About Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was born in New York City on September 25, 1952, and grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. He spent what would have been his senior year at Cornell studying at Juilliard, under John Houseman and alongside a fellow student named Robin Williams, and Cornell granted his degree in 1974. He worked on the soap opera "Love of Life," and in 1976 he made his Broadway debut in "A Matter of Gravity," playing Katharine Hepburn's grandson.
In 1978 he became "Superman," and he played the role in three more films through 1987, opposite Margot Kidder's Lois Lane and Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor. He went on to "Somewhere in Time," "Deathtrap," "The Bostonians" and "The Remains of the Day." Off the set he was a pilot who twice flew solo across the Atlantic, and he sailed, skied and dived. He had two children, Matthew and Alexandra, with Gae Exton. In 1992 he married Dana Morosini, and their son is Will.
In May 1995 a fall during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia, left him paralyzed. Ten months later he appeared at the Academy Awards and was met with a standing ovation. He chaired what became the Christopher Reeve Foundation and testified before Congress for research funding. He directed "In the Gloaming" for HBO, which brought him an Emmy nomination, won a Screen Actors Guild Award for "Rear Window," and won a Grammy for the recording of his memoir, "Still Me." He died on October 10, 2004, at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, at 52. In 2009 the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act became law.
A Life in Time
- 1952: Born September 25 in New York City; grows up in Princeton, New Jersey
- 1974: Graduates from Cornell University
- 1976: Makes his Broadway debut opposite Katharine Hepburn in "A Matter of Gravity"
- 1978: Stars as the Man of Steel in "Superman"
- 1980: Stars in "Superman II" and "Somewhere in Time"
- 1982: Stars with Michael Caine in "Deathtrap"
- 1984: Plays Basil Ransom in Merchant Ivory's "The Bostonians"
- 1987: Plays Superman for the fourth and last time in "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace"
- 1992: Marries Dana Morosini
- 1993: Appears in "The Remains of the Day"
- 1995: Is paralyzed in a fall during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia, on May 27
- 1996: Receives a standing ovation at the Academy Awards on March 25
- 1997: Directs "In the Gloaming" for HBO and is nominated for an Emmy
- 1998: Publishes his memoir, "Still Me," and stars in the TV film "Rear Window"
- 1999: Wins a Screen Actors Guild Award for "Rear Window" and the Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for "Still Me"; his foundation merges with the American Paralysis Association
- 2002: Publishes "Nothing Is Impossible"
- 2004: Dies October 10 at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, at 52
- 2009: The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act is signed into law on March 30
Connected lives
- Princeton, NJ · Hometown
- Cornell University · Class of 1974
- The Juilliard School · Drama student
- Johnny Carson · Tonight Show guest
- Katharine Hepburn · Broadway debut · A Matter of Gravity
- Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation · Chairman
- Pound Ridge, NY · Family home
- Robin Williams · Fellow student at Juilliard
- Jimmy Carter · Superman premiere · Kennedy Center
- Margot Kidder · Lois Lane to his Superman
- Dana Reeve · Wife
- Gene Hackman · Lex Luthor to his Superman