Editing Christopher Reeve (section)

==Early life and education==
Reeve was born on September 25, 1952, in New York City, to Barbara Pitney Lamb, an associate editor of ''[[Town Topics (newspaper)|Town Topics]]'', and [[F. D. Reeve|Franklin D'Olier Reeve]], a teacher, novelist, poet, and scholar. Many of his ancestors had been in America since the early 17th century, some having been aboard the ''[[Mayflower]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.themayflowersociety.org/the-pilgrims/notable-descendants|title=Notable Descendants - the Mayflower Society|access-date=March 11, 2021|archive-date=September 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921022359/https://www.themayflowersociety.org/the-pilgrims/notable-descendants}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Lisa|last=Birnbach|title=True Prep: It's a Whole New Old World|year=2010|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|location=New York City|page=[https://archive.org/details/trueprepitswhole00birn/page/33 33]|isbn=978-0-307-59398-6|url=https://archive.org/details/trueprepitswhole00birn/page/33}}</ref> Through his mother, he was a 12th generation [[Descendants of William Bradford (Plymouth governor)|descendant of]] [[William Bradford (governor)|William Bradford]], a pilgrim and five-time [[Governor of Plymouth Colony]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://mayflowerhistory.com/famous-descendants/ |title = Notable Descendants |website = MayflowerHistory.com|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161019051635/http://mayflowerhistory.com/famous-descendants/ |archive-date = October 19, 2016 }}</ref> Other ancestors of Reeve came from the [[French aristocracy]].<ref name="Ability">{{Cite web|date=February 6, 2018|title=Our first interview with Christopher Reeve|url=https://abilitymagazine.com/christopher-reeve-the-man-behind-the-cape/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111234439/https://abilitymagazine.com/christopher-reeve-the-man-behind-the-cape/|archive-date=November 11, 2024|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=[[Ability (magazine)|Ability]]}}</ref> For over 25 years his great-grandfather, [[Franklin D'Olier]], was CEO of the [[Prudential Financial|Prudential Insurance Company]].<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 58</ref> His grand-uncle, Franklin D'Olier Jr., was married to Margaret Winifred Lee, the maternal aunt of [[First Lady of the United States]] [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]].<ref>{{cite web |date=April 16, 1936 |title=INNER DANCE GIVEN FOR ENGAGED COUPLES; Winifred Lee and Franklin D'Olier Jr. and Frances Frear and J.C. Ryan Honored. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1936/04/16/archives/dinner-dance-given-for-engaged-couples-winifred-lee-and-franklin.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219084113/https://www.nytimes.com/1936/04/16/archives/dinner-dance-given-for-engaged-couples-winifred-lee-and-franklin.html |archive-date=December 19, 2024 |access-date=December 16, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

Franklin and Barbara divorced in 1956, and she moved with Christopher and his younger brother Benjamin to [[Princeton, New Jersey]], where they attended Nassau Street School and then [[Princeton Day School]] (PDS).<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher Reeve |url=https://njhalloffame.org/hall-of-famers/2012-inductees/christopher-reeve/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250208213247/https://njhalloffame.org/hall-of-famers/2012-inductees/christopher-reeve/ |archive-date=February 8, 2025 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=New Jersey Hall of Fame}}</ref> Reeve's parents both remarried; he had five half-siblings and several step-siblings. Reeve excelled academically, athletically, and onstage; he was on the [[Honors student|honor roll]] and played soccer, baseball, tennis, and hockey. He also played the piano and sang in the [[choir]] as a [[Boy soprano|soprano]].<ref name="BBC Radio">{{cite web |date=April 13, 1984 |title=Desert Island Discs, Christopher Reeve |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009mhk0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612095910/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009mhk0 |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |website=[[BBC Radio 4]]}}</ref>

Reeve had a difficult relationship with his father, Franklin. He wrote in 1998 that his father's "love for his children always seemed tied to performance"<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 74</ref> and he put pressure on himself to act older than he actually was in order to gain his father's approval.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 68–69</ref> Between 1988 and 1995 the two barely spoke to each other, but they reconciled after Reeve's paralyzing accident.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 78</ref>

Reeve found his passion for acting in 1962 at age nine when he was cast in an amateur version of the [[operetta]] ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]''; it was the first of many student plays.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 70–72</ref> His interest was solidified when at age 15, he spent a summer as an apprentice at the [[Williamstown Theatre Festival]] in [[Williamstown, Massachusetts]].<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 147–150</ref>

After graduating from PDS in June 1970, Reeve acted in plays in [[Boothbay, Maine]]. He planned to go to New York City to find a career in theater. Ultimately, however, at the advice of his mother, he applied for college. He was accepted into [[Princeton University]], [[Columbia University]], [[Brown University]], [[Cornell University]], [[Northwestern University]], and [[Carnegie Mellon University]]. Reeve said he chose Cornell primarily because it was distant from New York City and this would help him avoid the temptation of working as an actor immediately versus finishing college, as he had promised his mother and stepfather.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 154</ref> Reeve joined the theater department in Cornell and played [[Pozzo (Waiting for Godot)|Pozzo]] in ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'', Segismundo in ''[[Life Is a Dream]]'', [[Hamlet]] in ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead]]'', and Polixenes in ''[[The Winter's Tale]]''.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 155–156</ref>

