Leonore Lemmon became an alcoholic, got fat, suffered from Dementia and died in 1990. George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to his head in the upstairs bedroom at his home in Benedict Canyon. November 5, 2022. in Arts, Culture, News. 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. Inexplicably, the shell casing was found underneath Reeves body. Immediately after completing it, Reeves and the crew began production of the first season's episodes, all shot over 13 weeks in the summer of 1951. Had Reeves really shot himself three times? 1. Wikimedia CommonsReeves played opposite Vivien Leigh as one of the Tarleton twins in Gone With the Wind. Walker's property became known as "Houdini's House." Shortly after Houdini died on Halloween . Despite the questions that remain to this day, no real investigation was ever mounted. In a wild turn of events, the alleged problem with this situation was not the affair itselfjilted husband Eddie had his own liaisons outside of the marriage and allegedly had no problem with his wifes relationship with Reeves. [26] He was reportedly making $5,000 (about $50,000 in today's dollars) per week, but only while the show was in production (about eight weeks each year). To unravel the murky fate of TVs first superhero we must return to the early hours of June 16, 1959. Tragic Hollywood; Beautiful, Glamorous, And Dead - Facebook 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. After Gone with the Wind was filmed, Reeves returned to the Pasadena Playhouse and was given the lead role in the play Pancho. Newspapers and wire-service reports quoted LAPD Sergeant V.A. In the early hours of June 16, Mannix called Coates; she was hysterical and told her friend that Reeves had been murdered. We have always known that house guest Robert Condon, Carol Van Ronkel and William Bliss were there. Shortly after, she began her affair with Reeves, who at 10 years her junior, she referred to as the boy. 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]. [17] Reeves fit the rugged requirements of the roles, and, with his retentive memory for dialogue, he did well under rushed production conditions. No gunpowder residue was found on Reeves' hands. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series Adventures of Superman (19521958). 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. Reeves mother refused to believe her son had killed himself and hired famous Hollywood lawyer Jerry Giesler to investigate further. [31] However, Reeves and his partner failed to find financing, and the film was never made. 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). And that was the scene that was set on June 15, 1959. "Actress to Wed." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 1940. Had the usually diligent actor neglected to maintain his prized Jaguar properly or was this, as some have suspected, a murder attempt by Toni Mannix? Listen to 022 - The Suspicious Death of George Reeves . The police also appeared to be behaving in a careless manner. So I figured this was the perfect time to do so and dragged the Grim Cheaper right on out there last weekend. Reeves worried he would be typecast as a childrens actor. [15] They married on September 22, 1940, in San Gabriel, California, at the Church of Our Savior. [38] The bullet that killed Reeves was recovered from the bedroom ceiling, and the spent shell casing was found under his body. George Reeves was dead. 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 However, many studios were slowing down their production schedules, and some production units had shut down completely. 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. However, it was obvious that many parts of the investigation were not performed as they should have been. 'Superman' Actor George Reeves' Angry Ex Tormented Him and His 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. He was lucky to escape with head injuries that required him to take powerful painkillers right up until the night he died. The Superman cast members had restrictive contracts preventing them from taking other work that might interfere with the series. Advertisement. Forty-five minutes later, the police were called. 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 lived at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive, in the Beverly Hills area. George Reeves - Interesting stories about famous people, biographies They decided that he was fooling around, not realizing the gun was loaded. Two additional bullets were discovered embedded in the bedroom floor. Many photos shown in various magazines in the past indicated that George's bedroom windows could be seen from the street. 'See thereI told you so! He was 40 years old and wanted to quit and move on with his career. If it was Reeves that pulled the trigger then in all likelihood it was because he had had enough of his life, for whatever reason. Did the 45-year-old actor commit suicide (as was the official finding), was his death accidental, or was he murdered by his vengeful ex-lover or her jealous husband? Actors Alan Ladd and Gig Young were reportedly skeptical of the official determination. Two neighbors stopped by, hoping to join the party. He was dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. There she had met and married Frank Joseph Bessolo by 1927, according to that year's federal census. Death Of George Reeves Source: Biography. 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. [13] His Gone with the Wind screen credit reflects the change. Both would later commit suicide . 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. Gay History: Jack Larson, Gay Actor Tormented by Jimmy - timalderman The coroner ruled it 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! Others suggested that Eddie Mannix, rumored to have Mafia ties, ordered Reeves killed.[43]. Just over a year after the war started, Reeves was called up. 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. Its impossible to ever know whats truly going on in someones head, especially on a night of heavy drinking, but it did seem that Reeves was taking steps to fix his situation. Conspiracy theories abound and Reeves death has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend for over five decades since. George Reeves Home - Beverly Hills, CA - Superman Super Site Reeves knew the show could potentially be popular, but it was almost because of that that he was reticent to take it on. Alcohol, narcotics and depression are a red light warning sign for suicide, and with little other evidence available to them to suggest otherwise, its not hard to see why the Police came to this conclusion. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. The year before Reeves death he abruptly ended his relationship with Mannix, leaving her for the younger New York socialite Leonore Lemmon. His death was officially classified as. A shot was heard. How Did George Reeves Die? - Historic True Crime It may have seemed like an open and shut case: Man found upstairs, gun on the floor, a single bullet wound in his head. 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. It was to be his final feature film appearance. He won critical acclaim for the role and garnered considerable publicity. 