Superman Autopsy Confirms Suicide, Coroner Says

June 24, 1959: Los Angeles County Coroner Theodore J. Curphey discusses the autopsy of "Superman" actor George Reeves, who died June 16, 1959. Reeves' mother hired attorney Jerry Giesler to look into the actor's death because she didn't believe he would commit suicide. The Times says: Curphey ordered the autopsy and personally joined in performing it in response to published statements -- particularly by the actor's mother -- which questioned the suicide theory. "The examination of the bones of the head and brain," Curphey said, "establish the fact that the fatal wound was of close contact nature with the gun pressed against the skin, producing extensive fracturing of the skull and marked damage to the brain along the wound track. "From these findings, coupled with the investigative report supplied this office by the police, it is my opinion that the wound was self-inflicted," he added. June 24, 1959: Below, Giesler told the Mirror that he was satisfied with the autopsy's conclusion that Reeves committed suicide. I'm going to try to get over to the Los Angeles Public Library and check the microfilm to see what the Examiner and the Herald-Express said. Stay tuned.

Comments

[Michael J. Hayde]

Larry - Do you remember me? I'm the author of the "Dragnet" book MY NAME'S FRIDAY, and you took me to the Times' building one Sunday afternoon to view Jack Webb-related articles in the morgue.

A fellow author and friend of mine, who lives in Los Angeles, is at work on a book about the Reeves mystery, consisting mainly of an extensive timeline detailing the final eight months' of his life. He has copies of ALL the articles surrounding the death - not only the major L.A. papers, but also the Hollywood Citizen News, the Beverly Hiills paper and all the wire service stories.

If you or anyone at the Times are interested in contacting him, please shoot me an email and I'll put you in touch.

Sincerely,
Michael J. Hayde