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Christopher Reeve
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===1990s=== In 1990, Reeve starred in the American Civil War film ''[[The Rose and the Jackal]]'', in which he played [[Allan Pinkerton]], the head of [[President Lincoln]]'s new Secret Service. In Williamstown, he played Death/Prince Nikolai Sirki in the play ''[[Death Takes a Holiday (musical)|Death Takes a Holiday]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gussow |first=Mel |date=August 13, 1990 |title=Review/Theater; Reeve Resurrects Death as a Charming Stranger |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/13/theater/review-theater-reeve-resurrects-death-as-a-charming-stranger.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250116184946/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/13/theater/review-theater-reeve-resurrects-death-as-a-charming-stranger.html |archive-date=January 16, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> In the early 1990s, Reeve was cast as a villain in three television films almost in a row: ''[[Bump in the Night (novel)|Bump in the Night]]'' (1991), ''Death Dreams'' (1991), and ''[[Nightmare in the Daylight]]'' (1992). The most notable of these was ''Bump in the Night'', in which Reeve played a child molester who abducts a young boy. The movie received fair to positive reviews.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiskind |first=Ron |date=January 4, 1991 |title='Bump' Stars Go Against Type |page=24 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Loynd |first=Ray |date=January 5, 1991 |title=Suspense Tale of Two Evils in 'Bump in the Night' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-05-ca-6785-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225050905/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-05-ca-6785-story.html |archive-date=December 25, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Reeve felt it was important for parents of young children to see the film.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kavitsky |first=Joyce |url=https://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/m-bumpnight.html |title=Bump in the Night (1991) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112001539/https://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/m-bumpnight.html |archive-date=November 12, 2023 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Christopher Reeve Homepage}}</ref> In 1992, Reeve played one of the leads in [[Peter Bogdanovich]]'s comedy ''[[Noises Off (film)|Noises Off]]''. In a 2020 book ''Picturing Peter Bogdanovich: My Conversations with the New Hollywood Director'', Bogdanovich said, "[Reeve] was very good in that. He was good at comedy. I could tell that from the first ''Superman''. He was my only choice for that part."<ref>{{cite book|title=Picturing Peter Bogdanovich: My Conversations with the New Hollywood Director|author=Tonguette, Peter|date=July 21, 2020|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0813147314}}</ref> In another television film, ''Mortal Sins'', Reeve for the second time played a Catholic priest, this time hearing the confessions of a serial murderer in a role reminiscent of [[Montgomery Clift]] in [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[I Confess (film)|I Confess]]''. He also acted in the short film ''Last Ferry Home''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Last Ferry Home |url=https://collection.oldfilm.org/Detail/occurrences/57621 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116184541/https://collection.oldfilm.org/Detail/occurrences/57621 |archive-date=January 16, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Northeast Historic Film}}</ref> His last performance in a proper stage production was ''The Guardsman'' in Williamstown that year.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Guardsman |url=https://archive.wtfestival.org/main-events/guardsman-the/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250116191219/https://archive.wtfestival.org/main-events/guardsman-the/ |archive-date=January 16, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Williamstown Theatre Festival}}</ref> In the spring of 1992, Reeve attended the US premiere of ''[[Howards End (film)|Howards End]]'' where he met Ivory again. The next day Ivory called him and offered him a role in his new film, ''[[The Remains of the Day (film)|The Remains of the Day]]'' (1993). The script was one of the best he had read, and he unhesitatingly took the part. The film was deemed an instant classic and was nominated for eight Academy Awards.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), pp. 232–235</ref> At the 2024 screening of the film, Ivory praised Reeve's performance, saying, "He was a great guy... a very, very good actor who got trapped in Superman."<ref>{{cite web |last=Hacsek |first=Sophie |date=September 19, 2024 |title=An Evening with James Ivory: The Witty Maestro of Cinematic Elegance |url=https://arthereartnow.com/2024/09/29/james-ivory-witty-maestro-cinematic-elegance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930195336/https://arthereartnow.com/2024/09/29/james-ivory-witty-maestro-cinematic-elegance/ |archive-date=September 30, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=arthereartnow}}</ref> According to Reeve's son Will, ''The Remains of the Day'' is the film that his father was most proud of.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=January 20, 2024 |title=Christopher Reeve's Children Never Watched That 'Flash' CGI Cameo, Say He'd Choose 'Remains of the Day' Over 'Superman' as the Film He's Proud of Most |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/christopher-reeves-children-the-flash-cameo-1235880290/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214060338/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/christopher-reeves-children-the-flash-cameo-1235880290/ |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Variety}}</ref> In 1993, Reeve starred opposite [[Charles Bronson]] in the television film ''[[The Sea Wolf (1993 film)|The Sea Wolf]]'', based on [[Jack London]]'s novel of the [[The Sea-Wolf|same name]].