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. Had the actor been placed on the bed some time after he was shot? The second half of the show was Reeves out of costume as himself, singing and accompanying himself on the guitar. however to this day there is an air of mystery surrounding Reeves' death. [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. Hollywood Kryptonite: The Bulldog, the Lady, and the Death of Superman Tac -- George Reeves' Home TV legend George Reeves was killed by older lover he jilted for a sex kitten 2018-11-16 - . George Reeves Superman Death | Snopes.com Mannix, who had ties to the mob, had him whacked due to the affair. [36] According to Crane (who was not present), Bill Bliss had told Millicent Trent after the shot rang out, while Bliss was having a drink, that Leonore Lemmon came downstairs and said, Tell them I was down here, tell them I was down here![37], A number of questionable physical findings were reported by investigators and others: No fingerprints were recovered from the gun. 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. As far as Reeves was concerned, one has to wonder if he had any regrets. And they call me Superman!). Due to their advanced state of inebriation the party guests were not entirely coherent, but they all seemed to agree on the suicide story. 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. Reeves was drafted into the U.S. Army in early 1943. Reeves then apologized, and the group sat around talking. 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 . The Suspicious Death of George Reeves: Who Killed Superman? - Anomalien.com Reeves died at the age of 45, from a gunshot wound to the head. Three shots were fired in the room: two on the floor and one in Reeves' head. [28] He appeared as Superman on I Love Lucy (Episode #165, "Lucy and Superman") in 1957. And then there were the bruising and other marks on Reevess body. NOT FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET American Hauntings The coroner had ruled the forty-five year old actor's death a suicide, brought about by despondency over a failing career and too much alcohol. 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]. (1956), in which Reeves wore a beard and mustache. Many felt that Reeves was tired of being known as Superman, and that he killed himself out of anguish. 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]. Had she even pulled the trigger herself? It was a bullet to the head. Advertisement. The recent feature film, "Hollywoodland" is about this questionable death of a popular celebrity. Three bullet holes were found in the bedroom, all caused by the Luger that was found resting between the victim's legs. George Reeves Death, Hollywoodland Movie - Pics of Toni Mannix, Eddie Had Reeves gotten cold feet about their supposed wedding, or been caught on the phone to Toni Mannix? George was dressed in a gray Clark Kent Suit from the tv show and his body was taken to Gates/Kingsley/Gates on Sepulveda. 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. 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. He was initially reluctant to take the role because, like many actors of his time, he considered television unimportant and believed few would see his work. 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? 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. Embattled New York Rep. George Santos said Thursday that he is "fully cooperating" with the House Ethics Committee, which is . When Officers Johnson and Korby entered the . 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. His dad left the family shortly after and his mother moved with her infant son to California. To this day, there are three possible scenarios that explain the death of George Reeves. While this may have been the final act for George Reeves Superman, it was the first act in what would become one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the role. Reeves found himself unemployable. 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. Info Share. While he returned unscathed, he struggled from that point forward to get his career back on track. Noel Neill was quoted as saying that the cast of Superman was ready to do a new series of the still-popular show. Reeves's father married Helen Schultz in 1925. Who shot TV's Superman? - Los Angeles Times Televisions beloved Superman was dead at the tender age of 45. George Reeves: "Superman" may have been murdered (June 16, 1959) Reportedly, the police had not been called until at least a half an hour after his death. George Reeves death home- Beverly Hills, CA - Infamous Crime Scenes on Waymarking.com. When he returned, his mother told him his stepfather had committed suicide. Those windows overlook the backyard and there is a garage under the guest bedroom. Warners loaned him to producer Alexander Korda to co-star with Merle Oberon in Lydia, a box-office failure. In contemporary news articles, Lemmon attributed Reeves' alleged suicide to depression caused by his "failed career" and inability to find more work. The report made by the Los Angeles Police states, "[Reeves was] depressed because he couldn't get the sort of parts he 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. Is there any truth in the persistent rumours that Reeves was murdered? Finally, theres the fiancee. Even outside of the world of comic books, bullets sometimes do funny things, and that was certainly the case in the death of George Reeves. 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 . While studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, Reeves met his future wife, Ellanora Needles. The Mysterious Death of Superman George Reeves It wasn't Kryptonite that killed Superman. 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. This theory goes that Lemmon was drunk and unhappy that night and shot her soon-to-be-husband. The Ghost of George Reeves - Medium [17] He avoided smoking cigarettes where children could see him and eventually quit smoking. As TVs original Superman, George Reeves was the ultimate hero to millions of children. The stairs turn and continue upward to the bedroom where George slept. In June of 1959, things started to look up for George. George Reeves (TV's "Superman") at - The Hollywood Garage - Facebook George Reeves' Home. His personal life took a turn for the worse a long-term affair with another man's common-law wife ended badly; he finally filed a restraining order against her. He performed on live television anthology programs, as well as on radio. No photos of the body were taken and the crime scene was not properly searched or dusted for prints. 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? Reeves and Leonore Lemmon. 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. And George Reeves was not unable to find work, he was not broke, he was not a suicidal depressed person. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and gave Reeves the distinction of appearing in two "Best Picture" films. The Los Angeles county coroner said its was a suicide, but family & friends say it was a love triangle murder. [19][20][21], Discharged at the war's end, Reeves returned to Hollywood. 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. In 1960, Reeves was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the TV industry. 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. [18] He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the USAAF's Broadway show Winged Victory. Reeves also enjoyed playing with an unloaded gun.
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