George Reeves (January 5, 1914 - June 16, 1959)

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird...it's a plane...it's...it's....
When those immortal words were first spoken on television on September 19, 1952 kids all across America wrapped their red capes around their necks and leaped off their beds. In addition to putting on the red cape and blue tights George Reeves appeared in 67 films between 1939 and 1956. Some of his more notable film appearances were in "Gone with the Winds", "The Blue Gardenia", "From Here to Eternity", "The Kansan" (as Jesse James), "The Adventures of Sir Galahad" (as Sir Galahad) and "So Proudly We Hail!" On television he appeared on "Suspense", "Kraft Television Theatre", "The Clock", "Actor's Studio", "The Silver Theatre", "Believe it or Not", "The Trap", "Starlight Theatre", "The Web", "Lights Out", "Fireside Theatre" and "The Ford Television Theatre."
Reeves first appeared in the legendary role in the feature film "Superman and the Mole Men" which opened in theaters in November of 1951. He was joined by actress Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. The movie was a lead in to the "Adventures of Superman" a weekly television series. Even though the actor had to wear a padded costume and fake muscles it didn't matter. When he crashed through a wall, when the bullets bounced off of him, when he bent steel in his bare hands...everyone cheered as Superman saved the day. And all though it is obvious now that he was resting on a board in those flying scenes they still looked pretty damn good, especially those entrances and exits. The way he would run and just leap out a window was so cool. On January 14, 1957 the episode "Lucy and Superman" aired on CBS. The episode features Lucy Ricardo attempting to impersonate the man of steel for her son's birthday party. In order to make a "super" entrance Lucy decides to go out on the ledge of the building and come in through the window. Unfortunately circumstances leave her trapped on that ledge. Meanwhile the "real" Superman shows up for the party and when Lucy is discovered he leaps into action to save her. The closing lines are probably some of the best in the show's history... Ricky: Of all the crazy things you've done in the fifteen years that we've been married...! Superman: Wait a minute Mr. Ricardo do you mean to tell me that you've been married to her for fifteen years? Ricky: Yeah fifteen years!!! Superman: And they call me Superman...! Rumors and stories have been kicked around for years about what Reeves feelings about his role as Superman were but I can only hope that he somehow made peace with it. I know this might not be what he wanted to hear but for me he will always be...Superman! Everyone knows that on June 16, 1959 Reeves died of a gunshot wound but the details of the actors death still remain a mystery even 49 years after his passing.

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