Christopher Reeve -- The Man of Steel

Born September 25, 1952 in New York City to highly educated parents (Barbara Johnson, Journalist, and Franklin Reeve, writer/professor), Christopher Reeve embarked upon the stage at the young age of eight in school plays. By the age of nine he was appearing in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta Yeoman of the Guard. Little did he realize that he would become the icon of all heroes – Superman!

Reeve’s parents divorced when he was four and his mother moved him and his brother (Benjamin) to Princeton where they both attended exclusive private schools. Christopher became a leader of his destiny; he became the President of the Drama Club, Student Director of the Glee Club and even ventured in to hockey and was in the school orchestra.

By 15, Christopher was an apprentice at the Williamstown Theater Festival and by 16 he had an agent. Stage became a major drive to his acting career with nearly 150 stage plays to his credit while he still managed television and big screen movies.

While obtaining a major in Music Theory and English from Cornell University, Reeve took the leading role in Celeste Holm’s play The Irregular Verb of Love. His study of theater took him to Britain and France and returned to the U.S. and was highlighted at several well-known theaters in America.

Like most actors / actresses he got his television start in a soap opera role as Ben Harper on Love of Life (1975). This led him and a friend (Robin Williams) to the steps of New York’s famous Julliard School of Performing Arts under the tutelage of the unmistakable voice of John Houseman. His role on Love of Life became the stepping-stone to a major Broadway part with actress Katherine Hepburn in the play A Matter of Gravity (1976).

Christopher’s first role in a feature movie for the big screen was in the movie Gray Lady Down (1976). With more Broadway plays woven into his constant acting, he tried for the part of Superman (1978) along with 200 other actors and was picked for his virile good looks and his ability to give the comic hero a heart.

Superman was invincible to bullets but not the love of a woman. While filming Superman in England, he met Gae Exton but never married. They had two children, Matthew and Alexandra.

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