Film fans have been saddened by the death of the great thespian Gene Hackman, who was found dead at his New Mexico home, along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their pet dogs.
An investigation into the deaths of Gene, 95, and Betsy, 63, is now underway, with a new report stating that both bodies were found ‘mummified’ and in a state of decomposition. The loss of Gene, who lived a reclusive life in his final years, has sparked an outpouring of tributes from movie lovers, with the actor’s roles in classics such as The French Connection, Unforgiven, and Bonnie and Clyde going down in cinematic history.
For those who grew up loving superhero comics however, there’s one role in particular that Gene will be remembered for – the villainous Lex Luther.
Gene played the warped criminal mastermind in Superman: The Movie (1978), reprising the part for the 1980 and 1987 sequels. Superman is, of course, a beloved franchise the world over, capturing the imaginations of generations of children. But it also holds a dark legacy, with some believing that a number of stars have fallen prey to the so-called ‘Superman curse’.
Lee Quigley
Lee John Quigley was only seven months old when he made an adorable appearance as Kal-El – aka Baby Superman – in Superman (1978). In iconic scenes, the tiny superhero is sent to Earth in a spaceship, after parents Jor-El (Marlon Brando) and Lara (Susannah York) learn that their home planet Krypton is about to implode.
The child is discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent (Glen Ford and Phyllis Thaxter), who are left mesmerised by their superhuman son’s extraordinary strength, demonstrated when he lifts their truck.
Lambeth-born Lee made history as the first non-American actor to play Superman, but tragically never lived to adulthood. He was just 14 years old when he died, following a troubled childhood marked by solvent abuse.
George Reeves
George Reeves, often referred to as ‘the original superman’, starred in the television series, Adventures of Superman from 1952 to 1958. The role shot him to fame, while capturing the imaginations of countless children. However, George eventually became frustrated by the limitations of his character, the gruelling physical demands, and a paycheck that didn’t reflect his superstar status.
Unfortunately, breaking free of typecasting proved to be difficult, and George found it tricky to get the sort of nuanced, serious roles he longed for. In the summer of 1959, George died by gunshot wound. The official ruling was suicide, but in the years that followed, George’s death attracted plenty of conspiracy theories, with his Los Angeles Times obituary remarking upon “an element of mystery” in the case.
A number of people have speculated that George’s death was in fact a murder or an accidental shooting, as explored in 2006 mystery drama, Hollywoodland.
Christopher Reeve
Possibly the best-known Superman, Christopher Reeve played Clark Kent and his heroic alter ego in Superman: The Movie (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).
Not only did the 6ft 4 thespian strongly resemble the comic book icon, he also brought plenty of humour and charm to the role, with audiences aghast at his ability to transform seamlessly between Clark’s dual personalities with the subtlest of gestures.
In the mid-’80s, adventurous Christopher took up an interest in horses after learning to ride for the 1985 film Anna Karenina. It was while competing in an equestrian event in May 1995 that Christopher’s life changed forever.
Christopher was flung from his horse during the event in Culpeper, Virginia, and left with injuries so severe that his head had to be reattached to his spinal column, as per BBC News. He also stopped breathing for a full three minutes.
Miraculously, Christopher survived but was left permanently paralysed from the neck down and reliant on a breathing tube to survive. He dedicated the remainder of his life to finding a cure for paralysis through his organisation, the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.
The star remained determined to walk again and did regain some movement in his left index finger despite doctors telling him he’d never have movement below his shoulders again. He also regained some sensations, including being able to differentiate between hot and cold.
Christopher passed away on October 10, 2004 at the age of 52, after going into cardiac arrest. His devoted wife Dana died just two years later, at the age of 44.
Marlon Brando
One of the all-time Hollywood greats, Marlon Brando, who played Jor-El in the 1978 film, also lived a tumultuous life, filled with heartbreak.
His son Christian Brando, who was just 49 years old when he passed away in 2008, made headlines in 1990 after fatally shooting Dag Drollet.
Dag was the 26-year-old boyfriend of Christian’s sister, Cheyenne Brando, and the pair had been expecting their first child together. Christian maintained that the shooting had been accidental and stated that Cheyenne had told him that Dag had been physically abusing her.
Cheyenne suffered from mental health issues, and sadly died by suicide in April 1995. Marlon spent his final years as a recluse, battling with obesity. He died on July 1, 2004, at the age of 80 – just three months before co-star Christopher.
Margot Kidder
Margot Kidder was best known for playing Lois Lane – Superman’s love interest and an icon in her own right.
Starring alongside Christopher, Margot’s Lois was a clever, quick-witted reporter, and millions of movie lovers soon fell for her sass, just as Clark did.
Away from her breathtaking nighttime flies around Manhattan, Margot sadly encountered a number of personal struggles, including a terrible car crash in 1990, which left her with a serious spinal injury. The subsequent debt she was left with resulted in bankruptcy.
The star also lived with a bipolar diagnosis and, in 1996, she suffered a breakdown and vanished for four days, with officers later finding her in a distressed and delusional state.
Despite her own significant difficulties however, Margot always laughed off the idea of a ‘Superman Curse’. Speaking with The Telegraph in 2002, Margot said: “That is all newspaper-created rubbish. The idea cracks me up. What about the luck of Superman?
“When my car crashed this August, if I hadn’t hit a telegraph pole after rolling three times, I would have dropped down a 50ft to 60ft ravine. Why don’t people focus on that?”
Margot died on May 13, 2018, at the age of 69. Her death was ruled a suicide.
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