HG Spotlight on
Gene Hackman
| You've seen him before - the lawyer, the sleazy producer, the High School Basketball Coach; the son, the father, the crusty cop, and certainly, the over zealous Sheriff - it's the everyday man thrown into the unexpected circumstance. Is it the guy next door, or is it the man who's made an art out of portraying the guy next door? Gene Hackman has been at the forefront of the American acting scene for over thirty years. He has appeared in over 70 motion pictures, has won two Golden Globes and two Oscars; he still manages to thrill audiences - and all the while making it look effortless. This Web site is intended not only to pay tribute to one of the great actors of our time, but also to bring this talented man's giant body of work a little closer to his fans. -with much admiration and gratitude to this American gem, for sharing his talent with the world. |
| Gene Hackman is one of the most formidable American actors in film today. His uncanny ability to portray the ordinary man, caught up in moments of unexpected crisis, coupled with his talent for showing vulnerabilities in otherwise corrupt characters, catapulted him from character actor, into a leading man. He has appeared in over 70 films, has made numerous television appearances, and has had many successes on the New York stage. The soft-spoken actor, who oddly, unintentionally intimidates co-workers with his stature and pensive manner, is a two time Oscar winner, and has been nominated for Academy Awards a total of five times over his long career. |
| Born on January 30th, 1930 in San Bernardino, California, Hackman's father, Eugene Ezra Hackman, moved his family to Danville, Illinois, while Eugene Allen Hackman (Gene Hackman's real name), was just a boy. Hackman's father was a pressman for the Danville Commercial News; Hackman's paternal grandfather had been a reporter for the very same paper for fifty years. When Gene Hackman was 13, his parents separated, and he remained with his mother. While growing up in Danville, Hackman spent a lot of time going to the movies, and Errol Flynn became his idol. In 1947, while still in High School, the 16 year old Hackman lied about his age and entered the Marine Corps. Three months after his enlistment, he found himself in China, where he was stationed in Tsing Tao, and later in Shanghai. After Communist China was victorious on the mainland, Hackman was stationed in Hawaii and Japan. He was very active in sports, and was a member of his unit's football, track and swim teams. He had his first attempt at showbiz in the Marines, when he volunteered to be a disc-jockey and newscaster for his unit's radio station. Shortly before his discharge in 1952, Hackman was demoted to corporal for the third time, for leaving his post without permission. |  |
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| After leaving the military, Hackman enrolled in the University of Illinois, to study journalism - he had passed his high-school equivalency test while in the Marines - but after six months, he changed his mind and went to New York to attend the School of Radio Techniques, under the G.I. bill. After working at radio stations in Illinois and Florida, Hackman returned to New York and enrolled in a commercial art course at the Art Students League; however, that lost his interest rather quickly as well. He finally went to California, to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. It was during his stay in New York, however, that he met his first wife, Faye Maltese (a bank secretary), at a YMCA dance. They were married on New Year's in 1956. Hackman moved back to New York in that same year, and he worked as a doorman, truck driver, furniture mover, and salesman of women's shoes. He received his first acting assignment with a summer theatre at Bellpoint, Long Island. This was followed in 1958 by his first off-Broadway performance. Throughout the early sixties, Hackman appeared in nine productions, including his Broadway debut in Children From Their Games at the Morasco Theatre, on April 11, 1963. However, it was his portrayal of Cass Henderson in Muriel Resnick's comedy, Any Wednesday, that established his Broadway reputation. His film debut came in 1964, in Lilith, though he done a bit part in Mad Dog Call in 1961. Hackman appeared in five films during the sixties, before Warren Beatty cast him in the controversially violent film, Bonnie and Clyde, in 1967. Hackman was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Buck Barrow, and it was this success that brought him a number of offers for roles in films. In the late 60's and early 70's, Hackman appeared on Broadway and in Feature Films, and 1970 brought him another Academy Award nomination, this time for I Never Sang for My Father. In 1971, he won his first Academy Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of the crusty, Popeye Doyle in The French Connection. |  |
