The Mysterious Death of George Reeves, the First Superman
The original Superman’s death is a perplexing American mystery that may never be fully understood.
The accounts from those present that night are full of inconsistencies, and the handling of evidence was questionable.
The individuals involved range from interesting characters to intoxicated ones, and they have taken any secrets they may have had to their graves.
In the early hours of June 16, 1959, George Reeves, who gained fame for portraying the iconic superhero in the first-ever TV series, was discovered dead in his bedroom.
He was found n^ked with a gunshot wound to his head.
While this tragedy unfolded, his fiancée and three guests were partying downstairs.
Allegedly, his soon-to-be wife narrated the events happening above.
She heartlessly began her recital by saying, “He’s going upstairs to shoot himself,” after Reeves left the room.
After hearing a gunshot, they waited 45 minutes before contacting the police.
The death was swiftly ruled a suicide, but many close to the actor believed he would never have taken his own life.
Their doubts were not solely fueled by grief and denial; the evidence was truly bewildering.
Like an optical illusion, the details could be interpreted as a man making a tragic decision in a moment of distress, or they could suggest that George Reeves was murdered.
Behind the scenes in Metropolis, all was not well.
“Faster than a speeding bullet!
More powerful than a locomotive!
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
Look!
Up in the sky!
It’s a bird!
It’s a plane!
It’s Superman!”
These iconic words reverberated through American households on September 19, 1952.
Reeves, who possessed a rugged all-American appearance more fitting for Clark Kent than a “strange visitor from another planet,” donned the famous caped costume at the age of 38.
Over the course of six years and 104 episodes, he became synonymous with the role.
He smiled confidently in photographs, striking the famous Superman power pose with his fists on his hips.
Reeves also made appearances to promote the popular television show, including a guest spot in costume on I Love Lucy.
(The punchline: “Ricardo, do you mean to say that you’ve been married to her for 15 years?
…And they call me Superman!”)
His work on the show earned him the title of the “Original Superman,” although technically, Bud Collyer had voiced the Man of Steel on the radio from 1940 to 1951, and Kirk Alyn played the role in two movie serials that ended in 1950.
Nevertheless, it was Reeves who catapulted the flying superhero to widespread fame on screen.
However, not everything was smooth sailing behind the scenes in Metropolis.
Accepting the role of a renowned superhero may be considered the pinnacle of an acting career today, but Reeves agreed to it out of desperation.
The Iowa-born actor had his big break when he was cast as one of Scarlett O’Hara’s suitors in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind.
After that, he appeared in a series of B-list movies but struggled to become a leading man.
The outbreak of World War II derailed his plans, just like it did for many men of his generation.
Although he returned unharmed, he faced difficulties in reviving his career.
Hollywood was slowly recovering from the war, and Reeves was not the only actor trying to make up for lost time.
The roles he desired were simply not coming his way.
It was during this period of stagnation that he was approached about playing the role that would define his life.
Reeves recognized the potential popularity of the show but hesitated to take it on.
At the time, television was becoming widespread in households across the country, but it was still considered inferior to film in terms of artistic value.
What worried Reeves even more was that The Adventures of Superman primarily targeted a younger audience.
He feared that accepting the role would forever typecast him as the beloved superhero in the eyes of the world and casting directors, preventing him from being seen as a leading man.
Unfortunately, his fears turned out to be justified.
In a 1958 Evening Star article boldly titled “No Work for Superman,” Reeves openly discussed the challenges he faced.
When asked why he took the role, he simply responded, “I was hungry.”
Yet, after six years, he struggled to advance his career.
“The producers wouldn’t give me a job.
They’d take one look at me and say it was impossible.”
His frustrations extended beyond his career.
While Reeves may have been famous for portraying Superman, the role did not bring him much financial success.
The actors were poorly paid, and even after receiving a raise following an unsuccessful attempt to leave the show after three seasons, Reeves found himself struggling financially.
Additionally, he was unable to secure the roles he truly desired, and the demands of playing Superman left him with little time for other pursuits.
Some speculated that profound depression and frustration with his career led to the events of that night.
However, his business manager, mother, and others believed that while he was undoubtedly disappointed in his professional life, his feelings were not strong enough to drive him to suicide.
“It’s not like my George to do a thing like that,” his mother told the press.
It is impossible to truly understand someone’s thoughts, especially on a night filled with heavy drinking.
Nevertheless, it appeared that Reeves was taking steps to improve his situation.
Like many women in Hollywood history, he turned to directing, producing, and writing when he struggled to find the roles he desired.
He was enthusiastic about creating a fulfilling career for himself and had directed the final 13 episodes of the series.
In an interview with the Evening Star, he expressed his excitement about future opportunities.
However, it was not only Reeves’ career that experienced a dramatic shift.
His personal life was far from glamorous.
After ending his marriage, Reeves engaged in a three-year affair with actress Toni Mannix, who was married to Eddie Mannix, a notorious figure involved in fixing problems for MGM Studios.
Eddie was not only a heavy presence in Hollywood but was also rumored to have connections to the mob.
Interestingly, the issue with this affair was not the affair itself.
Eddie had his own extramarital relationships, and he supposedly had no problem with his wife’s involvement with Reeves.
The problem arose when Reeves ended the affair to begin a relationship with Lenore Lemmon, who would become his fiancée.
Eddie was unhappy when his wife was unhappy.
One can’t help but wonder if Reeves had any regrets.
While he and Lemmon were scheduled to get married just days after his death, Lemmon allegedly grew disillusioned with him after realizing that