Late in his freshman year, Reeve received a letter from Stark Hesseltine, a high-powered New York City agent who had discovered [[Robert Redford]] and who represented actors such as [[Richard Chamberlain]], [[Michael Douglas]], and [[Susan Sarandon]]. Hesseltine had seen Reeve in ''A Month in the Country'' and wanted to represent him. Reeve was excited and kept re-reading the letter to make sure of what it said. Reeve was impatient with school and eager to get on with his career. The two met, but Reeve was surprised to find Hesseltine strongly supported his promise to his mother and stepfather to complete college. They decided instead of dropping out of school, Reeve would come to New York once a month to meet casting agents and producers to find work for the summer vacation.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 157–158</ref>

Reeve received favorable responses to his introductions and auditions arranged by Hesseltine but had to forgo several desirable opportunities because they began before school ended. In the summer, he toured in a production of ''[[Forty Carats]]'' with [[Eleanor Parker]].<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 158–159</ref> The next year, Reeve received a full summer contract with the San Diego Shakespeare Festival, with roles as [[Edward IV]] in ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]'', Fenton in ''[[The Merry Wives of Windsor]]'', and Dumaine in ''[[Love's Labour's Lost]]'' at the [[Old Globe Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher Reeve |url=https://digitalcollections.sdsu.edu/search?search_api_fulltext=&sort_by=changed&sort_order=DESC&items_per_page=25&f%5B0%5D=subject_names_personal%3AReeve%2C%20Christopher |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207164957/https://digitalcollections.sdsu.edu/search?search_api_fulltext=&sort_by=changed&sort_order=DESC&items_per_page=25&f%5B0%5D=subject_names_personal%3AReeve%2C%20Christopher |archive-date=February 7, 2025 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |website=Digital Collections San Diego State University Library}}</ref>

Before his third year of college, Reeve took a three-month leave of absence. He traveled to [[Glasgow]], Scotland, and saw theatrical productions throughout the United Kingdom. He was inspired by the actors there, and often had conversations with them in bars after their performances. He helped actors at [[The Old Vic]] with their American accents by reading the newspaper aloud for them. He then flew to Paris to study the French theater. Reeve spoke fluent French, having studied it from the third grade through his first year in Cornell. While there he spoke only French to immerse himself in French culture, and watched many performances.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 162–166</ref>

After returning to the US from Europe, Reeve chose to focus solely on acting, although Cornell had several general education requirements for graduation he had yet to complete. He managed to convince theater director John Clancy and the [[Dean (education)|dean]] of the College of Arts and Sciences, as a theater major, he would achieve more at [[Juilliard School|Juilliard]] ([[List of Juilliard School people|Group 4]], 1973–1975) in New York City than at Cornell. They agreed his first year at Juilliard would be counted as his senior year at Cornell.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 167</ref>

In 1973, approximately 2,000 students auditioned for 20 places in the freshman class at Juilliard. Reeve's audition was in front of 10 faculty members, including [[John Houseman]], who had just won an [[Academy Award]] for ''[[The Paper Chase (film)|The Paper Chase]]''. Reeve and [[Robin Williams]] were the only students selected for Juilliard's Advanced Program. They had several classes together in which they were the only students. In their [[dialect]]s class with Edith Skinner, Williams had no trouble mastering all dialects naturally, whereas Reeve was more meticulous about it. Williams and Reeve developed a close friendship.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 167–172</ref> Reeve was a [[Godparent|godfather]] to Williams' eldest son Zachary.<ref>{{cite web |last=Siegler |first=Mara |date=November 22, 2014 |title=Williams' son remembers Robin's friendship with Christopher Reeve |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/williams-son-remembers-robins-friendship-with-christopher-reeve/news-story/c788bc2405acb27ea6f6cc00c5b9406b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129140734/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/williams-son-remembers-robins-friendship-with-christopher-reeve/news-story/c788bc2405acb27ea6f6cc00c5b9406b |archive-date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |website=news.com.au}}</ref>

In a meeting with Houseman, Reeve was told, "Mr. Reeve. It is terribly important that you become a serious classical actor. Unless, of course, they offer you a shitload of money to do something else."<ref>{{cite web |last=Holt |first=Patricia |date=May 11, 1998 |title=Reeve Is 'Superman' For Real / Actor's memoir filled with humor and courage |url=https://www.sfgate.com/books/article/reeve-is-superman-for-real-actor-s-memoir-3006354.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219100645/https://www.sfgate.com/books/article/reeve-is-superman-for-real-actor-s-memoir-3006354.php |archive-date=December 19, 2024 |access-date=November 20, 2006 |website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]}}</ref> Houseman then offered him the chance to leave school and join the Acting Company, among performers such as [[Kevin Kline]], [[Patti LuPone]], and [[David Ogden Stiers]]. Reeve declined, as he had not yet received his [[bachelor's degree]].<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 172–173</ref>

In early 1974, Reeve and other Juilliard students toured the New York City junior high school system and performed ''The Love Cure''. In one performance, Reeve, who played the hero, drew his sword out too high and accidentally destroyed a row of lights above him. The students applauded and cheered. Reeve later said this was the greatest ovation of his career.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 173–174</ref> After completing his first year at Juilliard, Reeve graduated from Cornell in the Class of 1974 as a [[Multiple major in the United States|double major]] in English and music theory.<ref>{{cite web |last=Murabito |first=Jennifer |date=October 13, 2004 |title=Cornell Remembers Reeve '74 |url=https://cornellsun.com/2004/10/13/cornell-remembers-reeve-74/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206141458/https://cornellsun.com/2004/10/13/cornell-remembers-reeve-74/ |archive-date=December 6, 2024 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=The Cornell Daily Sun}}</ref>