Christopher D'Olier Reeve was born on September 25, 1952, in the vibrant city of New York, to a journalist mother, Barbara Johnson (née Barbara Pitney Lamb),and a writer/professor father, F.D. Reeve (Franklin D'Olier Reeve). Growing up in an upper-class family, Reeve's paternal grandfather was the esteemed CEO of Prudential Financial, and one of his maternal great-grandfathers was the influential Supreme Court Associate Justice Mahlon Pitney.
As a young child, Reeve's life took a significant turn when his parents divorced when he was just four years old. His mother, Barbara, relocated him and his brother Benjamin to Princeton, New Jersey, and eventually remarried an investment banker a few years later. Reeve's academic pursuits led him to attend Cornell University, where he simultaneously honed his acting skills as a professional actor. In his final year at Cornell, he was one of two students selected to study at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, under the guidance of the renowned John Houseman. Reeve's extensive acting career, however, is not limited to his iconic portrayal of Superman in 1978, which he brought to life with remarkable charm and elegance.
