If the Hollywood stories are to be believed, any death involving a girl and a gun is suspicious. 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. [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. Advertisement. First, Reeves was found naked. If anything, it seemed like Reeves career was on the up. 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 . Another rumor was that a car was heard speeding away from the house as well. 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". . Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. Vacio and Neill accompanied him in duets.[30]. His fears were not unfounded, as he had been out of work for two years by the time of his death in 1959. Nevertheless, the end of his iconic role reportedly hit him hard and at 45, typecast, unemployed and overweight, he found himself reduced to appearing in commercials and celebrity boxing matches. Reeves would later recall the impact Sandrich's death had on his career. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (19521958). The Mysterious Death of Superman George Reeves It wasn't Kryptonite that killed Superman. Reeves was drafted into the U.S. Army in early 1943. He served as national chairman for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation in 1955. "An element of mystery" Reeves' death may have been ruled a suicide, but not everyone believed it. The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. Were Hollywood's police force keeping a lid on the truth to protect Tinseltown from another scandal? (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) If anyone could put the heat on Superman it was Eddie. He starred in a number of two-reel short subjects and appeared in several B-pictures, including two with Ronald Reagan and three with James Cagney (Torrid Zone, The Fighting 69th, and The Strawberry Blonde). 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. Had she even pulled the trigger herself? November 5, 2022. in Arts, Culture, News. 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. But this had no official status and could not overrule the coroner's verdict of suicide. Besides, the gun was not a revolver and it was quite evident whether it was chambered or not. Eddie was not happy when his wife wasnt happy. 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. It was then that Lemmons actions became truly strange. Army. 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. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer in 1914) began his Hollywood career in a variety of bit parts in the late 1930s, including a small role in the epic film Gone with the Wind, and worked . September6, 1892 was the daughter of George Christian Lescher and Eliza Jane McKenzie, she died in a Pasadena hospital on June 18, 1964. 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. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. 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. 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. 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. Is there any truth in the persistent rumours that Reeves was murdered? 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. The woman on the other end of the line was a woman named Toni Mannix. The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. Eddie Mannix wasnt just a heavy in Hollywood, he was also rumored to have mob connections. In the early hours of June 16, Mannix called Coates; she was hysterical and told her friend that Reeves had been murdered. Or perhaps Toni took matters into her own hands and simply had her husband cover it up. Forty-five minutes later, the police were called. According to the Argus observer, "George Reeves, 45, was found dead in his upstairs bedroom of this house . 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 producers looked elsewhere for a new star.[25]. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. Some even say George Reeves appears at the foot of the bed every now and then, dressed as Superman. Had Reeves gotten cold feet about their supposed wedding, or been caught on the phone to Toni Mannix? 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. Henderson, Jan Alan, Speeding Bullet, M. Bifulco, 1999; Helen Roberta Lescher Brewer Bessolo (18921964) - Born in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois, US. 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. Effectively living an open marriage, Eddie tolerated, even liked Reeves, and himself maintained a younger mistress. The sinister true story behind the death of George Reeves By Gaby Wood 13 March 2016 12:18pm Reeves, star of the Fifties TV show The Adventures of Superman, was shot in 1959. A month later, having uncovered no evidence contradicting the official finding, Giesler announced that he was satisfied that the gunshot wound had been self-inflicted and withdrew.[41][39]. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived and died in. On June 16, 1959, Reeves died from a single gunshot wound in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home. 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. 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. Loved the commercial..how cool! George Reeves, whose work as TV's Man of Steel would set the Superman screen standard for decades, died in his Benedict Canyon home from a gunshot to the head. He got angry at them for being very loud. 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. That night she received a disturbing phone call. But in a franchise that's seen its share of tragedy George Reeves's reported suicide, Christopher Reeve's spinal injury the woes of the actor who played Jimmy in the 1950s went underreported. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their graves. 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. Reeves initially had no autopsy and his body was swifted embalmed. [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. In 1959, however, negotiations began for a renewal of the series, with 26episodes scheduled to go into production. That position was taken over by Frank . However, Reeves mother, Helen Bessolo, was convinced that her son had been murdered. The coroner ruled it suicide. . Reeves' friend Rory Calhoun told a reporter "No one in Hollywood believed the suicide story." [13] The Bessolo marriage lasted 15 years, ending in divorce, with the couple separating while Reeves was away visiting relatives. [17] He was drafted in early 1943. Gene LeBell was there at George's house the morning before George died, training George. Honorary pallbearers included Alan Ladd and Gig Young. Reeves new girlfriend, who had since moved in, was a New York socialite named Leonore Lemmon, with whom he was rumored to be engaged. [14], While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles, granddaughter of circus magnate John Robinson. His body was later cremated and interred at the Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, which I blogged about during my Haunted Hollywood theme last year. 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. Reeves wrote the pilot script himself. Leonore Lemmons behaviour after Reeves death did little to allay suspicions she may have had more involvement than she was letting on. All too often it is those closest to someone who takes their own life who can least understand it. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records 19381946, dated March24, 1943, Speeding Bullet, 2nd Ed, by Jan Alan Henderson, p. 151. 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. She was absolutely terrified of going to hell", Lozzi told the LA Times. All three bullets had been fired from the weapon found at Reeves' feet, though all witnesses agreed they heard only one gunshot, and there was no sign of forced entry or other physical evidence that a second person was in the room. 