Those windows overlook the backyard and there is a garage under the guest bedroom. To the left in the photo is a den. CleverJourneys: American Crime Chronicles Two Los Angeles police officers arrived at 1579 Benedict Canyon at almost 3 a.m., June 16, 1959. He complained to friends, columnists, and his mother of his financial problems. Reeves mother hired a high-powered lawyer to get the case reopened, but he quickly dropped his new client for reasons unknown. They had no children and divorced 10 years later.[16]. The mystery surrounding the death of George Reeves, the original Man of Steel. Her devastation at been rejected by her boy had pushed her to the ultimate reprisal. His death was officially classified as. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/GettyThe death of the original Superman is one of those American mysteries that may never fully add up. I was depressed, and I accepted instantly that he had committed suicide, Larson told Unsolved Mysteries in 1995. gruesome and unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. (1956), in which Reeves wore a beard and mustache. Your definitive source to filming locations and all things Hollywood! 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. On the night of June 15th, 1959, Reeves and Lemmon went out to dinner and the two reportedly drank a great deal. To the right is the den and through the living room to the left you find the stairs leading to the guest room and adjoining bathroom which overlook the street. 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. The husband of Reeves jilted lover was the infamous Eddie Mannix, a fixer at MGM during the golden age of studios, when his job was to make stars problems vanish. 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. The Afterlife of George Reeves Actor George Reeves died at 1:59 am on June 16, 1959. Or was the culprit his new girlfriend, the volatile and temperamental Lemmon, who had argued with Reeves the night of his death about the late night party she was having whilst he tried to sleep off his own night of heavy drinking? 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. [39] Despite the unanswered questions, Reeves' death was officially ruled a suicide, based on witness statements, physical evidence at the scene, and the autopsy report. When Officers Johnson and Korby entered the . One variation on this theory is that Reeves accidentally shot himself playing a game of Russian Roulette. 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. George Reeves Facts. 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. Rather than being seen as the hunky superhero who had proven himself as a leading man, Reeves was worried that the role would forever make him the kids beloved Superman in the eyes of the world and of casting directors. The subsequent police report seem to accept the whole story at face value. While the authorities officially declared Reeves' death to be a suicide, not everyone was willing to accept that conclusion. After all these years, what happened that night at 1579 Benedict Canyon remains obscure and controversial. I know he enjoyed the role, but he used to say, 'Here I am, wasting my life. Forty-five minutes later, the police were called. According to partygoers, one of the guests raced upstairs to find Reeves lying across his bed, the life snuffed out of him by a bullet in the head. The accident was rendered in a more sinister light when Reeves mechanic discovered the brake fluid in the car had been drained. He died in June of 1959, not 1958. At his funeral, he was laid to rest in the same suit that he wore on the TV show as "Clark Kent." 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). 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. He got angry at them for being very loud. The stairs turn and continue upward to the bedroom where George slept. In the 1950s the actor, George Reeves was best known for his portrayal of Superman in the television series, Adventures of Superman. She continued, 'He's opening a drawer to get the gun.' Hes going upstairs to shoot himself, began her callous recital after Reeves left the room. 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. If the Hollywood stories are to be believed, any death involving a girl and a gun is suspicious. Fellow actors Gig Young and Alan Ladd publicly doubted that Reeves took his own life. 1959: Los Angeles police arrive at the home of 45-year-old actor George Reeves, famous for his role as TV's Superman, and find him naked and dead of a gunshot wound to the head. director Mark Sandrich. Upon hearing of George's demise, he went to the house and the . Due to their advanced state of inebriation the party guests were not entirely coherent, but they all seemed to agree on the suicide story. This is the house, and home, that Superman actor George Reeves lived and died in. Embattled New York Rep. George Santos said Thursday that he is "fully cooperating" with the House Ethics Committee, which is . George Reeves' Ghost. This part directly led to his being contracted to Warner Brothers. 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. The people in the house were quite intoxicated and weren't much help to the investigation even waiting over 30 minutes before calling the police. He died instantly and fell backwards, his feet still hungover the bed and his back on the mattress. Reeves was transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. At around 1.20am, a bad tempered Reeves had admonished the trio for their noise, before returning upstairs. Reeves initially had no autopsy and his body was swifted embalmed. Had the jilted older woman taken things one step too far and shot Reeves in a jealous rage? And how had the fatal bullet ended up in the ceiling whilst the shell rested underneath his body? However, rumors suspect that there was foul play involved in his passing. 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 Reeves, however, earned additional income from personal appearances. 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. 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. 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. 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. He Grew Up Thinking He Was Italian. This theory centres around the mysterious WIlliam Bliss, a stranger to both Reeves and Leonore Lemmon, whose presence in the house that night has never been adequately explained. [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. He was dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. In June 2021, an episode of the internet series BuzzFeed Unsolved discussed the death of Reeves and possible theories. If his death was suicide Reeves must have held the gun with his right hand, although this in itself is suspicious as the actor had injured his right hand in an automobile accident a few weeks prior to his death. This theory goes that Lemmon was drunk and unhappy that night and shot her soon-to-be-husband. Up in the sky! If he had really fallen backwards onto a freshly ejected shell case it should have been hot enough to have burnt his skin, yet no such marks were evident at the autopsy. Reeves began acting and singing in high school and continued performing on stage as a student at Pasadena Junior College. 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! The roles just werent coming his way. Around 1, two friends came by for a visit. Lenore was allegedly upset at the way he was handling the situation. He performed on live television anthology programs, as well as on radio. Upstairs, they found the homeowner naked and sprawled across his bed. 