Superman Commits Suicide…..
June 16, 1959……
Actor George Reeves, who played Superman in the TV series Adventures of Superman (1952-58) dies of a gunshot wound to the head while at home in his bedroom. The death was officially ruled a suicide, but many suspect foul play. Suspects included his fiancé, ex-girlfriend Toni Mannix, and her husband MGM executive Eddie Mannix, who was rumored to have ties to the mob. In his will, Reeves left $71,000 of his estate, including his home, to Toni Mannix. Los Angeles publicist Edward Lozzi claimed that Toni Mannix had confessed to a Catholic priest in his presence that she was responsible for having Reeves killed.
Reeves and Leonore Lemmon were planning to be married just three days later on June 19th. Coincidentally, Leonore Lemmon had the initials “LL”, just like Lois Lane.
O.J. Simpson Slow Speed Chase…..
June 17, 1994…..
Football Hall of Fame running back O.J. Simpson is arrested for the murders of his ex-wife and her friend Ronald Goldman. Blood stains had been found in his home and in his car. Simpson had promised to turn himself in, but instead led police on a “slow-speed chase” across California. More than 90 million people watched live as Simpson in a white Bronco driven by friend Al Cowlings and followed by police cars and helicopters slowly made its way to Simpson’s home where he surrendered. Simpson was later found not guilty of the crime in what would be called “The Trial of the Century.”
First U.S. Woman in Space…..
June 18, 1983……
Sally Ride aboard the space shuttle Challenger. She is still the youngest American astronaut to have traveled to space, having done so at the age of 32.
She was the third woman in space overall, after USSR cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova (1963) and Svetlana Savitskaya (1982).