<ref name="Sea Wolf">{{cite web |last=King |first=Susan |date=April 18, 1993 |title=Tossed at Sea : JACK LONDON'S 'SEA WOLF' IS A NATURAL SETTING FOR REEVE |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-18-tv-24112-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203222202/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-18-tv-24112-story.html |archive-date=December 3, 2024 |access-date=December 1, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> After that, he traveled to Canada to shoot a miniseries, ''[[Black Fox (miniseries)|Black Fox]]'', co-starring [[Tony Todd]]. CBS released it as three films two months after Reeve's accident in 1995. Scenes of Reeve riding are featured heavily in the story. Reeve's children, Matthew and Alexandra, appear briefly in the background in the first film.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 232</ref> During this period, Superman's grip on Reeve's career gradually began to loosen. In a review for ''[[Morning Glory (1993 film)|Morning Glory]]'' (1993), one critic wrote: "Those who can't take Reeve seriously unless he's wearing a blue suit and a red cape will find themselves pleasantly surprised by the heft and subtlety he brings to his [role]. ... This movie isn't big enough to make Reeve a star again. But the impression he makes here is good enough to suggest that a reversal of perception—and fortune—won't be long in coming."<ref>{{cite web |last=Thomas |first=Judy |url=https://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/m-morningglory.html |title=Morning Glory (1993) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529093806/https://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/m-morningglory.html |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Christopher Reeve Homepage}}</ref> Another critic said in a review for ''[[Speechless (1994 film)|Speechless]]'' (1994): "Mr. Reeve has quietly evolved into a versatile character actor... It's only a matter of time before he is 'officially' rediscovered and celebrated, like John Travolta in ''Pulp Fiction''."<ref name="Ability"/> Reeve considered ''The Rose and the Jackal'', ''Morning Glory'', and ''The Sea Wolf'' some of his best work.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 231</ref> In 1994, Reeve did a reading of ''Love Letters'' in Williamstown, and also appeared as a narrator in a concert version of the musical ''[[Allegro (musical) |Allegro]]'' at the [[New York City Center]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Love Letters |url=https://archive.wtfestival.org/main-events/love-letters/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250116182152/https://archive.wtfestival.org/main-events/love-letters/ |archive-date=January 16, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Williamstown Theatre Festival}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Holden |first=Stephen |date=March 5, 1994 |title=Review/Theater: Allegro; Revival of a Famous Pair's First Flop |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/05/theater/review-theater-allegro-revival-of-a-famous-pair-s-first-flop.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227232144/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/05/theater/review-theater-allegro-revival-of-a-famous-pair-s-first-flop.html |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> These became his last performances onstage. In 1995, Reeve starred in [[John Carpenter]]'s ''[[Village of the Damned (1995 film)|Village of the Damned]]'', a remake of the 1960 British movie of the same name. Both films were based on the 1957 novel ''[[The Midwich Cuckoos]]'' by [[John Wyndham]]. For Carpenter, the film was a contractual obligation, but "it has a very good performance from Christopher Reeve, so there's some value in it."<ref>{{cite web |last=Abrams |first=Simon |date=July 6, 2011 |title=The Soft-Spoken John Carpenter on How He Chooses Projects and His Box-Office Failures |url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/07/john_carpenter.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911222239/https://www.vulture.com/2011/07/john_carpenter.html |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Vulture}}</ref> ''Village of the Damned'' was Reeve's final feature film to be released in theaters. Shortly before his accident, Reeve played a paralyzed police officer in the [[HBO]] movie ''[[Above Suspicion (1995 film)|Above Suspicion]]''. He did research at a [[Physical medicine and rehabilitation|rehabilitation]] hospital in [[Van Nuys]] "on what it would be like to be a paraplegic."<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 297</ref> His injury occurred less than a week after the premiere of the film. Reeve also made several guest appearances in television shows: ''[[Carol & Company]]'' in 1991, ''[[Road to Avonlea]]'' and ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'' in 1992. He accepted an offer to appear in ''Road to Avonlea'' without reading the script because [[Colleen Dewhurst]], with whom he was close, spoke highly of the show.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zekas |first=Rita |date=December 15, 1991 |title=Superman on horseback wears black hat in Avonlea |page=C.2 |newspaper=Toronto Star}}</ref> His episode in ''Tales from the Crypt'', [[List of Tales from the Crypt episodes#Season_4_(1992)|"What's Cookin'"]], is considered one of the best in the series.<ref>{{cite web |last=Presnell |first=Riley |date=January 9, 2023 |title=Best Episodes of 'Tales From the Crypt' |url=https://collider.com/tales-from-the-crypt-best-episodes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009220202/https://collider.com/tales-from-the-crypt-best-episodes/ |archive-date=October 9, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=Collider}}</ref> He was also one of the celebrity guest callers on ''[[Frasier]]'' in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 9, 2012 |title=Frasier's Celebrity Callers (VIDEO) |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/frasiers-celebrity-caller_n_1412019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208163833/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/frasiers-celebrity-caller_n_1412019 |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |website=HuffPost}}</ref> Before his injury, Reeve was offered the lead in the 1995 film ''[[Kidnapped (1995 film)|Kidnapped]]''. He also planned to direct his first film for the big screen, a romantic comedy entitled ''Tell Me True''.