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{{short description|American actress}}
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{{refimprove|date=September 2014}}

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{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Toni Mannix
| name = Toni Mannix
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| birth_name = Camille Bernice Froomess
| birth_name = Camille Bernice Froomess
| birth_date = {{birth date|1906|02|19|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1906|02|19|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], United States
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1983|09|02|1906|02|19|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1983|09|02|1906|02|19|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Beverly Hills, California]], United States
| death_place = [[Beverly Hills, California]], U.S.
| othername = Toni Lanier
| othername = Toni Lanier, Camille Toni Mannix
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Eddie Mannix]]|1951|1963|end=died}}
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Eddie Mannix]]|1951|1963|end=died}}
| occupation = Actress, dancer
| occupation = Actress, dancer
}}
}}


'''Toni Mannix''' (born '''Camille Bernice Froomess'''; February 19, 1906 – September 2, 1983) was an American actress and dancer in the early [[talkies]]. She became notorious for an extramarital relationship with actor [[George Reeves]] during her marriage to [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] studio head [[Eddie Mannix]], who himself had previously been having an affair with her.
'''Toni Lanier Mannix''' (born '''Camille Bernice Froomess'''; February 19, 1906 – September 2, 1983) was an [[Actor|American actress]] and dancer in early motion pictures filmed with soundtracks, known as "[[talkies]]". Going by the name Toni Lanier, she became known in Hollywood circles for her extramarital relationship with future husband [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] studio head [[Eddie Mannix]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author=Guardian Staff |date=2006-11-18 |title=The mysterious death of George Reeves, the original Superman |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/nov/18/features.weekend1 |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> who was married at the time to Bernice Fitzmaurice. Following Fitzmaurice's death in 1937, Lanier moved in with Mannix. The couple married in 1951. It was not long after her marriage to Mannix that she began a notorious affair with actor [[George Reeves]], also in 1951.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Mannix was born in New York City. Her father, Charles, was a [[French people|French]] immigrant, and her mother, Elizabeth, was a [[French Canadian]] [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]. The large family would ultimately include 11 children: seven boys and four girls. The children were raised in their mother's faith. Mannix's father was a department store window decorator in [[Rochester, New York]], and her mother was a homemaker.<ref>1920 U.S. Census</ref>
Mannix was born Camille Bernice Froomess on February 19, 1906<ref name=":0" /> in New York City. Her father, Charles, was a [[French people|French]] immigrant, and her mother, Elizabeth, was a French Canadian Roman Catholic. The large family would ultimately include 11 children: seven boys and four girls. The children were raised in their mother's faith. Mannix's father was a department store window decorator in [[Rochester, New York]], and her mother was a homemaker.<ref>1920 U.S. Census</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
For a time, Mannix was a [[Ziegfeld Follies]] showgirl, and appeared in the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] biography of [[Florenz Ziegfeld]]'s life, ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' (1936).
For a time, Mannix was a [[Ziegfeld Follies]] showgirl and appeared in the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] biography of [[Florenz Ziegfeld]]'s life, ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' (1936).{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Mannix subsequently met MGM's general manager [[Eddie Mannix]]. She later lived with him as his mistress, and then as his wife, until his death in 1963. Shortly after her marriage to Eddie Mannix in 1951 and shortly before the launch of Reeves as the titular star in the successful television series ''Adventures of Superman'', Mannix met and began an affair with Reeves, with the acquiescence of her husband, according to Reeves's co-stars [[Noel Neill]] and [[Jack Larson]].<ref>Ward, Larry Thomas. ''Truth, Justice, & The American Way: The Life and Times of Noel Neill, The Original Lois Lane'', Nicholas Lawrence Books, 2003. {{ISBN|0-9729466-0-8}}. p. 83</ref> The affair was ended by Reeves in 1959. His death by gunshot wound to the head five months later was officially ruled a suicide, although questions have been raised about the circumstances under which he died. Kashner and Schoenberger's partially fictionalized biography ''Hollywood Kryptonite'' states as unsourced fact that Toni, via her husband Eddie's criminal connections, ordered Reeves murdered.<ref name=whokilled>[http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1950705,00.html Who killed Superman?], John Patterson, ''The Guardian'', November 18, 2006</ref> This theory was endorsed by publicist Edward Lozzi, who stated in 1999 that he had witnessed Toni's deathbed confession.<ref name=whokilled/> Although the 2006 film ''[[Hollywoodland]]'' uses her husband's complicity as one possible solution to the Reeves mystery, the film remains ambiguous about the truth. In any case, Mannix was devastated by Reeves's death and remained dedicated to Reeves, reportedly building a shrine to him in her house.
Toni Lanier, the Ziegfeld dancer and actress<ref name=":0" /> met MGM's general manager [[Eddie Mannix]] in the 1930s. She later lived with him as his mistress, and then as his wife, until he died in 1963. Shortly after her marriage to Mannix in 1951 and shortly before the launch of [[George Reeves]] to stardom in the successful [[television series]] ''Adventures of Superman'', Mannix met and began an extramarital affair with Reeves, with the permission of her husband, according to Reeves' co-stars [[Noel Neill]] and [[Jack Larson]].<ref>Ward, Larry Thomas. ''Truth, Justice, & The American Way: The Life and Times of Noel Neill, The Original Lois Lane'', Nicholas Lawrence Books, 2003. {{ISBN|0-9729466-0-8}}. p. 83.</ref>


