It wasn't Kryptonite

WARWICK — George Reeves was an American actor known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program, "Adventures of Superman."

His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains a mystery although the official finding was suicide.

Some believe he was murdered.
Warwick resident, playwright and actor Kevin Anthony Ryan, who many of us know from various local events as the clown, "Oakie Dokey," is producing a new play about Reeves, "The Stations of George Reeves' Cross."

Ryan will introduce the play July 24-26 at the Warwick Community Center. There will be a cast of 10 actors and he is currently looking for a bigger pool of talent; first, second and even third choices, to audition for his script.

In the 2006 film Hollywoodland, a detective examines the mysterious death of George Reeves.

"One of the main differences of that film and my depiction," said Ryan, "is that the play attempts to portray the perspective right from the viewpoint of Reeves and to create a surreal nature attempting to capture his thought processes."

According to Ryan, Lou Koza, former editor of The Adventure magazine, is the foremost Reeves' historian. He recently reviewed the play's script.

"I think it is brilliant," wrote Koza. "You may have very well cracked the Toni and Eddie code. Very well done."

In the 1980s, before he turned to making a successful living as Oakie Dokey, Ryan had been a struggling actor. For many years, however, he also concentrated on learning to write playscripts and screenplays. And in the 1990s he produced two plays in New York City.

Ryan has also appeared in the 2013 independent film, "It felt like love."

For information about the play or to audition email Ryan at: kevinanthonyryan@aol.com.

- Roger Gavan