Superman, the iconic character we all know and love, launched the superhero genre and has appeared in at least half a dozen motion picture films.
However, in Hollywood, the character has become associated with a "curse", that may have taken the lives of two leading men.
However, in Hollywood, the character has become associated with a "curse", that may have taken the lives of two leading men.
Faster Than a Speeding Bullet!
Kirk Alyn. Superman, the creation of two high school students in 1933, has become a world wide pop culture icon and due to its success virtually launched the superhero genre.
The character was sold to Detective Comics by its creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 and appeared in comic books soon after. Since then the character has appeared in various media, including radio and TV serials, animated adventures, newspaper strips and video games, as well as a number of live-action motion picture films.
Everyone should be familiar with the character and his origin story, his costume and alter-ego, as well as the ensemble of supporting characters in his universe and catch-phrases such as "Faster than a speeding Bullet" and the famous S symbol worn on the characters chest.
However,the character is also associated with superstition and fear, as it is said that there is a "curse" associated with the character due to a series of misfortunes that have befallen any actors who have portrayed the hero on film or in television productions. It has become Hollywood mythology, if you will, to the extent that some casting agents will use the so-called curse as the reason it is, or has, become hard to cast actors in the role of the main character in any live action adaptation of the story.
The character was sold to Detective Comics by its creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 and appeared in comic books soon after. Since then the character has appeared in various media, including radio and TV serials, animated adventures, newspaper strips and video games, as well as a number of live-action motion picture films.
Everyone should be familiar with the character and his origin story, his costume and alter-ego, as well as the ensemble of supporting characters in his universe and catch-phrases such as "Faster than a speeding Bullet" and the famous S symbol worn on the characters chest.
However,the character is also associated with superstition and fear, as it is said that there is a "curse" associated with the character due to a series of misfortunes that have befallen any actors who have portrayed the hero on film or in television productions. It has become Hollywood mythology, if you will, to the extent that some casting agents will use the so-called curse as the reason it is, or has, become hard to cast actors in the role of the main character in any live action adaptation of the story.
The Curse
George Reeves. The urban legend of the curse started with the death of George Reeves, who played the man of steel in a 1951 film "Superman and the Mole Men" and later went on to star in Adventures of Superman, a TV series. Just days before he was to be married in 1959, Reeves was found dead in his home, caused by a gunshot. However his death was mysterious in the sense that the gun found at the scene didn't have his fingerprints on them, yet was ruled a suicide.
Reeves, as well as actors who had played the character in radio serials before him, found they were typecast making it hard to further their careers and play other roles, as did Christopher Reeve, who between 1977 to 1987 played the titular character in four feature films. In 1995 Reeve was thrown from his horse while participating in a cross-country equestrian event and was subsequently paralysed from the neck down.
Reeves, as well as actors who had played the character in radio serials before him, found they were typecast making it hard to further their careers and play other roles, as did Christopher Reeve, who between 1977 to 1987 played the titular character in four feature films. In 1995 Reeve was thrown from his horse while participating in a cross-country equestrian event and was subsequently paralysed from the neck down.
Christopher Reeves. Reeve lived nearly a decade afterwards before dying due to heart failure stemming from those injuries.
It is not just actors who have played Superman however that seem to be affected by the "curse". Everyone from leading ladies who have played love interest Lois Lane to actors playing smaller roles have been so-called victims of the curse, often having serious mental issues, loss of career or in some extreme cases loss of life - whether by accident, suicide or murder.
Some actors who have played roles in TV series or films have not, however, experienced the curse, leading many to call it "silly" and "nonsense".
Is there a Curse on the character of Superman?
If so,where did it start and why?
Or is this Hollywood fear-mongering started by one tragic event?
It is not just actors who have played Superman however that seem to be affected by the "curse". Everyone from leading ladies who have played love interest Lois Lane to actors playing smaller roles have been so-called victims of the curse, often having serious mental issues, loss of career or in some extreme cases loss of life - whether by accident, suicide or murder.
Some actors who have played roles in TV series or films have not, however, experienced the curse, leading many to call it "silly" and "nonsense".
Is there a Curse on the character of Superman?
If so,where did it start and why?
Or is this Hollywood fear-mongering started by one tragic event?
Matty Sweeney 2013
Put together by Ashley Hall 2013
Put together by Ashley Hall 2013
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