Reeves ended the affair in 1958 after meeting and starting a relationship with "B-girl" Leonore Lemmon in New York<ref name=":0" /> while he was traveling on business. His death by gunshot wound to the head five months later was officially ruled a suicide, although questions have been raised about the circumstances under which he died.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toni Mannix — The Mysterious Death of Superman — Crime Library |url=https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/celebrity/george_reeves/8.html |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=www.crimelibrary.org}}</ref> Mannix was devastated by Reeves' death and remained dedicated to him, reportedly building a shrine to him in her house.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}
==Later years and death==
Mannix, wealthy following the death of her husband in 1963, developed [[Alzheimer's disease]] when she was in her seventies. She died in 1983 in [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]], at the age of 77, having neither remarried nor having children.

She was portrayed by [[Diane Lane]] in ''[[Hollywoodland]]'' and by [[Alison Pill]] in ''[[Hail, Caesar!]]''.


==See also==
==See also==
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*{{IMDb name|1036645}}
*{{IMDb name|1036645}}
*{{Find a Grave|7875}}
*{{Find a Grave|7875}}

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Mannix, Toni}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mannix, Toni}}
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[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease]]
[[Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in California]]
[[Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area]]
[[Category:Deaths from dementia in California]]
[[Category:Actresses from Greater Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City]]
[[Category:Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City]]
[[Category:Actresses from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Actresses from New York (state)]]
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[[Category:American people of French-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of French-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American dancers]]
[[Category:Ziegfeld girls]]

Latest revision as of 16:55, 15 April 2024

Toni Mannix
Born
Camille Bernice Froomess

(1906-02-19)February 19, 1906
New York City, U.S.
DiedSeptember 2, 1983(1983-09-02) (aged 77)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Other namesToni Lanier, Camille Toni Mannix
Occupation(s)Actress, dancer
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1951; died 1963)​

Toni Lanier Mannix (born Camille Bernice Froomess; February 19, 1906 – September 2, 1983) was an American actress and dancer in early motion pictures filmed with soundtracks, known as "talkies". Going by the name Toni Lanier, she became known in Hollywood circles for her extramarital relationship with future husband MGM studio head Eddie Mannix,[1] who was married at the time to Bernice Fitzmaurice. Following Fitzmaurice's death in 1937, Lanier moved in with Mannix. The couple married in 1951. It was not long after her marriage to Mannix that she began a notorious affair with actor George Reeves, also in 1951.

Early life

[edit]

Mannix was born Camille Bernice Froomess on February 19, 1906[1] in New York City. Her father, Charles, was a French immigrant, and her mother, Elizabeth, was a French Canadian Roman Catholic. The large family would ultimately include 11 children: seven boys and four girls. The children were raised in their mother's faith. Mannix's father was a department store window decorator in Rochester, New York, and her mother was a homemaker.[2]

Career

[edit]

For a time, Mannix was a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl and appeared in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer biography of Florenz Ziegfeld's life, The Great Ziegfeld (1936).[citation needed]

Personal life

[edit]

Toni Lanier, the Ziegfeld dancer and actress[1] met MGM's general manager Eddie Mannix in the 1930s. She later lived with him as his mistress, and then as his wife, until he died in 1963. Shortly after her marriage to Mannix in 1951 and shortly before the launch of George Reeves to stardom in the successful television series Adventures of Superman, Mannix met and began an extramarital affair with Reeves, with the permission of her husband, according to Reeves' co-stars Noel Neill and Jack Larson.[3]

Reeves ended the affair in 1958 after meeting and starting a relationship with "B-girl" Leonore Lemmon in New York[1] while he was traveling on business. His death by gunshot wound to the head five months later was officially ruled a suicide, although questions have been raised about the circumstances under which he died.[4] Mannix was devastated by Reeves' death and remained dedicated to him, reportedly building a shrine to him in her house.[citation needed]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Guardian Staff (2006-11-18). "The mysterious death of George Reeves, the original Superman". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  2. ^ 1920 U.S. Census
  3. ^ Ward, Larry Thomas. Truth, Justice, & The American Way: The Life and Times of Noel Neill, The Original Lois Lane, Nicholas Lawrence Books, 2003. ISBN 0-9729466-0-8. p. 83.
  4. ^ "Toni Mannix — The Mysterious Death of Superman — Crime Library". www.crimelibrary.org. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
[edit]
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