# Superman's dead



## Flatlander (Oct 11, 2004)

I have just heard that Christopher Reeve has passed. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





This man was an inspiration to us all.

I'm sure you know who he is, but in case you don't,he starred in the Superman movies and was thrown from his horse nine years ago leaving him a quadraplegic. He has been fighting for spinal cord research ever since and worked very, very hard on recovery of his body. He was able to make strides no one thought possible, but he passed on yesterday of cardiac arrest. He should have died the day he broke his neck, but instead he insisted on living and fought the battle of his life everyday for nine years. The man had courage beyond belief.

Goodbye Mr. Reeve - may your spirit soar.

Thank you. :asian:


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## GAB (Oct 11, 2004)

Spirit of a warrior, adios.


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## RRouuselot (Oct 11, 2004)

In NEW YORK story headlined "Actor Christopher Reeve dies of heart failure," please read in 13 paragraph ... Juilliard ... instead of ... Julliard ... (correcting spelling of school)

A corrected repetition follows. (Updates throughout, doctor comment, background)

By Chris Michaud

NEW YORK, Oct 11 (Reuters) - "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve, who became a committed campaigner for spinal cord research after being paralyzed in a riding accident nine years ago, died of heart failure, his publicist said on Monday.

Reeve, 52, went into a coma on Saturday when he suffered a heart attack during treatment for an infected pressure wound and died in Northern Westchester Hospital on Sunday afternoon without regaining consciousness, publicist Wesley Combs said.

Reeve's wife, Dana, issued a statement thanking "the millions of fans around the world who have supported and loved my husband over the years."

Reeve, confined to a wheelchair since his horseback riding accident in 1995, had in recent years used his celebrity status to mobilize funds and support for research into the treatment of spinal cord injuries, including the controversial stem cell research that has become an issue in the U.S. presidential election.

Reeve's family asked that donations be made in his honor to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, formed in 1999 to boost collaboration between experts working on the problem and to encourage new approaches.

An accomplished rider who owned several horses, Reeve suffered multiple injuries including two shattered neck vertebrae when he was thrown from his horse at an equestrian event in Commonwealth Park in Virginia.

Doctors initially predicted he would never have any feeling or movement below his head. But his foundation's Web site, www.ChristopherReeve.org, said he had experienced a degree of recovery that his doctors considered "remarkable."

Reeve was a strong supporter of the research using human stem cells, which his foundation described as having "enormous therapeutic utility." Whether federal funds should be spent on such research is a issue dividing President George W. Bush, who has limited such research, and his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who supports expanded efforts.

'CURE AND HOPE'

Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers University, who researches spinal cord injuries and treated Reeve, said he was "heartbroken."

"I think more than anything else he taught me the use of two four letter words -- cure and hope," Young said on NBC's "Today" show.

Young said he had been set to see Reeve on Sunday, adding that his former patient would have been sad to miss out on the upcoming election and had been very interested that his bill, the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act, was moving forward in the U.S. Congress, seeking $300 million for spinal cord research.

"We will have a cure, I think that will be Christopher's legacy. We have to work very hard to make this happen," Young said.

Born on Sept. 25, 1952, in New York City, Reeve attended the city's Juilliard School and graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

He began his acting career in summer stock and appeared on the television soap opera "Love of Life" while still in college.

Reeve debuted on Broadway in "A Matter of Gravity" in 1976, playing Katharine Hepburn's grandson, and later starred in Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July," in which he portrayed embittered Kenneth Talley, a gay, crippled Vietnam War vet.

Despite his theater credentials and work on television, Reeve is best known as the hero of the "Superman" films.

He was a virtual unknown when he was chosen from 200 candidates to become the big screen's incarnation of 1978's "Superman," in which he played fumbling Clark Kent who at will turns into the flying superhero.

In 1993 he appeared in the Merchant and Ivory hit "The Remains of the Day," which was filmed in the English countryside.

But even there, it was hard to shrug off his super hero image.

"It is very strange to walk into the House and Hound, some pub from the 15th century in the middle of Wilshire someplace, then -- 'Aye, it's Superman, here he comes!'" he said in an 1993 interview on CNN.

Earlier movies included "Gray Lady Down," "Somewhere in Time," "Switching Channels," "The Bostonians" and "Deathtrap."

Reeve and his wife had one son, Will, 12, and he had two children from a previous relationship -- Matthew, 25, and Alexandra, 21.


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## Lisa (Oct 11, 2004)

.


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## Feisty Mouse (Oct 11, 2004)

.


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## TigerWoman (Oct 11, 2004)

52 is too young and it makes me incredibly sad that he's gone.  Christopher Reeves will always be a role model to us all for courage and bravery in how to live our lives everyday.  TW


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## gmunoz (Oct 11, 2004)

A definite loss to us all.  One of my childhood heroes...


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## Shodan (Oct 11, 2004)

Very sad.........what a fighter........now he is free.

