The Mysterious And Tragic Death Of Superman Actor George Reeves
Not a bird, nor a plane, Superman is one of the highest-flying characters to ever hit the screen. Often considered the first widely popular comic book superhero, the Man of Steel paved the way for the iconic heroes-in-tights that account for billions of dollars at the box office today. Long before Robert Downey Jr. was suiting up in iron or Samuel L. Jackson was warding off an alien invasion, one man brought Superman to screens across the nation and transitioned superheroes from brightly colored characters in comic books to viable live-action entertainment properties: George Reeves.
Reeves was not the first man to pull on the blue tights and boast the 'S' shield on his chest — that honor belongs to Kirk Alyn, who portrayed Superman in two film serials from 1948 to 1950. However, Reeves did bring the man in tights to television screens and made Clark Kent an iconic household name for children across the country with 1951's "Adventures of Superman."
Sadly, the popular series was abruptly canceled after 104 episodes, after Reeves was found dead from a gunshot wound in his Beverly Hills home in 1959. Despite the undeniable popularity of the superhero today, many fans still do not know about the mysterious and suspicious circumstances surrounding Reeves' untimely passing. Keep reading to uncover the tragic tale of the real-world death of Superman.
George Reeves' acting career
Born as George Brewer, the one-day Superman was given his adoptive father's last name, Bessolo, and lived for many years under the assumption that he was of Italian heritage. He made his break into Hollywood by performing at the famed Pasadena Playhouse. Under the stage name of George Reeves, the actor's first onscreen performance came in one of the most popular films ever made, "Gone with the Wind," where he portrayed a potential suitor of Scarlett O'Hara. Despite the popularity of the film and Reeves' growing reputation in theater, he struggled to land substantial roles.
As Reeves' career finally seemed to find some stability, seeing him landing key roles in the "Hopalong Cassidy" series of Western films, he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 to fight in World War II. Upon his return after the war, he found Hollywood in a drastically different position. Reeves struggled to find consistent acting work and was digging cesspools to help pay the bills. Finally, he landed the role of a comic book superhero in a new television series, "Adventures of Superman," and its feature film off-shoot "Superman and the Mole Men." Despite the project being a low-paying gig, Reeves was adored in the role that suited his natural charm and warmth, reflected in the signature wink that he would give the audience in many of Superman's appearances.
The trouble with being Superman
Undoubtedly, landing the role of Superman in a feature film and successful television series would catapult any actor into A-list status in today's superhero-loving entertainment business. However, in the 1950s, television actors were considered inferior to film performers, and the juvenile audiences of the comic book adaptation did not help mature viewers take him seriously. But Reeves brought to life the titular role in "Adventures of Superman," making regular public appearances with the 'S' on his chest, and he created a habit of working with underprivileged children.
Yet Reeves was unfulfilled with the ongoing role and the near-instantaneous typecasting he received for playing the Man of Steel. "The only rub in playing Superman is that I have a tough time finding other roles," Reeves told the Akron Beacon Journal (via Closer Weekly) in 1956. "Most movie producers feel I'm too closely identified with Superman, so won't use me." He had his part almost completely removed from the feature film "From Here to Eternity" after audiences would holler "Superman!" whenever he appeared on screen. Reeves' film career ended faster than a locomotive and he struggled to find work beyond his superhero identity. His most famous cameo outside of the series was on an episode of "I Love Lucy," where he appeared in full blue tights as the iconic hero. Regardless of the success of "Superman," Reeves struggled financially, craved more out of his career, and passed away long before the fame of playing Superman earned actors substantial acclaim.
Followed by a speeding bullet
The man from Krypton, belovingly known as Superman, has many tricks and powers bestowed upon him thanks to Earth's yellow sun. Superhuman speed, strength, and stamina are accentuated by X-ray vision, freezing breath, and flight. However, one of the character's mightiest powers is his invulnerability, gifting the alien the durability to take hits from the most nefarious monsters without losing a drop of blood. Notably, this ability makes him impervious to one of man's most dangerous weapons: As depicted in many episodes of "Adventures of Superman," speeding bullets fold and deflect off Superman's impenetrable skin like Nerf pellets.
Sadly, George Reeves' consistent portrayal of being bulletproof on screen would come back to haunt him. During one of the actor's regular public appearances in full Superman garb, a curious adolescent fan wished to test if Reeves genuinely had the invulnerability powers of the titular hero. The child aimed a loaded gun at the Man of Steel actor to witness his bulletproof ability for himself. Thankfully, Reeves was able to leave the situation unscathed. But the trauma of the event forced the actor to rethink his public appearances, and after a delayed absence, he spent his next tour teaching youth about the risks of firearms.
