A Tribute to George Reeves
There are still many of us who believe his death was not suicide. |
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George Reeveswas born George Bessolo
In his youth, he began what he hoped would
be a career in boxing, while also doing parts in community theatre. The roles
kept coming, then in 1939, came his big break, a small role in what would
be one of the biggest films in the biggest year film has ever known.
As small a part as it was...next time someone asks you who was the first
man to speak in "Gone With The Wind", you tell
them it was George |
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"The Adventures of Superman"
There were 104 episodes filmed for television. One additional episode filmed in 1953 as a public service for United States Savings Bonds.
INTRODUCTION-VoiceOver...
"Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound. Look! Up in the sky. It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman! Yes, it's Superman - strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way."
Hear it now! - .wav format//.au format
Superman/Clark Kent ....... George Reeves
Lois Lane ............................(1951-1952) Phyllis Coates
Lois Lane..............................(1953-1957) Noel Neill
Jimmy Olsen ........................ Jack Larson
Perry White ........................ John Hamilton
Inspector Henderson .......... Robert Shayne
THE EPISODES-In their original broadcast sequence
1951- filmed at RKO-Pathe Studios, Culver City
1 "Superman on Earth"
2 "The Haunted Lighthouse"
3 "The Case of the Talkative Dummy"
4 "The Mystery of the Broken Statues"
5 "The Monkey Mystery"
6 "A Night of Terror"
7 "The Birthday Letter"
8 "The Mind Machine"
9 "Rescue"
10 "The Secret of Superman"
11 "No Holds Barred"
12 "The Deserted Village"
13 "The Stolen Costume"
14 "Mystery in Wax"
15 "Treasures of the Incas"
16 "Double Trouble"
17 "The Runaway Robot"
18 "Drums of Death"
19 "The Evil Three"
20 "Riddle of the Chinese Jade"
21 "The Human Bomb"
22 "Czar of the Underworld"
23 "The Ghost Wolf"
24 "Crime Wave"
25 //26 "The Unknown People" (broadcast in two episodes, originally the theatrical release ..."Superman and the Mole Men" (1951)
1953 - filmed at California Studios
27 "Five Minutes to Doom"
28 "The Big Squeeze"
29 "The Man Who Could Read Minds"
30 "Jet Ace"
31 "Shot in the Dark"
32 "The Defeat of Superman"
33 "Superman in Exile"
34 "A Ghost for Scotland Yard"
35 "The Dog Who Knew Superman"
36 "The Face and the Voice"
37 "The Man in the Lead Mask"
38 "Panic in the Sky"
39 "Machine That Could Plot Crimes"
40 "Jungle Devil"
41 "My Friend Superman"
42 "The Clown Who Cried"
43 "The Boy Who Hated Superman"
44 "Semi-Private Eye"
45 "Perry White's Scoop"
46 "Beware the Wrecker"
47 "The Golden Vulture"
48 "Jimmy Olsen, Boy Editor"
49 "Lady in Black"
50 "Star of Fate"
51 "The Whistling Bird"
52 "Around the World"
Extra--Public Service Program: United States Savings Bonds "Stamp Day for Superman"
1954 - filmed at California Studios
53 "Through the Time Barrier"
54 "The Talking Clue"
55 "The Lucky Cat"
56 "Superman Week"
57 "Great Caesar's Ghost"
58 "Test of a Warrior"
59 "Olsen's Millions"
60 "Clark Kent, Outlaw"
61 "The Magic Necklace"
62 "The Bully of Dry Gulch"
63 "Flight to the North"
64 "The Seven Souvenirs"
65 "King for a Day"
1955 - filmed at Chaplin Studios
66 "Joey"
67 "The Unlucky Number"
68 "The Big Freeze"
69 "Peril By Sea"
70 "Topsy Turvy"
71 "Jimmy the Kid"
72 "The Girl Who Hired Superman"
73 "The Wedding of Superman"
74 "Dagger Island"
75 "Blackmail"
76 "The Deadly Rock"
77 "The Phantom Ring"
78 "The Jolly Roger"
1956 - filmed at ZIV Studios
79 "Peril in Paris"
80 "Tin Hero"
81 "Money to Burn"
82 "The Town That Wasn't"
83 "The Tomb of Zaharan"
84 "The Man Who Made Dreams Come True"
85 "Disappearing Lois"
86 "Close Shave"
87 "The Phony Alibi"
88 "The Prince Albert Coat"
89 "The Stolen Elephant"
90 "Mr. Zero"
91 "Whatever Goes Up"
1957- filmed at ZIV Studios
92 "The Last Knight"
93 "The Magic Secret"
94 "Divide and Conquer"
95 "The Mysterious Cube"
96 "The Atomic Captive"
97 "The Superman Silver Mine"
98 "The Big Forget"
99 "The Gentle Monster"
100 "Superman's Wife"
101 "Three in One"
102 "The Brainy Burro"
103 "The Perils of Superman"
104 "All That Glitters"
Tag Line-"Don't miss the next thrill packed episode in the amazing Adventures of Superman! Superman is based on the original character appearing in Superman magazine."