| He had successfully made the transition from character actor to leading man, and was now being considered for roles that his mega-talent deserved. Clearly one of the leading actors in Hollywood, Hackman's career still hit a slight lull around 1978, after the first of the Superman pictures. He didn't appear in another film until 1980, when he reprised his role as Lex Luthor in Superman II. Hackman has displayed a remarkable range over the course of his brilliant career, as evidenced by the diversity of his roles. Throughout the 80's, Hackman starred in 21 motion pictures, still remaining a box office draw for American and Foreign audiences. In 1985, he and his wife of 29 years, were divorced; despite this, Hackman continued steadily working without a break. And, he received another Academy Award (and Golden Globe) nomination for his role as the tough FBI agent in the 1988 film, Mississippi Burning. By consistently evoking varieties of the "everyman" in his roles, he is still one of the busiest, most sought after screen personalities in Hollywood. He was described in the 80's by one critic as "the finest journeyman actor in American cinema today." - And by any standard, he is still proving this critic wise. During the 90's, despite suffering a heart attack in 1990, Gene Hackman has alternated between lead roles and supporting ones. In 1992, he received another Oscar and another Golden Globe, this time for his performance as Bill Daggett in Eastwood's Unforgiven. In addition to his Academy Awards, Hackman has been the recipient of two Golden Globes, a British Academy Award, the Cannes Film Festival best actor trophy, and two National Association of Theatre Owner's Awards. Hackman is currently married to classical pianist, Betsy Arakawa, and they reside mostly in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he has lived for the past ten years. |  |
| In a recent article, Hackman is quoted as saying that he is thinking about easing into retirement. One hopes that he will truly "ease" into it, and in the meantime, he will continue to supply audiences with the outstanding performances that are expected when one sees his name in the opening credits. He is a master at creating amazingly smooth, complex yet simple men, who just happen to find themselves in the middle of a broil every now and again. One thing is certain: Whether he decides to go the E.G. Marshall route, and continue working for the next twenty years, or he decides to "ease" off of the sound stage sooner, Gene Hackman will always have the respect of his colleagues, the adoration of his fans, and he has deservedly earned a special place in the heart of American Cinema. May this gem of American film continue to be treasured and honoured, as is his due. |
Filmography
Mad Dog Coll (1961)
Lilith (1964)
Hawaii (1966)
Banning (1967)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Covenant with Death, A (1967) 
First to Fight (1967)
Shadow on the Land (1968)
Split, The (1968)
Downhill Racer (1969)
Gypsy Moths, The (1969)
Marooned (1969)
Riot (1969)
I Never Sang for My Father (1970)
Doctors' Wives (1971)
French Connection, The (1971)
Hunting Party, The (1971)
Cisco Pike (1972)
Poseidon Adventure, The (1972)
Prime Cut (1972)
Scarecrow (1973)
Conversation, The (1974)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Zandy's Bride (1974)
Bite the Bullet (1975)
French Connection II, The (1975)
Lucky Lady (1975)
Night Moves (1975)
Bridge Too Far, A (1977)
Domino Principle, The (1977)
Look at Liv, A (1977)
March or Die (1977) 
Speed Fever (1978)
Superman (1978)
All Night Long (1981)
Reds (1981)
Eureka (1982)
Two of a Kind (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Misunderstood (1984)
Target (1985)
Twice in a Lifetime (1985)
Hoosiers (1986)
Power (1986)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
No Way Out (1987)
Another Woman (1988)
Bat*21 (1988)
Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Split Decisions (1988) 
Package, The (1989)
Loose Cannons (1990)
Narrow Margin (1990)
Postcards from the Edge (1990)
Class Action (1991)
Unforgiven (1992)
Firm, The (1993)
Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)
Wyatt Earp (1994)
Crimson Tide (1995)
Get Shorty (1995)
Quick and the Dead, The (1995)
Birdcage, The (1996)
Chamber, The (1996)
Extreme Measures (1996)
Absolute Power (1997)
Antz (1998)
Enemy of the State (1998)
Twilight (1998)
Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood (1999)
Under Suspicion (1999)
Replacements, The (2000)
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Hackman Trivia Birth Name: Eugene Alden Hackman Birth Date and Location: Jan 30 1930 San Bernadino, California Hackman was the sixth choice to play Popeye Doyle in The French Connection. Hackman lied about his age to join the Marines at 16 but left as soon as his initial 3 year tour was complete. While at the Pasadena Playhouse, Hackman and a classmate were voted "Least likely to succeed". The classmate was Dustin Hoffman.
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