<ref>Reeve, Christopher (1998), p. 242</ref> Both plans were cancelled as a result of a horse riding accident that left him paralyzed. In 1996, Reeve narrated the HBO documentary ''[[Without Pity: A Film About Abilities]]''. The film won the Emmy Award for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special|Outstanding Informational Special]]. He then acted in a small role in the film ''[[A Step Toward Tomorrow]]''.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 10, 1996 |title=A Step Toward Tomorrow |url=https://variety.com/1996/tv/reviews/a-step-toward-tomorrow-1200447766/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114095520/https://variety.com/1996/tv/reviews/a-step-toward-tomorrow-1200447766/ |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=January 8, 2025 |website=Variety}}</ref> In 1997, Reeve made his directorial debut with the HBO film ''[[In the Gloaming (film)|In the Gloaming]]'' with [[Robert Sean Leonard]], [[Glenn Close]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], [[Bridget Fonda]], and [[David Strathairn]]. The film was nominated for five Emmy Awards, including [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special]], and won four awards out of the six it was nominated for at the [[CableACE Award]]s. Dana said, "There's such a difference in his outlook, his health, his overall sense of well-being when he's working at what he loves, which is creative work."<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography |url=https://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/biography.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330205724/https://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/biography.html |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Christopher Reeve Homepage}}</ref> In early 1998, Reeve persuaded [[Michael Eisner]], the CEO of [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] at the time, to give a two-hour prime-time slot on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] to a spinal cord research fundraiser. The special focused on inspiring stories of people with disabilities, as well as performances by disabled artists. Reeve said, "To put two hours about spinal cord injury on prime-time TV is unheard of. We wanted to make it a celebration of life. Show the triumphs that can happen."<ref>{{cite web |last=Deggans |first=Eric |date=March 1, 1998 |title=Christopher Reeve's high-flying hope |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/03/01/christopher-reeve-s-high-flying-hope/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306102821/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/03/01/christopher-reeve-s-high-flying-hope/ |archive-date=March 6, 2025 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> Numerous celebrities lent their support, including [[Robin Williams]], [[Tom Hanks]], [[Meryl Streep]], Glenn Close, [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Gloria Estefan]], and many others. ''A Celebration of Hope'' received an Emmy nomination for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)|Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Shales |first=Tom |date=February 28, 1998 |title=THREE CHEERS FOR 'CHRISTOPHER REEVE' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1998/02/28/three-cheers-for-christopher-reeve/65ec46bc-bb35-4b05-b730-9e9e92af8981/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306111559/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1998/02/28/three-cheers-for-christopher-reeve/65ec46bc-bb35-4b05-b730-9e9e92af8981/ |archive-date=March 6, 2025 |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=The Washington Post}}</ref> On April 25, 1998, [[Random House]] published Reeve's autobiography, ''[[Still Me]]''. The book spent 11 weeks on the [[New York Times Best Seller list|''New York Times'' Best Seller list]]. Reeve narrated the abridged audiobook, which won him the [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album]],<ref>{{cite press release |date=October 23, 2001 |title=Christopher Reeve to give Parents Weekend keynote lecture |url=https://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2001-02/01-047.html |publisher=[[Brown University]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924211615/http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2001-02/01-047.html |archive-date=September 24, 2022 |access-date=November 24, 2006}}</ref> the [[Audie Award for Solo Narration by the Author]],<ref name="Audie">{{cite web |title=1999 Audie Awards |url=https://www.audiopub.org/1999-audies-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123123636/https://www.audiopub.org/1999-audies-1 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |access-date=January 24, 2025 |website=Audio Publishers Association}}</ref> and the Earphones Award from ''[[AudioFile (magazine)|AudioFile]]''.<ref name="AudioFile">{{cite web |title=Still Me |url=https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/6412/still-me-by-christopher-reeve-read-by-christopher-reeve/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127060316/https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/6412/still-me-by-christopher-reeve-read-by-christopher-reeve/ |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=AudioFile}}</ref> The paperback edition with a new afterword was released the following year and spent an additional two weeks on the Best Seller list.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 4, 1999 |title=PAPERBACK BEST SELLERS: July 4, 1999 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/04/books/paperback-best-sellers-july-4-1999.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204030709/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/04/books/paperback-best-sellers-july-4-1999.html |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |access-date=November 26, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> Also in 1998, Reeve starred in and served as executive producer of ''[[Rear Window (1998 film)|Rear Window]]'', a remake of Hitchcock's [[Rear Window|1954 film]]. He was nominated for a [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe]] and won a [[Screen Actors Guild Award]] for his performance.
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