This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/1/2002.
Beginning with the first installment in 1978, the Superman movies inaugurated a monumental trend in Hollywood. Formerly confined to the pages of comic books, superheroes were at last brought to life by some of the most prominent actors of the day, paving the way for later blockbusters like Batman and Spider-Man. While Superman the Movie starred such notables as Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, and Marlon Brando as Jor-el, Christopher Reeve's performance as Superman and Clark Kent unquestionably was most responsible for bringing comic book heroes to the Hollywood forefront. Reeve came into the role as an unknown, and yet the range of abilities he displayed while portraying two dissimilar characters ensured that no actor could subsequently play Superman without being evaluated according to the standard that Reeve set. A tragic 1995 equestrian accident left him paralyzed, but the power and courage of Christopher Reeve will forever be preserved by his incredible Superman performances.
Offered here is a Christopher Reeve screen-worn Superman costume from Superman the Movie and Superman II, which were filmed simultaneously. Our consignor obtained the costume directly from Supermuseum owner/curator Jim Hambrick, who is the premier authority on Superman memorabilia and owns the largest Superman collection in the world. According to Hambrick, this costume was used for outdoor shots and, because of this, is the lightest shade and truest color of "Superman Blue" of all the variations. The costume consists of a poly long sleeve tunic with trunks, blue poly tights, a red walking cape, a yellow belt, and red boots. The blue poly long sleeve zipper-back tunic has a red and yellow poly "S" emblem sewn in. Attached to the bottom of the tunic are the poly red trunks with four belt loops sewn on. The size 34 length blue poly tights have footing sewn on and have elastic sewn into the waist. The tights are the same color consistency as the tunic. The #6 walking cape is a crimson red wool blend material and is 60 inches in length. The cape has a yellow poly "S" emblem with a black embroidered outline around it. There are red 36 inch straps at the top of the cape which tie under the arms to secure it to the shoulders. The cape is padded with cotton at the shoulders and has a white label sewn onto the satin upper lining which reads, "C. Reeve Colour B Walking Refurbished sept.82." The yellow vinyl belt is 34 inches long by 2 inches in width with a yellow backing and a yellow plastic buckle that hooks in the back. The red pair of Superman knee high soft leather boots are size 12 with a brass full-length zipper in the back and a leather flap which covers the entire zipper. The costume comes with a letter of authenticity from Jim Hambrick, the most prominent Superman expert. Without a doubt, this is one of the most highly coveted pieces of movie memorabilia in existence.