Christopher Reeve

'''Christopher D'Olier Reeve''' (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, film director, author, and activist, best known for playing the title character in the film ''Superman'' (1978) and its three sequels. Born in New York City and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, Reeve discovered a passion for acting and theater at the age of nine. He studied at Cornell University and the Juilliard School, making his Broadway debut in 1976. After his acclaimed performances in ''Superman'' and ''Superman II'', Reeve declined many roles in action movies, choosing instead to work in small films and plays with more complex characters. He later appeared in critically successful films such as ''The Bostonians'' (1984), ''Street Smart'' (1987), and ''The Remains of the Day'' (1993), and in the plays ''Fifth of July'' on Broadway and ''The Aspern Papers'' in London's West End.

On May 27, 1995, Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from a horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia. He used a wheelchair and ventilator for the rest of his life. Reeve returned to creative work, directing ''In the Gloaming'' (1997) and acting in the television remake of ''Rear Window'' (1998). He made several appearances in the Superman-themed television series ''Smallville'' as the character Dr. Virgil Swann; a character who has never existed in the comics and that was created just for him, with his real life injuries in mind, taking on a protective role over Smallville's Clark Kent as a reoccurring Cameo until his death in 2004. Following that, the writers were forced to drastically change their planned story, and give the character an off screen unexplained death.

He also wrote two autobiographical books, ''Still Me'' and ''Nothing Is Impossible''. Over the course of his career, Reeve received a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, an Emmy Award, and a Grammy Award.

Beginning in the 1980s, Reeve was an activist for environmental and human-rights causes and for artistic freedom of expression. After his accident, in 1995, he lobbied for spinal injury research, including human embryonic stem cell research, and for better insurance coverage for people with disabilities. His advocacy work included leading the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and while the foundation was created before his involvement in 1982, they renamed themselves after him following his death, and then renamed a second time following his wife Dana's death. and co-founding the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, located in Irvine California. Reeve died in 2004 from heart failure at a hospital near his home in Westchester County, New York. Provided by Wikipedia