Google Doodle celebrates 69th birthday of Christopher Reeve. American actor, director, author, and activist Christopher Reeve, who is best known for his spinal cord research advocacy work alongside his leading role in four “Superman” feature films.
This latest Google Doodle features Christopher Reeve in his wheelchair and respirator, smiling heroically with a city skyline in the distance. Overhead, some of the letters of “Google” are spelled out in clouds, while the letters “G” and “e” are formed by a trail through the sky, an homage to Superman.
Christopher D’Olier Reeve was born on September 25, 1952, in New York City. He graduated from The Juilliard School and made his stage debut in the 1976 Broadway comedy “A Matter of Gravity.” After only two years of acting in soap operas and plays, Reeve auditioned to play the Man of Steel himself in the 1978 “Superman” film, landing the role ahead of 200 other aspiring actors.
The dual role of Superman and Clark Kent rocketed his career into the big leagues, with the film generating three sequels. Refusing to be typecast as an action star, Reeve spent the rest of his career seeking roles that were meaningful or challenged his abilities as an actor.
In 1995, Christopher Reeve was in a horse riding accident that injured his back and left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Using the platform he had built with his acting career, Reeve became a major advocate for those with disabilities. For example, his urging helped the United States to pass “The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999,” which gave those with disabilities far more Social Security benefits, as well as opportunities to rejoin the workforce.
Reeve also advocated for support and government funding of responsible stem cell research to further the knowledge and treatment of numerous health conditions, including spinal cord injuries. Calling on Hollywood to draw attention to other important social causes, Reeve led by example with his 1997 directorial debut “In the Gloaming,” a five-time Emmy nominated drama centered around a man diagnosed with HIV.
Christopher Reeve died on October 10, 2004.
Today, his legacy is carried on by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which he founded in 1998.
Happy birthday, Christopher Reeve—who remains a hero to many both on and off the screen!