The Man of Steel's complicated love life
Before diving deeper into the circumstances of George Reeves' passing, it is essential to learn about the actor's turbulent romantic life. As mentioned, Reeves lived a humble life and often struggled to keep up with finances. At least in part, the actor's waning success made it difficult for him to maintain intimate connections, and he divorced his first wife Ellanora Needles in 1941.
In 1948, Reeves found unconventional love with celebrity socialite Toni Mannix, who happened to be the wife of MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix. Known as 'The Fixer,' Eddie Mannix used his rumored mob connections to help cover up Hollywood dramas that could damage the reputation or profitability of the studio and its stars. However, the film producer, who had his own mistresses, was reportedly fine with his wife having an affair with George Reeves. The open adultery saw Toni Mannix shower her Superman stud with gifts and money.
However, things were not so fine when Reeves ended the 10-year relationship and moved his new love interest, Leonore Lemmon, into the home that Toni Mannix had purchased for him. Reportedly, the Mannix pair were upset about the situation, eventually resulting in Reeves filing a restraining order against his former flame. Still, Reeves became engaged to Lemmon and was scheduled to marry her just three days after his untimely death.
The night Superman died
In the early hours of June 16, 1959, Reeves, Lemmon, and their houseguest Robert Condon were retired to their respective bedrooms when two friends, William Bliss and Carol Von Ronkel, stopped by Superman's home in Benedict Canyon, which had a reputation of being a party house. However, in no mood to party, Reeves got into an argument with the loud, unexpected house guests, which awoke Lemmon and Condon. The group shared a drink before Reeves once again retired to his upstairs bedroom.
According to the party guests, Lemmon stated "He's going to shoot himself," as Reeves went upstairs. When a noise was heard through the ceiling, Lemmon continued, "He's opening a drawer to get the gun." Finally, when a gunshot rang throughout the house, Lemmon exclaimed, "See there — I told you!" George Reeves was later discovered in his bedroom, completely naked, and with a fatal gunshot wound to the right temple.
Mysterious circumstances
George Reeves' death was officially ruled a suicide, and many facts in his life substantiate the theory as a possibility. However, the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death have resulted in many believing that Reeves was murdered that evening. Most poignantly, the actual bullet used brings up many questions about who fired the gun.
First, the bullet was found in the ceiling, with the shell casing discovered under the body. The trajectory of the pellet would have meant Reeves contorted his head unusually upwards and used his right hand, which was injured during a car accident from a few weeks prior — a car accident that unsubstantiated rumors say was caused by cut brake lines or leaked brake fluid. Moreso, in the majority of cases of a gun being fired in such proximity, burn marks are left on the skin, of which Reeves had none.
While police handled the crime scene with carelessness, two more bullets were discovered on the floor of Reeves' bedroom. When they were shot has never been accounted for, but it is rare for a suicide victim to fire more than one shot, and it may prove someone else was well-versed with the Luger pistol that was found cleaned of fingerprints after the shooting. Finally, and most suspicious of all, it took Lemmon and the three party guests nearly 45 minutes to call the police that evening.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
The official theory
Surprisingly, local police took Leonore Lemmon and the party guest's witness statements at face value. George Reeves was quickly deemed to have died from suicide. Many friends, fans, and Reeves' own mother protested that the Superman actor had much to live for, had plans for his future, and was confident in his career — especially as he was set to direct upcoming episodes of "Adventures of Superman." The actor's mom subsequently hired a lawyer and funded a second autopsy in hopes of her son's death being investigated further. Sadly, once again, the original cause of death was confirmed.
Regardless of the strange circumstances and potential suspects around his passing, some in Superman's inner circle believed he was struggling during those final days. Reeves was open about his frustrations with being typecast as the Man of Steel and the difficulty of finding more reputable work. One of the more famous quotes to come out of the evening was from houseguest Carol Van Ronkel, who said, "George was soft and sensitive and the jungle we live in out here killed him." Meanwhile, Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olsen to Reeves' Clark Kent, has been the most outspoken about the struggles actors faced with bringing "Adventures of Superman" to the world. "Nobody wanted me to work at all," he said during an interview on "Unsolved Mysteries" (via The Unredacted). "I don't know what happened to George. I was depressed, and I accepted instantly that he had committed suicide."
Leonore Lemmon is no Lois Lane
Although friends said George Reeves felt that Leonore Lemmon made him feel young again, their relationship was not the fairy tale love story that you might expect. In fact, the pair argued regularly and had a volatile relationship. With a reputation of being a gold digger, it is rumored that Lemmon was infuriated to learn the truth about Reeves' financial situation. While being frustrated in love does not make a murderer, many of Lemmon's actions during and after the incident have caused much speculation.
