Christopher Reeve
- Died:
- October 10, 2004, Mount Kisco, New York (aged 52)
- Awards And Honors:
- Grammy Award (1998)
- Emmy Award (1997): Outstanding Informational Special
- Grammy Award (1999): Best Spoken Word Album
- Married To:
- Dana Reeve (married 1992)
- Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):
- "Superman" (1978)
- "Above Suspicion" (1995)
- "Street Smart" (1987)
- "Monsignor" (1982)
- "Great Performances" (1974)
- "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" (1987)
- "A Step Toward Tomorrow" (1996)
- "Road to Avonlea" (1992)
- "Frasier" (1993)
- "Gray Lady Down" (1978)
- "Somewhere in Time" (1980)
- "Noises Off..." (1992)
- "Village of the Damned" (1995)
- "Superman III" (1983)
- "Speechless" (1994)
- "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1983)
- "Tales from the Crypt" (1992)
- "Morning Glory" (1993)
- "The Bostonians" (1984)
- "Superman II" (1980)
- "The Aviator" (1985)
- "Carol & Company" (1991)
- "Deathtrap" (1982)
- "The Wide World of Mystery" (1975)
- "Switching Channels" (1988)
- "Love of Life" (1951)
- "The American Constitution: The Road from Runnymede" (1992)
- "The Remains of the Day" (1993)
- "Smallville" (2003–2004)
- "The Practice" (2003)
- Movies/Tv Shows (Directed):
- "Everyone's Hero" (2006)
- Movies/Tv Shows (Writing/Creator):
- "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" (1987)
- "The Practice" (2003)
Christopher Reeve (born September 25, 1952, New York, New York, U.S.—died October 10, 2004, Mount Kisco, New York) was an American actor who was first known to the moviegoing public as the title character in Superman (1978) and went on to star in three sequels as well as a number of other films. After a fall from a horse during an equestrian competition in 1995 broke his neck and left him a quadriplegic, however, he took on a new, even more heroic role—that of activist for medical research, including the search for a cure for spinal-cord injuries.
Reeve grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, where he performed in school plays and was involved with the local professional theatre. While receiving his education at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and the Juilliard School, New York City, he also worked at theatres in Europe and for two years was a cast member of the soap opera Love of Life. Reeve appeared on Broadway with Katharine Hepburn in A Matter of Gravity in 1976 and made his film debut in Gray Lady Down (1978). Then came Superman and superstardom.
Not wanting to be associated with only that role, Reeve did more stage work and also appeared in films that ranged from romance (Somewhere in Time [1980]) to mystery-thriller (Deathtrap [1982]) to period piece (The Bostonians [1984] and The Remains of the Day [1993]) to farce (Switching Channels [1988] and Noises Off [1992]). Following his accident, Reeve, who had already been a political activist, became an advocate for the disabled while he worked to improve his own condition, and in 1999 he established the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (now the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) to help fund research projects. He also remained involved in television work, with the starring role in a 1998 update of Rear Window and the direction of The Brooke Ellison Story (2004) among his credits.
