George Reeves - Behind the Crimson Cape: The Cinema of George Reeves

by Jan Alan Henderson & Steve Randisi

To the audience of the 1950s, George Reeves was Superman. To the kids of the 50s, there was a Superman, and possibly a Santa Claus. There seemed to be a new Superman episode every week, as a generation lived out its endless summer before the waves of reality smashed down on the beach of youthful optimism. June of 1959 brought the big snap, when we found out that heroes don't last forever. A generation that once believed, couldn't any more. It wasn't possible for Superman to die, but it happened.

How would George like to be remembered? Probably not as Superman; although had he lived, he may have warmed up to it as he grew older, but most likely not.

This book is about life and art, not death, suspicion, and scandal. Behind the Crimson Cape focuses on the film career Reeves had prior to, during, and unfortunately not after, Superman - a career which formed every nuance and characteristic of his portrayal of Krypton's mighty Man of Steel.