Christopher Reeve
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. His breakthrough came with playing the title character in Superman (1978) and its three sequels (1980–1987). Afterwards, Reeve turned down multiple roles in big-budget movies, focusing instead on independent films and plays with complex characters. He appeared in critically successful films such as Somewhere in Time (1980), Deathtrap (1982), 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.
Beginning in the 1980s, Reeve was an activist for environmental and human-rights causes and for artistic freedom of expression. In 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. After his accident, 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 co-founding the Reeve-Irvine Research Center.
Reeve later directed In the Gloaming (1997), acted in the television remake of Rear Window (1998), and made two appearances in the Superman-themed television series Smallville (2003). He also wrote two autobiographical books: Still Me (1998) and Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life (2002). He died in 2004 from heart failure at a hospital near his home in Westchester County, New York.
Biography from the Wikipedia article Christopher Reeve. Licensed under CC-BY-SA. Full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Recently Updated Shows
Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! is a classic game show -- with a twist. The answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. Three contestants, including the previous show's champion, compete in six categories and in three rounds (with each round's "answers" being worth more prize money).
Swamp People
The Swamp People featured in this History series are the proud descendants of French Canadian refugees who settled in the swamp region of Louisiana in the 18th century. Cameras follow members of this fiercely independent group as they struggle to preserve their way of life in the Atchafalaya Basin during the most important time of the year for them: alligator-hunting season.
School Spirits
When Maddie finds herself trapped in afterlife limbo at her high school, she decides to investigate her own mysterious disappearance.
Foundation
When revolutionary Dr. Hari Seldon predicts the impending fall of the Empire, he and a band of loyal followers venture to the far reaches of the galaxy to establish The Foundation in an attempt to rebuild and preserve the future of civilization. Enraged by Hari's claims, the ruling Cleons – a long line of emperor clones – fear their grasp on the galaxy may be weakening as they're forced to reckon with the potential reality of losing their legacy forever.