He was born in Woolstock, Iowa but eventually moved to Galesburg, Illinois after his parents separated. While he returned unscathed, he struggled from that point forward to get his career back on track. Mobster Mickey Cohen once described Toni Mannix as the only person in Hollywood who had any balls. 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. After his death, it was revealed that he left everything to Toni, which could have been an oversight given he and Lemmon had only been together six months, or it could have been a big middle finger. [13] The Bessolo marriage lasted 15 years, ending in divorce, with the couple separating while Reeves was away visiting relatives. Reeves initially had no autopsy and his body was swifted embalmed. Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. The death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. This theory goes that Lemmon was drunk and unhappy that night and shot her soon-to-be-husband. Cancel OK Your account Hollywood comic, Lou Lubin, is on right. 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. 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. He was cremated in Ohio, and ashes given to his mother, who then died in 1964. Reeves worried he would be typecast as a childrens actor. 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. 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. 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 What raised eyebrows regarding Reeves' death is that he was found naked in his bedroom by his guests during a small gathering at 1:59 a.m.; his guests waited 45 minutes to call police; detectives found additional bullet holes in the floor of his bedroom; bruises were found on Reeves' body; shell casings were discovered in strange locations; and a 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". Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head in the upstairs bedroom of his home at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive[34] in Benedict Canyon between 1:30 and 2:00a.m. on June 16, 1959, according to the Los Angeles Police Department report. There was a real man behind the superhero, whose tragic early death will likely forever be a mystery. As Reeves returned to his room, Lemmon bizarrely began providing some morbid commentary. When his mother moved to California to be with her sister, it was said Reeves never saw his father again. Many studios were slowing down their production schedules, however, and some production units had shut down completely. Those windows overlook the backyard and there is a garage under the guest bedroom. And George Reeves was not unable to find work, he was not broke, he was not a suicidal depressed person. In the early hours of June 16, Mannix called Coates; she was hysterical and told her friend that Reeves had been murdered. Reeves died at the age of 45, from a gunshot wound to the head. At around 2am that morning, two police officers arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, the house Reeves had been living at with his new fiance Leonore Lemmon during the previous few months. Reeves wrote the pilot script himself. [17] Warner changed his professional name to George Reeves. He directed the final 13 episodes of the series, and told the Evening Star that he was enthused about doing more.. [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. 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 . Carol lived in the neighborhood. This includes accusations of murder directed at his fiance and ex-girlfriend. The issue was that Reeves eventually broke Tonis heart when he called it off to begin a relationship with the woman who would become his fiancee, Lenore Lemmon. The Day Superman Died, George Reeves Death House 6,369 views Feb 16, 2019 159 Dislike Share Save Michael Thompson's Hidden In Plain Sight 688 subscribers In this video I visit the house where. He Grew Up Thinking He Was Italian. 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. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! 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. [17] He was drafted in early 1943. 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 Superman cast members had restrictive contracts preventing them from taking other work that might interfere with the series. 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. Your definitive source to filming locations and all things Hollywood! He complained to friends, columnists, and his mother of his financial problems. 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. 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. According to biographer Jim Beaver, Reeves did not know for several years that Bessolo was still alive. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. Death Of George Reeves Source: Biography. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results George Azer Reeves (1914 - 1945) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. 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. The second half of the show was Reeves out of costume as himself, singing and accompanying himself on the guitar. 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]. She was absolutely terrified of going to hell", Lozzi told the LA Times. Jack Larson, who died at 87 on Sunday, was a gifted writer and gay man whose talents and personal struggles were overshadowed by his role as . Whilst highly speculative, some corroboration to this comes from Reeves own Lois Lane, actress Phyllis Coates. However, many of his friends and colleagues believe the actor was murdered, his death the stormy culmination of a tangled love life. 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. Entering the house from the street side, you walk into the living room. 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 His dad left the family shortly after and his mother moved with her infant son to California. 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. She also hired private investigators to investigate his death. His passing even became the subject of the 2006 biographical docudrama Hollywoodland, in which Ben Affleck plays the Pasadena-bred television star. George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . Reeves's father married Helen Schultz in 1925. Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. He served as national chairman for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation in 1955. She and Eddie had used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed. [19][20][21], Discharged at the war's end, Reeves returned to Hollywood. