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Eugene Alden Hackman (born 30 January 1930) is an American actor. He was born in San Bernardino, California. His parents divorced while he was a child, and he therefore moved from one place to another until he settled finally in Danville, Illinois, where he lived with his grandmother. At 16 he left home to join the Marines, where he served 3 years as a radio operator. Having finished his service, he moved to New York, where he worked in several minor jobs. He then studied television production and journalism at the University of Illinois, taking advantage of the "G.I. Bill".
Already over 30 years old, Hackman decided to become an actor and joined the Pasadena Playhouse in California. Some times later, he moved back to New York City, where he started to perform in several off-Broadway plays. Finally, in 1964, he had the offer to play on Broadway, which opened the doors to the movies. His first role was in Lilith, with Warren Beatty in the leading role. Another secondary role, Buck Barrow, in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde, earned him an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. In 1971 he was again nominated for the same award, this time for I Never Sang for My Father, working along side Melvyn Douglas. The next year he won the Best Actor award for his memorable performance as Popeye Doyle in The French Connection.
At the end of the 80s, when Hackman had become a deeply respected actor, he alternated between leading and supporting roles, earning another Best Actor nomination for Mississippi Burning. In 1990 he underwent heart surgery which kept him away from work for a while. In 1992, he played the sadistic sheriff, Bill Daggett in Unforgiven, for which role he earned a second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actor. After so many years of acting, Hackman wanted to try another field of creativity and wrote his first novel, which was published in 1999, a year that was exceptional in that he did not appear in any film.
His distinctive voice can be heard in television commercials from time-to-time, notably for United Airlines, GTE, CNN, and more recently for Oppenheimer Funds and Lowe's Home Improvement.
Hackman is one of the most acclaimed actors of his era. In over 40 years, he has convincingly played a wide variety of characters, not only in cinema, but also in TV productions and on stage. Hackman's first wife was Fay Maltese. They had three children, but they divorced in 1986 after 30 years of marriage. In 1991, Hackman married Betsy Arakawa. They live in Beverly Hills and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Betsy is co-owner of a upscale retail home furnishing store in Santa Fe, called Pandora's, Inc.
Gene Hackman Filmography
Actor
• Welcome to Mooseport (2004)
• Siege, The/Behind Enemy Lines (2003)
• Runaway Jury (2003)
• The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
• Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
• Heist (2001)
• Heartbreakers (2001)
• Under Suspicion (2000)
• The Replacements (2000)
• Enemy of the State (1998)
• Antz (1998)
• Twilight (1998)
• Absolute Power (1997)
• The Chamber (1996)
• Extreme Measures (1996)
• The Birdcage (1996)
• Get Shorty (1995)
• Crimson Tide (1995)
• The Quick and the Dead (1994)
• Wyatt Earp (1994)
• Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)
• The Firm (1993)
• Unforgiven (1992)
• Company Business (1991)
• Class Action (1991)
• Narrow Margin (1990)
• Postcards From the Edge (1990)
• Loose Cannons (1990)
• The Package (1989)
• Mississippi Burning (1988)
• Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
• Split Decisions (1988)
• Bat 21 (1988)
• Another Woman (1988)
• Superman IV - The Quest for Peace (1987)
• No Way Out (1987)
• Hoosiers (1986)
• Power (1986)
• Target (1985)
• Twice in A Lifetime (1985)
• Eureka (1983)
• Misunderstood (1983)
• Uncommon Valor (1983)
• Under Fire (1983)
• All Night Long (1981)
• Reds (1981)
• Superman II (1980)
• Superman: The Movie (1978)
• A Bridge Too Far (1977)
• The Domino Principle (1977)
• March or Die (1977)
• Bite the Bullet (1975)
• The French Connection II (1975)
• Night Moves (1975)
• Young Frankenstein (1974)
• Zandy's Bride (1974)
• The Conversation (1974)
• Scarecrow (1973)
• The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
• Prime Cut (1972)
• The French Connection (1971)
• The Hunting Party (1971)
• Doctors' Wives (1970)
• I Never Sang for My Father (1970)
• Downhill Racer (1969)
• The Gypsy Moths (1969)
• Marooned (1969)
• Riot (1969)
• Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
• Hawaii (1966)
• Lilith (1964)
Executive Producer
• Under Suspicion (2000)
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