Gene Hackman

Eugene Allen Hackman (January 30, 1930 – ) was an American actor. Hackman made his credited film debut in the drama ''Lilith'' (1964). He later won two Academy Awards, his first for Best Actor for his role as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in William Friedkin's action thriller '' The French Connection'' (1971) and his second for Best Supporting Actor for playing a sheriff in Clint Eastwood's Western ''Unforgiven'' (1992). He was Oscar-nominated for playing Buck Barrow in the crime drama '' Bonnie and Clyde'' (1967), a college professor in the drama '' I Never Sang for My Father'' (1970), and an FBI agent in the historical drama ''Mississippi Burning'' (1988).

Hackman gained further fame for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in three of the ''Superman'' films from 1978 to 1987. He also acted in '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972), '' Scarecrow'' (1973), ''The Conversation'' (1974), '' Night Moves'' (1975), '' A Bridge Too Far'' (1977), '' Under Fire'' (1983), '' Hoosiers'' (1986), '' The Firm'' (1993), ''Wyatt Earp'' (1994), '' Crimson Tide'' (1995), '' The Quick and the Dead'' (1995), ''Get Shorty'' (1995), ''The Birdcage'' (1996), '' Absolute Power'' (1997), '' Enemy of the State'' (1998), ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' (2001), and '' Runaway Jury'' (2003).

Considered one of the greatest actors of his generation and a paragon of the New Hollywood movement, Hackman's mainstream acting career spanned over four decades. He received several accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. Hackman retired from acting after starring in ''Welcome to Mooseport'' (2004), venturing into writing novels and occasionally providing narration for television documentaries until 2017.

Early life and military service

Hackman was born on January 30, 1930, in San Bernardino, California, to Anna Lyda Elizabeth () and Eugene Ezra Hackman. He had a brother named Richard. Anna, an actress, painter, and pianist, was born in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. The family moved frequently before eventually settling in Danville, Illinois, where they lived in the house of Anna's English-born mother, Beatrice. Hackman's father operated the printing press for the '' Commercial-News'', a local newspaper. Hackman later stated that he decided to become an actor at the age of 10. His parents divorced when he was 13 years old, and his father later left the family.

Hackman spent his sophomore year at Storm Lake High School. He left home at the age of 16, lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, and served four and a half years as a field radio operator. Hackman was stationed in China (Qingdao and later in Shanghai) as part of Operation Beleaguer. He later stated that part of his role there was destroying Japanese military equipment so that Communist revolutionaries did not capture it. After the Communists conquered the mainland in 1949, he was reassigned to Hawaii and Japan. After his discharge in 1951, Hackman moved to New York City, where he worked at various jobs.Stated on '' Inside the Actors Studio'', 2001 In 1962, his mother died in a fire she had accidentally started while smoking. Hackman began a study of journalism and television production at the University of Illinois under the G.I. Bill but left without graduating and moved back to California.

Career

1956–1969: Career beginnings

In 1956, Hackman began pursuing an acting career. He joined the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where he befriended another aspiring actor, Dustin Hoffman. Already seen as outsiders by their classmates, Hackman and Hoffman were voted "the least likely to succeed", and Hackman got the lowest score the Pasadena Playhouse had yet given. Determined to prove them wrong, Hackman moved to New York City. A 2004 article in '' Vanity Fair'' described Hackman, Hoffman, and Robert Duvall as struggling California-born actors and close friends, sharing New York apartments in various two-person combinations in the 1960s.

To support himself between acting jobs, Hackman was working at a Howard Johnson's restaurant when he encountered an instructor from the Pasadena Playhouse, who said that his job proved that Hackman "wouldn't amount to anything." A Marine officer who saw him as a doorman said, "Hackman, you're a sorry son of a bitch." Rejection motivated Hackman, who said:

Hackman began performing in several Off-Broadway plays, starting with ''Witness for the Prosecution'' in 1957 at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, New York, and including ''Come to the Palace of Sin'' in 1963. He got various bit roles, for example, in the film '' Mad Dog Coll'' and on multiple television series: '' Tallahassee 7000'', ''The United States Steel Hour'', '' Route 66'', '' Naked City'', '' The Defenders'', '' The DuPont Show of the Week'', ''East Side/West Side'', and '' Brenner''. In 1963, he made his Broadway debut in ''Children From Their Games'', which had only a short run, as did ''A Rainy Day in Newark''. However, '' Any Wednesday'' with actress Sandy Dennis was a huge Broadway success in 1964. This opened the door to film work. His first credited role was in ''Lilith'', with Jean Seberg and Warren Beatty in the leading roles.

