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Hollywood Kryptonite: The Bulldog, the Lady, and the Death of Superman
Examines the evidence left by the late Hollywood writer and MGM executive Sam Myer concerning the death of George Reeves, and concludes that the first Superman was murdered by a man named Eddie Mannix
207 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 21, 2012
I am on a Superman kick these days. It began when I came across The Adventures of Superman series at the library and loved it. I grew up with a different sort of Superman, but I absolutely loved this show. I dutifully saw all the extra features and commentaries, many from Jack Larson. While still waiting for seasons 5 and 6, I moved on to the movies and other Superman shows-even documentaries. Did you notice Jack Larson makes a cameo in Superman Returns!? Did you see the Donner cut of Superman II which is amazing!? What I noticed in all of it was a complete lack of mention that George had met with a tragic ending. I think the Superman documentary does mention it for a whole 5 seconds.
So I started wondering about all those things I had heard along the way about George's death. I got a hold of the movie Hollywoodland, but I wasn't satisfied that I knew enough. It leaves it open. By now I had this itch, I just needed to know what happened to George. It had this pull to it, like Marilyn Monroe or JFK, something sort of stunk about the way it hangs out there-all hushed and mixed up.
This book scratches that itch! You get the dirt, oh and there is plenty of dirt. You get to be up close and comfortable with George in a patchwork way that works. You even get to know the other actors from the show a little bit! I appreciate the way the authors have preserved some of the voices and the feel of the time. I appreciate the thoughtful scenario they put forth after building the case and helping make sense of all the maddening aspects of it.
It sort of spun me into other books of organized crime and corruption in the 50's and early 60's. Both in Hollywood but also my home town of Portland was rife with it and there are two books now on the matter. I think it is interesting that the kind of villains in The Adventures of Superman are not alien super-beings or Kryptonized monsters. They are largely the organized criminals, trying to pull the strings of the newspapers and police departments. Someone should make a Graphic Novel of George Reeve's noir style Superman cleaning up the real crimes of the 50's...I'd buy it! Ok, maybe that already exists-I confess that haven't hit the comics yet. Though I hear the new ones are amazing.
On page 45 I began to feel absolutely wretched for being so interested in George's personal life. I was stopped dead in my tracks and put the book down to consider whether or not I would be dishonoring my fallen hero to continue. George turns down an interview with this statement to the reporter to become his future manager, "My personal self is my private business. I'm not interested in public consumption of stuff about me." It took me a while to recover my guts. Since I am now convinced George is haunting his old house and is too busy to come after me for reading about him, I got over my fear of going against his wishes. Now I am eerily fearful of the Mannix's long arm reaching out from beyond the grave.
I am still watching the series, and every piece of film George ever appeared in, and now there is so much depth to him. As I watched "So Proudly We Hail" I thought about how handsome he was, how he was so promising in the film, how he should have been a movie star. Here are two quotes from Jack Larson in the book I want to leave you with. One is from page 32 the other is from page 195.
"He was a movie star, really-he'd had all the preparations and training to be a movie star. But he was trapped on that small screen. He was a movie star, acting in a box, on a kiddie show, in a piece of furniture."
"I admired George and I miss him. I feel badly that he didn't live to have all the blessings from the show. People love you for it through the generations. I feel badly that George was cheated out of that. He only got the bad things; I got all the good things."
So I started wondering about all those things I had heard along the way about George's death. I got a hold of the movie Hollywoodland, but I wasn't satisfied that I knew enough. It leaves it open. By now I had this itch, I just needed to know what happened to George. It had this pull to it, like Marilyn Monroe or JFK, something sort of stunk about the way it hangs out there-all hushed and mixed up.
This book scratches that itch! You get the dirt, oh and there is plenty of dirt. You get to be up close and comfortable with George in a patchwork way that works. You even get to know the other actors from the show a little bit! I appreciate the way the authors have preserved some of the voices and the feel of the time. I appreciate the thoughtful scenario they put forth after building the case and helping make sense of all the maddening aspects of it.
