Christopher Reeve is best known for flying across the screen while dressed in a red cloak and wearing a huge S across his chest. But it was his later off-screen labor, which he did while attempting to regain his ability to walk, that cemented his status as a hero.
His empathetic portrayal of Superman contributed to the film’s success in 1978, paving the way for a wave of superhero films. Years later, after being paralyzed in a horseback riding accident, he’d utilize his celebrity to raise awareness for the disabled.
From any perspective, he was a hero to millions. On what would have been Reeve’s 69th birthday, Google will dedicate Saturday’s Doodle to the actor, director, and humanitarian.
Reeve was born on September 25, 1952, in New York City, and received a bachelor of arts degree from Cornell before being accepted into an advanced acting program at the Juilliard School, where he studied under actor and director John Houseman. Reeve auditioned for the role of Superman after two years of acting in plays and soap operas, beating out over 200 other actors.
The 6-foot-4 Reeve was the epitome of Superman in the big-budget film, with his coal-black hair, piercing blue eyes, and chiseled jawline. During the 1980s, he’d repeat the role in three sequels, demonstrating that there was a market for superhero films and paving the way for the blockbuster Batman film starring Michael Keaton in that decade, as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Though he appeared in dozens of other films, he is most known for his Superman roles, and he was Superman to millions of moviegoers.
After a 1995 horseback riding accident left Reeve paralyzed from the neck down, this became the situation for millions more. Despite the fact that physicians described his injuries as one of the worst possible, Reeve displayed courage, redefining what a quadriplegic could accomplish, and promising that he would walk again one day.
Reeve responded angrily to a tabloid claim that he had pleaded with his wife to let him die. He wrote, “I have not given up.” “I’m not going to give up.”
Reeve became a formidable advocate for individuals with disabilities and raised funding for medical research after his injury. He and his wife formed the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing research in order to find a cure for spinal cord damage. He pressed Congress to extend embryonic stem cell research, claiming it was the only way to save his life and the lives of those like him.
“I believe that setting challenges is a tremendous motivator because too many people with disabilities allow it to become the dominant aspect in their lives, and I refuse to allow a disability to define how I live my life,” Reeve said a year after his injury to the Los Angeles Times. “I don’t intend to be rash, but setting a lofty goal that appears impossible to achieve is actually incredibly beneficial to rehabilitation.”
Following his injury, Reeve returned to Hollywood and made his directorial debut in 1997 with the critically praised television film In the Gloaming, starring Glenn Close. A weeping Close recounted her recollection of Reeve’s character during a 2017 fundraising appearance for his foundation.
“Chris is someone I miss. He was a magnificent individual. He possessed more moral and mental fortitude than anyone I have ever met “According to an E Online transcript of the speech, she stated. “It affected me deeply, and there were times when it took my breath away. He was also courageous. Despite the odds, he had the fortitude to hope for his dream, which has now become our dream: a world without wheelchairs.”
Reeve died in 2004 after suffering a heart arrest and falling into a coma after a nearly decade-long battle. He was 52 years old at the time.
Reference:https://www.cnet.com/news/google-doodle-honors-christopher-reeve-superman-actor-and-humanitarian/