Hackman returned to Broadway in ''Poor Richard'' (1964–65) by Jean Kerr, which ran for over a hundred performances. He continued to do television – ''The Trials of O'Brien'', ''Hawk'', and '' The F.B.I.'' – and had a small part as Dr. John Whipple in the epic film ''Hawaii.'' He had small roles in features like '' First to Fight'' (1967), '' A Covenant with Death'' (1967), and '' Banning'' (1967). Hackman was originally cast as Mr. Robinson in the 1967 Mike Nichols independent romantic comedy film ''The Graduate'', but Nichols fired him three weeks into rehearsal for being "too young" for the role; he was replaced by Murray Hamilton. Also in 1967, he appeared in an episode of the television series '' The Invaders'' entitled " The Spores" and as Buck Barrow in 1967's biographical crime drama '' Bonnie and Clyde'', which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

A return to Broadway that same year, ''The Natural Look'', ran for just one performance. Additionally, he performed Off-Broadway in ''Fragments and The Basement''. Hackman was in episodes of '' Iron Horse'' ("Leopards Try, But Leopards Can't") and ''Insight'' ("Confrontation"). In 1968, he appeared in an episode of '' I Spy'', in the role of "Hunter", in the episode "Happy Birthday... Everybody". That same year, he starred in the '' CBS Playhouse'' episode " My Father and My Mother" and the dystopian television film '' Shadow on the Land''. In 1969, he played a ski coach in ''Downhill Racer'' and an astronaut in '' Marooned''. Also that year, he played a member of a barnstorming skydiving team that entertained mostly at county fairs, a film which also inspired many to pursue skydiving and has a cult-like status amongst skydivers as a result: '' The Gypsy Moths''. Hackman supported Jim Brown in two films, '' The Split'' (1968) and ''Riot'' (1969). Hackman nearly accepted the role of Mike Brady for the TV series ''The Brady Bunch'', but his agent advised that he decline it in exchange for a more promising role, which he did, but this story is said to have been exaggerated.

1970–1979: Breakthrough and stardom

Hackman was nominated for a second Oscar for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the drama film '' I Never Sang for My Father'' (1970), directed by Gilbert Cates. Hackman acted opposite Melvyn Douglas, where they played father and son who are unable to communicate. Roger Ebert wrote of his performance, "Much of the film is just between the two of them and the characters seem to work so well because Douglas and Hackman respond to each other in every shot; the effect is not of acting, but as if the story were happening right now while we see it." He starred in the drama '' Doctors' Wives'' (1971) and the western film '' The Hunting Party'' (1971). He won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as New York City Police Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in the crime drama '' The French Connection'' (1971), directed by William Friedkin. This film marked his graduation to stardom. Robert B. Frederick of '' Variety'' praised the performances of Hackman and Roy Scheider, writing, "They are very believable as two hard-nosed narcotics officers" who are also "overworked, tired and mean".

After ''The French Connection'', Hackman starred in ten films (not including his cameo as a blind man in the Mel Brooks-directed satirical horror comedy film '' Young Frankenstein'' in 1974) over the next three years, making him the most prolific actor in Hollywood during that time frame. He followed ''The French Connection'' with leading roles in the drama '' Cisco Pike'' (1972), the action crime thriller '' Prime Cut'' (1972), and the disaster film '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972). He also starred in the road comedy-drama '' Scarecrow'' (1973) alongside Al Pacino, which was Hackman's favorite role of his career and won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The following year, he starred as a surveillance expert in the neo-noir mystery thriller ''The Conversation'' (1974), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which was nominated for several Oscars and also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes. That same year, Hackman appeared in what would become one of his most famous comedic roles, as Harold the Blind Man in ''Young Frankenstein''. Hackman also appeared in the western '' Zandy's Bride'' (1974) and the neo-noir film '' Night Moves'' (1975) for director Arthur Penn.

