Editing Christopher Reeve (section)

{{short description|American actor and activist (1952–2004)}}
{{for|the South African knife maker|Chris Reeve}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Christopher Reeve
| image              = C Reeve in Marriage of Figaro Opening night 1985.jpg
| image_size         = 
| caption            = Reeve after the opening of<br>''[[The Marriage of Figaro (play)|The Marriage of Figaro]]'' in 1985
| birth_name         = {{nowrap|Christopher D'Olier Reeve}}
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1952|9|25}}
| birth_place        = [[New York City]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2004|10|10|1952|9|25}}
| death_place        = [[Mount Kisco, New York]], U.S.
| alma_mater         = [[Cornell University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| boards             = [[Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|activist|director|author}}
| years_active       = 1970–2004
| works              = [[Christopher Reeve on stage and screen|Full list]]
| website            = {{URL|christopherreeve.org}}
| partner            = Gae Exton (1977–1987)
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Dana Reeve|Dana Morosini]]|1992}}
| children           = 3, including [[Matthew Reeve|Matthew]]
| father             = [[F. D. Reeve]]
| family             = {{ubl|[[Franklin D'Olier]] (great-grandfather)|[[Mahlon Pitney]] (great-grandfather)|[[Beatrice Pitney Lamb]] (grandmother)|[[Mary Schenck Woolman]] (great-great-grandaunt)| [[Ferdinand Schureman Schenck]] (great-great-great-great-grandfather)}}
}}
'''Christopher D'Olier Reeve'''<ref name=GBR>{{cite web|last=Roberts |first=Gary Boyd |title=#77 Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources: An Assortment of Famous Actors |url=http://www.americanancestors.org/assortment-famous-actors/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203150008/http://www.americanancestors.org/assortment-famous-actors/ |archive-date=December 3, 2010 |publisher=[[New England Historic Genealogical Society]] |access-date=May 3, 2011 }}</ref> (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, activist, director, and author. He amassed [[Christopher Reeve on stage and screen|several stage and screen credits]] in his 34-year career, including playing the [[Superman (1978 film series character)|title character]] in the [[Superman in film|''Superman'' film series]] (1978–1987). He won a [[British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Award]], an [[Emmy Award]], a [[Grammy Award]] and a [[Screen Actors Guild Award]]. He was also known for his activism.

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 theatre|Broadway]] debut in 1976. His [[Breakthrough role|breakthrough]] came with playing the title character in ''[[Superman (1978 film)|Superman]]'' (1978) and its three sequels (1980–1987). Afterwards, Reeve turned down multiple roles in big-budget movies, focusing instead on [[Independent film|independent films]] and plays with complex characters. He appeared in critically successful films such as ''[[Somewhere in Time (film)|Somewhere in Time]]'' (1980), ''[[Deathtrap (film)|Deathtrap]]'' (1982), ''[[The Bostonians (film)|The Bostonians]]'' (1984), ''[[Street Smart (film)|Street Smart]]'' (1987), and ''[[The Remains of the Day (film)|The Remains of the Day]]'' (1993), and in the plays ''[[Fifth of July (play)|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.<ref name="ReeveDies">{{cite news |date=October 11, 2004 |title=Christopher Reeve dies at 52 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/11/obit.reeve/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207032703/http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/11/obit.reeve/ |archive-date=December 7, 2006 |access-date=November 3, 2006 |work=[[CNN]] |location=Atlanta, Georgia}}</ref>

Reeve later directed ''[[In the Gloaming (film)|In the Gloaming]]'' (1997), acted in the television remake of ''[[Rear Window (1998 film)|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.