. He was contracted to Warner Brothers at the time, and the actor's professional name became "George Reeves" and his GWTW screen credit reflects the change. 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. SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! Mannix died in 1983 at the age of 77--her husband Eddie had died in 1963. In reality, George Reeves life was a far cry from that of his heroic television counterpart. Stalk It: George Reeves former home is located at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. 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. 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. This is however not the case as it it the guest bedroom that faces the street. [38] The bullet that killed Reeves was recovered from the bedroom ceiling, and the spent shell casing was found under his body. 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] 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. [13] His Gone with the Wind screen credit reflects the change. "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. The long Broadway run was followed by a national tour and a movie version. But she was also suffering from alzheimer's at the time of her death, and may have confused fact with the many fictions that had long circulated about the death of her former lover. Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 06:25, Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Death of George Reeves The Original Superman", "The Life and Tragic Death of 'Superman' Star George Reeves Plus the Actor in his Own Words", "7 super things you might not know about George Reeves", "11 Homes That Are Haunted by Dead Celebrities", "Was Superman star George Reeves a suicide or murder victim? He appeared in a pair of outdoor thrillers with Ralph Byrd. 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. Learn about George Reeves death and the true story behind the Hollywoodland movie starring Ben Affleck as TV's Superman. At around1 am, William Bliss and Carol Van Ronkel came by for an impromptu meeting. The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. Attempting to showcase his versatility, Reeves sang on the Tony Bennett show in August 1956. The brown-shingled bungalow, which was built in 1947, boasts 2 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 1,717 square feet. 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. Another Superman stage show was scheduled for July[32] with a planned stage tour of Australia. Their suspicions werent entirely fueled by grief and denialthe evidence was puzzling. According to partygoers, one of the guests raced upstairs to find Reeves lying across his bed, the life snuffed out of him by a bullet in the head. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results George Azer Reeves (1914 - 1945) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. According to the autopsy report, Reeves had taken his .30 caliber German Luger pistol, placed it near his right temple and pulled the trigger. That position was taken over by Frank . The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. His relatives believed he was murdered, and disputed the official ruling of suicide. 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 . (1942), a war drama for Paramount Pictures, which signed Reeves up for two films a year. 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. The house where actor George Reeves, TV's "Superman," was found dead of a gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. George Reeves Born George Keefer Brewer in Woolstock, Iowa in 1914, the boy who would become Superman moved around a lot. Robert (Bobby) was writing a book about boxer Archie Moore. And George Reeves was not unable to find work, he was not broke, he was not a suicidal depressed person. [17] He was drafted in early 1943. To unravel the murky fate of TVs first superhero we must return to the early hours of June 16, 1959. A shot was heard. The producers looked elsewhere for a new star.[25]. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and gave Reeves the distinction of appearing in two "Best Picture" films. As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (1952-1958). Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, began her callous recital after Reeves left the room. Carol lived in the neighborhood. In 1960, Reeves was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the TV industry. He won critical acclaim for the role and garnered considerable publicity. [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. Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty ImagesPhyllis Coates and George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman. (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) 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. Like an optical illusion, from one angle the details clearly show a man who, in a moment of distress, made a tragic decision. 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? No photos of the body were taken and the crime scene was not properly searched or dusted for prints. George Reeves mother Helen Bessolo never accepted the official verdict and hired private investigators to to reopen the investigation into his death. Inexplicably, the shell casing was found underneath Reeves body. Giesler had been paid a hefty sum, so why did he suddenly drop the case? George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to his head in the upstairs bedroom at his home in Benedict Canyon. This includes accusations of murder directed at his fiance and ex-girlfriend. George Reeves hit the television jackpot when he landed the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman in the television series The Adventures of Superman. The roles just werent coming his way. ", 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. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. The windows above the living room are the windows to George's bedroom. But it was Reeves who brought the flying Man of Steel to widespread popularity, at least on the screen. I was depressed, and I accepted instantly that he had committed suicide, Larson told Unsolved Mysteries in 1995. 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. [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. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. However, many studios were slowing down their production schedules, and some production units had shut down completely. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! The main reason Reeves was said to have committed suicide was depression over his declining fortunes as an actor. Reeves' will, dated 1956, bequeathed his entire estate to Toni Mannix, much to Lemmon's surprise and devastation. Quick Description: The actor George Reeves house where TV's "Superman," was found dead of a head gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. Reeves worked tirelessly with Toni Mannix to raise money to fight myasthenia gravis. Hard drinking and hard partying, she gave as good as she got, and had the dubious distinction of been the first woman to be thrown out of New Yorks famous Stork club for fist fighting. 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. Reeves usually had an open door policy, but not after midnight. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. 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. Finally, a single shot rang out. 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. Eddie was not happy when his wife wasnt happy. gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. Look! He served as national chairman for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation in 1955. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y Poltica de cookies. In the early hours of June 16, Mannix called Coates; she was hysterical and told her friend that Reeves had been murdered. Clearly she had the motive, and through her ruthless and well connected husband she certainly had the means. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. On the night of June 15th, 1959, Reeves and Lemmon went out to dinner and the two reportedly drank a great deal. In their book Hollywood Kryptonite, Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger make a case for the involvement of MGM vice president and fixer Eddie Mannix. She had prepared the meal for Reeves and guest Robert Condon, a writer who was there to do an article on Reeves and his upcoming bout with Archie Moore.