Steve Reeves

Steve Reeves (Stephen L. Reeves) (January 21, 1926 - May 5, 2000), was a bodybuilder, actor, and author.

Acting

After WWII military service, Reeves came to the attention film director Cecil B. De Mille, who considered him for the part of Samson. Paramount considered Reeves for the title role of their upcoming film version of the Broadway musical Li'l Abner in 1958, but the part eventually went to Peter Palmer.

Related Topics:
Samson - Li'l Abner - Peter Palmer

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Reeves first film was the 1949 Kimbar of the Jungle, a made-for-television movie, which was a pilot for a series that never materialised. Throughout the 1950s, Reeves also had guest spots on The Jimmy Durante Show, The Dinah Shore Show, The Burns and Allen Show, The Ralph Edwards Show, The Red Skelton Show, Topper and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

Related Topics:
1949 - The Jimmy Durante Show - The Dinah Shore Show - The Burns and Allen Show - The Ralph Edwards Show - The Red Skelton Show - Topper - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

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In 1954 he had a co-starring role in his first major motion picture Athena playing Debbie Reynolds' boyfriend, and the same year was seen in Ed Wood's cheapie Jail Bait. Rumor has it that Reeve's appearance in Athena is what prompted Italian director Pietro Francisci's daughter to suggest him for the role in her father's upcoming Hercules movie. In 1957, he played the title character in Francisci's Hercules, which was released in Italy in February of 1959, and then in the U.S. in July of 1959. Following the U.S. release, the film was an enormous hit and created a new sub-genre of the sword and sandal film (also known as the peplum film): the 'Hercules' or 'strong man' movie. The film is now in public domain and can be downloaden from the Internet Archive.

Related Topics:
Athena - Ed Wood - Jail Bait - Pietro Francisci - Hercules - Sword and sandal - Peplum - Internet Archive

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From 1959 through 1964, Reeves went on to appear in a string of sword and sandal movies, and although he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the Greek hero Hercules, in actuality he played the character only twice - in Hercules and the sequel Hercules Unchained (released in the U.S. in 1960). He played a number of other characters on screen, including Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton's Glaucus of Pompeii; Goliath (also called Emiliano); Russian hero Hadji Murad; Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome (opposite Gordon Scott as his twin brother Remus); pirate and self-proclaimed governor of Jamaica Captain Henry Morgan; and Karim, the Thief of Bagdad. Twice he played Aeneas of Troy and twice he played Emilio Salgari's Malaysian hero, Sandokan. In 1968 Reeves appeared in a spaghetti western which he also co-wrote, A Long Ride From Hell. His last on-screen appearance was in 2000 when he appeared as himself in the made-for-television A&E Biography: Arnold Schwarzenegger - Flex Appeal.

Related Topics:
Hercules Unchained - Edward George Bulwer-Lytton - Romulus - Gordon Scott - Remus - Henry Morgan - Emilio Salgari - Sandokan - Spaghetti western - A Long Ride From Hell - Biography

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