Fred Crane, an actor friend to Reeves and some of the houseguests, claims that Lemmon was upstairs during the shooting. Lemmon followed the tragedy by taking money from the crime scene and skipping town before Reeves' funeral. Over the years, Lemmon's account of the evening changed drastically, sometimes contradicting her own previous statements. Meanwhile, according to Superman historian Jim Hambrick during an interview with "E! Mysteries and Scandals," Lemmon confessed to being the one who shot the gun.
A villain named Mannix?
When it comes to the mysteries surrounding George Reeves' death, many have pointed the finger at his scorned ex-lover Toni Mannix, and her cuckolded husband with the supervillain nickname The Fixer. The 10-year relationship between Reeves and Mannix was a sordid arrangement, but one that worked well for the established couple. Reports say that Eddie Mannix supported his wife's extramarital relationship and had many of his own, and Reeves would even join the couple on vacations — although Superman would be hidden in business class along with The Fixer's own playthings.
However, Toni Mannix was undoubtedly distressed after being spurned by the Man of Steel — which, in turn, would have upset her MGM executive husband. Aside from rumored mafia connections, Eddie Mannix was also suspected of the death of his first wife Bernice Fitzmaurice. Meanwhile, Reeves was convinced that the Mannixes were responsible for a string of harassing phone calls, the disappearance of his pet dog Sam, and a car accident that befell the onscreen hero leading to him filing for a restraining order shortly before his death. While neither of the Mannix power couple is suspected of pulling the trigger, it is not beyond a reasonable doubt that they could have hired a hitman, including, as some believe, the evening's houseguest William Bliss. Stirring the Mannix suspect plot even further, in 1999, publicist Edward Lozzi testified to overhearing a deathbed confession from Toni Mannix in 1983, admitting to her priest about her connection to Reeves' death.
George Reeves' death in popular culture
While the suspicious death of George Reeves remains officially ruled a suicide, the controversy has gained notoriety. The mystery surrounding the death of Superman has been the theme for a Season 8 episode of "Unsolved Mysteries," as well as a 2021 episode of "Buzzfeed: Unsolved." Meanwhile, Reeves' home, which still stands today in Benedict Canyon, is rumored to be haunted by his ghost, who roams the halls dressed in full Superman garb. Aside from being a regular stop on Hollywood ghost tours, the haunting was included in the 1986 documentary "Hollywood Ghost Stories."
Most famously, the story of George Reeves was documented in the 2006 film "Hollywoodland." Adrien Brody plays the lead role of a fictional detective in the film, while Ben Affleck stars as the "Adventures of Superman" actor. The movie explores all three of the leading theories around Reeves' passing, including the suspicions around Leonore Lemmon and the Mannixes. The movie was released to moderate success, grossing over $16 million worldwide, landing favorable reviews, and earning Affleck a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The curse of Superman
The tragic passing of George Reeves has had even further implications on Hollywood, as it initiated the myth known as the "Superman Curse." The curse is associated with a string of accidents that have befallen many crew members who have worked on adaptations of the famous DC Comics superhero in different creative fashions. Most notably, the bad luck is supposedly linked to the actors who suit up as the Man of Steel.
Many of the Clark Kent actors experienced significant health crises that resulted in either their death or a career-ending injury. Most famously, Christopher Reeve, who portrayed Superman in four films between 1978 and 1987, was paralyzed from the neck down after an equestrian accident in 1995. Additionally, child actor Lee Quigley, who played baby Supes in the 1978 film, passed away at the age of 14. The curse is said to have a long reach, infecting many associated with Superman projects, including the character's creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who lost their most famous property without proper compensation. Thankfully, the curse has seemingly lifted as many modern Superman actors have come out of the superhero costume unscathed, including Dean Cain, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill.
George Reeve's return as Superman
With over 100 episodes portraying the titular hero in "Adventures of Superman," it is nothing short of tragic that George Reeves passed away before knowing the impact his performance had on an entire generation. Reeves spent much of his Super-career wishing to gain acclaim for his acting talents, and he never felt fulfilled with his work. Sadly, if the performer had been around longer, he would have gained the same admiration as other former superhero actors such as Adam West or Christopher Reeve. Even Reeves co-star Jack Larson, who played the lovable sidekick Jimmy Olsen, found solace in the ever-growing comic book fandom, having many cameos late in his life, including a spot in 2006's "Superman Returns."
George Reeves was able to step into the spotlight one last time, making a short but nonetheless controversial appearance at the conclusion of 2023's "The Flash." Although some fans find the assortment of cameos from former superhero actors distasteful, especially knowing how much Reeves struggled with the character, the appearance is a nod to the man who brought Superman to television screens across the nation. Although he may not have expected his television appearances to have such a long legacy, he deserves the admiration of audiences everywhere for bringing a comic book icon to life.