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. A noise echoed: See, hes opening the drawer to get the gun. Then a shot: I told you, hes shot himself.. Talking to friend Millicent Trent, Bliss said Lemmon had actually rushed down the stairs after the gunshot and urged them to Tell them I was down here! Lemmon moved into his house, and they were to be married on June 18. He directed the final 13 episodes of the series, and told the Evening Star that he was enthused about doing more.. According to Larson, Reeves said that if Mark Sandrich had not died, he would not be there in "this monkey suit". 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. Eddies exploits in covering up the sleazy underbelly of Hollywood were legendary. George Reeves hit the television jackpot when he landed the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman in the television series The Adventures of Superman. It was during this fallow period that he was approached about playing the role that would come to define his life. George Bessolo Reeves lived in a modest house in Benedict Canyon in Los Angeles, California up until the time of his death on June 15, 1959. He freelanced, appearing in five Hopalong Cassidy westerns before director Mark Sandrich cast Reeves as Lieutenant John Summers opposite Claudette Colbert in So Proudly We Hail! Reeves was then transferred to the Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit, where he made training films. George Bessolo Reeves lived in a modest house in Benedict Canyon in Los Angeles, California up until the time of his death on June 15, 1959. Clearly she had the motive, and through her ruthless and well connected husband she certainly had the means. Father George Thomas Reeves. No photos of the body were taken and the crime scene was not properly searched or dusted for prints. 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 police had never checked Reeves fingers for residue to see if he pulled the trigger nor did they count the number of bullets remaining in the gun. Everyone involved is now dead, and little or no evidence from the crime scene remains. however to this day there is an air of mystery surrounding Reeves' death. 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. (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) Its a plane! Reeves established his own production company and conceived a TV adventure series called Port of Entry, which would be shot on location in Hawaii and Mexico. >> George Reeves's death, and there are very interesting questions >> supporting the various theories. The characters involved range from colorful to drunk to suspicious, having by now taken any secrets they may be hiding to their gravesIn . And they call me Superman!). Like so many men of his generation, the war derailed his life plans. Info Share. 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. 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? Includes the ability to log visits, view logs, save and filter offline Waymarks and use beautiful offline maps! George Reeves' Home. Conspiracy theories abound and Reeves death has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend for over five decades since. Actors Alan Ladd and Gig Young were reportedly skeptical of the official determination. George Reeves Real name: George Keefer Brewer, George Bessolo. Robert Condon, a writer interested in writing a biography on George, stayed in the house. After, they returned home and continued drinking. These roles did little to advance Reeves's career, and his contract with Warners was dissolved by mutual consent. If you are lucky enough, the homeowners may allow you to tour the home's grounds and possibly the interior as well. Other evidence that casts doubt on this scenario is the lack of burn marks on Reeves back. Sprawled naked on his bed, Reeves had been shot in the head after a late night party at his house. Reeves had been having an affair with his wife 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. 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). According to Kashner and Schoenberger (A Talent for Genius), however, unanswered details about Reeves's demise shroud what in truth was foul play. Loved the commercial..how cool! Leonore Lemmons behaviour after Reeves death did little to allay suspicions she may have had more involvement than she was letting on. On June 16, 1959, actress Phyllis Coates was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a very strange phone call. 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. And George Reeves was not unable to find work, he was not broke, he was not a suicidal depressed person. After two seasons, Reeves was dissatisfied with his salary and the show's one-dimensional role. Show more. During the dinner, they had argued. George Reeves former residence is rather small, especially by Hollywood standards. Location: California, United States Date Posted: 1/12/2010 6:55:33 PM 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]. The house where George lived is fairly modest for the area, but the asking price in 1995 was $625,000. According to the autopsy report, Reeves had taken his .30 caliber German Luger pistol, placed it near his right temple and pulled the trigger. Reeves reportedly never saw his father again. Great article tho. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records 19381946, dated March24, 1943, Speeding Bullet, 2nd Ed, by Jan Alan Henderson, p. 151. George lived at 1579 Benedict Canyon Drive, in the Beverly Hills area. However, friends and relatives think Reeves career troubles were exaggerated. More powerful than a locomotive! The home has not changed much since the mid-fifties. Despite these suspicions, the Los Angeles Police Department officially ruled the death a suicide, on little more than a cursory investigation. Had Reeves gotten cold feet about their supposed wedding, or been caught on the phone to Toni Mannix? 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. Separated from his wife (their divorce became final in 1950), Reeves moved to New York City in 1949. The Mysterious Death of Superman. Advertisement. Its Superman! The iconic intro blazed into American households on Sept. 19, 1952. It is sometimes easy to get caught up in the mystery of George Reeves demise, the different theories and suspects. Whilst highly speculative, some corroboration to this comes from Reeves own Lois Lane, actress Phyllis Coates. The suicidal can become very adept at hiding their inner turmoil from their loved ones. That night she received a disturbing phone call. It all seemed so simple. Both would later commit suicide . Like an optical illusion, from one angle the details clearly show a man who, in a moment of distress, made a tragic decision. SUPERMAN MURDER SOLVED! 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. George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 June 16, 1959) was an American actor. The producers wouldnt give me a job. 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. The story told by those there that night is full of holes, the evidence perplexing and poorly handled. Reeves is interred at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena, California. Coates was amongst many of Reeves friends and co-stars who did not believe he would have killed himself. Lemmon says George Reeves committed suicide. The police arrived within the hour. The Great Mystery Of George Reeves' Death On June 16, 1959, the actor died in his own bedroom when he was only 45 years old from a shot to the head.