Source: "Superman:Serial To Cereal"
by Gary Grossman/and viewing of episodes I have them all on
tape.
Films in
which George Reeves appeared...
1939: Gone With The Wind, The Monroe Doctrine, Ride Cowboy Ride, Pony Express Days, Smashing the Money Ring, Espionage Agent, Four Wives, On Dress Parade
1940: Tear Gas Squad, The Fighting 69th, Torrid Zone, Argentine Nights, Gambling on the High Seas, Till We Meet Again, Father is a Prince, Ladies Must Live, Virginia City, Calling All Husbands, Calling Philo Vance, Knute Rockne -- All American, The Man Who Talked Too Much, Always A Bride
1941: Strawberry Blonde, Lydia, Dead Men Tell, Man At Large, Blood and Sand, Blue White and Perfect
1942: Hoppy Serves A Writ, The Leather Burners, Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith, Bar 20, The Mad Martindales, Colt Comrades
1943: So Proudly We Hail!, Border Patrol
1944: Winged Victory
1947: Variety Girl, Champagne For Two
1948: Sainted Sisters, Special Agent, Jungle Jim, Thunder In The Pines, Jungle Goddess
1949: Adventures of Sir Galahad (a serial), The Great Lover, Samson and Delilah, The Mutineers
1950: The Good Humor Man
1951: Superman And The Mole-Men
1952: Rancho Notorious, Bugles In The Afternoon
1953: From Here To Eternity,Forever Female, The Blue Gardenia
1956: Westward Ho The Wagons
Source-Internet Movie Database
It has been a topic of debate in and out of Hollywood for close to 40 years, and some still say George's death was not suicide.1-Why would a man engaged to be married take his own life? Some theorize that he just couldn't take the fact that he was forever typecast as Superman. But this theory doesn't wash. Fact is, that George reported back to work on the Superman set two days before his death, because he loved acting...whatever the part.
2-Why do rumors persist that he "had too much to drink" the night he died? The fact is that he may have been an easy target for anyone who wanted him dead. In a car accident just weeks before, George sustained head injuries that required serious pain medication. Add a coctail or two to that and anybody could come in the
bedroom and kill the man with no struggle or fight at all.This
is just one theory.
to tell all they knew? Most are dead now, and the ones
who were closed mouthed then...still are. |
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For more insight into the mystery surrounding
the death of George Reeves, read "Superman, Serial to
Cereal", by Gary Grossman and "TV Babylon. And for a Super snack, click here...Cookie Page
DISCLAIMER: This page is meant solely as a tribute to Mr. George Reeves and his memory. No copyright infringement is intended in any way. The pictures on this page are publicity stills/screen shots for "The Adventures of Superman".
SUPERMAN and all related elements are the property of DC
Comics.
1998 Lee LaMotta
Thanks to my buddy G.J. Panepinto for inspiring me to put this up.
March 7, 1998
