# Superman Tragedy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 24, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384 "2007-04-24T00:06:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tashua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tashua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashua)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/1 "2007-04-24T00:06:17Z")
George Reeve’s “death” suicide or not is a tragedy. When I saw the movie I put myself in the portrayed’s shoes. It seems like Toni Mannix was in love with George, but he may have been looking for a more fulfilling relationship than somoeone’s “boy toy”. I don’t understand the attraction with Toni Mannix except she was pretty. And I do not understand why it took the guests 30 minutes to call the police. But I do know he was unbelievably hot!! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/2 "2007-04-24T01:09:05Z")
[QUOTE=tashua] George Reeve’s “death” suicide or not is a tragedy. When I saw the movie I put myself in the portrayed’s shoes. It seems like Toni Mannix was in love with George, but he may have been looking for a more fulfilling relationship than somoeone’s “boy toy”. I don’t understand the attraction with Toni Mannix except she was pretty. And I do not understand why it took the guests 30 minutes to call the police. But I do know he was unbelievably hot!! [/QUOTE] Geez! If you think he was “hot” you gots to be pretty old. 🙂 (Hey! I’m 63 this year. So I’m entitled. ) Just popping in here to offer a link to the Staff Report Was Superman star George Reeves a suicide–or murder victim? It helps others to follow along. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/3 "2007-05-01T03:58:13Z")
Remember that the majority of _Hollywoodland_ is speculation and historical fiction. The facts that we do know about the case are outlined well in the staff report. ETA: Here is a [fixed link](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mreeves.html). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/4 "2007-05-06T21:40:48Z")
It’s a well-written staff report but the “curse” aspect deserved a little more than “get real” (although that’s a perfectly understandable reaction). A better answer would be “no, idiot”, and citing several other actors who played the role: Kirk Alyn (played Superman in serials in 1948 and 1950): Died at age 89. Clayton “Bud” Collyer (voiced Superman on radio and several animated shows): died at age 61 from (wiki and [imdb.com](http://imdb.com) says) a “circulator ailment”. Not what I’d call a tragedy. Danny Dark (voiced Superman in various animated shows): Died age 65 from a pulmonary hemorrhage. Timothy Daly (voiced Superman in various Bruce Timm cartoons): Born 1956, still around. Bob Holiday (played Superman on stage in 1966 musical): Born in 1933, still around. David Wilson (played Superman in 1975 TV adaptation of 1966 musical): Born in 1949, still around. Plus there are some others. As curses go, this one is pretty relaxed. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/5 "2007-05-07T04:03:35Z")
Might as well mention the 1950’s TV show to demonstrate “the curse”. **John Hamilton** (Perry White) 71 at time of death **Robert Shayne** (Inspector Henderson) 92 at time of death **Jack Larson** (Jimmy Olsen) (age 79), **Phyllis Coates** (1st Lois Lane) (age 80) and **Noel Neil** (age 87) (age (2nd Lois Lane) all alive at the time of this posting. And the recently deceased **Dabbs Greer** who was a guest star on 3 Superman episodes was 90 years old. Wow - that’s some “curse” huh? ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/6 "2007-05-07T19:33:45Z")
[QUOTE=wolf\_meister] **Noel Neil** (age 87) (age (2nd Lois Lane) [/QUOTE] Just a quick aside: I met her this weekend! She’s tiny, sweet and hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/7 "2007-05-08T05:59:13Z")
**Skip Magic** I’ve heard that about **Noel Neil** from a lot of people who attend the nostalgia conventions. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/8 "2007-05-08T19:22:44Z")
I met her a few years ago, and quite agree. (It was a kind of weird convention for me, because she was seated only a few feet away from a Playboy playmate that I had gone to high school with – I mean, what do you say? – “Nice to see you again”?) One might note that, although N.N. was George Reeves’ second Lois, she had also been Lois to Kirk Alyn. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-tragedy/401384/9 "2007-05-08T20:08:51Z")
[QUOTE=John W. Kennedy] I met her a few years ago, and quite agree. (It was a kind of weird convention for me, because she was seated only a few feet away from a Playboy playmate that I had gone to high school with – I mean, what do you say? – “Nice to see you again”?) [/QUOTE] I would say, HEY! Angel in my centerfold! 🆒 - But that’s just me! 🙂 * * * True Blue Jack