In Memoriam – Gene Hackman
by J. Nagle
Celebrated award-winning actor Gene Hackman was reported to have passed away on Wednesday, February 28th. His filmography is vast, having been best known for playing the titular lead role in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) as well as Harry Caul in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (1974).
Before his tenure as an actor, Hackman enlisted in the Marines at an early age of which he served for approximately five years. Another five years following his discharge from the unit would bring him into the acting field, finding his earliest roles in series and films such as The United States Steel Hour and Mad Dog Coll respectively. Following an extremely successful run of Any Wednesday on Broadway in 1964, Hackman would find his biggest role yet in Robert Rossen’s Lilith later that year.
The 1970s brought some of Hackman’s most memorable roles yet. Classic performances such as the Blind Man in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, as well as starring alongside Al Pacino in Scarecrow (1973). which Hackman has cited as his personal favorite. However, his most important role this decade was his lead role of Popeye in William Friedkin’s The French Connection, which would catapult Hackman further into the spotlight. While not his first nomination at the award show, Gene Hackman’s work in the film would net him his first ever win at the 44th annual Academy Awards, taking home the title of Best Actor.
Hackman would go on to live an honorable career for many more years until his retirement from the scene in 2004. Following his retirement, he would go on to write several novels as well as narrate for a few television documentaries.
The report estimates Hackman to have passed away around February 18th, approximately a week following the passing of his wife to HPS. Hackman is survived by his three children, Christopher Allen, Leslie Anne, and Elizabeth Jean.