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. Tall and chisel jawed, Reeves was the perfect choice to play the all American hero in the syndicated television show the Adventures of Superman. In 1957, the producers considered a theatrical film Superman and the Secret Planet. Robert (Bobby) was writing a book about boxer Archie Moore. 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. 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. The official cause of death for Reeves was ruled a suicide. During the dinner, they had argued. Giesler called for a second autopsy. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. I was depressed, and I accepted instantly that he had committed suicide, Larson told Unsolved Mysteries in 1995. Reeves and Sherman impressed the casting director by performing seven pages of script in a single take without pause. By mid 1959, contracts were signed, costumes refitted, and new teleplay writers assigned. Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, began her callous recital after Reeves left the room. 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. But all was not well behind the scenes in Metropolis. George Reeves' death was ruled a suicide, . to put his budding acting career on hold and enlist in the U.S. Seeing the neighbors, he told them, Get out. 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. Reeves himself was convinced it was Mannix behind a string of strange incidents that had befallen him in the aftermath of their breakup. They got home around 11 p.m. A couple hours later, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss stopped by for a drink. Climbing Back Up Almost immediately after the case was closed, questions about the truth began to arise. No scandals were too big to be neutralised by Eddie, from covering-up Clark Gable accidently killing actress Tosca Roulien, to tracking down and buying up every copy of a porn film starring Joan Crawford. Reeves found himself unemployable. 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? The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Others suggested that Eddie Mannix, rumored to have Mafia ties, ordered Reeves killed.[43]. Wikimedia CommonsReeves played opposite Vivien Leigh as one of the Tarleton twins in Gone With the Wind. Reeves's career as Superman had begun with Superman and the Mole Men, a film intended both as a B-picture and as the pilot for the TV series. Giesler had been paid a hefty sum, so why did he suddenly drop the case? Finally, a single shot rang out. Michael Hayde firmly believes that George Reeves was murdered. 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. Reeves was transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. 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. 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. At around1 am, William Bliss and Carol Van Ronkel came by for an impromptu meeting. It is located in a fairly modest area, even though the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. Later, Reeves's mother,[12] who was of German descent, moved to California to stay with her sister. The roles just werent coming his way. Later that year, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. Reeves reportedly never saw his father again. Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point. After the war, Reeves returned to Hollywood. She also had a reputation as a gold digger, having married twice before for money. Their relationship was full of booze and bickering. George Reeves was born George Keefer Brewer in Iowa in 1914five months into his parents' marriage. Coates was amongst many of Reeves friends and co-stars who did not believe he would have killed himself. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. He starred in a number of two-reel short subjects and appeared in several B-pictures, including two with future president of the United States Ronald Reagan and three with James Cagney (Torrid Zone, The Fighting 69th, and The Strawberry Blonde). Embattled New York Rep. George Santos said Thursday that he is "fully cooperating" with the House Ethics Committee, which is . According to biographer Jim Beaver, Reeves did not know for several years that Bessolo was still alive. 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. Carol lived in the neighborhood. Attempting to showcase his versatility, Reeves sang on the Tony Bennett show in August 1956. Reeves worried he would be typecast as a childrens actor. According to Larson, Reeves said that if Mark Sandrich had not died, he would not be there in "this monkey suit". Two people who might have had strong motives were Toni and Eddie Mannix. The Afterlife of George Reeves Actor George Reeves died at 1:59 am on June 16, 1959. 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. On the night of June 15th, 1959, Reeves and Lemmon went out to dinner and the two reportedly drank a great deal. The ex-girlfriend who couldn't let go Beginning in 1948, Reeves had a 10-year. The show was a smashing success, drawing huge audiences each episode. 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. According to Kashner and Schoenberger (A Talent for Genius), however, unanswered details about Reeves's demise shroud what in truth was foul play. 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. Reeves worked tirelessly with Toni Mannix to raise money to fight myasthenia gravis. He complained to friends, columnists, and his mother of his financial problems. At this time, Reeves and his mother moved from Iowa to Ashland, Kentucky, to stay with relatives for a time[10] and then to her home of Galesburg, Illinois.[11]. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. Three bullet holes were found in the bedroom, all caused by the Luger that was found resting between the victim's legs. 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. According to the autopsy report, Reeves had taken his .30 caliber German Luger pistol, placed it near his right temple and pulled the trigger. It is located in a fairly modest area, even though the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. They decided that he had not committed suicide. 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? 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. Televisions beloved Superman was dead at the tender age of 45. Newspapers and wire-service reports quoted LAPD Sergeant V.A. 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. George Reeves from "Superman" had a mysterious death that saw him die from a single gunshot wound to the head. But from another, the death of George Reeves looks a lot like murder. Reeves's father married Helen Schultz in 1925. Lemmon says George Reeves committed suicide. George lived at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive, in the Beverly Hills area. 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. He kept his private life discreet, including a romantic relationship with Toni Mannix, wife of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer general manager Eddie Mannix. It was to be his final feature film appearance. He won critical acclaim for the role and garnered considerable publicity. Learn about George Reeves death and the true story behind the Hollywoodland movie starring Ben Affleck as TV's Superman. If they were fired earlier, then at the very least its evidence somebody in the house had a somewhat cavalier attitude to firearms. The house where George lived is fairly modest for the area, but the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. Hollywood comic, Lou Lubin, is on right. 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 . Actors Alan Ladd and Gig Young were reportedly skeptical of the official determination. Upstairs, they found the homeowner naked and sprawled across his bed. [17] Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles, and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. On 16 June 1959, George Reeves retired to his bed at 12, after going out for dinner with his fianc, Leonore.
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