It sort of spun me into other books of organized crime and corruption in the 50's and early 60's. Both in Hollywood but also my home town of Portland was rife with it and there are two books now on the matter. I think it is interesting that the kind of villains in The Adventures of Superman are not alien super-beings or Kryptonized monsters. They are largely the organized criminals, trying to pull the strings of the newspapers and police departments. Someone should make a Graphic Novel of George Reeve's noir style Superman cleaning up the real crimes of the 50's...I'd buy it! Ok, maybe that already exists-I confess that haven't hit the comics yet. Though I hear the new ones are amazing.
On page 45 I began to feel absolutely wretched for being so interested in George's personal life. I was stopped dead in my tracks and put the book down to consider whether or not I would be dishonoring my fallen hero to continue. George turns down an interview with this statement to the reporter to become his future manager, "My personal self is my private business. I'm not interested in public consumption of stuff about me." It took me a while to recover my guts. Since I am now convinced George is haunting his old house and is too busy to come after me for reading about him, I got over my fear of going against his wishes. Now I am eerily fearful of the Mannix's long arm reaching out from beyond the grave.
I am still watching the series, and every piece of film George ever appeared in, and now there is so much depth to him. As I watched "So Proudly We Hail" I thought about how handsome he was, how he was so promising in the film, how he should have been a movie star. Here are two quotes from Jack Larson in the book I want to leave you with. One is from page 32 the other is from page 195.
"He was a movie star, really-he'd had all the preparations and training to be a movie star. But he was trapped on that small screen. He was a movie star, acting in a box, on a kiddie show, in a piece of furniture."
"I admired George and I miss him. I feel badly that he didn't live to have all the blessings from the show. People love you for it through the generations. I feel badly that George was cheated out of that. He only got the bad things; I got all the good things."
May 6, 2013
One of the most tantalizing unsolved Hollywood mysteries. Did George Reeves, TV's Superman, kill himself on June 16, 1959 or was he murdered? This book provides all the known clues, and introduces the reader to a fascinating cast of characters. Leonore Lemmon, Reeves' recent fiancee. Toni Mannix, wife of MGM exec Eddie Mannix, and Reeves' former paramour. Helen Bessolo, Reeves' grieving mother who tried to convince people her son was murdered. George Reeves himself, television's beloved Superman, who also appeared in "Gone With The Wind" and "From Here To Eternity". Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head. Several people were in the house at the time, including his fiancee. All were intoxicated. They gave dubious statements to the police. Did Lemmon predict Reeves would kill himself? Were additional bullet holes found? Read this fascinating book and speculate.
September 25, 2014
Amazing that the type of role that killed Reeves' career in the 50s would make any actor a star today.
January 23, 2016
A very good read -- so sad, so scary and so very, very noir.
November 29, 2020
This entry for Non-Fiction November is an intersection for three of my favorite things- old Hollywood biographies, true crime stories, and Superman. I just completed, “Hollywood Kryptonite: The Bulldog, the Lady, and the Death of Superman.” This book works to answer many of the questions surrounding the mysterious death of George Reeves, the man that was Superman for decades to millions. This was an incredibly engaging read for me, and if at least two of the aforementioned categories are favorites of yours too, then I recommend it.
The book is divided in two major sections and each of those are dark in tone. The first half discusses the life of George Reeves with a primary focus on his time during his TV run as Superman and his unhappy two years after it as he tries to break free of the character and the typecasting. True Crime fans may be bored here, but Old Hollywood fans and Superman fans will not.
The second half of the book deals entirely with Reeves' death, the aftermath, and the theories. True Crime fans will be in Murderino Heaven here. This mystery has many conflicting versions, but all of them include a drunken Hollywood party, a jilted lover, a society girl climbing her way up, a jealous studio head, a link to the mafia, and, of course, a possible cover up by crooked LA cops. The story is well told and the narrative is tight, unlike recently reviewed Graysmith's, “The Girl in Alfred Hitchcok’s Shower,” Kashner keeps us always on topic with a nice attention to detail which adds an extra layer of tension to the story.