Hackman played one of Teddy Roosevelt's former Rough Riders in the Western horse-race saga ''Bite the Bullet'' (1975). He reprised his Oscar-winning role as Doyle in the sequel '' French Connection II'' (1975), for which he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. He co-starred with Burt Reynolds and Liza Minnelli in the musical '' Lucky Lady'' (1975), directed by Stanley Donen, a notorious flop. After making the neo-noir thriller '' The Domino Principle'' (1977) for Stanley Kramer, Hackman was part of an all-star cast in the war film '' A Bridge Too Far'' (1977), playing Polish General Stanisław Sosabowski, and was an officer in the French Foreign Legion in '' March or Die'' (1977). Hackman showed a talent for both comedy and the "slow burn" as criminal mastermind Lex Luthor opposite Christopher Reeve in the leading role in the superhero film '' Superman: The Movie'' (1978). Ron Pennington of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote of his performance, "Hackman plays Lex Luthor, 'the greatest criminal mind of our time,' with an effective light touch, making him humorous but not out-and-out comical." He reprised the role for two of its sequels, ''Superman II'' (1980) and '' Superman IV: The Quest for Peace'' (1987).

1980–1999: Established career and acclaim

Hackman alternated between leading and supporting roles during the 1980s. He appeared opposite Barbra Streisand in '' All Night Long'' (1981) and supported Warren Beatty in '' Reds'' (1981). He played the lead in '' Eureka'' (1983) and a supporting role in '' Under Fire'' (1983). Hackman provided the voice of God in '' Two of a Kind'' (1983) and starred in '' Uncommon Valor'' (1983), '' Misunderstood'' (1984), '' Twice in a Lifetime'' (1985), '' Target'' (1985) for Arthur Penn, and '' Power'' (1986). Between 1985 and 1988, he starred in nine films, making him the busiest actor, alongside Steve Guttenberg. Hackman played a high school basketball coach in '' Hoosiers'' (1986), which a 2008 American Film Institute poll named the fourth-greatest sports film of all time. After '' Superman IV: The Quest for Peace'' (1987), he also voiced Nuclear Man (who was portrayed by Mark Pillow) and was in '' No Way Out'' (1987), '' Split Decisions'' (1988), '' Bat*21'' (1988), and '' Full Moon in Blue Water'' (1988).

Hackman acted opposite Gena Rowlands in the Woody Allen drama '' Another Woman'' (1988). Hackman starred in the Alan Parker-directed crime drama ''Mississippi Burning'' (1988), costarring Willem Dafoe, where they portrayed FBI agents investigating the murder of 3 civil rights student activists civil rights leader. He earned acclaim for the role, with Roger Ebert praising his performance for his subtlety. He was nominated for a second Academy Award for Best Actor, losing to Dustin Hoffman for ''Rain Man''. After this he appeared in '' The Package'' (1989). Hackman starred in '' Loose Cannons'' (1990) with Dan Aykroyd, and he had a supporting role in ''Postcards from the Edge'' (1990). He appeared with Anne Archer in '' Narrow Margin'' (1990), a remake of the 1952 film '' The Narrow Margin''. After ''Class Action'' (1991) and '' Company Business'' (1991), Hackman played the sadistic sheriff "Little Bill" Daggett in the Western ''Unforgiven'', directed by Clint Eastwood and written by David Webb Peoples. Hackman had pledged to avoid violent roles, but Eastwood convinced him to take the part, which earned him a second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actor. The film also won Best Picture.

Hackman returned to Broadway, starring in the 1992 Ariel Dorfman play '' Death and the Maiden'', acting opposite Glenn Close and Richard Dreyfus at the Brooks Atkinson Theater. In 1993, he appeared in '' Geronimo: An American Legend'' as Brigadier General George Crook and co-starred with Tom Cruise as a corrupt lawyer in '' The Firm'', a legal thriller based on the John Grisham novel of the same name. Hackman would appear in two other films based on John Grisham novels, playing Sam Cayhall, a Klansman on death row, in '' The Chamber'' (1996), and jury consultant Rankin Fitch in '' Runaway Jury'' (2003). Other films Hackman appeared in during the 1990s include ''Wyatt Earp'' (1994) (as Nicholas Porter Earp, ''Wyatt Earp''s father), '' The Quick and the Dead'' (1995) opposite Sharon Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Russell Crowe, and as submarine Captain Frank Ramsey alongside Denzel Washington in '' Crimson Tide'' (1995).

Hackman played film producer Harry Zimm alongside John Travolta in the comedy-drama ''Get Shorty'' (1995). In 1996, he took a comedic turn as conservative Senator Kevin Keeley in ''The Birdcage'' with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. He co-starred with Hugh Grant in '' Extreme Measures'' (1996) and reunited with Clint Eastwood in '' Absolute Power'' (1997). Hackman did ''Twilight'' (1998) with Paul Newman for director Robert Benton, voiced the villain in the DreamWorks' animated film ''Antz'' (1998), and co-starred with Will Smith in '' Enemy of the State'' (1998), his character reminiscent of the one he had portrayed in ''The Conversation''.

