Remembering Christopher Reeve Whose Consummate Portrayal of Superman Was the Greatest Ever

It’s been 43 years since actor Christopher Reeve made people “believe a man can fly” in  Warner Bros.’ 1978 Superman: The Movie directed by Richard Donner. Fans don’t agree on much, but when it comes to Reeve’s portrayal, there’s consensus: he literally was Superman for many. The deeply beloved actor and humanitarian was born on this day in 1952.

Google acknowledged Reeve in their “Google doodle” Saturday. Speaking with Dick Cavett in 1981, Reeve said he was given somewhat of a hard time from pals and colleagues when he agreed to play Superman in the 1978 blockbuster, but he knew something they did not.

“There were my friends, people who had the same prejudice that I did about the part,” Reeve said then. “There is a group of us who all auditioned for the same things, who all went to school together and were coming up through the ranks.” He noted that the group included the likes of his best friend Robin Williams, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, James Woods, Steve Collins and Treat Williams.

The Hollywood Reporter: A lot of them said, ‘That is it, boy. Down the drain. Bye-bye. It’s boots forever. Take it while you can.’ But they hadn’t read the material. And I took the gamble that the material was actually straight enough and classy enough that I could get away with it,” Reeve said. “So it was a calculated risk that actually accelerated the pace of my career. If I hadn’t done that part — it’s like the difference between taking Route 1 and I-95, the Connecticut turnpike. I just got here faster. It doesn’t mean I am any better than I was. I’m still that same actor I’ve always been. I’m just a little more noticed.”

Reeve would play Superman in four films over the span of a decade. He noted in other interviews that he never felt typecast due to the role and made sure to take an assortment of projects because he was a serious, versatile actor.

On May 27, 1995, Reeve suffered a life-changing injury after an accident while riding a horse which left him paralyzed from the neck down. He would go on to be an advocate for persons with disabilities around the globe.

Google said of Reeve and the doodle: “Reeve used his platform to bring increased awareness to topics related to disabilities and dedicated his life to driving positive change for the community. This included sponsoring bills to raise lifetime insurance “caps” to better support people with disabilities and helping pass the 1999 Work Incentives Improvement Act, which secured ongoing insurance payments to people with disabilities even after they return to work. He focused on efforts to directly improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by distributing millions in individual grants through his foundation and serving on the boards of various disability organizations with this aim. Reeve also advocated for support and government funding of responsible stem cell research to further the knowledge and treatment of numerous health conditions, including spinal cord injuries.”

The Reeve family also released a statement about the Google Doodle, writing: “We are so thrilled that Google is honoring our father on what would have been his 69th birthday. While the world first knew him for his starring role in the 1978 film Superman, it was his courage and humanity following the accident that left him paralyzed that touched so many people around the globe. Our dream is that his message of hope and optimism, of pushing to achieve goals considered impossible, and his example of striving to make a difference in the world will continue to influence people around the globe.,..His legacy lives on through the work of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.”

On the 10th anniversary of his death his son Matthew appeared at New York Comic-Con to unveil a device that that has dramatically changed the lives of four injured individuals through epidural stimulation. Flanked by the men, Reeve told the standing room only crowd: “I absolutely understand how everyone sees him as Superman,” Reeve said. “To me he was dad and he was just awesome. He could fly an airplane, he could sail a boat, he was an accomplished piano player. Just the other day, I found some of his stuff and it had this sheet music in it … To me, it looked like someone had just taken ink and thrown it at the page, but he minored in music theory.”

“Superman was the original superhero and dad did such a fantastic job in his performance that for a lot of people, he just personified the role so strongly that it almost be impossible to disassociate,” he said. “Still to this day, which is a source of pride.”

More recently, Reeve’s other son, and doppelgänger Will said: “I think his legacy is never going to go away and think that is a responsibility that I feel, to carry his and my mother’s legacy on for the rest of my life and hopefully beyond that,” he said.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FEBRUARY 05: TV personality Will Reeve attends ESPN The Party on February 5, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)

“I think that the foundation is one way, one tangible way, that his legacy and my mom’s legacy will always live on. And I think the way that I, and my siblings, live our lives is another way. And I think that his impact is felt by the millions of lives that he touched.”