Side note- I purchased this a few months ago at the Great Escape, and was surprised when I removed the dust jacket to start reading to find a letter from Jack Larson inside. Jack played Jimmy Olsen for the entire run of Superman. Mr. Larson appears to be answering a fan letter in which he was asked about how he thinks George Reeves died. He also happily gives the fan the home address of co-star Noel Neil, who was the 2nd Lois Lane on the series.
The book is divided in two major sections and each of those are dark in tone. The first half discusses the life of George Reeves with a primary focus on his time during his TV run as Superman and his unhappy two years after it as he tries to break free of the character and the typecasting. True Crime fans may be bored here, but Old Hollywood fans and Superman fans will not.
The second half of the book deals entirely with Reeves' death, the aftermath, and the theories. True Crime fans will be in Murderino Heaven here. This mystery has many conflicting versions, but all of them include a drunken Hollywood party, a jilted lover, a society girl climbing her way up, a jealous studio head, a link to the mafia, and, of course, a possible cover up by crooked LA cops. The story is well told and the narrative is tight, unlike recently reviewed Graysmith's, “The Girl in Alfred Hitchcok’s Shower,” Kashner keeps us always on topic with a nice attention to detail which adds an extra layer of tension to the story.
Side note- I purchased this a few months ago at the Great Escape, and was surprised when I removed the dust jacket to start reading to find a letter from Jack Larson inside. Jack played Jimmy Olsen for the entire run of Superman. Mr. Larson appears to be answering a fan letter in which he was asked about how he thinks George Reeves died. He also happily gives the fan the home address of co-star Noel Neil, who was the 2nd Lois Lane on the series.
December 7, 2008
Did George Reeves, the star of television's popular SUPERMAN series really commit suicide back in 1959, or was he, in fact, murdered?
That's the question authors Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger pose in this fascinating read that takes a look at Hollywood's "dark side".
In the end, the writers make a very strong argument in favor of homicide.
So, who killed Superman?
Best guess is a professional hitman, hired by powerful MGM studio executive (and fixer) Eddie Mannix whose wife had been having an affair with the "Man of Steel".
Aside from being a first-rate mystery, HOLLYWOOD KRYPTONITE gives readers a yet unrevealed look into the real Hollywood.
That's the question authors Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger pose in this fascinating read that takes a look at Hollywood's "dark side".
In the end, the writers make a very strong argument in favor of homicide.
So, who killed Superman?
Best guess is a professional hitman, hired by powerful MGM studio executive (and fixer) Eddie Mannix whose wife had been having an affair with the "Man of Steel".
Aside from being a first-rate mystery, HOLLYWOOD KRYPTONITE gives readers a yet unrevealed look into the real Hollywood.
September 24, 2019
I bought this book then forgot about it, picked it up again and was fascinated by it. It is a very sad book because George Reeves life was a mess. He died in a supposed suicide in 1959 but this book gives a different ending to the mystery of his death. This book may be interesting to readers who enjoy reading about Hollywood in the 1950's. It was so well written that I have picked up two of their other books from the library.
January 29, 2018
A very detailed examination of the death of TV actor GEORGE REEVES (1914-59), who played the Clark Kent/Superman character on the TV series, "ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" in the 1950s. I was most impressed by the impartiality of the authors and their thorough dedication to presenting the facts, sans emotion.
June 25, 2014
One of the saddest most interesting stories I've ever read. Some people just have all the luck, and George Reeves WASN'T one of them (poor guy). It was just one unhappiness after another for him. A story that gets into your head.
February 22, 2015
Very interesting book.
April 15, 2016
I was totally intrigued by this book and want to read it again. Watched Hollywoodland last night after I finished....
June 23, 2016
Trashy and depressing, but an entertaining read.
July 3, 2020
A great, definitive book.