2000–2004: Final films and retirement

Hackman co-starred with Morgan Freeman in '' Under Suspicion'' (2000), Keanu Reeves in '' The Replacements'' (2000), Owen Wilson in '' Behind Enemy Lines'' (2001), and Sigourney Weaver in '' Heartbreakers'' (2001) and appeared in the David Mamet crime thriller '' Heist'' (2001) as an aging professional thief of considerable skill who is forced into one final job. He made a cameo in ''The Mexican'' (2001). Hackman gained much critical acclaim playing against type as the head of an eccentric family in Wes Anderson's comedy film ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' (2001). Frank Scheck of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote, "Hackman is utter perfection as the misbegotten paterfamilias, conveying beautifully Royal's underlying decency and love for his family as well as his con-man slickness." For his performance, he received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

In 2003, he also starred in another John Grisham legal drama, '' Runaway Jury'', at long last getting to make a picture with his long-time friend Dustin Hoffman. In 2004, Hackman appeared alongside Ray Romano in the comedy ''Welcome to Mooseport'', his final film acting role. Hackman was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award from the Golden Globe Awards for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field" in 2003. Michael Caine and Robin Williams presented him with the award.

In July 2004, Hackman gave a rare interview to Larry King, where he announced that he had no future film projects lined up and believed his acting career was over. In 2008, while promoting his third novel, he confirmed that he had retired from acting. That year, Hackman made his last televised appearance in '' Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives'', as Guy Fieri went to a Santa Fe diner where Hackman was eating. Speaking on his retirement in 2009, Hackman said, "The straw that broke the camel's back was actually a stress test that I took in New York. The doctor advised me that my heart wasn't in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress." When asked during a '' GQ'' magazine interview in 2011 if he would ever come out of retirement to do one more film, he said he might consider it "if I could do it in my own house, maybe, without them disturbing anything and just one or two people."

Other work

Together with undersea archaeologist Daniel Lenihan, Hackman wrote three historical fiction novels: ''Wake of the Perdido Star'' (1999), a sea adventure of the 19th century; ''Justice for None'' (2004), a Depression-era tale of murder based on a real-life crime in his boyhood town of Danville; and ''Escape from Andersonville'' (2008), about a prison escape during the American Civil War. His first solo effort, a story of love and revenge set in the Old West titled ''Payback at Morning Peak'', was released in 2011. His final novel, ''Pursuit'', a police thriller, followed in 2013.

After retiring from acting, Hackman narrated four episodes of the NFL Films sports documentary series '' America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions'' in 2007. He later narrated two documentaries related to the United States Marine Corps: ''The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima'' (2016)' and ''We, the Marines'' (2017)''.''

Personal life

Marriages and family

In 1956, Hackman married Faye Maltese (1928–2017), with whom he had one son and two daughters: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne Hackman. He was often out on location making films while the children were growing up. The couple divorced in 1986, after three decades of marriage.

On December 1, 1991, Hackman married classical pianist Betsy Arakawa (1959–2025) after they had dated for seven years. They shared a Santa Fe, New Mexico, home, which ''Architectural Digest'' featured in 1990. At the time, the home blended Southwestern styles and was at the crest of a 12-acre hilltop, with a 360-degree view that stretched to the Jemez, Sangre de Cristo, and Sandia mountains.

Views and interests

Hackman was a supporter of the Democratic Party and said he was "proud" to be included on Nixon's Enemies List. However, he spoke fondly about Republican president Ronald Reagan.

In the late 1970s, Hackman competed in Sports Car Club of America races, driving an open-wheeled Formula Ford. In 1980, he won the Long Beach Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. He also drove a Dan Gurney Team Toyota in the 24 Hours of Daytona Endurance Race in 1983.

Hackman was a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, an NFL football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, and regularly attended Jaguars games as a guest of former head coach Jack Del Rio. Their friendship went back to Del Rio's playing days at the University of Southern California.

Hackman was also interested in architecture and design. As of 1990, he had created ten homes, two of which were featured in ''Architectural Digest''. After a period of time, he moved on to another house restoration. "I don't know what's wrong with me," he remarked. "I guess I like the process, and when it's over, it's over." Hackman was an active cyclist well into his 90s.

