Ellanora Needles was an American actress who appeared in a few films and stage plays in the 1940s and 1950s. She was best known for being the first wife of George Reeves, the actor who played Superman in the popular TV series. However, her life was not as glamorous as it seemed. She had a troubled marriage, a divorce, and a second marriage that ended with her husband’s death. She also became a religious minister and withdrew from the public eye. But what was the cause of her death in 2002? And why was it undisclosed?
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Early Life and Career
Ellanora Needles was born on September 1, 1918, in Cincinnati, Ohio, into a renowned circus family. Her father was a clown and her mother was a trapeze artist. She grew up traveling with the circus and performing various acts. She developed an interest in acting and attended the Pasadena Community Playhouse as a student. There, she met George Reeves, a fellow aspiring actor, and they married in 1940.
One of her classmates, Teddi Sherman, was the daughter of producer Harry Sherman, and she helped Ellanora get a small role in one of his films, Leather Burners (1943), under the name Shelley Spencer. George Reeves also appeared in the same film. Ellanora also got a bit part in the Army Air Force’s Broadway play Winged Victory, along with many other wives of stars who were serving in the war. She acted in many other plays, mostly in California, using various names such as Ellanora Needles, Ellanora Reeves, or Ella-Nora.
Marriage to George Reeves
Ellanora’s marriage to George Reeves was not a happy one. They had different personalities and ambitions. George was outgoing and ambitious, while Ellanora was shy and content with being a housewife. George also had affairs with other women, including Toni Mannix, the wife of MGM executive Eddie Mannix. Ellanora tolerated his infidelity for a while, but eventually filed for divorce in 1950.
The divorce was finalized in October 1950, and Ellanora received $6,000 as alimony. She also gave up any claim to George’s future earnings or property. George went on to become famous for his role as Superman in the TV series Adventures of Superman (1952-1958). He also continued his relationship with Toni Mannix until he broke up with her and became engaged to Leonore Lemmon, a socialite.
Second Marriage and Retirement
After her divorce from George Reeves, Ellanora married Edward M. Rose, a Beverly Hills attorney, on November 1, 1950. They had two daughters together. Ellanora made a few more film appearances under the name Sarah Spencer, mostly in uncredited roles. Her last film was Her Twelve Men (1954), starring Greer Garson. She then retired from acting and focused on raising her family.
Ellanora also became interested in religion and spirituality. She joined the Church of Religious Science and became an ordained minister. She also studied metaphysics and astrology. She rarely gave interviews or talked about her past life as an actress or her marriage to George Reeves.
Death and Legacy
Ellanora Needles died on February 7, 2002, at the age of 83, in Beverly Hills, California. The cause of her death was undisclosed by her family and remains a mystery to this day. Some speculate that she may have died of natural causes or an illness, while others suggest that she may have committed suicide or been murdered.
Ellanora Needles is remembered as one of the many actresses who had a brief but interesting career in Hollywood. She is also known for being the first wife of George Reeves, whose death in 1959 was also controversial and mysterious. Some believe that he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head, while others claim that he was killed by someone else, possibly Toni Mannix or Leonore Lemmon.
Ellanora Needles’s life story is a fascinating one that deserves more attention and recognition. She was a woman who faced many challenges and hardships but also had moments of joy and success. She was a circus performer, an actress, a wife, a mother, and a minister. She was Ellanora Needles.