  RIP Superman


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## Bammx2 (Oct 11, 2004)

now......

he can fly.

:asian:
Gods speed Mr. Reeves


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## Mace (Oct 11, 2004)

God, I can remember seeing Superman when it came out in the theaters. He was a boyhood hero. Goodbye Superman................


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## MA-Caver (Oct 11, 2004)

.


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## Ceicei (Oct 11, 2004)

.  :asian:


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## Chronuss (Oct 11, 2004)

I remember watching all the Superman movies on TNT one night...and I remember watching his father in the black and white Superman show on Nick at Nite...and watching his cameo appearance on the new Superman show Smallville on WB.  now he can walk again.


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## KenpoTess (Oct 11, 2004)

He will be missed.


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## mj-hi-yah (Oct 11, 2004)

He was an inspiration...


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## Shodan (Oct 11, 2004)

What does it mean when someone just puts a dot for a post on the posts having to do with someone passing away........been curious about that for a long time and see it again here.......thanks!

  :asian:  :karate:


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## Gin-Gin (Oct 12, 2004)

He kept fighting until the end.  
I hope that when my time comes, that I will do the same.

Rest in Peace Mr. Reeve. :asian:


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## kelly keltner (Oct 12, 2004)

.

kelly


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## Aikikitty (Oct 12, 2004)

Shodan said:
			
		

> What does it mean when someone just puts a dot for a post on the posts having to do with someone passing away........been curious about that for a long time and see it again here.......thanks!
> 
> :asian:  :karate:




I think it's supposed to mean "a moment of respectful silence".  Like "........" is sometimes used when somebody doesn't say anything.

I heard about Christopher Reeve yesterday when I was in my Sociology class in college yesterday.  I wasn't the only one who was very sad upon hearing the news.  

Robyn  :waah:


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## MA-Caver (Oct 12, 2004)

I don't mean to be irreverent here or to cause any embarassment to Flatlander... but as I read the papers today with the passing of Christopher Reeve I couldn't help notice two things. The repeated line of "He escaped the cape"... and how nearly every paper and internet article and even here (due respect to Flatlander now)... they kept saying "Superman" or "Super human' strength to the fight of..." and so forth. 
Escaped the cape? Even in death references to his most known character which he, better than George, tried to break away from with by doing as many diversified character roles as possible, as illustrated here (a list from IMDB.com) 
------------------------------
Replica (2004) .... Archive Footage
Toughest Break: Martin's Story, The (1998) (TV) .... Narrator 
Rear Window (1998) (TV) .... Jason Kemp 
Nine (1996) (VG) (voice) .... Thurston Last 
Without Pity: A Film About Abilities (1996) (TV) .... Narrator 
Step Toward Tomorrow, A (1996) .... Denny Gabrial 
Black Fox: Good Men and Bad (1995) (TV) .... Alan Johnson 
Black Fox: The Price of Peace (1995) (TV) .... Alan Johnson 
Black Fox (1995) (TV) .... Alan Johnson 
Above Suspicion (1995) .... Dempsey Cain
Village of the Damned (1995) .... Dr. Alan Chaffee
Speechless (1994) .... Bob 'Bagdad' Freed 
Morning Glory (1993) (TV) .... Will Parker 
Remains of the Day, The (1993) .... Lewis 
Sea Wolf, The (1993) (TV) .... Humphrey Van Weyden 
Nightmare in the Daylight (1992) (TV) .... Sean 
Mortal Sins (1992) (TV) .... Father Thomas Cusack 
Noises Off... (1992) .... Frederick Dallas/Philip Brent 
Death Dreams (1991) (TV) .... George Westfield 
Bump in the Night (1991) (TV) .... Lawrence Muller 
Earthday Birthday (1990) .... It Zwibble 
Rose and the Jackal, The (1990) (TV) .... Allan Pinkerton
Great Escape II: The Untold Story, The (1988) (TV) .... Maj. John Dodge 
Switching Channels (1988) .... Blaine Bingham 
*Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) .... Superman/Clark Kent  * 
Street Smart (1987) .... Jonathan Fisher 
Anna Karenina (1985) (TV) .... Count Vronsky 
Aviator, The (1985) .... Edgar Anscombe 
Bostonians, The (1984) .... Basil Ransome 
*Superman III (1983) .... Superman/Clark Kent  * 
Monsignor (1982) .... Flaherty 
I Love Liberty (1982) (TV) 
Deathtrap (1982) .... Clifford Anderson
Somewhere in Time (1980) .... Richard Collier 
*Superman II (1980) .... Superman/Clark Kent*
Muppets Go Hollywood, The (1979) (TV) 
*Superman (1978) .... Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El*
Gray Lady Down (1978) .... Phillips
-----------------
Yes, I realize that he donned the cape four times but most likely because he had fun with the character and liked the script(s). But from his filmography it would be fair to say that he saw himself as more diversified than Kal-El. 
Hmm, the point... what exactly am I trying to say here... probably nothing except an observation on how the media manipulates us to go the way they want us to think. 
Kudos to Reeves who held on and fought the good fight. 
Compare to George Reeves with this biography (also from IMDB.com) 