Health

In 1990, Hackman underwent an angioplasty. In 2012, Hackman was struck by a pickup truck while he was cycling in the Florida Keys. It was initially reported that he had suffered serious head trauma; however, his publicist stated that his injury was nothing more than "bumps and bruises". Hackman attended an event in Santa Fe in late 2022. He was last seen in public in March 2024. After his death, autopsy reports revealed Hackman had Alzheimer's disease, which contributed to his death.

Death

In the final months of his life, Hackman's neighbors in Santa Fe, New Mexico, noticed that his health appeared to be declining, and he and Arakawa ceased communicating with family and friends. Arakawa – who was Hackman's sole caregiver – was last seen alive at a CVS Pharmacy on February 11, 2025, and returned to their gated community at 5:15 p.m. On February 12, Arakawa called a local private physician and made an appointment for that afternoon, complaining of respiratory issues, but did not show up. Arakawa died in their home a short time later from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hackman did not seek help; authorities believe he was unable to comprehend her death due to Alzheimer's disease. Hackman died in the home around February 18, at which point his pacemaker recorded an abnormal rhythm. He died from severe heart disease, complicated by advanced Alzheimer's disease and kidney disease. Hackman was 95.

On February 26, the bodies of Hackman, Arakawa, and one of their dogs, named Zinna, were found. The other two of the couple's dogs were found alive in the home. The discovery was made after maintenance workers, concerned that the couple had not answered the door, called security for help. Security personnel saw the bodies through a window and alerted authorities. Although foul play was not suspected, the deaths were deemed suspicious enough to warrant an investigation. Carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out on February 28. The causes of death were announced at a press conference on March 7.

Gene Hackman's estate requested the courts block images and videos related to the investigation, such as police body camera footage. Arakawa's will stated that if they were to die within 90 days of each other, the proceeds would go to charity; Hackman's will, created in 1995, listed Arakawa as his sole inheritor.

Tributes and legacy

Numerous members of the film industry paid tribute to Hackman following his death. Clint Eastwood, who directed Hackman in the films ''Unforgiven'' (1992) and '' Absolute Power'' (1997), wrote in a statement: "There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much." Francis Ford Coppola, who directed him in ''The Conversation'' (1974), wrote: "Gene Hackman asa great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution."

Morgan Freeman paid tribute to Hackman at the 97th Academy Awards, saying, "Like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer whose gifts elevated everyone's work" and that he would be "remembered s someone who did good workand so much more." Others who paid tribute include Dustin Hoffman, Glenn Close, Tom Hanks, Viola Davis, Bill Murray, Mel Brooks, Alec Baldwin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Barbra Streisand, Nathan Lane, Josh Brolin, John Cusack, Ben Stiller, Antonio Banderas, Hank Azaria, George Takei, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. ''The Guardian'' film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote that Hackman's death marked the end of American new wave cinema. He described Hackman as "really a star; in fact the star of every scene he was in – that tough, wised-up, intelligent, but unhandsome face perpetually on the verge of coolly unconcerned derision, or creased in a heartbreakingly fatherly, pained smile."

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

Hackman received two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. He was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the following performances:
* 40th Academy Awards (1967): Best Supporting Actor, nomination, '' Bonnie & Clyde''
* 43th Academy Awards (1970): Best Supporting Actor, nomination, '' I Never Sang for My Father''
* 44th Academy Awards (1971): Best Actor, win, '' The French Connection''
* 61st Academy Awards (1988): Best Actor, nomination, ''Mississippi Burning''
* 65th Academy Awards (1992): Best Supporting Actor, win, ''Unforgiven''

Asteroid 55397 Hackman, discovered by Roy Tucker in 2001, was named in his honor. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on May 18, 2019 ().

Publications

* Hackman, Gene, and Daniel Lenihan (1999). ''Wake of the Perdido Star''. New York: Newmarket Press. . .
* Hackman, Gene, and Daniel Lenihan (2004). ''Justice for None''. New York: St. Martin's Press. . .
* Hackman, Gene, and Daniel Lenihan (2008). ''Escape from Andersonville: A Novel of the Civil War''. New York: St. Martin's Press. . .
* Hackman, Gene (2011). ''Payback at Morning Peak: A Novel of the American West''. New York: Simon & Schuster. . .
* Hackman, Gene (2013). ''Pursuit''. New York: Pocket Books. . .

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackman, Gene
1930 births
2025 deaths
20th-century American male actors
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20th-century American novelists
20th-century United States Marines
21st-century American male actors
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Actors from San Bernardino, California
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Best Actor Academy Award winners
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Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners
Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award winners
Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners
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Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in the United States
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