"Lenore got him drunk, very drunk,
and then sent him home alone..."
On April 8, 1959, shortly after midnight,
George Reeves was driving home and lost control of his car
and crashed into something.
He was injured and bleeding.
His head hit (probably the rear view mirror) and he sustained a five inch gash on his forehead.
Neighbors in the Easton Drive area (about a mile from his home)
reportedly assisted him and called the police.
While the police were talking with him, he fainted from loss of blood.
He spent 5-7 days in the hospital, received 27 stitches and was released.
Reportedly, his car skidded on an oily patch of road.
There may have been some oil,
but I think he just took a curve entirely too fast.
The accident happened north of his home,
so the bar where he and Leonore had been drinking was farther north,
perhaps on the famous Mulholland Drive.
In 1997, researcher Chuck Harter interviewed the wife of Nati Vacio, Queta.
Concerning the day of the accident, Queta related what she had heard.
"They went out on an afternoon (George and Leonore) and they were in a cantina drinking.
And when they were coming home, she saw her friends.
They were going by and waved,
but then they stopped.
And then she went with her friends, and George had an accident."
During the interview, her sister Consuelo, joined the conversation.
Consuelo had a more ominous take on the accident.
She does not believe that he committed suicide.
She remembered that Leonore did not treat George very well,
preferring to spend their time together drinking.
Consuela also remembered the day of the accident.
She related how "Lenore got him drunk, really
drunk,
and then sent him home alone."
Leonore went home with her friends.
George was driving a 1957 Jaguar XK-140, a gift from Toni.
It was capable of going 120-125 mph.
Zero to sixty in 8.4-9 seconds.
George was drunk when he lost control of his car.
Perhaps he was also angry and driving recklessly.
I have contended that George Reeves was putting on an act
when he claimed that nothing ever bothered him.
I think he was getting ticked off about Leonore and her friends.
I think he was getting angry about a lot of things.
A number of years later, it was reported that the mechanic inspecting the damaged car
claimed that someone had drained the
brake fluid out, causing George to be unable to stop the car.
This urban myth was undoubtedly started by a writer,
probably doing an article for a magazine in the early 1960's.
It was probably a guy making some money by telling the 'true' story of the death of George Reeves.
The story became fact when it was repeated by other authors.
There is no evidence that a mechanic found the brake fluid had been deliberately drained out.
We don't know for sure,
but the car was probably repaired and George continued to drive it
until he bought a
brand new 1959 Oldsmobile convertible.
Changing the subject slightly, let me talk about another accident.
There were reportedly two incidents involving trucks trying to hit George's car...
Many books and articles have suggested that these took place in the months leading up to George's death.
This is to suggest that Toni or Eddie had put a 'hit' out on George.
This is the kind of conspiracy stuff that sells books.
However, as researcher and Reeves expert Lou Koza has pointed out,
there was actually only one incident and it happened
way back on March 1, 1956.
That was years before Leonore entered the scene.
George and Toni were still a couple.
George had gotten between two trucks that bounced him around like a 'ping pong ball'.
One of the trucks belonged to the O'Sullivan Building Materials company.
George sued for a half million dollars.
There is no record as to just what happened with that lawsuit.
Personally, I believe that a small cash settlement was made.
You know, George was driving a hot sports car (back in those days).
He may have been a little aggressive and
made the two truck drivers angry.
(Maybe there's a little bit more to him being bounced around
like a ping pong ball).
Thanks to Lou Koza and Chuck Harter.
Return to George Reeves.
Concerning the day of the accident, Queta related what she had heard.
"They went out on an afternoon (George and Leonore) and they were in a cantina drinking.
And when they were coming home, she saw her friends.
They were going by and waved, but then they stopped.
And then she went with her friends, and George had an accident."
During the interview, her sister Consuelo, joined the conversation.
Consuelo had a more ominous take on the accident.
She does not believe that he committed suicide.
She remembered that Leonore did not treat George very well,
preferring to spend their time together drinking.
Consuela also remembered the day of the accident.
She related how "Lenore got him drunk, really drunk,
and then sent him home alone."
Leonore went home with her friends.
George was driving a 1957 Jaguar XK-140, a gift from Toni.
It was capable of going 120-125 mph.
Zero to sixty in 8.4-9 seconds.
George was drunk when he lost control of his car.
Perhaps he was also angry and driving recklessly.
I have contended that George Reeves was putting on an act
when he claimed that nothing ever bothered him.
I think he was getting ticked off about Leonore and her friends.
I think he was getting angry about a lot of things.
A number of years later, it was reported that the mechanic inspecting the damaged car
claimed that someone had drained the brake fluid out, causing George to be unable to stop the car.
This urban myth was undoubtedly started by a writer,
probably doing an article for a magazine in the early 1960's.
It was probably a guy making some money by telling the 'true' story of the death of George Reeves.
The story became fact when it was repeated by other authors.
There is no evidence that a mechanic found the brake fluid had been deliberately drained out.
We don't know for sure,
but the car was probably repaired and George continued to drive it
until he bought a brand new 1959 Oldsmobile convertible.
Many books and articles have suggested that these took place in the months leading up to George's death.
This is to suggest that Toni or Eddie had put a 'hit' out on George.
This is the kind of conspiracy stuff that sells books.
However, as researcher and Reeves expert Lou Koza has pointed out,
there was actually only one incident and it happened way back on March 1, 1956.
That was years before Leonore entered the scene.
George and Toni were still a couple.
George had gotten between two trucks that bounced him around like a 'ping pong ball'.
One of the trucks belonged to the O'Sullivan Building Materials company.
George sued for a half million dollars.
There is no record as to just what happened with that lawsuit.
Personally, I believe that a small cash settlement was made.
You know, George was driving a hot sports car (back in those days).
He may have been a little aggressive and made the two truck drivers angry.
(Maybe there's a little bit more to him being bounced around like a ping pong ball).
Thanks to Lou Koza and Chuck Harter.
Return to George Reeves.