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Reeves worked tirelessly with Toni Mannix to raise money to fight myasthenia gravis. Another rumor was that a car was heard speeding away from the house as well. Henderson, Jan Alan, Speeding Bullet, M. Bifulco, 1999; Helen Roberta Lescher Brewer Bessolo (18921964) - Born in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois, US. He looked forward to working with So Proudly We Hail! George lived at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive, in the Beverly Hills area. In 1953, Reeves played a minor character, Sergeant Maylon Stark, in From Here to Eternity. But his business manager and mother, among others, said that while it was true he was disappointed in the way things were going, his feelings werent strong enough to explain a suicide. The first photo above looks into the living room from the backyard. Info Share. He was working on creating a fulfilling career for himself. 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. 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. (The punchline: Ricardo, do you mean to say that youve been married to her for 15 years? Reeves's film career began in 1939 when he was cast as Stuart Tarleton (albeit incorrectly listed in the film's credits as Brent Tarleton), one of Vivien Leigh's suitors in Gone with the Wind. George's fiancee Lenore Lemmon claims that in . U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records 19381946, dated March24, 1943, Speeding Bullet, 2nd Ed, by Jan Alan Henderson, p. 151. In reality, George Reeves life was a far cry from that of his heroic television counterpart. (1942), a war drama for Paramount Pictures, which signed Reeves up for two films a year. See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Lemmon claimed. In 1983, the publicist sat by her bedside during her last hours, and knowing she was the last person on earth to know the truth, confessed all to her priest. You can watch George Reeves Kelloggs Corn Flakes commercial by clicking above. The actor was discovered laying face up on his bed, naked, with a single gunshot wound to his right temple and a .30 caliber Luger on the floor in between his lifeless feet. It was to be his final feature film appearance. Is there any truth in the persistent rumours that Reeves was murdered? The Suspicious Death of George Reeves. Advertisement. But not even Lane could have imagined that the dead boy was none other than Superman George Reeves himself. "Actress to Wed." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1940. 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. Then check out 48 photos that capture vintage Hollywood. Further to this, a later search of the bedroom found two extra bullet holes. 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. He left the bulk of his estate to Toni Mannix. As TVs original Superman, George Reeves was the ultimate hero to millions of children. however to this day there is an air of mystery surrounding Reeves' death. November 5, 2022. in Arts, Culture, News. (Some sources contend that it may not have been looked for, as gunshot residue testing was not routinely performed 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. Eddies exploits in covering up the sleazy underbelly of Hollywood were legendary. And did that scandal involve one of the most powerful men in the movie business, Toni Maddoxs husband Eddie? Reeves mother refused to believe her son had killed himself and hired famous Hollywood lawyer Jerry Giesler to investigate further. When the police did arrive, they found no sign . Next, read about the gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. 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. Attempting to showcase his versatility, Reeves sang on the Tony Bennett show in August 1956. Puedes cambiar tus opciones en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el enlace Panel de control de privacidad de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. If this was the case, then clearly he had not fired the gun himself, and another party was involved. The night Superman died and an enduring mystery was born. Catalog; For You; Globe. The 2006 movie, Hollywoodland starring Ben Affleckas Reeves, explores his life and relationships in greater detail. 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. In the home of actor George Reeves, people frantically handed somebody else their martini glass and then tried to wake the naked couple in bed, though the police wouldn't be called for nearly an hour.Earlier that evening, Reeves and his fiance had gotten into an argument at a restaurant or two and, despite planning to wed in only four days' time, Reeves reportedly wanted . At the beginning of his life, George Reeves was a Midwesterner by birth but, as he grew older, he made his way out to California with his mother. According to Condon, Lemmon was in an combative mood that night, and had made somewhat of a scene in the restaurant. The main reason Reeves was said to have committed suicide was depression over his declining fortunes as an actor. The series went on the air the following year, and Reeves was amazed at becoming a national celebrity. Flickr CommonsThe costume Reeves donned as Superman on TV. George Reeves' Ghost. 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? He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (19521958). Fellow actors Gig Young and Alan Ladd publicly doubted that Reeves took his own life. 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. Lemmon stayed awake and about thirty minutes later three friends dropped by for a visit. 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 died of a gunshot wound to his head in the upstairs bedroom at his home in Benedict Canyon. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. Everyone involved is now dead, and little or no evidence from the crime scene remains. Both would later commit suicide . 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 Mysterious Death of Superman. But this had no official status and could not overrule the coroner's verdict of suicide. She even commissioned a second autopsy, which concluded that Reeves was possibly murdered. The recent feature film, "Hollywoodland" is about this questionable death of a popular celebrity. One variation on this theory is that Reeves accidentally shot himself playing a game of Russian Roulette. The house where actor George Reeves, TV's "Superman," was found dead of a gunshot wound on June 16, 1959. Reeves and Sherman impressed the casting director by performing seven pages of script in a single take without pause. The report made by the Los Angeles Police states, "[Reeves was] depressed because he couldn't get the sort of parts he wanted." More powerful than a locomotive! Whilst its true the actor had a habit of playing dangerous games with his gun, naked in bed at 1am does not seem a very likely time for macabre party tricks. We have always known that house guest Robert Condon, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss were there. Reeves and Toni Mannix split in 1958 and Reeves announced his engagement to society playgirl Leonore Lemmon. 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. 