Star of Hit TV Show Kills Himself!

Posted on June 17, 2009 by lmharnisch

June 17, 1959, Superman Commits Suicide

George Reeves, star of "Superman," one of the most popular shows on TV,
kills himself with a 9-millimeter Luger and The Times runs the story
inside. I wonder what the editors were thinking.

Present at the time were Reeves' fiancee, Lenore Lemmon, writer Robert Condon, who was doing a story about Reeves' upcoming exhibition match with boxer Archie Moore, neighbor Carol Van Ronkel and her companion William Bliss. 

June 17, 1959, Superman Commits Suicide

Reeves was furious that Bliss and Van Ronkel arrived about 1 a.m. and said he was in no mood for a party.

He threatened to throw Bliss out of the house, then apologized and went to his bedroom.

"He's going upstairs to shoot himself," Lemmon told the visitors. "See, he's opening the drawer to get the gun." And after the shot was fired, "See there, I told you; he's just shot himself."

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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1 Response to Star of Hit TV Show Kills Himself!

  1. Don Duke's avatar Don Duke says:
    June 17, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    Why would he be Furious at 1 am (IF he were alreay doing a Story with a Writer about the Upcoming Event)?
    I would have Suspected Lenoire Lemmon and the Writer of some Hanky Panky. He could have told the Neighbors that he was busy at the Moment, he didn’t have to go upstairs and Shoot himself. Maybe a Hired Killer was waiting for him to enter the Room, then no more Bullets to Bounce Off the Man of Steel

    Like

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