Gene Hackman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gene Hackman
Hackman in 1972
Born	Eugene Allen Hackman (1930-01-30)January 30, 1930 San Bernardino, California, U.S.
Died	c. February 26, 2025(2025-02-26) (aged 95) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1959–2004
Spouse(s)	Faye Maltese ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1986)​ Betsy Arakawa ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	3
Awards	Full list
Military Service
Allegiance	United States
Branch	U.S. Marine Corps
Service years	1946–1951
Rank	Private first class
Operations	Operation Beleaguer Occupation of Japan
Awards	National Defense Service Medal China Service Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal

Eugene Allen Hackman (born January 30, 1930) was a famous American actor. He had a long career that lasted for six decades. During this time, he won many important awards. These included two Academy Awards, two British Academy Films Awards, and four Golden Globes.

Hackman won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in The French Connection (1971). He also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing a bad sheriff in Unforgiven (1992). He was also nominated for Oscars for his roles in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988).

Many people know Hackman for playing the supervillain Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980). He also starred in many other popular movies like The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Birdcage (1996), and Enemy of the State (1998). He stopped acting after his last movie, Welcome to Mooseport, in 2004.

Early Life and Military Service

Eugene Allen Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California, in the United States. His parents were Eugene Ezra Hackman and Anna Lyda Elizabeth (Gray). He had one brother named Richard. His family moved often when he was young. They finally settled in Danville, Illinois.

Hackman decided he wanted to be an actor when he was 10 years old. His parents divorced when he was 13. His father then left the family.

Hackman left home at age 16. He lied about his age to join the United States Marine Corps. He served for four and a half years. He worked as a field-radio operator. Hackman was stationed in China and later in Hawaii and Japan. After leaving the Marines in 1951, he moved to New York City. He worked many different jobs.

Becoming an Actor

Hackman in the U.S. Marine Corps

Starting His Acting Journey (1956–1969)

In 1956, Hackman began his acting career. He joined the Pasadena Playhouse in California. There, he became friends with another actor, Dustin Hoffman. Their classmates voted them "The Least Likely To Succeed." Hackman even got the lowest score the Playhouse had ever given.

Determined to prove them wrong, Hackman moved to New York City. He worked at a restaurant to support himself. He got small roles in films and TV shows. These included Mad Dog Coll and TV series like Route 66.

Hackman also performed in several plays. In 1963, he made his Broadway debut. His big Broadway success came in 1964 with Any Wednesday. This play helped him get roles in movies. His first credited film role was in Lilith.

In 1967, Hackman played Buck Barrow in the movie Bonnie and Clyde. This role earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. This was a big step in his career.

Becoming a Star (1970–1979)

Hackman was nominated for another Best Supporting Actor Oscar for I Never Sang for My Father (1970). Then, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The French Connection (1971). This movie made him a true star.

After The French Connection, Hackman starred in many films. He was one of the busiest actors in Hollywood. He appeared in The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Scarecrow (1973). He also starred in Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation (1974). He even had a funny role as a blind man in Young Frankenstein (1974).

He played his Oscar-winning role again in French Connection II (1975). Hackman also showed his talent for comedy. He played the clever villain Lex Luthor in Superman: The Movie (1978). He played Lex Luthor again in the sequels.

Later Career and Awards (1980–1999)

Hackman (right) with President Ronald Reagan in 1987

In the 1980s, Hackman took on both main and supporting roles. He starred in Hoosiers (1986). In this movie, he played a high school basketball coach. This film is considered one of the greatest sports movies ever.

Hackman was nominated for another Best Actor Oscar for Mississippi Burning (1988). In 1992, he played Sheriff "Little Bill" Daggett in the Western film Unforgiven. This role earned him his second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actor. The movie also won Best Picture.

He continued to star in many popular films in the 1990s. These included The Firm (1993) with Tom Cruise. He also appeared in The Quick and the Dead (1995) and Crimson Tide (1995). In 1996, he showed his comedic side in The Birdcage. He also co-starred with Will Smith in Enemy of the State (1998).

Final Films and Retirement (2000–2004)

Hackman continued to act in the early 2000s. He starred with Owen Wilson in Behind Enemy Lines (2001). He also received great praise for his role in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). For this movie, he won a Golden Globe Award. In 2003, he worked with his old friend Dustin Hoffman in Runaway Jury.

His last film role was in the comedy Welcome to Mooseport (2004). In 2003, Hackman received the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award. This award honors his amazing contributions to entertainment.

In 2004, Hackman announced that he was retiring from acting. He confirmed his retirement in 2008 while promoting one of his novels. He later explained that a stress test showed his heart was not in good enough shape for the demands of acting. He briefly narrated two documentaries about the U.S. Marine Corps in 2016 and 2017.

Writing Career (1999–2013)

Hackman at a book signing in 2008

Besides acting, Gene Hackman also became a writer. He wrote three historical fiction novels with Daniel Lenihan. These included Wake of the Perdido Star (1999), a sea adventure. He also wrote Justice for None (2004) and Escape from Andersonville (2008).

His first solo novel was Payback at Morning Peak (2011). It was a story about love and revenge in the Old West. His final novel, Pursuit, was a police thriller released in 2013.

Personal Life

Family and Home

In 1956, Hackman married Faye Maltese. They had three children: Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie. They divorced in 1986.

In 1991, Hackman married Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist. They lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their home was known for its beautiful Southwestern style.

Interests and Hobbies

Hackman in 2008

In the late 1970s, Hackman enjoyed Sports Car Club of America races. He even drove in the 24 Hours of Daytona Endurance Race in 1983. He also won the Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity Race.

Hackman was a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars football team. He often attended their games.

He also had a strong interest in architecture and design. He designed and restored many homes. He enjoyed the process of creating new living spaces. As of 2018, Hackman also remained an active cyclist.

Health

In 1990, Hackman had a heart procedure called an angioplasty. In 2012, when he was 82, he was hit by a truck while cycling. Luckily, he only suffered minor bumps and bruises.

Death

Gene Hackman passed away on February 26, 2025, at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 95 years old. His wife and their dog were also found deceased. The police stated there were no signs of foul play.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

Accolades

An asteroid, 55397 Hackman, was named after him in 2001. It was discovered by Roy Tucker.

Publications

• Hackman, Gene, and Daniel Lenihan. Wake of the Perdido Star. New York: Newmarket Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-1-557-04398-6.
• Hackman, Gene, and Daniel Lenihan. Justice for None. New York: St. Martins Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-0-312-32425-4.
• Hackman, Gene, and Daniel Lenihan. Escape from Andersonville: A Novel of the Civil War. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-312-36373-4.
• Hackman, Gene. Payback at Morning Peak: A Novel of the American West. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-451-62356-7.
• Hackman, Gene. Pursuit. New York: Pocket Books, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-451-62357-4.

See also

In Spanish: Gene Hackman para niños