Like most people, I am most familiar with Reeve thanks to his work in the four Superman movies and then his work around spinal cord injuries following the equestrian accident which paralyzed him.
If you've ever discussed Superman media with me, you know the esteem with which I hold Reeve's performance in the Superman movies. I still find his take to be my touchstone for how I think of the alien who finds the joy in putting on the suit and helping others and who can never understand the forces that drive men like Lex Luthor. I could go on, but suffice it to say, I'm a fan.
Reeve passed in 2004 after a valiant battle with his paralysis and associated ailments. He became the premier voice for spinal cord research in the United States and his foundation is still active today. Reeve had a dream of walking again, and I don't think I was alone in believing he might just pull it off because he so believed it was possible.
For all of us who grew up thinking of Reeve as Superman, to see him take on the challenges dealt to him was an awe inspiring sight, and while you always know that's just an actor wearing the cape, it was a Superman who turned adversity into inspiration.
You can donate to The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and help keep the memory of our own Man of Steel alive.
In addition to his work as Superman, I quite like:
Somewhere In Time (1980)
Noises Off (1992)
The Remains of the Day (1993)
Village of the Damned (1995)
and his role as Dr. Virgil Swann on TV's Smallville.
You can see my comments on the day of his death in 2004 here.
One and only Superman!!
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