Christopher Reeve, who became an international star in "Superman" and was viewed by millions as a real-life hero, courageously attempting to overcome total paralysis following a horrific horseback-riding accident nine years ago, died Sun., Oct. 10, at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y. He was 52 years old. He was suffering from a systemic infection and went into cardiac arrest, slipping into a coma on Saturday night.
Even after his life-altering injuries, Reeve continued to work and receive awards for his efforts. "In The Gloaming," an HBO movie he helmed in 1997, was nominated for five Emmys. For his performance in "Rear Window," a remake of the Hitchcock classic, Reeve won the Screen Actors Guild Award for best actor in a television movie or miniseries.
A New York City native who grew up in Princeton, N.J., Reeve started acting as a youngster in school plays and at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton. He was a member of Actors' Equity Association by the time he was 15, having worked as an apprentice at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He earned his undergraduate degree at Cornell University before studying drama at the Juilliard School, where he shared an apartment with Robin Williams. Within short order, he was appearing in the soap opera "Love of Life" and made his Broadway debut in Enid Bagnold's "A Matter of Gravity," where he played Katharine Hepburn's grandson. He also appeared on Broadway in Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July" and a revival of Beaumarchais' "The Marriage of Figaro." Among his Off-Broadway credits were "The Winter's Tale" (the Public Theater), "Love Letters" (Promenade Theatre), and "My Life" (Circle Repertory Company). In London, he performed opposite Vanessa Redgrave and Dame Wendy Hiller in "The Aspern Papers."
In addition to starring in "Superman" and its three sequels, Reeve had leading roles in films such as "Deathtrap" and "Somewhere in Time."
He wrote two memoirs, "Still Me" and "Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life," both published by Random House.
Through his many public appearances, including testifying before Congress, Reeve focused national attention on spinal cord injuries. The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation has raised more than $46.5 million for research in the area. He was also an outspoken advocate for stem cell research.