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. The mystery surrounding the death of George Reeves, the original Man of Steel. Ruled as a. First, Reeves was found naked. During the dinner, they had argued. And they call me Superman!). 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. 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. 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. However, a number of suspicious details about the case have long piqued the interest of gossip mongers and armchair detective alike. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 June 16, 1959) was an American actor. George Reeves Facts. Some even say George Reeves appears at the foot of the bed every now and then, dressed as Superman. But unable to find work, perhaps George felt he had little choice but to return to a part that clearly caused him much anguish. Perhaps the toxic mixture of alcohol and painkillers had led to a fatal misjudgment? Reeves's film career began in 1939 when he was cast as Stuart Tarleton (incorrectly listed in the film's credits as Brent Tarleton), one of Scarlett O'Hara's suitors in Gone with the Wind. Its a bird! There were 104 episodes of The Adventures of Superman before the cancellation ax fell in 1958. 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. The following is taken from the official autopsy report: Exactly what happened that night was never fully resolved, due to varying drunken accounts. Great article tho. [28] He appeared as Superman on I Love Lucy (Episode #165, "Lucy and Superman") in 1957. Why had Lemmon waited for so long - 45 minutes or so, to call the police? However, these were never investigated and Giesler strangely refused to work on the case any longer. [18] He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. The home is currently a private residence but photos can be easily taken from the street. Theyd take one look at me and say it was impossible.. Many, though, believed the investigation had been rushed and this may have been a case of homicide. "An element of mystery" Reeves' death may have been ruled a suicide, but not everyone believed it. A noise echoed: See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Then a shot: I told you, hes shot himself.. However, rumors suspect that there was foul play involved in his passing. 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. To unravel the murky fate of TVs first superhero we must return to the early hours of June 16, 1959. Since a 9mm Luger generally ejects its shells to the right, it's hard to conceive what position the actor must have been in when he fired for it to have ended up underneath him. They decided that he had not committed suicide. Nosotros, Yahoo, somos parte de la familia de marcas de Yahoo. 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. Conversely, not everyone who is depressed about their career takes their own life. Those guests were neighbour Carol Van Ronkel, her lover Robert Condon, and another neighbour, William Bliss. In the 1950s the actor, George Reeves was best known for his portrayal of Superman in the television series, Adventures of Superman. Includes the ability to log visits, view logs, save and filter offline Waymarks and use beautiful offline maps! 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. It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. They decided that he was fooling around, not realizing the gun was loaded. 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. Peterson as saying: "Miss Lemmon blurted, 'He's probably going to go shoot himself.' To this day, there are three possible scenarios that explain the death of George Reeves. . 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. According to the statements given to the police (statements that were no doubt slurred), Reeves came down to ask them to be quiet, they convinced him to stay for a drink, and then he stomped his way back upstairs. The accident was rendered in a more sinister light when Reeves mechanic discovered the brake fluid in the car had been drained. According to commentaries on the Adventures of Superman DVD sets, multiple scripts were filmed simultaneously to take advantage of the standing sets; for example, all the "Perry White's office" scenes for three or four episodes would be shot the same day and the various "apartment" scenes would be done consecutively. He was 40 years old and wanted to quit and move on with his career. Everyone involved decided that it had been a suicide. 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. Bessolo actually died March 4, 1944, at age 51, when his adopted son was well into his movie career. There were also fresh bruises on the body. There were also bruises on Reeves head and body. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. 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. From 1952 to 1958 he starred in 104 episodes, but by the late 50s it had declined in popularity and it was put into hiatus after its sixth season. On 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. In 1959, however, negotiations began for a renewal of the series, with 26episodes scheduled to go into production. She also had a reputation as a gold digger, having married twice before for money. Their relationship was full of booze and bickering. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their graves. Finally, theres the fiancee. TV legend George Reeves was killed by older lover he jilted for a sex kitten 2018-11-16 - . I have been researching a full-scale After, they returned home and continued drinking. THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1951-1957) - unknown actor (left) with George Reeves as "Superman." He was able to play against type and starred as a villainous gold hunter in a Johnny Weissmuller Jungle Jim film. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their gravesIn . 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. After Gone with the Wind was filmed, Reeves returned to the Pasadena Playhouse and was given the lead role in the play Pancho. Reeves, however, earned additional income from personal appearances. In 1960, Reeves was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the TV industry. So I figured this was the perfect time to do so and dragged the Grim Cheaper right on out there last weekend. Mother Victoria Alice Mason. He appeared in a pair of outdoor thrillers with Ralph Byrd. 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. 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]. Twentieth Century-Fox loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia,[17] a box-office failure, after which he freelanced, looking to find work in westerns. Reeves had been having an affair with his wife Toni Mannix. These roles did little to advance Reeves's career, and his contract with Warners was dissolved by mutual consent. Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. 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. The police ruled his death a suicide, but rumors quickly surfaced that Reeves was.