I’m honestly not trying to be funny by starting off this column with a shout out to B. Clay Moore and Jeremy Haun, the creators of the Oni Press comic “Leading Man”. I just read the first two issues and enjoyed it. The premise reminds me a bit of the much-missed Human Target series from Vertigo. Not exactly the same, no, but the idea of secret agents hiding in plain view by posing as a member of one of the most public professionsâ€â€a major motion picture starâ€â€is very appealing, and I look forward to more. It is, however a bit of a conceit that I use the Leading Man comic as a segue to my topic of the week, the overlooked death of a real life leading man.
Forty-seven years ago, Superman died. Not at the hands of Doomsday, Mongol and the Cyborg Superman, but by a bullet. Sure, many of you saw large caliber rounds ricochet off the chest of Brandon Routh in what was one of the few scenes in Superman Returns I actually enjoyed (the mini-gun robbery scene). And thankfully, the Curse of Kal El hasn’t touched Brandon…yet. No, the Superman brought low by a bullet was George Reeves, the face of the Man of Steel in homes during those early days of television.
The New York Post of June 16, 1959 proclaims the grim headline: “TV’S ‘SUPERMAN’ KILLS SELF”. Understand that I do not wish to sound flippant when I say that if this tragedy absolutely HAD to occur, I am glad for George Reeves’ sake that it happened in 1959. Imagine Christopher Reeve or Brandon Routh taking a bullet in the 2000s. There would be the appropriately solemn report at the very end of the evening news, followed by inane and inappropriately sophomoric jokes from the likes of Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien. “Hey Kevin, did you see this in the news? Superman shot himself and is now deceased! It’s true, in fact, CSI Metropolis found the kryptonite hollow-point lodged in his cape! (rim shot) I thought he was supposed to be faster than a speeding bullet? Maybe they should see if the bullet was wearing a cape! (rim shot) Hey, we’ve got a great show for you tonight… ” In truth, George Reeves’ death is no laughing matter. In fact, it’s a mystery worthy of Batman’s attention.
The crux of the mystery is simple enough: DID Reeves take his own life? The evidence seems quite contrary. Consider, if you will:
* Bullet holes found in the bedroom walls. Police reports indicate a single shot was heard by guests in the home. And he obviously didn’t miss. Why would there me bullet holes – plural – in the bedroom walls?
* Bullet holes riddled the living room. Again, the police reports say there were still guests in the house when Reeves retired to his room, and surely if bullets were flying through the walls the guest would be flying out the door.
* The police were not called for 30-45 minutes after the time of death. I don’t have much experience in these matters (give me a week, it’s coming) but I would think the 30 to 45 minutes is ample time to mow someone down with just about any caliber of firearm and pose the body to appear suicidal. The gun believed to be the weapon used in Reeves’ death was found between his legs, and while I will concede the notion the he could have dropped it after pulling the trigger, it is extremely likely that he did not take the time to wipe the gun down himself. After all, death by gunshot at close range is pretty immediate. Odd then that there were no prints on the gun, no?
Yet the police, from the moment they arrived, treated the case as a suicide. The guests at the party offered no other explanation. The physical evidence might not seem suspicious to a jaded homicide detective, so what about the psychological evidence? Was George Reeves suicidal? Was the man who for years embodied “Truth, Justice and the American Way” in the end unable to cope with the personal and professional pressures of Hollywood?
Those who knew him seem to disbelieve the notion that Reeves could have taken his own life. A year prior he had sworn off booze, a demon that had plagued him during his Superman days. He allowed himself not more than a glass of champagne at parties. His career was green lit for a restart, as The Adventures of Superman was going to be revived with George Reeves again donning the big ‘S’ and cape for at least initially a two-year run starting in 1960. He was also finally on his way to making the leap from the small screen to the Silver Screen, having signed a multi-picture contract with Paramount. Reeves was also schedule to get into the boxing ring against then light-heavyweight champ Archie Moore. Champion vs. Superman – Don King couldn’t ask for a better marquee than that.
There is the issue of his love life to consider. Reeves was to marry Lenore Lemmon in three days. Their relationship has been called loving and tumultuous in various accounts. Could the relationship have suddenly soured? Reeves had been having an affair with Toni Mannix, wife of Eddie Mannix, the mobbed up studio boss at MGM. Could Ms. Lemmon have killed Reeves in a fit of jealous rage? Could Toni Mannix murdered him to hide the affair or to crumble the happiness of George’s new lover? Could Eddie have put a hit out on Reeve’s head for sleeping with his wife? Lemmon told police that she had been “fooling around” with the German Luger used in Reeves’ death earlier in the evening to account for the bullet holes in the bedroom. But remember, there were no prints at all on the gun when the police arrived. Toni Mannix was the recipient of the entire Reeves estate upon his death, much to the dismay of Lemmon (and I can only wonder what Eddie Mannix must have thought when his wife suddenly came into all of Superman’s worldly possessions). I have to conclude that it’s possible if not in fact likely that one or more of the women in his life conspired to cause or actually performed the act of George Reeves’ murder. This may not even have been the first attempt at ending Reeves’ life, as he had narrowly escaped death several times in a string of bizarre and unexplained automobile accidents.
It troubles me that the police and many of the guests in attendance assumed George Reeves’ death was a suicide with virtually no inclination to consider the possibility of homicide. The physical evidence seems implausible when viewed as a matter of suicide. His life seemed to be on the upswing with his new marriage due to commence the same week, a scheduled prize fight against champion Archie Moore, the resurrection of his famous starring role as Superman on television coinciding with his recent sobriety and the new contract with Paramount for several moviesâ€â€a string of circumstances that wouldn’t seem to suggest Reeves as deeply depressed or troubled enough to take his own life. I believe there could have been enough evidence to establish motive for murder against his fiancé Lenore Lemmon, his mistress Toni Mannix, and her scorned husband, the mob-connected Eddie Mannix. The police bungled this investigation at every turn, quickly dismissing witnesses and accepting any flimsy testimony they were presented with. Even Reeves’ autopsy was mishandled – his hands were washed during the procedure, erasing any evidence of gun powder and any clear indication that he may have ever handled the gun found at the scene in the moments before his life ended.
The Death of Superman in DC comics was a watershed event, garnering attention in Time Magazine, the major news networks and newspapers across the globe. The unfortunate paralysis and passing of Christopher Reeve made one CNN anchor leave his chair while on the air in an effort to compose himself upon reading of the second Superman’s fate. And while we watch Superman’s animated adventures on Cartoon Network and DVD and witness Brandon Routh’s performance in theaters now, I’m struck how the man who first brought Superman to life in the world of electronic media all those years ago is largely forgotten today. Worse, I’m disgusted to learn of his death, not by Lex Luthor but by parties unknown and most likely not his own hand, was given no more than cursory consideration by the authorities and his so-called friends present at the time of death. And I’m sorely disappointed that the forthcoming George Reeves biopic has Ben Affleck of all people playing the lead. George deserves better. Rest in peace, George Reeves and Christopher Reeve. And watch your back, Brandon Routh. The Curse of Kal El might be lurking behind you.
Welcome to my nightmare.
Some information for this story was obtained from various sources including Jack Craig’s tribute page to George Reeves.