August 18, 2020
Excellent book! Similar to, and maybe it inspired the movie "Hollywoodland". It really presents good evidence that Reeves may have been murdered.
June 30, 2021
Few things are sadder than when a good book goes bad. Such is the case with Hollywood Kryptonite.
The first hundred pages of are terrific. Author Kashner recounts the life of George Reeves from a childhood spent with an overbearing, stage mother to his 1950s stardom in TV’s The Adventures of Superman. The story is compelling and vividly told. For instance, Kashner describes how the angle of the sun changes by season in Los Angeles’ canyons, which causes vastly different temperatures for canyon residents.
Reeves died by gunshot in 1959 and here the book derails. The official verdict is that Reeves committed suicide. But Kashner disagrees and insists that dirty work was afoot. The problem is that Kashner can’t prove it. He spends the book’s second hundred pages trying to build a case. At best, Kashner succeeds in raising doubts about the official verdict - but he doesn’t know what happened to Reeves.
Predictably, Kashner ends up piling speculation about speculation. In the end, we still don’t know how Superman died. So, while I really enjoyed the first hundred pages of Hollywood Kryptonite, the second hundred were a big letdown.
The first hundred pages of are terrific. Author Kashner recounts the life of George Reeves from a childhood spent with an overbearing, stage mother to his 1950s stardom in TV’s The Adventures of Superman. The story is compelling and vividly told. For instance, Kashner describes how the angle of the sun changes by season in Los Angeles’ canyons, which causes vastly different temperatures for canyon residents.
Reeves died by gunshot in 1959 and here the book derails. The official verdict is that Reeves committed suicide. But Kashner disagrees and insists that dirty work was afoot. The problem is that Kashner can’t prove it. He spends the book’s second hundred pages trying to build a case. At best, Kashner succeeds in raising doubts about the official verdict - but he doesn’t know what happened to Reeves.
Predictably, Kashner ends up piling speculation about speculation. In the end, we still don’t know how Superman died. So, while I really enjoyed the first hundred pages of Hollywood Kryptonite, the second hundred were a big letdown.
did-not-finish
January 7, 2023This book is the sad account of the suspicious 1959 death of TV actor George Reeves, best known for playing the title role in THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN tv series. I wanted to read this book because I remember watching this show (in syndication) when I was a boy, and because it is my best friends' favorite show ever. Unfortunately this true crime/biography is full of smutty content and coarse profanity. I could only get through the first couple of chapters, then skipped to the end to see the author's conclusions. I learned two things: (1) IF the authors are presenting the facts correctly and fully, TWO bullet holes (one in the floor and another in the ceiling!?) at the scene of a supposed suicide certainly seems odd to me. (2) The glitz and glam of Hollywood was/is a sham. If you have any thought of going there to be a "star", forget it. You're better off in Kansas with Toto.
June 2, 2024
2.5
There’s just too much supposition and storytelling here for me to feel comfortable with the authors perception of what happened. My copy of the book even has some notes in the margin where a previous reader had done some basic fact checking on statements not even related to Reeves, and they were still somehow inaccurate. So, this might be a good starting point but it feels more like a long gossip column than real investigation. I would recommend looking elsewhere for a book more concerned with solid research and sources.
There’s just too much supposition and storytelling here for me to feel comfortable with the authors perception of what happened. My copy of the book even has some notes in the margin where a previous reader had done some basic fact checking on statements not even related to Reeves, and they were still somehow inaccurate. So, this might be a good starting point but it feels more like a long gossip column than real investigation. I would recommend looking elsewhere for a book more concerned with solid research and sources.
September 23, 2022
All I got to say is wow stop the presses! Was so captivating this book. I read it after buying it several times. Years before the movie Hollywoodland came out. The book is way better then the movie based on it. There are so many things to look back on and go whoa wait a second how could it be taken this way or that way.
March 12, 2025
A real page turner, this book held my interest and draws some definitive conclusions which I happen to agree with.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews