The Unyielding Shadow: Was George Reeves’s Death Suicide or Murder?

By Dicking Around With Richie: A True Crime Feed

Diving Into The Mystery

While doing my deep dive into the mysterious death of George Reeves, I fell down a major rabbit hole of YouTube videos, podcasts, and countless blog posts. One of my most fascinating finds was on Unsolved.com, which offered a great summary of the Reeves case and an even juicier comments section.

That’s where I stumbled on Lisa Maccini’s comment, which completely stopped me in my tracks. Lisa wrote:

There is no doubt in my mind that Lenore Lemmon killed him. She did it to my Grandfather, Jack Whittemore, a very respectable jazz bookie who had lots of money. My Grandmother passed away 6 weeks before his death. Lenore tricked him into marrying her by getting him so intoxicated that he didn’t even remember marrying her… She had sought out a Justice of the Peace and paid the doorman to be their witness. When they returned to my Grandfather’s home on Park Avenue in Manhattan, New York after a long night of drinking, there waiting in the lobby was the doorman and the Justice of the Peace.

I remember my Grandpa Jack calling my mother the next day telling her he didn’t recall marrying Lenore but the marriage certificate seemed to prove that he did. He was pretty shaken up about it.

Around 2-3 weeks later, my Grandpa Jack passed away. He was found in his bathtub with a cut on his head which caused an aneurysm to burst.

Lenore Lemmon was a horrible nasty woman. She definitely killed both Reeves and Whittemore. Both murders left unsolved.

(Screenshots of this comment will be at the bottom of this blog post!)

It left me thinking… could George Reeves’s death be part of a far bigger and darker story?

My Superman Revelation

First, let me clear up a lifelong misconception: George Reeves was NOT Christopher Reeve’s father. For the longest time growing up, I thought they were related. Boy, was I wrong. Their last names aren’t even spelled the same. Just a coincidence of superhero fate.

Toni Mannix: The Femme Fatale with Power

Here’s where things start feeling like a Hollywood noir film. Toni Mannix was a woman who knew how to get what she wanted. Thanks to her husband, Eddie Mannix, she had money, power, and connections. When she decided she wanted George Reeves as her boy toy, she went all in:

Toni bought Reeves his fancy house.
She bought his car.
She paid most of his bills.

All of it was in Toni’s name, so she basically owned him.

Eddie Mannix: Hollywood’s Sinister Fixer

Let’s talk about Toni’s husband, Eddie Mannix, the MGM studio executive who was far more than just a Hollywood suit. In reality, Mannix was a notorious “fixer.” He was rumored to:

Quietly handle scandals like public drunkenness, affairs, and DUIs.
Arrange secret abortions for starlets.
Allegedly cover up rapes, violent assaults and possibly even murders.

Could Eddie and Toni have been behind George Reeves’s death?

The Love Triangle Explodes

Toni and George had a long-running love affair. But in 1958, George broke things off and started dating Leonore Lemmon. Toni didn’t take it well but she didn’t immediately kick George out of the house, which technically belonged to her.

Instead, Toni reportedly began harassing the new couple, thinking she could still reel George back in. But George pushed back, eventually taking out a restraining order against her.

Attempts on George’s Life?

Here’s where it gets downright sinister. There were several attempts on George Reeves’s life in the months leading up to his death:

Brake lines drained: George accused Toni Mannix of orchestrating it.
Cars boxing him in: George was once nearly forced off the highway by two trucks.
Death threats: He received up to 20 threatening calls a day on his private, unlisted phone number.

That doesn’t sound like a man simply spiraling into depression. That sounds like a man being hunted.

George Reeves: More Than Just Superman

Let’s not forget George Reeves was more than Superman. He:

Had a small role in Gone With the Wind.
Served in WWII.
Came home to Hollywood, struggled, and even dug septic ditches to survive before landing Superman.

Reeves took the role of Superman seriously, making public appearances for kids who adored him. Despite being stuck in a contract that stifled his other career options, by 1959, he was finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. He was:

About to start directing episodes of Superman.
Signed for another movie role.
Planning a tour in Australia for Superman appearances.
Even prepping for a boxing match with fighter Archie Moore.

This does NOT sound like a man with nothing to live for.

George’s Mother Refuses to Believe It

After Reeves’s death, his mother, Helen Bessolo, was the first to suspect foul play. She:

Refused to accept the suicide ruling.
Hired a private detective agency.
Forced a second autopsy.

That second procedure revealed unexplained bruises on George’s head and body, per The Telegraph. Yet the police never reopened the case. Why?

The Leonore Lemmon Question

Let’s talk about Leonore Lemmon. The woman was a walking mystery. Here’s what makes her so suspicious:

A 45-minute delay before anyone called the police after George’s shooting.
Rumors of the bedroom being cleaned and staged during that window.
Her bizarre comment: “He’s going upstairs to shoot himself.”
The very next day, Leonore broke into George’s house, violating the police seal on the door. She was caught red-handed by George’s friend and executor, Art Weissman.

She was reportedly trying to steal $4,000 in traveler’s checks. Was she hiding evidence or taking money for a getaway?

Then there’s Lisa Maccini’s accusation linking Leonore to her grandfather’s suspicious death, adding yet another layer of mystery to Lemmon’s past.

Why did Leonore hire a high-priced lawyer and flee back to New York so quickly after George’s death? What was she hiding?

Who Was Will Bliss?

Another weird detail: Will Bliss was a guest at George’s house party that night the first time he’d ever visited. Yet he was the one who went upstairs and found George’s body. Why him? Coincidence… or something darker?

Toni Mannix’s Hysterical Call

Here’s the bombshell:

Actress Phyllis Coates, who played Lois Lane, claimed that Toni Mannix called her around 4:30 a.m. on the day of George’s death before news of his death was public.
Toni was hysterical, ranting that “The boy is dead. He’s been murdered.”

How could Toni have known so soon? Was she there? Did Eddie confess? Or was the murder already arranged?

Toni Mannix’s Deathbed Confession

Later in life, Toni reportedly confessed on her deathbed that she had George killed. People dismissed it because Toni suffered from Alzheimer’s. But here’s the thing: Alzheimer’s often affects short-term memory not necessarily long-term memories or confessions of old secrets.

Why did no one take Toni’s confession seriously?

The Forensic Red Flags

Let’s recap the forensic oddities:

No fingerprints on the gun.
No powder burns on George’s head or hands.
George was found naked, though he usually wore pajamas.
Three shots fired yet guests only heard one.
Bruises on his body found during the second autopsy.

All these details scream one thing: This was no simple suicide.

The Dog-Napping Drama

Oh and poor George’s schnauzer was stolen. Many believe Toni Mannix took the dog as revenge. I believe it too.

Why Was George’s Body Exhumed?

Here’s a final bizarre twist:

George Reeves died in 1959.
In 1961, his body was exhumed and cremated at Mountain View Cemetery.

Why? And by whom? We know it wasn’t George’s mother, Helen. What was someone trying to hide?

So… Who Killed Superman?

Did Leonore Lemmon kill George in a fit of rage? Did Toni Mannix or Eddie Mannix have George murdered out of jealousy and revenge? Or did a mob hitman silence George, leaving Hollywood to sweep it under the rug?

Back then, the LAPD could definitely be bought off and often was. So it’s no wonder the truth might have been buried under Hollywood’s glitzy surface.

My Final Take

I believe George Reeves was murdered. Too many inconsistencies. Too many sinister connections. George was on the cusp of new career highs, happy and full of plans. Suicide just doesn’t fit.

So… was Toni and Eddie Mannix George Reeves’s true kryptonite?

Tell Me What You Think!

Drop your theories in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the screenshots of Lisa Maccini’s shocking comment below!

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