"Gene musta made a thousand films
He's kissed a thousand girls
And made a thousand kills
And let's not forget he took on Superman! "
He's kissed a thousand girls
And made a thousand kills
And let's not forget he took on Superman! "
—Hoodoo Gurus, "Gene Hackman"
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman (born January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, California) is a retired American actor and novelist.
In a career spanning five decades, he has been nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, including best actor for The French Connection. In addition, Hackman has won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs.
Hackman retired from acting in 2004. By this time he had already written multiple books, and decided to become a full-time novelist.
Filmography:
- Bonnie and Clyde (1967) as Buck Barrow
- The Gypsy Moths (1969) as Joe
- Downhill Racer (1969) as Eugene Claire
- Marooned (1969) as Buzz Lloyd
- I Never Sang For My Father (1970) as Gene Garrison
- The French Connection (1971) as NYPD Det. Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle
- The Poseidon Adventure (1972) as Reverend Frank Scott
- Scarecrow (1973) as Max
- The Conversation (1974) as Harry Caul
- Young Frankenstein (1974) as the Blindman (Harold)
- Night Moves (1975) as Harry Moseby
- A Bridge Too Far (1977) as Maj Gen. Stanisław Sosabowski
- Superman (1978) as Lex Luthor
- Superman II (1980) as Lex Luthor
- Reds (1981) as Pete Van Wherry
- Uncommon Valor (1983) as Col. Jason Rhodes, USMC (ret)
- Hoosiers (1986) as Coach Norman Dale
- No Way Out (1987) as Defense Secretary David Brice
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) as Lex Luthor / voice of Nuclear Man
- Bat*21 (1988) as Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton, USAF
- Mississippi Burning (1988) as FBI Special Agent Rupert Anderson
- Loose Cannons (1990) as Det. MacArthur "Mac" Stern
- Class Action (1991) as Jedediah Tucker Ward
- Unforgiven (1992) as Little Bill Daggett
- The Firm (1993) as Avery Tolar
- Wyatt Earp (1994) as Nicholas Earp
- The Quick and the Dead (1995) as John Herod
- Crimson Tide (1995) as Capt. Frank Ramsey
- Get Shorty (1995) as Harry Zimm
- The Birdcage (1996) as Senator Kevin Keeley
- Extreme Measures (1996) as Dr. Lawrence Myrick
- Absolute Power (1997) as President Allen Richmond
- Enemy of the State (1998) as Edward 'Brill' Lyle
- Antz (1998) as General Mandible (voice)
- The Replacements (2000) as Jimmy McGinty
- Heartbreakers (2001) as William B. Tensy
- The Mexican (2001) as Arnold Margolese
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) as Royal Tenenbaum
- Behind Enemy Lines (2001) as Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart
- Runaway Jury (2003) as Rankin Fitch
- Welcome To Mooseport (2004) as Monroe Eagle Cole (The movie was so bad that it prompted him to retire from acting)
Tropes relating to his work:
- Anti-Hero: Most of his roles at the height of his career.
- Authority Equals Asskicking: His roles tend to be The Brigadier, the Colonel Badass, the Four-Star Badass, or the Majorly Awesome.
- Big Bad: A quarter of his later roles.
- Chronically Killed Actor: Due to playing most of the above.
- Cool Old Guy: Many of his non-villainous roles.
- The Danza: He played Eugene Claire in Downhill Racer and Gene Garrison in I Never Sang for My Father, but that was just serendipity, because it was the name of the character in the original play it was adapted from (Hal Holbrook played the role on Broadway).
- Large Ham: He loves Chewing the Scenery at times.
- Production Posse: Have starred in movies directed by Arthur Penn and Clint Eastwood.
- Star-Making Role: Though his work in Bonnie and Clyde brought him to prominence (earning him his first Oscar nomination), The French Connection is the true standout, as it was one that he almost didn't get (director William Friedkin had considered roughly eight other actors before finally settling on Hackman), and it ended up proving his proficiency as a leading man, which he would remain for the rest of his career. Additionally, it won him his first Oscar.