> Raised in Pasadena California, educated at Pasadena Junior College. Skilled amateur boxer and musician. Intern at Pasadena Community Playhouse. Discovered there and cast as Stuart Tarleton in Gone With the Wind. Contracted to Warners, Fox, and Paramount Studios over next 10 years. Achieved near-stardom with male lead in So Proudly We Hail!, but war service interrupted career which never regained same level. In Army Air Corps, appeared on Broadway in Winged Victory, then made training films. Career difficulties after war led to move to New York for live television. Cast as television's first Superman and became world-famous. Some film roles remained, but was mostly typecast as Superman and other acting jobs dried up. Considering an attempt at exhibition wrestling when he committed suicide by shooting himself. Much controversy over his death, due to circumstances and his longtime affair with Toni Mannix, wife of MGM exec Eddie Mannix, but no credible evidence has arisen to refute the basic fact of his suicide. Theories abound, however.


As I understand it not even he could "escape the cape" (because of the Superman role) in death either. Papers at the time, read that he was killed by a *kryponite bullet * so that kids the world over won't be disillusioned of the superhuman abilities of their hero. (still trying to find original newspaper articles which stated that, but I recall reading about it a while ago...  ). 
Oh also here is Christopher Reeve's (immediate) family tree... many are saying that George (original Superman) is Christopher's father... not. 
Father: Franklin Reeve, professor; divorced from Reeve's mother 1956
Mother: Barbara Johnson, journalist; remarried
Brother: Benjamin Reeve, lawyer; born 1953
Half-brother: Jeff Johnson
Half-brother: Kevin Johnson
Son: Matthew Reeve, born 1979; mother, Gae Exton
Daughter: Alexandra Reeve, born 1983; mother, Gae Exton
Son: Will Reeve, born 1992; mother, Dana Morosini


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## TKD USA (Oct 13, 2004)

....... 

let him live forever in our hearts


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## CanuckMA (Oct 13, 2004)

His fight to walk again redefines courage. Someday, somebody WILL walk because of him.


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## bignick (Oct 14, 2004)

Shodan said:
			
		

> What does it mean when someone just puts a dot for a post on the posts having to do with someone passing away........been curious about that for a long time and see it again here.......thanks!
> 
> :asian: :karate:


it's symbolic of a moment of silence....and he certainly deserves it...not for being an actor, he certainly entertained us....but his fight for spinal damage research had a huge impact...and he was a picture of perseverance...regaining a small amounts of motion in his finger...which doesn't sound like much...but if you couldn't move for years and then you woke up and could wiggle your finger...you'd be pretty pleased...


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## punisher73 (Oct 14, 2004)

I wish I had a way to post the picture, but in the city newspaper yesterday the editorial cartoon was a  picture of a wheel chair on the left side empty and then on the right side was an outline/shaded of superman flying away from it. It was a neat cartoon.

RIP


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## Sin (Oct 22, 2004)

"He made us belive a MAN could fly"

I think if we all try to be a Superman for everyone, the world would be a better place.


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## Patrick Skerry (Oct 22, 2004)

Very sad time in American movie history.


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## Feisty Mouse (Oct 22, 2004)

MACaver - great post.  I loved Noises Off, it is clevery-timed and frantic and funny.

I believe he will be remembered for his fighting - both for himself, and for others - for spinal cord/neural regeneration therapies.  God bless him for that.


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## shesulsa (Oct 25, 2004)

Christopher Reeves was an amazing artist. If you saw him in anything else besides "Superman" you knew that without question. As we all know from watching the constant regurgitation of actors in the character of Batman, it takes more than muscles and a nice grin to pull off these comic-book heroes.

 Not a lot of people have respect for actors, yet these are the ones among us who make it their craft - not their business but their craft - to understand the human condition not just by studying it, but by living it - even if for a few fleeting moments, and yes, they can escape. But the true artists keep a piece of each character they ever play with them because they learn and grow from that exposure and are humbled by their fortune in position and ability to discard the hardship, heartache that others face - the stuff that movies are made of. He spoke of this in an interview once.

  This actor took on a role he could not discard.  Yes, he will be remembered mostly for playing Superman.

 I don't think of that as a bad thing, however and I hope his spirit and his family won't take offense. It takes a person with incredible inner strength and resolve and spirit to strive onward beyond boundaries, beyond scientific possibility, beyond hope, beyond even belief. His legacy of being Superman won't die easily because he WAS Superman.

  Godspeed, Mr. Reeves!  Hallelujah!


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## Venomstrike (Nov 5, 2004)

A true hero. He fought until the very end. He certainly lived up to the role of Superman.


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